Reading Challenges Wrap-Up: January – February ’20

I joined two reading challenges this year and will be giving an update on both in the same post every month. Year of the Asian reading challenge is hosted by Lily @ Sprinkles of Dreams, Shealea @ Shut Up Shealea, Vicky @ Vicky Who Reads, and CW @ The Quiet Pond. Be sure to check out their blogs to join and challenge yourself to read as many books by Asian authors as you can. I am currently aiming for 11-20 books and have made some really good progress. Covers linked to Goodreads.

Books by Asian authors I read in January and February:

1. Monstress, Vol. 3: Haven by Marjorie M. Liu, Sana Takeda (Illustrator)
2. The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
3. Of Curses and Kisses by Sandhya Menon

Reading Challenge Goal: 11-20 books; Current Count: 3 books

I have also joined the Con Sabor Reading Challenge hosted by Dani @ metamorphoreader, Astrid @ Book Love Book Reviews, Natalia @ Books.Build.Life, and Nox @ Nox the Reader which focuses on picking up books by Latinx authors. I have a couple of goals with this one but have only made progress with one. I am aiming to read 30 books by Latinx authors this year. So far I am on schedule to accomplish this but might have to step up my game in the coming months so I don’t fall behind. Covers linked to Goodreads.

Books by Latinx authors I read in January and February:

1. Diamond City by Francesca Flores
2. The House of Broken Angels by Luis Alberto Urrea
3. Citizen Illegal by José Olivarez
4. American Street by Ibi Zoboi
5. Children of the Land by Marcelo Hernandez Castillo

Reading Challenge goal: 30 books; Current Count: 5 books

Badges earned so far for this challenge:

Have you joined these challenges this year? Have you read any of these books as well? Let’s discuss in the comments!

Con Sabor Reading Challenge 2020: Sign-up, Goals, and TBR

Dani @ metamorphoreader, Astrid @ Book Love Book Reviews, Natalia @ Books.Build.Life, and Nox @ Nox the Reader have created the Con Sabor Reading Challenge that runs all year long and challenges readers to pick up more books by Latinx authors. I am so excited for this challenge and have been looking forward to it ever since Dani mentioned wanting to created a year-long challenge focused on Latinx books. Obviously this is my kind of challenge. In addition to challenging readers to pick up as many books as possible, the hosts have also created prompts that you can participate in each month if you so wish. You can earn badges by either reading a certain number of books or by participating in these prompts. Check out the hosts’ posts (which I linked to above) for complete info, including where to sign up!

My Goals:

1. Become a Latinx Historian – The hosts have included badges every time you reach a certain number of reads. I am going to shoot for the highest number (30), so I can become a Latinx Historian.

2. Become a Latinx Explorer – I’m less confident with this one but I still want to try. You can also earn a special badge by completing 5 prompt reads which I will also be aiming to do.

The TBR:

I don’t want to make a really specific TBR for this challenge because I want the freedom to choose what I read throughout the year. I do want to highlight a few backlist books that I would like to get to however. So here are a few books that I will be picking up in 2020 for this challenge (I hope). Covers are linked to Goodreads.

1. Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Pérez
2. The Disturbed Girl’s Dictionary  by NoNieqa Ramos
3. They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
4. The Library of Lost Things by Laura Taylor Namey
5. Citizen Illegal by José Olivarez

6. The Book of Lost Saints by Daniel José Older
7. Barely Missing Everything by Matt Mendez
8. In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado
9. By Any Means Necessary by Candice Montgomery
10. Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg Medina

I have also already earned my first badge for this challenge by reading my first book by a Latinx author this year. I read Diamond City by Francesca Flores. Look at how adorable this badge is. I will probably be making a progress post every month here on the blog to track my reading and show off all the badges I’ve earned.

Are you joining the Con Sabor Reading Challenge? Which books by Latinx authors are you hoping to pick up this year? Let’s talk in the comment!

Year of the Asian Reading Challenge, 2020: Sign-Up and TBR

The Year of the Asian reading challenge is hosted by Lily @ Sprinkles of Dreams, Shealea @ Shut Up Shealea, Vicky @ Vicky Who Reads, and CW @ The Quiet Pond and its aim is to challenge readers to pick up Asian authors all year long. This reading challenge runs throughout 2020 and comes with these cute little badges you can shoot for. I will be aiming for 11-20 books read by Asian authors, so I can earn this little guy here:

I’ve been telling myself it’s best to stay away from reading challenges because I can get really stressed about them. Last year I only joined the Beat the Backlist challenge (which I failed at by the way, haha) in an effort to keep expectations low for myself. But I want to have more fun with my reading this year and joining challenges like this is sure to help with that. I am posting a TBR below, but will likely change things here and there. This is mostly a list of backlist titles with a few 2020 releases thrown in. Covers are linked to Goodreads.

1. Monstress, Vol. 3: Haven by Marjorie M. Liu, Illustrated by Sana Takeda
2. Monstress, Vol. 4: The Chosen by Marjorie M. Liu, Illustrated by Sana Takeda
3. Jade City by Fonda Lee
4. Jade War by Fonda Lee
5. Of Curses and Kisses by Sandhya Menon

6. The Never Tilting World by Rin Chupeco
7. Steel Crow Saga by Paul Krueger
8. Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan
9. The True Queen by Zen Cho
10. The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan

11. Trouble Never Sleeps by Stephanie Tromly
12. Internment by Samira Ahmed
13. Descendant of the Crane by Joan He
14. The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
15. 10 Things I Hate About Pinky by Sandhya Menon

16. Somewhere Only We Know by Maurene Goo
17. I’ll Be the One by Lyla Lee
18. Fire Boy by Sami Shah
19. Warcross by Marie Lu
20. We Free the Stars by Hafsah Faizal

Are you joining Year of the Asian reading challenge this year? Which of these on my list needs to be at the top of my TBR? Let’s talk in the comment!

2019 Beat the Backlist Challenge TBR

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.