Yes, this sign-up post is a little late. I think I might have left my brain and motivation back in 2018. But I still must press on. The 2019 Beat the Backlist challenge is hosted by Austine @ NovelKnight and is designed to help you tackle all the backlist books on your TBR. You can read any kind of book for this challenge as long as the publication date is 2018 or earlier and you start and finish it in 2019. This is my first time joining this challenge and I will be using the opportunity to get to my physical backlist TBR. I’m listing ten books for the challenge. These are my priority backlist books, but I am hoping to get to more throughout the year. Covers are linked to Goodreads.
1. Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik – I said I was going to get to this one when it came out last summer and the months just kept going by. There were even times when I could have read it at the end of the year, but didn’t.
2. American Panda by Gloria Chao – I remember when this came out early in 2018, how much praise it received. I got so excited, I ended up buying the book and then never picking it up. Why am I like this?
3. The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan – I eyed this one for months before all the great reviews for it finally convinced me to buy it. Honestly, I think I’m a little afraid of how emotional this one is going to make me.
4. I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erica L. Sánchez – Why has it taken me so long to read a book that seems written for me? I think all my expectations have kept me from cracking this one open. I’ve had this one almost since its release in late 2017.
5. Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman – Do you ever follow authors on Twitter and RT stuff about their books, but have never actually read anything by them yet? This is me with Bowman. I know in my bones that I will love this one and yet…
6. Vicious by V.E. Schwab – I blame the hype for this one for keeping me away. I want to read it and I’ve loved everything else she’s written, but there are so many expectations. I’m a little nervous. I’ve had this one on my shelf since 2015.
7. The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch – I credit the blogging community for putting this one on my TBR and then subsequently buying myself a copy. I credit myself for having not read it yet. This year will be the year that I do. I hope.
8. The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden – With the final book in this series releasing, I feel behind on this series. My goal is to read this second book and hopefully find time for the third this year as well.
9. Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust – I’ve had this one for a while. It’s from one of my book hauls from Book Outlet. I’ve heard so many wonderful things about the writing, but I just haven’t found the time to read it. I am determined to finally pick this one up this year. I can do it.
10. Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Pérez – I won a copy of this book a couple of years ago and I wanted to read it really badly and then failed miserably at actually picking it up. It’s another one of those emotional books I’ve put off because I know I need to be in the right mindset before I read it.
Did you enjoy any of these books? Which book from my list should I pick up first? Are you participating in the Beat the Backlist challenge? Leave me a link in the comments to your TBR and I will be sure to check it out.
