2018 Reading Challenges + TBR

Hey y’all, and welcome to the end of the year! There’s only one week left in this trash fire of a year, so naturally, I’ve been thinking about what I want my reading to look like in 2018. In 2017, I tried (and failed – but only because I stopped keeping track in about June) to complete three different reading challenges, and I found it… stifling. I’m a mood reader! I also tried to dive head-first into the ARC reading game that a lot of book bloggers play, and I found that stifling as well. Like I said – I’m a mood reader! So I’m doing something very different in 2018, and I’m really excited about it. It is two-fold:

1. I’m done playing the ARC game for a while. I still have a giant pile of unread ARCs from 2017 and a decent amount for the first half of 2018 as well, so I’m covered for a while. I’m going to read what strikes me rather than worrying too much about deadlines and release dates. And maybe, by reading some of my backlist NetGalley titles, I can get my percentage up a little?
2. My reading challenges are so much broader. I’m participating in two reading challenges this year, but they’re not about fitting books into boxes – they’re about completing your goals. And that’s the kind of reading challenge that I’m about.

Okay! Now about these reading challenges! They are along the same vein as each other, and they’re both awesome and I’m excited. One is the #ASeriesAMonth2018 Reading Challenge, and the other is the #FinishingtheSeries2018 Reading Challenge. Let’s talk about each, shall we!

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A Series A Month 2018

This reading challenge was started by Dani of Dani Reviews Things (and a couple other blogs) and I’m so pumped about it! There are so many series (as you’ll see in a second here) that I have wanted to read and that I currently have sitting on my shelves (or in my kindle) that I haven’t made the time to read yet. But now I have a reason to hit them! So, here are the guidelines:

• The series has to be new to you
• There have to be at least two books out
• You have to state your intention to participate (hey, that’s what I’m currently doing!)

Since it’s a series a month, that means there are 12 series (out of many, many more) that I’m going to make sure I read this year. And that also means I’ll always have books ready to review, because reviewing series is fun! Okay, so! Here’s my TBR in a rough order that I’ll likely attack (always subject to change, because moods, but these are the series that I’ve wanted to hit for the longest):

• Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (2 books – series complete)
• Shades of Magic by V.E. Schwab (3 books – series complete)
• The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig (2 books – series complete)
• Old West by Beverly Jenkins (3 books – not sure if it’s complete)
• Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco (2 books – not complete)
• Shadowshaper by Daniel Jose Older (2 books + 3 novellas – not sure if it’s complete)
• The Witchlands by Susan Dennard (3 books – not complete)
• Whiskey Sharp by Lauren Dane (3 books – series complete)
• Heroine Complex by Sarah Kuhn (3 books – series complete)
• An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir (3 books – not complete)
• And I Darken by Kiersten White (3 books – series complete)
• Sidekick Squad by C.B. Lee (3 books – not sure if it’s complete)

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Finishing the Series 2018

This reading challenge was started by Celebrity Readers with the goal of finishing some of those series you’ve started, but haven’t yet completed (or caught up). Like the other challenge – there are so many examples of this on my bookshelves! And I’m excited to be able to knock some of them off my giant TBR pile. Here’s the rundown of how it works:

• You have to have started the series before 2018
• It doesn’t matter how long the series is as long as you read until you’ve completed it, or caught up to the current book
• Rereads aren’t required

There are three tiers of completion for this challenge, and like I’m known to do, I decided to swing for the fences and attempt the A-List Series Finisher level, which is completing 9 or more series in the year.

Phew! So, without further ado, here’s my TBR for this challenge (in no particular order):

• Charlotte Holmes series by Brittany Cavallaro (1 book remaining – will probably reread the first two)
• Forbidden Hearts series by Alisha Rai (1 book remaining)
• Men of Gold Mountain series by Rebecca Brooks (2 books remaining)
• One Night in South Beach series by Andie J. Christopher (3 books remaining)
• Scandal and Scoundrel series by Sarah MacLean (2 books remaining)
• Brooklyn Brujas series by Zoraida Córdova (1 book remaining – will probably reread the first book)
• Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard (2 books remaining – will probably reread the first two)
• Three Dark Crowns series by Kendare Blake (1 book remaining – will probably reread the first book)
• To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before series by Jenny Han (1 book remaining – will probably reread the first two)

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Yeah, so, hi, lofty reading goals. My overall goal is to read 75 books in 2018 – up from 2017, but still less than I’ve read in 2017 so far. I think it’s doable. If I accomplish both of these reading challenges, I’ll be at 57 books (if I do all the rereads). Which leaves 18 non-series books for me to get to! Yes yes, it’s probably on the upper edge of being doable, but I like to push myself.

And guess what else that means?

I’ll never be lacking for books to review and talk about on this here blog. ❤

What are your reading goals for 2018? Are you hoping to complete any challenges?

Happy reading, and a happy new year, too!

Love, A.