Welcome to my ongoing list for the Beat the Backlist 2023 Reading Challenge, hosted by Austine Decker. Reading challenges are kind of a new thing for me this year. I joined a couple and set some concrete goals for myself for the year. Hopefully, it will help inspire me and keep me on track to read some of the books I really want to that tend to get pushed to the side in favor of brand-new releases.
I’ll list the books I’ve read and a teeny bit about them here. You’ll … Continue reading →
A fierce coming-of-age verse novel about identity and the power of drag, from acclaimed poet and performer Dean Atta. Perfect for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo, Jason Reynolds, and Kacen Callender.
Michael is a mixed-race gay teen growing up in London. All his life, he’s navigated what it means to be Greek-Cypriot and Jamaican—but never quite feeling Greek or Black enough.
As he gets older, Michael’s coming out is only the start of learning who he is and where he fits in. When he discovers the Drag Society, … Continue reading →
For the last couple of years, I’ve been trying to post seasonal lists of the books I can’t wait to read. I love doing that, but I also want to post some kind of recap at the end of the season where I can talk about which books turned out to be my favorites that sort of thing. I’ve been struggling to find a format that feels satisfying to write up and read about, so here’s my first attempt: my 2022 Summer Reading Recap.
First, if you missed my most-anticipated summer release list, check it out to see what books started on my list. I also posted this Top Ten Tuesday list of backlist titles I hoped to read this summer, so I’ll include those in this check-in.
How many books did I read from my summer reading lists?
This is the list of books I’m planning to read in 2023. Check back as I update this list often! Just about every week, I add new books I’ve accepted for review or titles I can’t resist, as well as squeeze in a few backlist titles where I can.
Some of the backlist titles on this list are books I’ve already read and written up my review for, but my calendar has been so… well, booked… that I’ve had to wait to post about them. There are some great titles on here that I can’t wait to share my reviews about.
This year, I’m breaking up my list into four categories:
The swoon of Nicola Yoon meets the emotional punch of Elizabeth Acevedo in this breakout debut novel that answers big questions about identity, family, and love.
High school junior Michie is struggling to define who she is for her scholarship essays, her big shot at making it into Brown as a first-generation college student. The prompts would be hard for anyone, but Michie’s been estranged from her mother since she was seven and her concept of family has long felt murky.
School has been out where I live for almost a month, so we’re nearly halfway through with summer here. A few weeks ago, I posted this list of 25 new summer releases that I can’t wait to read. Lately, though, I’ve been finding myself reaching for some of backlist titles. Since most of my lists feature upcoming books, I don’t get a lot of chances to talk about backlist titles that I’m reading or longing to. So, today I’m giving those books the spotlight. Here are my top ten backlist titles at the top of my 2022 summer reading list.
