Goldilox and the Three Weres: 2020 Reading Challenge Recap: Beat the Backlist 2020

Ever since the Great Reading Slump of 2018, us Weres have been a little worried about how our yearly reading challenges would go. Add in a pandemic and we really weren't sure if we would read any books, let alone read books that would count for our challenges. We did way better than we thought we would! We did so well that we're setting high expectations for 2021. To see which challenges we're doing this year, check out this post.

Over the next week, we're going to be wrapping up how we did with each of our challenges. Today, the Weres are wrapping up their Beat the Backlist 2020 challenge and sharing their favorite reads from it.

Gretl

I read 158 backlist books in 2020. (Yay!) That was more than half of my total books read, which is great. But I didn’t do a great job on my bingo card. I tried to fill the big one because 158, but it didn’t happen. I did fill the smaller one except for one square. The book I had in mind for 600+ pages was actually 555. Here’s my bingo card. You can see the whole list on my Beat the Backlist Goodreads shelf.

-Genre Mash-Up- Erstwhile by HE Trent

-Shocking Plot Twist- Nothing to Fear by Juno Rushdan

-One Word Title- Tamed by Rebekah Weatherspoon

-A Top Ten Book of the Year- Moti on the Water by Leyla Attar

-The 4+ Book in a Series- Untraveled by Anna Hackett

-Genre You Rarely/Never Read- The Deal by Elle Kennedy

-Own Voices Author- The Ultimate Pi Day Party by Jackie Lau
-Book with 600+ Pages-

-Wish It Had a Sequel- Tikka Chance on Me by Suleika Snyder
-Released in the 2010s- Hold Your Breath by Katie Ruggle

-Book Rec From a Friend- In Her Sights by Katie Ruggle
-Owned for Over Two Years- Lover’s Instinct by Katie Reus
-New-To-You Author- Every Last Breath by Juno Rushdan
-Wish You Had Read Sooner- Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren

-Book with Less Than 200 Pages- Fit by Rebekah Weatherspoon

-Written Before 2010- Night Shift by Nora Roberts
-Book You Never Finished Before- Romancing the Werewolf by Gail Carriger

-Bought it for the Cover- A Match Made For Thanksgiving by Jackie Lau
-Cover Redesign Was Better- Naked in Death by JD Robb
-Book That Shares Your Zodiac Sign-Her Halloween Treat by Tiffany Reisz

-Author That Writes Multiple Genres- Sweet Revenge by Zoe Archer

-Indie Book- Mission: Her Protection by Anna Hackett
-Book by International (To You) Author- Something Blue by Emma Jameson

-Author You Want to Meet - Unexplored by Anna Hackett

Rose Red

Last year, my official goal for Beat the Backlist was to read 12 books but my unofficial goal was to fill in the small Bingo card for a total of 24 books. Y'all! I read 165 backlist books this last year! I can't believe it! I unintentionally blew my goal out of the water for 2020! Part of that was the increased reading time I gained in lock down and with not traveling this last summer. 2020 was a dumpster fire but I can't deny that it was the best reading year I've had in years.

I'm not going to list every single book I read for the BTB challenge but these are the ones I read to fill in my Bingo card.

Beat the Backlist Bingo

-Genre Mash-Up-This is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone and Amal El-Mohtar

-Shocking Plot Twist- A Ferry of Bones & Gold by Hailey Turner

-One Word Title- Truth by Kiki Burrelli

-A Top Ten Book of the Year- The Necromancer's Dance by S.J. Himes

-The 4+ Book in a Series- Mastering the Flames by S.J. Himes

-Genre You Rarely/Never Read- Cold Hard Cash by K.L. Hiers

-Own Voices Author- The Gentleman Attraction by Connor Peterson
-Book with 600+ Pages- Will and Patrick Wake Up Married by Leta Blake and Alice Griffiths

-Wish It Had a Sequel- Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
-Released in the 2010s- The Gilded Scarab by Anna Butler

-Book Rec From a Friend- Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon
-Owned for Over Two Years- Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
-New-To-You Author- The Replacement Husband by Eliot Grayson
-Wish You Had Read Sooner- A Gentleman Never Keeps Score by Cat Sebastian

-Book with Less Than 200 Pages- His Bride for the Taking by Tessa Dare

-Written Before 2010- Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh
-Book You Never Finished Before- Jailmates by Lesli Richardson

-Bought it for the Cover- Storm Cursed by Patricia Briggs
-Cover Redesign Was Better- Trifles and Folly by Gail Z. Martin

-Book That Shares Your Zodiac Sign- Owned by Fate by Sean Michael
-Author That Writes Multiple Genres- All Systems Red by Martha Wells

-Indie Book- Loose Ends by Morgan Brice
-Book by International (To You) Author- Witchmark by C.L. Polk
-Author You Want to Meet- Hither, Page by Cat Sebastian

Our Favorite Reads of Beat the Backlist 2020

Gretl

The In Death series by JD Robb
I read most of this series in a single month so don’t ask me to pick a favorite book.

Moti on the Water by Leyla Attar

Tikka Chance on Me by Suleika Snyder

The Treasure Hunter Security series by Anna Hackett

In Her Sights by Katie Ruggle

Rocky Mountain Cowboy Christmas by Katie Ruggle

The Rogue King by Abigail Owen

Moonlighter by Sarina Bowen

Romancing the Werewolf by Gail Carriger

Rose Red

I read a lot of excellent backlist books in 2020 but I'm going to choose my favorites from the Bingo card challenge. The following are my top six backlist books I read for Beat the Backlist ranked in order from my most favorite favorite to my least favorite favorite.