Prompt 3: A book you meant to read last year

Image Source: Giulia Bertelli, Unsplash

What book(s) did you mean to read last year?

Like many of the prompts for this challenge, this one is straight forward. Our TBR lists are constantly growing and life keeps getting in the way of reading. Is there a book that you meant to read in 2020 but for some reason never got around to reading? Can’t think of any? Think about a book that may have been published last year or in 2019 and you saw it somewhere such as the NYTimes bestseller list, on social media, or it was recommended by a friend or family member.

I know there are a handful that I meant to get to, but didn’t because you know, life got in the way in some way or another. Maybe other priorities took over or perhaps other books were just more interesting. I know there were a handful that I initially planned for a few different challenges early on in the year, but throughout the year I found other books that kept my interest more.

I am most likely going to read many of the books listed below this year since they are on my list for the next few months, but as we all (should) know by now after the shit storm we call 2020, the best laid plans don’t always pan out.

As the organized person that I am, I have a Goodreads list for the books I want to read in the current year. As I finish them in the year that I planned, I remove them from that shelf. If I didn’t finish it that year then I just leave it on that shelf and add others throughout the year as needed. This made drafting this post that much easier - definitely a benefit I didn’t realize existed until this challenge.

Maybe Goodreads isn’t something you want to use? I’ve heard of some deactivating their accounts because it’s owned by Amazon or it’s just one more app you don’t want to get sucked into. You could simply write any “to-read” books in a notepad on your phone, or in a notebook - nothing fancy needed! If you’re up for a new app, then I suggest trying the StoryGraph app, which is also a website. It’s an independently owned and operated site that assists readers with finding their next favorite read and collaborating with other readers. I’ve tried using it, but haven’t quite made the leap yet from Goodreads to the StoryGraph. Don’t worry, Goodreads users can upload their shelves to Goodreads to avoid losing reading and tracking history.

Below are the 13 that I meant to read in 2020, but didn’t get around to reading and considering them all for this prompt. Have you read any of these books? Let me know what you thought of them in the comments!

1. America’s First Daughter by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie

2. The Overdue Life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms

3. Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson

4. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed

5. The Travelers by Regina Porter (look for a review on this one soon! I’m currently reading this book at the time of this blog post writing.)

6. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

7. Tequila Mockingbird: Cocktails with a Literary Twist by Tim Federle and illustrated by Lauren Mortimer

8. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

9. Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi

10. Through Georgia’s Eyes by Rachel Victoria Rodriguez and Julie Paschkis

11. Beach Read by Emily Henry

12. Afterlife by Julia Alvarez

13. Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life by Bill Burnett and David J. Evans

Happy Reading!!
I’m looking forward to hearing from you.