Beat The Backlist 2018 + 2017 Recap

2017 is nearly over and it’s time to start thinking about all the wonderful reading challenges 2018 has in store for us… or if you’re like me, you’re going to swear off ALL reading challenges for 2018, only to cave under the peer pressure from your blogger friends.

So here I am, declaring myself a member of the Story Bard team for Beat The Backlist 2018. Last year the challenge was really intense and I did really well for most of it, but I fell off the wagon toward the end. I had a hard time keeping up with what I had submitted and what I hadn’t. I mean, if you follow my blog at all, you know how behind I am at posting my reviews! I’m much quicker at reading than writing up and posting my thoughts! (They’re coming though, I swear!)


2017 Recap

So, first things first. Let’s see how I did in 2017. (I know the year isn’t over yet, but I quit submitting my reviews for points.)

I had a list of print books I wanted to work my way through, and I did pretty awful.

My print book list contained 24 books.
Of those 24 books I read 5 and have started and set aside another 4. So…. that’s not great, but not awful.

Ebooks I think I did a little better with. I didn’t “declare” any ebooks back at the beginning of the challenge, but I did read quite a few. Total #BeatTheBacklist books read for 2017 (including print) came to… 16.

Wait…. 16 total? I take it back. I did awful. I do have at least one more review to post that was a backlist, but still. I did awful.


2018 Goals

I’m getting clarification of the rules, but I had planned to do some re-reads in 2018. I’m nearly done with Twilight right now and want to re-read the entire series. Same with The Mortal Instruments, Vampire Academy, and Bloodlines. I haven’t reviewed most if any of those books, so if those count, I’m set to do well!

I’m still going to try to work my way through the rest of my 2017 list.

That means I’m looking at, for print books:

From the 2017 list….

Switch by Douglas Davey

– Goodreads win. It’s YA. It fits the LGBTQ reading challenge I took on. Also looks like it might be a relatively short read.

The Other Boy by M. G. Hennessey

– Goodreads win. Very short middle grade. It might bore me, but it might not. It’s about bullying. I might give it to my 4th grader to read when I’m done. Also an ARC…. I probably should have read sooner. I’m the worst.

The Black Sheep by Yvonne Collins & Sandy Rideout

– Pretty sure this was a Goodreads win. One of the very few YA’s I’ve won. Plus it looks super cute with reality TV and teen romance mixed in.

Sophie Quire and the Last Storyguard by Jonathan Auxier

– Goodreads win. MG I believe. Might be a good one to read with/to my kids. Been on my TBR list since I won it. Another ARC I feel guilty for not reading sooner!

Silence by Michelle Sagara

– Goodwill find. I paid money for it, I damn well better read it! Pretty cover.

The Wizard, The Witch & Two Girls From Jersey by Lisa Papademetriou

– Friends of the Library buy. I paid money for it, I damn well better read it! If the book is as good as the title I’m sure I’ll enjoy it.

Legacy: A Private Novel by Kate Brian

– Friends of the Library buy. I have a feeling I won’t like this one about rich boarding school girls, but I paid $1.50 for it so I have to at least try.

Palace of Mirrors by Margaret Peterson Haddix

– Friends of the Library buy. I’m iffy on this one. But it was cheap. And there are girls in tiaras. I like princesses.

The Best “Worst” president: What the Right Gets Wrong About Barack Obama by Mark Hannah

– Goodreads win. Fabulous cover. I need to read more about politics. And I love the Obama family. Big book with small print though…

The Courtship Basket by Amy Clipston

 

– Goodreads win. I’ve been trying to win an Amish romance since forever. Now I can find out if I even like Amish romances!

Something Borrowed by Emily Griffin

– On loan from a friend. From at least 3 years ago! EEP! Better read and return. Hesitant because it’s chick lit and my luck with that genre has been meh. (I DID START THIS ONE! But I set it aside so I’ll have to start again.)

A Night With Audrey Hepburn by Lucy Holliday

– Goodreads win. One of my FIRST wins. Keeps getting pushed back on the list because I haven’t had much luck with chick lit. Beautiful cover though!

Something Blue by Emily Griffin

– See book 1 for all reasons. If I hate Something Borrowed I will not be reading Something Blue.

Cat With a Clue by Laurie Cass

– Goodreads win. Cozy mystery. Cats. Sounds good to me! Was going to read summer 2016 but it got shuffled aside. 🙁 (I started this one! It didn’t hook me so I’m not very commuted to this one. Sorry Cat.)

A Boy in Barcelona by R. W. Mitchell

 

 

– Goodreads win. Meets 2 other reading challenges (LGBTQ & Tour of Europe). Main character is quitting social media? I must see how this plays out, I couldn’t do it!

The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

– Goodreads win. I’ve heard good things about this one. I like libraries. And magic. It was an ARC and I feel guilty for not reading/reviewing yet! (BONUS: Counts for my European Reading Challenge!)

Drop Dead Beautiful by Jackie Collins

– Given to me by a friend to keep. I read most of the Lucky Santangelo series before this one. The first one, Chances, I thought I’d hate. But my friend insisted and boy am I glad I did! SO ADDICTING! I need to double check that I am up to date before starting this one, but I’m pretty sure I have at least one more to read first. Despite being HUGE books, these are totally addicting page turners. It’s good to have a little Jackie Collins in your life.


NetGalley / First Reads

I’m a bad little reader and here it is December and I have a number of books from NetGalley and First Reads that still need to be read. Sometimes I get a little greedy with the request / guarantee clicks….

First Reads:

Beasts Made of Night by Tochi Onyebuchi
– In my defense, I did START this one. I might have even finished the first chapter. Unfortunately it’s trapped on my old phone, and I’m not even sure where that is at the moment. I will read it though.

Ramses The Damned by Anne Rice & Christopher Rice

– I love Anne Rice so I really am looking forward to this. Unfortunately I have it in my head that I have to re-read the first book, The Mummy, so I’ll be doing that first. This one is also trapped on my old phone.

 

NetGalley:

The Girl in the Glass Box by Andi Adams

– It’s a fairy tale retelling. Hopefully a good one!

Doctor Who: Myths and Legends

– It’s The Doctor. Of course I need to read this one as soon as I can!

Begin Again by Mona Kasten

– I read a review of this on another blog and had to have it. I requested, they approved. I will read it probably in January. Pretty sure it’s a NA romance?

Artemis by Andy Weir

– I have no good excuse for not reading this yet! I LOVED The Martian so I’m sure Artemis won’t disappoint! I’m going to blame the 12 Books of Christmas Challenge I’m doing right now! I guess it’s appropriate that I read this for BTB 2018 since I read The Martian for BTB 2017!

Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller

– I won a print ARC of this one as well as the NetGalley copy and honestly, I’m not crazy about it. I’ll probably force myself to finish it. Maybe it gets better?

Beautiful Bodies by Kimberly Rae Miller

– I don’t remember what this one is about. I think it’s a memoir? It looked good though, the fiction books just keep getting priority from me.

The Falconer by Elizabeth May

– Started this one, but the formatting made it really wonky to do text to speech, so I have to read it when I can commit to reading with my eyes, not just listening.

Nessie by Nick Redfern

– Started this one, but took a loooong break. Might just have to DNF.

Bookishly Ever After by Isabel Bandeira

– I’ve started this book at least twice now, but the formatting is SO awful I may have to DNF. I’m not sure yet.

RoseBlood by A. G. Howard

– This one was started and set aside. I may come back to it, otherwise I’ll have to list DNF and report that to the publisher.


Others

I have some other books that need reading that I purchased ages ago and just never got around to….

Lost in Limbo by Angela Roquet

– In 2013 my friend had me buy this boxset of books 1-3 of the Lana Harvey, Reapers Inc. series, and I just never read it. Let that sink in. This book has been lingering for over 4 years now, just waiting for my attention.

Dark Swan series by Richelle Mead

– They had an awesome sale on this series this past year so I snagged it. I unfortunately kept grabbing NetGalley books so I haven’t had a chance to dive in yet. But I will, because Richelle Mead is my spirit animal. I want to be her when I grown up. I did actually read the graphic novel of the first book, and though it was very anemic (graphic novels just aren’t the same as novels! Sorry graphic novel lovers!) it gave me a taste of the story and I want to read more with all the details!

Vampire Girl by Karpov Kinrade

– A friend of mine is addicted to this book. She told me I HAD to read it, and since it was only 99c I bought it. I just haven’t found the time to start it yet!

 

….Everything else on my Kindle.

– I have so many books on my Kindle it’s not even funny. Seriously, it’s ridiculous. I’m hoping once I have my NetGalley list under control (hahaha! Funny, right?) I’ll be able to read one from my Kindle library for every 2 NetGalley/First Reads book. Doable? Maybe. We’ll find out won’t we!


So what about you? Are you participating in any reading challenges? If you’re taking part in this one, what team are you on? (If you’re not a Story Bard, best of luck, but don’t do better than my team please. haha!)

13 thoughts on “Beat The Backlist 2018 + 2017 Recap

    • With how fast you read already, you’d have to quit taking ANY new books to crush your backlist! I know I won’t get through mine, but I’m hoping to minimize it. Especially those print books so I can get rid of the ones I didn’t care for!

  1. I have realized I never did well when I set a number of books to read for myself. seeing those numbers of books to read will just make me feel nervous and I eventually stop reading altogether. So I never really join any reading challenge and just read whenever I want to read. It seems to work for me

    • The ebooks will be a breeze. The print books is where I struggle! LOL (Real books don’t offer text to speech capability for me to enjoy while folding laundry!)

      So good know know about the re-reads! I’m going to have SO much fun in 2018!

  2. Ok first, how do you win so many books on Goodreads? I’ve won a few in the past but no where near as many as you. Way to go!

    I should really organise my backlist too. I have far too many on my list. I can see #BeatTheBacklist featuring in my tweets in 2018.

    • I used to enter for nearly every book every day. It took a LOT of time. I actually stopped last… July? I only enter sporadically now and rarely win those few that I do enter. My husband said that if I don’t start reading and getting rid of the books I already have, he’s going to throw away my books, especially if I start getting more! LOL 🙁

      Good luck with your backlist in 2018! I really need to make some kind of database for mine because last year I just picked out the most interesting that were released before 2017!

    • Doubling up would be the way to go! I tried an A-Z challenge once, but it was way too hard. I can’t be that confined in my reading. Especially with my NetGalley addiction! LOL

    • HA! Same here! NetGalley has SO many good options and if you don’t snag them while you can, they might never get read. It’s a good problem to have though. 🙂

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