I’m always hesitant to do a “goals” post, because my interest in reading goals & challenges usually drops off over time, or I forget that I’m even supposed to be doing challenges. But I thought I’d throw out a few goals I think I can manage, and I’ll try to do periodic updates to make sure I’m on track. Sounds easy, right? Ha ha famous last words! We’ll start with the easiest one:
1. Goodreads Challenge
I set my yearly challenge for the same number as last year, 95 books, which is easy for me to hit. This year I’m determined to reach 100—which I almost did last year—it’s just a matter of not pooping out in December.
2. Picture Prompt Book Bingo
This is exciting, guys. Mayri over at Bookforager has created this stunning bingo card, made of pictures! I mean, why hasn’t anyone done this before? The pictures give you some elbow room to interpret the prompts in different ways, and I’m so excited to start this. For example, Mayri says this about the challenge:
For example, let’s take that house (my favourite) on the bottom line, second from the left: It could suggest a haunted house to you, as it does to me, or it could suggest a domestic story; maybe you’ll look for a house on a book cover, or for the word ‘house’ in a title or in an author’s name. As long as you’re happy with the connection you’ve made between the image and the book you’ve picked, that’s good enough for me, no psychological analysis or judgement will be made, (although I’m thinking I should’ve called this the Rorshach Book Bingo for my own amusement – ha!)
I’m looking forward to this one, and if it intrigues you as well, click the link above to learn more and let Mayri know you’re going to participate:-)
3. New To me Female Author Challenge
There are so many authors I still haven’t read, some of them big name authors and some smaller, indie published authors. I want to challenge myself to check out six new female authors this year, and here the ones at the top of my list. Four of these are sort of cheating, because I already have review copies of their books, so there’s a fairly good chance I’ll get to them.
Sarah Lotz – Her 2022 release is The Impossible Us, which sounds completely different from her horror novels. But I’m going to start with this one because yes, I have a review copy. And it sounds amazing.
Simone St. James – I missed out on The Sundown Motel in 2020, but I was approved for her 2022 release, The Book of Cold Cases. Sounds like fun!
Delilah Dawson – I see Dawson’s name all over the place, but for some reason I’ve never read one of her books. Now that I have a review copy of The Violence, I’m excited to hop on board. And in fact, I’m currently reading this and LOVING it so far!
Mary Robinette Kowal – I’m surprised I’ve never read one of Kowal’s books, but this year I intend to start her Lady Astronaut series and at least read the first book, The Calculating Stars. I may wait until Sci Fi Month, but I’m determined:-)
Gwendolyn Kiste – I follow a lot of horror fiction bookstagrammers, so names like Kiste pop up all the time. She has a new book coming out this year through Gallery/Saga Press called Reluctant Immortals, and I’m looking forward to it.
Hailey Piper – Another Instagram favorite among the horror crowd is Hailey Piper, and I actually purchased one of her books last year, The Worm and His Kings, but never got the chance to read it. Hoping to squeeze it in this year!
4. Backlist/Owned Books Challenge
This group represents books I’ve purchased recently, and some of them are by authors I love and want to read more of their backlist. It’s sort of a mixed bag, but I’m going to make an effort to read all of these this year!
Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey. I’m seriously the last person to read this series, so it’s time to dig in. This will probably be another Sci Fi Month read, so I have a bit of a wait (November), but that’s ok.
Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky. Another book that everyone but me has read, again this will be perfect for Sci Fi Month later in the year.
December Park by Ronald Malfi. Malfi has quite the backlist, and after being blown away by Come With Me, I started researching his older books. December Park is just one that I’m looking forward to!
Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder. I read lots of great reviews of this book last year, and I bought a copy based on some of them. Now I need to read it and see what all the fuss is about.
Skullcrack City by Jeremy Robert Johnson. I read Johnson’s In the River and loved it, and I just happened to buy Skullcrack City at the same time. It’s fairly short so I shouldn’t have any problem fitting it in.
Angel Killer by Andrew Mayne. I’m a big fan of Mayne’s books, but I haven’t read his Jessica Blackwood series yet. This is the first book in the series, and I’ll save this for when I need a high voltage, fast paced read.
Love the look of that picture bingo challenge. I’m doing a bingo challenge too but it’s a word one. Also doing a classics challenge as I don’t think I read enough of those and a Read Around the World one. Also a couple of personal ones like yourself. I want to read at least one sci-fi or fantasy a month and learn more about Greek myths. I love reading plans!
Cath recently posted…First reads of 2022
Your plans sound great, good luck!
Yes, I’m not very good with challenges. I usually read 100 books a year or just over so that one’s probably a no-brainer for me . I love that bringo card and will take a look at that – I think I could take part in that challenge very easily.
Lynn 😀
That’s what I was thinking, the picture bingo seems like a kinder, gentler bingo game:-)
I’m very excited at your decision to start reading The Expanse, which is my all-time favorite space opera: it will be fun revisiting this story through your eyes and I’m very much looking forward to it! 🙂
Maddalena@spaceandsorcery recently posted…EMPIRE OF THE VAMPIRE (Empire of the Vampire #1), by Jay Kristoff
I can’t wait, and I may not wait until November…
Good luck! I need to focus on my own books for sure…
It’s something I never get to do, because I take on too many review books, but I’m determined this year:-)
The only goals I am good at are book goals because they’re fun lol.
If you really like Dawson, I suggest checking out her stuff under another pen name as well; Lila Bowen.
Ooh good idea, I will check out her other books:-)
My Goodreads goal is 52 horror books. I’ll read more than that but not count them on Goodreads. I love Haley Piper’s style of writing, so lyrical. I really enjoyed Nightb*tch, but it’s not for everyone!
Priscilla Bettis recently posted…It’s Release Day for “The Hay Bale”!
I think I’ll enjoy Nightbitch and Hailey Piper:-)
The only reading challenge I’ve started so far is goodreads, and I stuck to my goal from last year which was/is a challenge. I didn’t quite make it last year, but we’ll see if I can get any closer this year. That picture prompt one is interesting and creative. And I like the idea of, and always try to add in new to me authors and work off some of my existing backlog, but I not been good about crafting actual goals for those. Maybe I’ll put a little more thought into it. We’ll see. Either way, though, good luck with yours! 🙂
Thanks Todd, I find challenges can motivate me, I just have to remember I’m doing them six months from now, lol.
I enjoyed Marry Robinette Kowal’s Lady Astronaut series a lot! And you may be the last to read the Expanse series but not by much. I didn’t get around to it until last fall. Truly one of the great SF series ever.
I can’t wait, Brett!
You, tempter!!
I used to do tons of challenges.
Getting old now, so trying to be wiser, lol. Only going with Goodreads, TBR Challenge (hosted by Adam for many years (https://wordsandpeace.com/2022/01/03/2022-tbr-pile-reading-challenge/), the usual Japanese Literature Challenge (January-March: https://wordsandpeace.com/2022/01/03/2022-books-in-translation-reading-challenge/), and Books in Translation Challenge (https://wordsandpeace.com/2022/01/03/2022-books-in-translation-reading-challenge/)
I think it’s better to stick to a few that you know you can handle:-)
Good luck on your challenges, Tammy! I’m sure you’ll rock them all! I’m just doing the Goodreads one and then in Nonfiction November at the end of the year. It’s the only one I know I can always do haha
Stephanie @ Bookfever recently posted…Book Blitz: A Wallflower’s Guide to Becoming a Bride by Eva Devon, Tamara Gill, & Stacy Reid
I think we’ll both do well:-)
Children of Time is on my coming-up-soon list (but plans change, so we’ll see). I’m so excited you’re planning to read The Calculating Stars! One of my all-time faves. Good luck!
Thanks Lisa!
Good luck with your goals and challenges! I love the idea of the picture prompt bingo. I think you will like Simone St. James when you read her work.
Literary Feline recently posted…Weekly Mews: A Bookstore Run, Leg Cuddles & Good Books
I’m so excited to try her book!
I’ve read half of those female authors. I enjoyed The Calculating Stars and bought the next 2 in the series. I read The Sundown Motel and also have an ARC for The Book of Cold Cases.
Good to know, thanks Anne!
You know Tammy, you could just read Leviathan Wakes early and still have time before November to squeeze in another handful of Expanse sequels. Or hey, you could just start AND finish up the entire series this year! On that for me, would you;)
Ha ha I like your plan Will!
Good luck with these!!!
Nightbitch looks like a trip. 🙂
It does!
Ooh, I love that bingo card! Yes to Simone St. James and Hailey Piper!! I hope you love Children of Time. I really want to read more Adrian Tchaikovsky. I’ve only read a couple of his books, and I loved them.
Jennifer | Book Den recently posted…Book Review | A History of Wild Places by Shea Ernshaw
I’ve read a few of Tchaikovsky’s books too and they are all so different!
That bingo challenge looks so cool. I’ve been lame about doing any actual challenges the past couple of years but that one is tempting. I’m with you on continuing to tackle the unread books I own though. That’s my main goal this year.
That’s a big enough challenge to go for, I think:-)
Good luck on your challenges! I always want to do a backlist challenge but I never manage it…but Andrew Mayne’s Jessica Blackwood is one series I’d love to catch up with.
His books are like candy, I’d love to catch up with it too:-)
I’m slowly putting together my goals. I certainly want to do a “read my own books” thing to hopefully put a dent in my physical tbr so I can weed out books I don’t like.
All the best on your goals!
Thank you!
Good luck with your goals 🙂
That picture prompt bingo card is very very tempting.
The Book of Cold Cases is on my TBR too. I really enjoyed The Sun Down Motel so am looking forward to this new one.
Pages and Tea recently posted…Book Review: The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow
Thanks! I would love to catch up with The Sundown Motel at some point.
I am glad youbare joining the Bingo challenge, that card is so beautiful!! And good luck with all your challenges!! It is true that they are not few but they all seem achievable and sensible!!
I think they are doable, I just have to remember I’m doing them, lol.
And sometimes that is the hardest part!!!
That picture prompt bingo looks intriguing! My goal for this year is to focus on my backlist books that have sad puppy eyes about being ignored for so long. Hopefully, I’ll make a Beat the Backlist post soon, but I have felt less motivated to blog lately, so we’ll see.
The other challenge I’m tackling is the LiterALLy Bookish Bingo (Facebook group), which I also want to make a post about.
I always feel sad about my owned books too. Someday I’ll stop blogging and just read for myself…
I have a similar approach to challenges. Sign up for a few that look like fun, see how they stick throughout the year, if I fall off of them – oh well 😛 At the least, I hope they lead you to some great reads! Let’s both crack 100 books this year
Jenna @ Falling Letters recently posted…Across the North: Ice Ghosts and The Great Northern Canada Bucket List [Review]
Yeah, I don’t take them super seriously. Reading is supposed to be fun, right?
Good luck with your challenges, Tammy!
Thanks Ola!
That book bingo looks so fun! I absolutely loved The Violence–I’m SO glad to see you are so far, too! I’m hoping to read Nightbitch this year, also. I am not someone who usually sets goals or joins challenges, but it actually seems kinda helpful and fun, so maybe I’ll have to see about doing more this year! Good luck with all of these, I have faith in you! 🙂
Yes I love Mayri’s challenge. Totally doing it this year as well 😀
Good luck with all your goals <3
Annemieke recently posted…Ten Books with a Name in the Title That I Read | #TopTenTuesday 323
Not sure if my comment went through because I tried to link to an older blog post since I’m so late getting around to commenting on this! lol. I think the bingo with pictures is a great idea because like you say, it could fit so many books! Good luck with your challenges, like you, I hope to get so much off my TBR read with challenges, but don’t always get much done.
Lisa Mandina (Lisa Loves Literature) recently posted…ARC Review: All the Right Reasons by Bethany Mangle