About
I wanted a central place to reflect upon my 2023 reading habits. Therefore, I’ve constructed this page to include the reading challenges that I’m using to guide my reading this year, as well as a tool to hold me accountable in my efforts to diversify my bookshelf.
2023 At A Glance
Reading Totals
18 from Backlist
4 from Up Next Shelf
8 from Library Hold
43 from Instant Read
14 from Re-reads
Monthly To Be Read Minimums
TBD
Up Next Shelf Progress
My Up Next Shelf is the shelf I’ve created that holds all the books I’ve purchased that I’ve yet to read. Most books have been sitting on this shelf for years, so my priority in 2023 is to #BeatTheBacklist.
You can keep updated on my progress in 2023 through my Blog page, which is dedicated to tracking all the books I’ve read from my Up Next Shelf (and all the books still on the list).
Reading Challenges
TBR Knockout Challenge: In Progress ⏳
Status: 7 of 24 prompts complete
January
✅ A book with only words on the cover: My Body by Emily Ratajowski
✅ A mostly white cover: Miss Memory Lane by Colton Haynes
February
✅ A book by a Black author: Wolf and the Wildflower by Stacy Reid
⏳ A book on a topic affecting the Black community: The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
March
✅ A book based on women’s rights: You’re the Only One I’ve Told: the Stories Behind Abortion by Dr. Meera Shah
✅ A book with a strong female lead: Beneath the Wreckage by Catherine Cowles
April
✅ A book with an animal on the cover: Weyward by Emilia Hart
✅ A book with flowers on the cover: Secretly Yours by Tessa Bailey
January
✅ A book with only words on the cover: My Body by Emily Ratajowski
✅ A mostly white cover: Miss Memory Lane by Colton Haynes
February
✅ A book by a Black author: Wolf and the Wildflower by Stacy Reid
⏳ A book on a topic affecting the Black community: The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
March
✅ A book based on women’s rights: You’re the Only One I’ve Told: the Stories Behind Abortion by Dr. Meera Shah
✅ A book with a strong female lead: Beneath the Wreckage by Catherine Cowles
April
✅ A book with an animal on the cover: Weyward by Emilia Hart
✅ A book with flowers on the cover: Secretly Yours by Tessa Bailey
Buzzword Challenge: In Progress ⏳
Status: 4 of 12 prompts complete
✅ January (“life” or “death”) in the title: You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi
✅ February (verb in the title): Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer
✅ March (“secret” in the title): Amidst Secrets and Shadows by Stacy Jones and Harper Wylde
✅ April (emotion in the title): I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
✅ January (“life” or “death”) in the title: You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi
✅ February (verb in the title): Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer
✅ March (“secret” in the title): Amidst Secrets and Shadows by Stacy Jones and Harper Wylde
✅ April (emotion in the title): I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
12 Books Written by African Authors
Status: 1 of 12 prompts complete
✅ You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi
❌ On Rotation by Shirlene Obuobi [DNF @ 30%]
✅ You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi
❌ On Rotation by Shirlene Obuobi [DNF @ 30%]
52 Prompts in 52 Weeks: In Progress ⏳
Status: 10 of 52 prompts complete
Prompt #1: A cozy read
✅ Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater
Prompt #3: A book set in winter or predominately a cold region
✅ Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks-Dalton
Prompt #6: A book by an author that uses a pseudonym
✅ Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher
Prompt #25: A standalone
✅ How to Fake It in Hollywood by Ava Wilder
Prompt #42: This house is alive
✅ Mysteries of Thorn Manor by Margaret Rogerson
Prompt #43: A main character has a pet
✅ Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez
Prompt #45: A book longer than 450 pages
✅ Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
Prompt #48: A book that has a main character with a big secret
✅ One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig
Prompt #49: Horses
✅ Endeavor by K.M. Shea
Prompt #51: A book all about music or the arts
✅ Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Prompt #1: A cozy read
✅ Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater
Prompt #3: A book set in winter or predominately a cold region
✅ Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks-Dalton
Prompt #6: A book by an author that uses a pseudonym
✅ Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher
Prompt #25: A standalone
✅ How to Fake It in Hollywood by Ava Wilder
Prompt #42: This house is alive
✅ Mysteries of Thorn Manor by Margaret Rogerson
Prompt #43: A main character has a pet
✅ Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez
Prompt #45: A book longer than 450 pages
✅ Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
Prompt #48: A book that has a main character with a big secret
✅ One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig
Prompt #49: Horses
✅ Endeavor by K.M. Shea
Prompt #51: A book all about music or the arts
✅ Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
5-4-3-2-1 Challenge: Not Started ❌
Five horror novels
None this month.
Four thrillers
None this month.
Three historical fiction novels
None this month.
Two graphic novels
None this month.
One short story
None this month.
None this month.
Four thrillers
None this month.
Three historical fiction novels
None this month.
Two graphic novels
None this month.
One short story
None this month.
A-Z Challenge: In Progress ⏳
Status: 18 of 26 prompts complete
Note: I try to avoid using re-reads and books that start with “a” or “the”
Against a Wall
Blood Mercy
Conspiracy
Daughter of the Moon Goddess
Enticing the Scroodge
Finding Mayhem
Good Morning, Midnight
Half a Soul
I‘m Glad My Mom Died
J – ❌
K – ❌
Letters to Emily
Miss Memory Lane
Noble Love
One Dark Window
Part of Your World
Q – ❌
Recipe for Love
Sweetest Secret
T- ❌
Unblessed
V – ❌
Wrecked Palace
X – ❌
You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty
Z – ❌
Note: I try to avoid using re-reads and books that start with “a” or “the”
Against a Wall
Blood Mercy
Conspiracy
Daughter of the Moon Goddess
Enticing the Scroodge
Finding Mayhem
Good Morning, Midnight
Half a Soul
I‘m Glad My Mom Died
J – ❌
K – ❌
Letters to Emily
Miss Memory Lane
Noble Love
One Dark Window
Part of Your World
Q – ❌
Recipe for Love
Sweetest Secret
T- ❌
Unblessed
V – ❌
Wrecked Palace
X – ❌
You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty
Z – ❌
StoryGraph Reads the World: Not Started ❌
A book set in and by an author from Cuba
None this month.
A book set in and by an author from Trinidad & Tobago
None this month.
A book set in and by an author from Colombia
None this month.
A book set in and by an author from Argentina
None this month.
A book set in and by an author from Nigeria
None this month.
A book set in and by an author from South Africa
None this month.
A book set in and by an author from Pakistan
None this month.
A book set in and by an author from Syria
None this month.
A book set in and by an author from Italy
None this month.
A book set in and by an author from Norway
None this month.
None this month.
A book set in and by an author from Trinidad & Tobago
None this month.
A book set in and by an author from Colombia
None this month.
A book set in and by an author from Argentina
None this month.
A book set in and by an author from Nigeria
None this month.
A book set in and by an author from South Africa
None this month.
A book set in and by an author from Pakistan
None this month.
A book set in and by an author from Syria
None this month.
A book set in and by an author from Italy
None this month.
A book set in and by an author from Norway
None this month.
Diverse Reading BINGO: In Progress ⏳
Status: 5 of 36 prompts complete
Prompt #14: Sapphic Love Story
✅ Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake
Prompt #21: Literary fiction with a Black protagonist
✅ Assembly by Natasha Brown
Prompt #22: Protagonist uses a wheelchair
✅ My Darling Duke Stacy Reid
Prompt #26: Queer graphic novel
✅ Heartstopper: Vol. 2 by Alice Oseman
Prompt #32: Protagonist with a chronic illness
✅ Courting Darkness by Katie May and Quinn Arthurs
Prompt #14: Sapphic Love Story
✅ Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake
Prompt #21: Literary fiction with a Black protagonist
✅ Assembly by Natasha Brown
Prompt #22: Protagonist uses a wheelchair
✅ My Darling Duke Stacy Reid
Prompt #26: Queer graphic novel
✅ Heartstopper: Vol. 2 by Alice Oseman
Prompt #32: Protagonist with a chronic illness
✅ Courting Darkness by Katie May and Quinn Arthurs
Diversity and Identity Representation Stats
TBD
