Beat the Backlist
“I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.”
– Jane Austen in Pride Prejudice
This is another challenge that I am super excited about. It is dedicated to getting those books off your huge TBR lists. Novelknight has even added in team mini challenges, weekly photo challenges, and bingo – which you can choose to participate or not. There is so much going so on make sure you go to Beat the Backlist here to see all the guidelines and fun things for yourself AND to sign up for the challenge if you’d like to join in.
I’m looking forward to the photo challenges and the Team Mini Challenges. Anything with some competitive spirit gets me going… just ask my family.
Here’s the Prompt list: I’m listing the EPIC 80 Prompts – there is also 24 prompt list
Book with a love triangle
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Didn’t live up to the hype – a hyped up book that you read in 2020 that just didn’t live up to it
Obviously I’ll have to read some books first to do this prompt
Published before you were born
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton – This was originally published in 1967. I was born in 1972.
Main character with a disability
The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo – This book has one of the best known character’s with a disability, Quasimodo with his hunchback.
Set in a city you want to visit
Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy – I’ve been so blessed to travel a lot throughout the United States and Europe but I’ve always wanted to visit Ireland. At least through this book I can travel there in my imagination. And I’ll let you know when the real trip happens.
Genre mash-up – a book that features at least 2 different genres (note: YA and adult are not a genre.)
The Orchid Affair by Lauren Willig – This book is historical fiction/romance and mystery/spy thriller/espionage.
From your childhood – a book from your childhood that you’re either re-reading or never read
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The sequel was better
When Life Gives You Lululemons by Lauren Weisberger – I’ve heard the sequel was better. I’ll give you my opinion after I’ve read the book.
Book with diary entries
Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter by Simone de Beauvoir
Opening line contains a color
I’m not sure how to find a book that fits into this prompt. If you have any ideas then let me know.
Book with no romance
Own voices author – an author who’s writing about their own background in some form
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
Book received from a friend – my sweet daughter Kristin loaned me this
Good book, bad cover
Roanoke: The Lost Colony by Angela Elwell Hunt
A modern classic – a modern book you believe will become a classic in the future
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald – I love this book. And the movie.
Graphic novel or manga
The Walking Dead, Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye by Robert Kirkman
Middle grade
Book with less than 200 pages
The Titus 2 Woman by Susan Godfrey – This book only has 42 pages. I’m really looking forward to reading it though.
Author you want to meet
Wings of the Wind by Connilyn Cossette – I love Cossette’s writing. She gives such an incredible and new perspective to Biblical stories and it makes everything come alive.
Book mentioned in Gilmore Girls
The Trial by Franz Kafka
The slowest burn – a slow burn romance (i.e. the couple doesn’t get together for a while)
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
Bought/borrowed it for the cover
Luxe by Anna Godbersen – Look at how beautiful this cover is. Seriously this dress is to die for. I’d love to wear this for just an hour or a lifetime.
Book with a quest
Lgbtqia+ rep
Messy Grace by Caleb Kaltenbach – I don’t want to get political on this blog. I don’t think this is the right forum for it. But I do think that even if I don’t agree with someone’s political views, sexual preference, or even how they decorate their how – every single person should be treated with love and kindness.
One word title
Twisted fairy tale re-telling – a fairy tale re-telling that has a twist to make it different from the original
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine – A retelling of Cinderella.
Wish it had a sequel
Genre you never/rarely read
comic book/graphic novel
The Walking Dead, Vol. 2: Miles Behind Us by Robert Kirkman
Title includes word “strange”
Emily the Strange: Dark Times by Ron Reger & Jessica Gruner
Cover redesign is better
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
Wish you had read it sooner – note: you won’t be able to pick a book for this prompt until you start reading!
Book turned movie/show
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Companion novel
Non-human main character
Released in the 2010’s – a book released sometime in the years 2010-2019
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
Pirates or set at sea
A Night to Remember by Walter Lord
Star(s) on the cover
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Features your #1 OTP – a book with your One True Pairing (i.e. your favorite couple)
Voyager by Diana Gabaldon – Jaime & Claire Fraser… a love that literally survives centuries.
Author with a middle initial
September Sky by John A. Heldt
Dystopian that could happen – a book where you think the dystopian world could actually happen
Book with 600+ pages
Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon – This book has 743 pages.
Memoir Story involves a heist
The Lufthansa Heist by Henry Hill & Daniel Simone
The 4th+ book in a series – a book that is the 4th book or more in a series
The Kingmaker’s Daughter by Philippa Gregory – I love this author. And I’ve got books 1-3 of this series down for challenges this year so now I get to add book #4.
A book set in one season – the entire book happens in winter, spring, OR autumn
The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks – This book happens during the summer.
Author who writes multiple genres
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See – Lisa See writes literary fiction and family sagas along with mysteries.
Historical not set in UK – a historical fiction book that isn’t set in the United Kingdom
The Midwife’s Revolt by Jodi Daynard – Set in the United States
Shocking plot twist – a book with a shocking plot twist
Owned for over 2 years
Pink cover
Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
Title starts with the letter “Z”
Zelda’s Cut by Philippa Gregory
A top 10 read of the year – a book that your read in 2020 that you believe is one of your top 10 reads of the year (note: you will not be able to pick a book for this prompt until you start reading in 2020)
Indie book – a book that is either self- published or published by a small/independent press
Blood and Justice by Rayven T. Hill
Main character has a pet
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell – I’ll be reading this from a Kindle in Motion. Let me tell you. Read every book possible like this. It’s amazing.
New to you author
Seek Me with all your Heart by Beth Wiseman
Author you’re read 5+ books by
Book that shares your zodiac sign – a book that was published in the same date range as your zodiac sign (determined by your birthday)
The Girls in the Picture by Melanie Benjamin – My zodiac sign is Capricorn
Social media made you read it
Grandparenting: Renew, Relive, Rejoice by Pam Siegel & Leslie Zinberg – I found out about this book because I follow the authors on Instagram. Then I was blessed to win the book from them in a giveaway! I’m so excited to read this!!!
By 2+ authors
The Royal We by Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan
Book with a meet cute
The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory
Book by an INTL (to you) author – a book from an author who is from a different country than you
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty – Author lives in Australia.
Almost made you cry – My husband has been telling me to read this for years. That it’ll make me go through a whole box of tissues. Now’s the time.
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
From myth or legend
Book with chapter titles
One Day in December by Josie Silver
Unusual science
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Morally gray main character
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
Book with or talking about recipes
The Baker’s Daughter by Sarah McCoy
Written before 2010
Sanctuary by Beverly Lewis & David Lewis
Book you never finished before
Twice Upon a Time by Lisa Ann Verge
Plant(s) on the cover
The Last Camellia by Sarah Jio
Space travel
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Book containing a fandom
Murder mystery
The Lying Game by Sara Shepard
Author shares your initials
Lucky Bet by Anna Reader
Happily ever after
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
Last book in a series
Black and white cover
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
Book of poems or short stories
The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson
Title words start with same letter – for example, Red Rising
Wet Work by Mark A. Hewitt
So many fun prompts to choose from. What books are going to read for this challenge?
