Each year, I make a list of books that I want to prioritize in my reading. A big chunk of these are books that have ended up in my Audible queue, or are sitting on the “to investigate” list of my TBR. Another chunk are books that will be published throughout the year – assuming publication dates don’t change. I’m not a fan of having a massive backlog of books waiting for me – it stresses me out! So every since I culled my TBR down from 400+ to under 10 books in 2011, I’ve kept up a yearly list of books that have somehow built up in queue for too long. This way, I never have (published) books on my TBR pile for more than a year or so!
This year, I have 27 books on the list, which is on the higher end for me (there is never more than 30 – that’s my breaking point!). I may not read them all. This list is for reading or culling if I decide they aren’t right for me. I’ve starred books that are guaranteed reads. Sadly, I don’t have as many of those this year as in years past!
- The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho
- Dark One Volume 1 by Brandon Sanderson
- As the Shadow Rises by Katy Rose Pool
- Gideon the Ninth – Tamsyn Muir
- The Original – Brandon Sanderson and Mary Robinette Kowal
- The Scapegoat – Daphne du Maurier
- The Fortune Teller – Gwendolyn Womack
- Compete to Create – Michael Gervais and Pete Carroll
- Devil’s Night – Todd Ritter
- The Haunting of Brynn Wilder – Wendy Webb
- Grandma Gatewood’s Walk – Ben Montgomery
- Half Light – Tayari Jones
- Off Menu – Nell McShane Wulfhart
- Unhallowed Graves – Nuzo Onoh
- The Reluctant Dead – Nuzo Onoh
- The Regrets – Amy Bonnaffons
- Elatsoe – Darcie Little Badger
- The Postscript Murders – Elly Griffiths (March)*
- Rule of Wolves – Leigh Bardugo (March)
- Bridge of Souls – Victoria Schwab (March)*
- Wilde Child – Eloisa James (March)*
- Mister Impossible – Maggie Stiefvater (May)*
- One Great Lie – Deb Caletti (June)
- Any Way the Wind Blows – Rainbow Rowell (July)*
- Survive the Night – Riley Sager (July)
- The Heart Principle – Helen Hoang (August)
- Nowhere – Brandon Sanderson (2021)*
I’m currently reading the first of these, Elatsoe, and I’m unsure as of yet if it’s one I’ll continue. It might not be right for me. I’m trying to be pickier this year about not continuing with books that are okay-but-not-great-for-me. I’ve had too high a percentage of my books for the last few years falling into the “wish I’d abandoned” category (upwards of 20%), and they almost exclusively come from the “just okay for me” books. I want to get more out of what I’m reading.
I also feel a transition coming on. Most of this last year, I’ve been reading tons of mysteries and paranormal fiction, and my brain is turning from that to something new. I’m not sure what the New is yet, but it feels slower, calmer, deeper; the way it has felt when I go through a period of reading classics or nonfiction. Guess I’ll see what ends up appealing, yeah?
In any case, this is the list I’ll return to throughout 2021, to read or choose-not-to-read as the situation dictates.
The Zen Leaf 