Candyce and I started thinking about our reading goals for next year and came across the bingo from Beat the Backlist. We always try to read more and more of our backlist books and this year we want to try the Beat the Backlist Bingo. There are 2 options, one with 24 prompts and one with 52. I’m going to be super ambitious and try to do the bingo with 52 prompts. Candyce and I both wrote two posts with all the prompts and the books we think we’ll use for them. Officially you can use any book published before 2021 but I want to use only books I’ve gotten before 2021. Let’s jump in!

More than one author
(a book written by at least 2 authors; not an anthology)

Otherworld is a book I’ve been wanting to read for awhile! Candyce and I actually had plans with this book and I think 2021 might be the year to come back to it haha.

Dragons OR Lizards
(a book featuring one or the other, or both!)

I read The Last Namsara shortly after the release date and I really enjoyed it. Unfortunately I never read the sequel even though I own it and also have the last book in the series. Time to cross this series of my list.

It’s on a ship!
(a book that takes place on a ship, the type of ship is up to you)

These Rebel Waves is about pirates, so it probably takes place on a ship right? I really enjoyed Sara’s first series and I have been wanting to read this as well. At some point I lost interest but after reading the first chapter I’m actually really excited about this one.

Purple cover
(bring on the purple!)

This picture doesn’t really do it justice, but the cover of Strange Cover is very purple! I’ve also been wanting to read this one for awhile. After reading Meltotheany’s review I knew I had to get this book haha.

Set in a major city
(this can be any major city around the globe)

I had to look hard for this one, but then I realised I recently bought Lair of Dreams! And that one is set in New York so it works perfectly. I was planning on reading it soon but I guess I will wait until 2021 haha.

Book you forgot you had
(don’t lie, you know there’s at least one… well, maybe you don’t know… yet)

There are a ton actually haha, I looked through my spread sheet and realised I have 2 Shari Lapena books I totally forgot about. So I think I will pick up one of them, just have to take a look and see where they are haha.

Caused a major book hangover
(the book was so good that you just don’t think you can start a new one just yet)

This is pretty hard to say before reading the book but I think House of Earth and Blood might be a good one here. I did read part of it, and cried so much already! In 2021 I might have to start over and finally finish the book, and I will probably have a book hangover.

Multiple points of view
(there are at least two different character perspectives)

I love books like this! One I really need to read and I know has multiple POV’s is Bloodwitch. I want to read this in 2021 so I’m ready for the next book in the series. Which got delayed so I have a little breathing room haha.

Book you’re giving another chance
(you tried it before and it just wasn’t working, but maybe this time…)

I start books all the time that I put down, just for a little while haha. And it’s definitely time to pick them back up. I think it might be time for A Curious Beginning! Hopefully I will actually finish it this time around.

Quest to find lost/hidden object
(this can be a search for any lost and/or hidden object so get creative!)

If I can manage to not read it before 2021, I think I will use Hollowpox for this one. Morrigan has to search for a cure for hollowpox and in my opinion that definitely counts as a lost object.

Chapter title page has art
(the pages that mark the beginning of a new chapter feature some sort of artwork or design)

I’m going to go with The Belles. Every chapter has a little art design, its nothing special but it totally works for this prompt. I might have ones that fit even better but I think it’s the perfect opportunity to pick this one back up.

Kept you up late reading
(definitely not a book you can easily put down)

This is hard to predict but if I base this on previous books by this author (and the series that this is a spin-off off) I think Call Down the Hawk might keep me up late. Ronan is a favourite character of mine and I’m a bit ashamed I still haven’t read his book yet.

Picked by a friend/trusted reviewer
(whether a friend decided it or a reviewer online you trust recommended it, either is fair game)

I think a couple of people are going to be so happy once I finally read this one haha. A Curse so Dark and Lonely has been recommend by a ton of people but I have to admit I’m not that into it yet. I read a couple of pages but it didn’t grab me right away. Hopefully I will still enjoy it.

Non-human character
(a prominent character in the story is not human)

This was possibly the easiest one! I still need to read Godsgrave (after LOVING Nevernight) and this series has the best non-human character in it. Mister Kindly (and Eclipse) are definitely a big part of my love for the first book and I can’t wait to dive back in.

First line is less than 10 words
(that’s right, count ’em!)

I had to look at a couple of books haha, but I pulled out Pet and it has less than 10 words! ‘There shouldn’t be any monsters left in Lucille’ definitely grabs my attention and I’ve heard so many great things so I can’t wait to read it.

Banned book
(need ideas? check out this list!)

Can you believe The Hate U Give is on the banned book list? And that I STILL haven’t read this one? You better believe it! But at least I remedy the second one in 2021, because I need to read this book asap.

Cover features your favorite color prominently
(make sure that color dominates the book cover)

One of my favorite colors is red (yes I have at least three haha) and that color is all of Spellslinger. I have been wanting to read this one for years and I really need to do so soon. It’s unbelievable I still haven’t read it but at least I can read all 6 book right away if I like the first one.

All about music
(a story where music is a strong focus in some way)

A Thousand Perfect Notes has a strong focus on music. I also love Cait, the author is also a blogger and possibly my favorite blogger out there. She is hilarious but apparently this book is very emotional. So of course I have been holding off reading her first book haha.

Character lets out a breath they didn’t realize they were holding
(if you’ve seen a line like this is a book, that’s what we’re looking for here)

I could probably just pick any YA book but I’ll just have to wait for that sentence to pop up somewhere along the way. There is no way I don’t own a book that has this line so let’s hope I read one in 2021. Also, I’m always open for recommendations ;).

Genre you never/rarely read
(there has to be at least one genre you don’t usually pick up)

If there’s one genre I don’t usually pick up it’s horror. And I do actually own a YA horror, Sawkill Girls. I hope it’s not that scary, I believe YA horror usually isn’t that scary. So that’s good news for me 😉

Standalone
(allll byyy itself…)

I have more standalone books than I thought I did. One that I really want to read is Vassa in the Night. I’ve heard mixed things and it’s about time I made up my own mind.

Lost royalty
(lost in time, lost to the world, don’t know who they are, interpret “lost” as you see fit)

Candyce actually found one for me here and that is Flame in the Mist. I love Renee Ahdieh and her writing but this one seems to be a miss for a lot of people. Hopefully I do end up enjoying it though.

Cover with your country’s flag colors
(ideally the main colors of the cover but you may have to get creative)

Like a lot of countries we have red white and blue on our flag, so Red, White and Royal Blue would’ve been perfect haha. However I’ve already read (and loved) that one so I went back to my shelves. In my opinion The Merciful Crow has all these colors (and yes the ‘white’ is not really ‘white’ but just go with me on this one). This is also one I’m really excited for!

Written in letters or diary entries
(yes, we mean books told through letters or diary entries, the word is “epistolary” if you were looking for it)

I’m not really looking forward to this one to be honest, but it would be great to cross it off my list one way or another. So I’m going with Letters to the Lost for this one. This title already says it, it fits the prompt perfectly.

Book centered around politics
(everything from court intrigue to presidential elections!)

I read a lot of fantasy so I have a lot of books centred around politics. One I really need to read (or finish…) is Five Dark Fates. I love this series so much and I’m just scared to finish this book. Hopefully the ending isn’t too heartbreaking!

Features a carnival or circus
(doesn’t have to be the main story, just part of it)

This was another super easy one! I’ve been wanting to read The Night Circus for years now and I guess 2021 will be the year. Hopefully the book will live up to my expectations because I’ll admit they’re pretty high haha.

These are the first 26 prompts and the books I possibly want to read for these prompts. I can all ready tell you there will be a ton of buddy reads with Candyce but you can read all about that next week ;). It was a lot of fun making this list and I’m super excited to read all of these books next year. In 2 weeks I’ll talk about the other half of this list.