I have to laugh when I look at my 2023 reading goals, because even though I was successful I didn’t do exactly what I said I was going to do in the first paragraph. I still ask for Netgalley ARCs. To the point that it is probably unhealthy for my reading. However, I guess until I hit a brick wall with it I won’t exactly stop. I am trying to be a bit more selective about it. I’m not sure if I’m successful. A humongous TBR is my reading red flag I guess. Oh well.

I have a few new things that I want to do in terms of reading this year. I’m actually ditching my standing challenges, because they’re not exactly challenges if I don’t struggle to complete them. So, we’re ditching them. We’re continuing with the series challenge. Last year I didn’t complete it, at least a few of them were not my fault, but one of them was totally my fault.

I also want to continue reading books from around the world. I struggled really hard with South America, Oceania and Europe. I know it sounds weird that I struggled with Europe since I had more than two reads. However, at least two of those reads are non-fiction and one is an anthology. I don’t know. I struggled to find things I wanted to read. I have more books by African authors sitting on my shelf than I do European authors. Anyways, I know that sounds weird. Asia will never be a problem. I do want to try to read from the non-English speaking North American country.

Lastly, I want to try books by authors that I have been meaning to read from and just haven’t gotten there. I find that I just don’t pick them up for whatever reason, so, if I make them a challenge I’ll probably actually do it.

As per usual, I retain the right to make changes to this at any point. Not that anyone really looks at this page anyways.

2024 Specific Challenges:

Finish/Continue Series (In no particular order):

1. Heavenly Tyrant (2024)
2. Wrath of the Talon (2024)
3. Mirrored Heavens (2024)
4. Heartsong (2019), Brothersong (2020)
5. The Descent of Monsters (2018), The Ascent to Godhood (2019)
6. Blood Justice (2024)
7. What Feasts at Night (2024)
8. Court of Wanderers (2024)
9. Sunbringer (2024)
10. The Brides of High Hill (2024)

Prompts:

1. Start a New Series: Bonesmith by Nicki Pau Preto
2. A book that I own, but haven’t read: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
3. Bestie Recommendation: Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver
4. Recommended by My Mother:
5. Author Discovered in an Anthology:
6. 450+ pages: The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon
7. 2023 Carryover: The Lies of the Ajungo by Moses Ose Utomi
8. New Folktale/Fairytale: Where the Dark Stands Still by A.B. Poranek
9. A book by an author whose work I enjoyed in the past: The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
10. A book by an author whose work I didn’t enjoy in the past: A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal
11. Nonfiction: Slow Noodles by Chantha Nguon
12. Reread a book that was never reviewed: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
13. Plants on the Cover: An Education in Malice by S.T. Gibson
14. Award Winner/Nominee:
15. Revisit a 2022 Author: Song of the Six Realms by Judy I. Lin

New Authors I want to read from (in no particular order):

Amélie Wen Zhao: Song of Silver, Flame Like Night

Rena Barron:

Samantha Shannon:

C.L. Clark:

Juno Dawson:

Lana Harper:

Tasha Suri:

H.M. Long:

Isabel Cañas:

Madeline Miller:

Shelley Parker-Chan:

Deborah Falaye:

Hanna Alkaf:

K.D. Edwards:

Rebecca Ross: Divine Rivals (Review upon end of SMP boycott)

A.K. Mulford:

Octavia E. Butler:

Elif Shafak:

Read Around the World:

Africa:
Nigeria: Jollof Rice and Other Revolutions by Omolola Ijeoma Ogunyemi
Sudan: River Spirit by Leila Aboulela

Asia:
Cambodia: Slow Noodles by Chantha Nguon
China: Zodiac by Ai Weiwei
Japan: What You are Looking for is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama
Japan: Woman of Pleasure, A by Kiyoko Murata
Korea: Magical Girl Retires, A by Park Seolyeon
Singapore: Ascent to Godhood, The by Neon Yang
Singapore: Descent of Monsters, The by Neon Yang

Europe:
Netherlands: Confrontations by Simone Antangana Bekono

Oceania:
Australia: Milk Teeth by Rae White
French Polynesia: Breadfruit by Célestine Vaite

North America:
Canada: Prairie Edge by Conor Kerr
United States: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

South America: