Friday, January 3, 2020

January 2020 TBR


It's January TBR time!

Here's the thing about me, I love making lists and monthly TBRs but I am terrible at sticking to them. Right now, I'm reading at a rate where TBR don't really make sense; about two books per month tops recently and one of them is my book club book. BUT I'm still going to make a TBR! (I'm sure you didn't see that one coming.)

I've got a reasonable list, probably about one book per challenge I'm participating. I am giving myself grace to not finish books and change them based on my mood and if I feel like I'm falling into a slump. I want to increase my reading and I'm going to listen to myself and not force books that aren't interesting to me anymore.

Anyway, so I've got some guidelines for myself and I'm ready to share with you my picks for January!
The Disney-a-Thon Pick:
Pocahontas  - Read a book featuring Native/Indigenous people
Race to the Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse- While I was researching my retelling challenge for this year, I came across this book and it's coming out this month. It's a story inspired by Navajo lore, featuring a set of siblings with Navajo heritage. It sounds incredibly interesting and I'm also looking forward to rewatching Pocahontas! (Bonus it also counts toward the retelling challenge!)
Series Picks:
Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater- I read the first two books of this series at the end of 2019 and I really liked them. I'm definitely going to continue and finish it in the first quarter of 2020. And that starts with this book! I'm really intrigued as to where the story of Blue and the boys is going so here I am hoping to read this book this month!

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo -  This is another series that I started in 2019 and I'd really like to finish in 2020. I love Leigh Bardugo's writing and I'm excited to see where this story goes in the sequel!
Book Club Pick:
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott -  This is a reread for me; I've read it in the last couple years for the first time and really enjoyed it. We decided to read the book and then go see the new adaptation of it with Emma Watson and company.

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Welcome to 2020

It's a brand new decade! And a brand new decade deserves a new set of challenges. So today I'm going to share with you the challenges I've chosen to participate in and some of the books I hope to read in 2020.

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2020 Finishing the Series Reading Challenge hosted by Celebrity Readers.

I've been doing this challenge for a couple years now and I really enjoy it. It gives me an excuse and a great reminder to continue those series I've started but haven't finished.

Last year, I attempted and did not come close to finishing the B-lister level, which is finishing 5-8 series. I'm going to take it a little bit easier this year, so I'm choosing the C-lister level which is finishing 1-4 series. And if I complete this level early on in the year, I may upgrade to the B-lister level. We shall see.

I've got a list of potential book series candidates for this challenge. Obviously, there's more than four here so I'll be playing it by ear which series I read in 2020.

C-List Finisher (1-4 series)

1. The Raven Cycle by Maggie Steifvater (4 books total) - 4/10/20
2. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (3 books total)
3. Renegades by Marissa Meyer (3 books total)
4. Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake (4 books total)
5. Illuminae Chronicles by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (3 books total)
6. Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin (2 books total)
7. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas (8 books total)
8. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein (2 books total)


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2020 Retellings Reading Challenge hosted by Cornerfolds.

I love a good retelling, I'm a sucker for them. So when I found this challenge, I knew I wanted to participate!

There are levels and a bingo board with prompts so it's a bit of a two fold challenge and I am up for it! There's a giveaway aspect to this challenge that I may or may not participate in but I'll play that by ear.

The goal is a bingo (or a black out) on the board with the level you have chosen.  I am attempting to the Silent Assassin level, which is reading 1-5 retellings. Hopefully, my five books will work with five prompts to get my bingo. And again, if I finish that goal early in the year, I may upgrade to another level.

Hades & Persephone - The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi
Own Voices - Race to the Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
Free Space - The Trails of Apollo: The Tryant's Tomb by Rick Riordan

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Disney Read-a-thon Challenge hosted by ME!

This is a reading challenge that I created for myself mid last year. I combined my love for reading with my love for Disney. Essentially, a created a reading prompt for every animated theatrical release since the beginning of Disney. Here's the original post that has all the prompts!

Every month I'll randomly select a movie and read a book that follows the prompt and then watch the accompanying movie. The original post with all the prompts and explanation is linked above. I'll keep this area updated with what I watch and read this year; I may have multiple picks per month but I'm playing that by ear. Please feel free to join me on this adventure!

January: