Challenge Corner discussion

Hellooooo January!

Here is a place to post any goals you're setting for your reading in the new year. Hopefully we can encourage each other to stay motivated

25 days into the new year and just realized I forgot to post here. One of my many reading goals will be about ARCs. Yes, I feel like a broken record but I'm trying my hardest to catch up on those! I swear!

Started this year with 238-ish unread ARCs ranging from published years '21-'26. Trying to read at least 100 ARCs for 2026

I'm also trying not to get any new ARCS lol. So I'm banning myself from requesting any until I knock these all out. Which is probably the hardest thing to do because... books! We love reading, right?

Anyways, heres my breakdown (so far) and will update accordingly... probably whenever I remember.

Starting: 238 ARCs
Published in 2021 - 3
Published in 2022 - 44
Published in 2023 - 50
Published in 2024 - 99
Published in 2025 - 33
Published in 2026 - 9

Read so far: 20 (Jan Numbers up to today, 1/25/26)
Published in 2021 - 0
Published in 2022 - 7
Published in 2023 - 4
Published in 2024 - 7
Published in 2025 - 2
Published in 2026 - 0

In the Queue TBR: 13 (Jan Numbers up to today, 1/25/26)
Published in 2021 - 0
Published in 2022 - 5
Published in 2023 - 3
Published in 2024 - 1
Published in 2025 - 4
Published in 2026 - 0

TBR Pile: 218 (Jan Numbers up to today, 1/25/26)
Published in 2021 - 3
Published in 2022 - 37
Published in 2023 - 46
Published in 2024 - 92
Published in 2025 - 31
Published in 2026 - 9

I have one main goal this year... Read more of my favorite authors' backlists.

Not sure how to set this up yet, but I'll list some of the authors I want to read more of:

Caroline Peckham & Suzanne Valenti
Jennifer Hartmann
Michelle Heard
Mariana Zapata
Olivia Wildenstein
LJ Andrews
Rebecca Yarros
Shantel Tessier
Marni Mann
Piper Rayne
Serena Akeroyd
Penelope Sky
TL Swan
Samantha Young
Jewel E Ann
Rina Kent
Laura Thalassa
Devney Perry
Laura Pavlov
Catherine Cowles
Nicole Snow
Willow Aster

My biggest goal this year is to clean up my NetGalley Backlog. I started the year with 32 books on my list.

I was doing so well last year, until I had an illness flare up that took away all of my energy for reading or hobbies. Now I'm not allowing myself to request any new books until it's cleared up.

So far in January I've read 2 books, so my number is now 30. Listing them by publication date.

1. We Meet Again Pub: Sep 17, 2024
2. 3D Printers Pub: Feb 25, 2025
3. How to Survive a Bear Attack: A Memoir Pub: Mar 25, 2025 Read: Feb 9, 2025 Review
4. Reluctant Witch Pub: Apr 1, 2025 (need to read first book)
5. Murder by the Hook Pub: Apr 8, 2025
6. The Rebel Romanov: Julie of Saxe-Coburg, the Empress Russia Never Had Pub: Apr 15, 2025
7. The Cavern Pub: May 13, 2025
8. Queer & Christian: Reclaiming the Bible, Our Faith, and Our Place at the Table Pub: May 27, 2025
9. The Hodder Bible Commentary: Proverbs Pub: Jul 17, 2025
10. The Hodder Bible Commentary: Exodus Pub: Jul 17, 2025
11. The Hodder Bible Commentary: James Pub: Jul 17, 2025
12. With Her Own Hands: Women Weaving Their Stories Pub: Aug 19, 2025
13. Women of the Fairy Tale Resistance: The Forgotten Founding Mothers of the Fairy Tale and the Stories That They Spun Pub: Aug 19, 2025
14. How to Be a Saint: An Extremely Weird and Mildly Sacrilegious History of the Catholic Church's Biggest Names Pub: Aug 19, 2025
15. Sub-Majer's Challenge Pub: Aug 26, 2025
16. A Sea View Christmas Pub: Sep 2, 2025
17. Jesus Listens for Christmas: 25 Prayers and Devotions for Kids Pub: Sep 2, 2025
18. The Book of Guilt Pub: Sep 16, 2025
19. 1000 Botanical Colors: Make Your Own Dyes, Paints, Inks, Stains, and Pottery Paints from 250 Plants Pub: Oct 7, 2025
20. Useless Etymology: Offbeat Word Origins for Curious Minds Pub: Oct 9, 2025
21. The Keeper of Magical Things Pub: Oct 14, 2025
22. A Curious Kind of Magic Pub: Oct 21, 2025
23. Did Jesus Really Say He Was God?: Making Sense of His Historical Claims Pub: Oct 23, 2025
24. Düngeonmeister: The Expanded Edition: RPG Cocktails and Mocktails to Shake Up Your Campaign Pub: Oct 28, 2025
25. Reading the Bible on Turtle Island: An Invitation to North American Indigenous Interpretation Pub: Nov 18, 2025
26. Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore Pub: Nov 18, 2025
27. Simple Designs for Meditative Knitting: 19 Easy, Beautiful Patterns for a Mindful Experience (Landauer) Knit Your Way to Peace of Mind Pub: Nov 25, 2025
28. Building Patterns: Ultimate Guide to Designing Clothing Patterns Pub: Nov 25, 2025
29. Weaving with Paper: 30 Projects to Expand Your Creativity with Inventive Techniques, Intriguing Prompts, and Inspiring Works of Art Pub: Dec 16, 2025 Read: Feb 4, 2026 Review
30. Tea & Alchemy Pub: Jan 1, 2026

First update (since i'm getting distracted by the snow falling): 3/2

Starting: 238 ARCs
Published in 2021 - 3
Published in 2022 - 44
Published in 2023 - 50
Published in 2024 - 99
Published in 2025 - 33
Published in 2026 - 9

Read so far: 39 (Numbers up to today, 3/2/26)
Published in 2021 - 0
Published in 2022 - 9
Published in 2023 - 6
Published in 2024 - 14
Published in 2025 - 10
Published in 2026 - 0

In the Queue TBR: 17 (Numbers up to today, 3/2/26)
Published in 2021 - 0
Published in 2022 - 3
Published in 2023 - 7
Published in 2024 - 5
Published in 2025 - 2
Published in 2026 - 0

TBR Pile: 199 (Numbers up to today, 3/2/26)
Published in 2021 - 3
Published in 2022 - 35
Published in 2023 - 44
Published in 2024 - 85
Published in 2025 - 23
Published in 2026 - 9