Meggy | Chocolate'n'Waffles

2017 Beat the Backlist

No Suntag today. I know, you’re devastated but stick with me, it’ll be fun.

This year of blogging and reading has brought me many things, including a towering TBR that needs and deserves some love. Drunk on book envy and cursed with a finger that clicks on Amazon deals faster than you can say Sabotage (who will get the reference?) I hoarded books like never before. And I mean it. I used to buy ten, maybe 15 books a year. My account says I’ve ordered 96 times since January, and it doesn’t take into account the secondhand shop trips. Oops. This is why I have decided to participate in my very first challenge. It’s time to take the dust off those babies.

btbchallengeslider

The Beat The Backlist Challenge is hosted by Austine @ Novel Knight. Click on the link for rules and guidelines. You’ll also find an exciting Hogwarts House Cup Challenge linked to the main challenge, how fun!

Due to the alarming amount of books waiting to be petted and cuddled, I am setting my goal to 30. It might be aiming a bit high but I have reached my Goodreads goal faster than expected in 2016 and I feel like pushing myself a little. I want to test my limits, as long as it’s all about staying indoors with tea and books.

I’m going to put a list of some of the books that have been waiting the longest, therefore should be read first! Let’s see how this goes.

I am forgetting tons of titles but it’s a start. I also decided to help my Hogwarts house win the cup!

BTBHPCupsIcons_Ravenclaw.png
What about you? Tempted by the challenge? Join me and let’s keep the fun going.

 

 

 

80 comments

  2. This challenge would definitely help reduce that TBR by a lot, but I fear I’ll still end up increasing it over the year anyways. 😦 Hope you get through those that you’ve had the longest throughout the year though! 😀 Happy reading!

    – Lashaan

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    • I already know I won’t stop buying and getting books from the library, but I am hoping the challenge might trigger something in my brain to help reduce the money spending! And those books deserve all my love 😀

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  3. Good luck with your reading challenge Donna, I’m hoping to concentrate more on my books that are sat on my book shelf next year and less ARC’s (watch this space, as I have no will power where books are concerned and just merrily click away🙈)

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    • Thank you! Good luck to you too! It is so easy to request, and so difficult to resist! Staying away from NetGalley was hard at first but now it is slowly getting better. I only feel the urge to rush back there when there’s a brilliant ARC review on my reader feed 🙂

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  5. OH wonderful list of books my sweechie, I spot some I really loved on here! I’m eager to know how you feel about Illuminae. Never Let Me Go was such a good book as well, so unique, different and definitely surprising. I need to read Red Rising as well,… someday, ahah, I keep hearing wonderful things about this series 🙂

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    • It’s not even half the books I need to read xD But I’m very excited about all of them. It’s time to care for my babies! I don’t know where it comes from but I have had the feeling that Never Let Me Go was a boring read, that explains why it’s been three years since I bought it. Red Rising, just like Six of Crows, gets so much praise I’m scared to start it!

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      • Ohh I understand, I had the same feeling about Never Let Me Go, and I’m not going to lie : it’s not a too fast-paced read. But…It’s worth reading, really. There’s such a particular atmosphere about this book, and that ending, well… please don’t get spoiled before reading this – or at least try to – because if you don’t, well, maybe you’ll feel just like I did: slapped in the face while reading that ending haha.

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  6. I have just checked the rules and I think I’ll take the challenge.I have been focusing so much on ARCs and new releases so there lots of other books that have been neglected along the way.All the best and I hope that you’ll love The Girl in the Ice(I like this series) and the rest of the books.I need to read Flawed soon.Great post!

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    • So happy you’re trying this challenge! Let’s support each other 🙂 I felt it was time to take care of the TBR after so many ARCs. I’ll soon be done with those so it’ll be nice to get to read books I’ve been dying to get my hands on.

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  8. Ohh that sounds like fun, I’m definitely going to join this one! I’m already feeling guilty by just thinking about all those poor neglected books collecting dust on my (virtual) TBR pile, and this challenge just might help me read more of them. Also, I *think* I’m a Ravenclaw as well, so that’s another for the housecup! 😀

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  10. Some great books on your list so at least you’ll enjoy your backlog. My tbr is so off the scale I wouldn’t dare challenge myself. I have made a mental note for next year though to try and read a book a month that is mine and not for review.

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    • That’s an nice and achievable goal 🙂 I decided to go for the challenge because I don’t want to keep this rhythm and lose track of what books I already have. My TBR might kill me if I don’t take care of it as soon as possible!

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  12. That’s a great challenge and a nice list ! I’ve read 6 of the books listed and liked them all (although I’ve never read the third of the Hunger Games trilogy, but it’s not entirely my genre either, lots of action but not so much to keep my mind busy). I think it’s a great idea but it’s never going to work for me. I decided to stop requesting Netgalley books and tackle some of my most wanted instead.. until I wanted to simply look up a title and clicked 3 times (no answer yet though). In 2017 there is 1 title that I absolutely want to read and which has been staring at me for months now and that’s Behind Closed Doors. So much is raved about this book that I hate it being so far on my read list. #startsmall

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    • Once you stop checking NetGalley except for adding reviews of books you already requested, you slowly lose the urge to go and get more ARCs. I don’t miss it, it feels so nice to be in control again! OMG I so need to read Behind Closed Doors too! It’s been on my Kindle and I’ve been dying to read it! #gofar 😀

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  13. Hmm… Is the reference the Beastie Boys song or are you just referring back to your massive TBR that just keeps growing therefore you sabotage yourself constantly? (that’s my problem). A few one the ones you have pictured are on my TBR though not in the challenge. Have not heard of that Jodi Picoult book- that’s the problem with living under your massive TBR. I look forward to your review of it, eventually. Dying for Illuminae and the sequel but I don’t own them yet. I’ve heard good thing about Red Queen and The Martian. Good luck! Check out my post too and let’s win this for the Ravenclaw house!

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  14. What a fantastic challenge–and oh my goodness, you’re not kidding about your book-hoarding year, huh?

    “I want to test my limits, as long as it’s all about staying indoors with tea and books.”

    Ha! This sounds like a sensible plan to me.

    Best of luck on your challenge! I look forward to congratulating you on your upcoming success. =)

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    • Definitely not kidding. I was horrified when I checked Amazon. I went a little bit overboard! Thank you! I’ll probably have a challenge section in my monthly wrap-up to keep track of all challenges I’m taking in 2017 🙂

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  16. You know what?
    I was thinking for a while about my personal library, which is full of backlisted titles that I collected before starting blogging.
    And I decided to read at least two of them per month, bc otherwhise I’ll never read them, and that would mean I wasted my money on them. Also, I really want to read them.
    And there’s also one fun fact: I went through my stats and realized that my most read book review is for a backlisted title – What’s Left of Me by Kat Zhang (which is probably unusual bc they say new titles get more views).

    Anyway, I’m glad I saw your post on this theme bc I will sign up for it too! 🙂

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  17. Taylor! Hahaha

    That’s a great challenge and some of the books you have listed I also have them on the TBR (and some Ive read). I didn’t think there was anyone left to read The Hunger Games lol

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  18. Wait… you haven’t read The Hunger Games Trilogy?? I thought everyone in the world already had. 😛

    Out of the ones you listed, I’ve only read 2, the other one being Never Let Me Go.
    I have so many backlist books to read, but my reading schedule is too unpredictable to commit too anything else. I also have a few goals I have set for myself, so I don’t want to stress myself out by doing another challenge. But I will still try to read as many backlist books as I can on my own.
    Good luck with this challenge!

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    • :p I like being late to the party! There are so many books everyone but me has read, it’s what makes me special 😂
      Good luck to you too! I avoid pressure as much as possible, but this challenge is nice and doesn’t have strict rules or anything so I only see it as extra motivation!
      (Your comment ended up in spam, you might want to check you haven’t been spam-jailed!)

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  20. This is a great challenge, and maybe one I should consider taking part in a well given the amount of books I have on my backlist (a lot, I don’t know the exact number but it’s a lot).
    I hope you manage to get through all of your thirty next year. A lot of these I haven’t read by Red Rising, The Hunger Games and Illuminae are some of my all-time favourite so I really hope you enjoy them, and I’ll be eagerly awaiting your reviews of both to see what you think. I also have Flawed on my to-read list, not sure when I’ll get around to that but if I take part in this challenge maybe it can be one of mine as well!
    Good luck Donna! 😀

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    • I’d love to do this challenge with you! It would give me extra motivation😀 I stopped counting the books waiting on my shelves, it was depressing! Like for the Goodreads challenge, I set a low goal so I can avoid pressure and be extra happy when I exceed it! I just can’t wait to read those and see if my opinion differs from the widespread one like it often does😀

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      • I love that NovelKnight has gotten so many people interested in this little challenge! I think we’ll all have plenty of motivation to go for our goals! I don’t even remember setting a goal for the Goodreads challenge but naturally I’m behind…ahh the life of The Procrastinate Reader LOL

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      • Well in that case why not! I need to get through some of the books I have on my shelves and on my to-read list and this seems like a great way to achieve both aims. Plus it may work better than read-a-thons for me as well!
        I may have to do that with my Goodreads challenge next year actually. With blogging and all I just don’t have the time to read as much as I used to!
        I’ll definitely be interested to see what you think of them all. 🙂

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  21. Okay tell me that was a reference to Better Than Revenge- or I have too much TSwift on the brain! (actually no need to answer that- I definitely have too much TSwift on the brain!) hahaa I feel you about the explosion of book-buying habits- I’m out of control these days! Ahh good luck with this- so, so many pretty books here!!! Red Rising, the Martian and Never Let Me Go are all awesome!! I still need to read Illuminae- even though it’s been sitting on my shelf for ages!! Great post!

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  23. This is one heck of a challenge Donna but I am rooting for your success!!! 😉 you have some really good selection here (Red Rising! woot woot!), some of which have been on my shelves/TBR too long (The Silkworm smh). I am in a similar predicament with arcs though so I too will be digging my way out probably until March 2017 smh *covers eyes* & to top it off & I also cannot stop myself from buying those amazing Kindle deals lol!

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