It’s 2020! January TBR

How in the world is it the year 2020? I remember when I was a kid growing up that 2020 sounded so futuristic. I didn’t think I’d be alive to see it (I mean, it was the 1900s and anything in the new century sounded unbelievable to me!). Anyway, here we are! Clearly, I’m alive and well and net even close to being dead…so the joke is on me! 🤪

In terms of goals and intentions, I meant to be more prepared for this new year…but I tend to do better under pressure so I’m going to keep winging it like I always have been!

One thing I’m doing differently is that I’m not setting a quantity goal for the year (I’ll still set something on Goodreads because I love the Year in Review they provide!). I want to focus on quality instead – increasing my average page count per book, amount of pages read overall, and enjoying what I read.

I am also putting myself on a book buying ban. I’m not doing it out of shame or anything other than trying to read the books I already own! To help me do that, I will be participating in the Unread Shelf Challenge hosted by Whitney at The Unread Shelf (more on this in a post later this week). Many of the books currently on my shelf I bought with the intention of reading right away, but then I got distracted by a new release or persuaded by a trusted book source. In full disclosure, I will still be adding some new books to my shelves through partnerships I have with publishers. Also, I was lucky enough to get a few gift cards for Christmas, so if there’s a book I’m absolutely dying to read, I will get it! Last, I already have credits with Book of the Month (<– affiliate link!) so those won’t count on the ban either.

To help me whiddle down my books, I have a few categories I’d like to try to hit each month:

• A Backlist Title – This month, The Garden of Small Beginnings by: Abbi Waxman will fit this category!
• A BOTM Title – Dear Edward by: Ann Napolitano (I have 31 (!!) unread BOTM titles…time to knock them out!)
• A Nonfiction Title – I have heard rave reviews of The Library Book by: Susan Orlean. (Plus, it’s another BOTM title so I’m killing two birds with one stone! 👊🏼)
• A NetGalley/Edelweiss Title (in an effort to get my reviewer % up!) – Such A Fun Age by: Kiley Reid This book is everywhere and getting some good attention!
• A Memoir – Me by: Elton John
• At least 2 physical ARCs – American Dirt by: Jeanine Cummins and A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende

Other books up for consideration:

• Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain
• The Sun Down Motel by: Simone St. James
• Quit Like a Woman: The Radical Choice to Not Drink in a Culture Obsessed With Alcohol by: Holly Whitaker
• Saint X by: Alexis Schaitkin
• Followers by: Megan Angelo
• Creatures by: Crissy Van Meter

There you have it! What’s on your list of hopefuls for the month of January?