Goldilox and the Three Weres: 2020 Reading Challenge Recap: Tackle My TBR 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, Rose Red is going to be wrapping up her Tackle My TBR 2020 challenge.

A few years ago, I participated in a challenge called Rock My TBR before we started doing Beat the Backlist. It was great because it made me focus on downsizing the number of unread books I had on my shelves. Unfortunately, that was the last year Rock My TBR happened. I then begin looking around for a new TBR challenge to replace it. I wanted a challenge that would help me focus on reducing the number of unread books I own but let me include new releases and not just backlist titles.

I'm so glad that I found the Tackle My TBR 2020 Challenge hosted by Kim from KimberlyFaye Reads. I had so much fun participating in this challenge and I kicked some serious TBR butt doing it! I loved how low-key and chill it was which was a definite plus for a year like 2020. I got to go at my own pace and it made a huge difference in how I felt about this challenge. I also loved how there was a monthly theme to help you choose a TBR book if you got stuck! I can't praise this challenge enough! But enough backstory, let's talk about how I did with the Tackle My TBR Challenge.

Tackle My TBR Challenge

My original goal at the first of 2020 was to read 12 physical books from my TBR to achieve the Safety level of the challenge. After successfully completing the Safety level early in the year, I upped my goal a couple times until I decided to set my final goal for the challenge at 30 Books I Own for the First Down (25-36) level. I'm so happy with how I did! I'm happy to report that my number of unread books on my shelves dropped by 36 this year! Holy cow! That was three times my original goal!

I also tried to complete all the TBR theme challenges and I was successful with finishing them all except for December's theme of a Holiday Read. I apparently had no unread holiday books on my TBR. Who would have thought that was possible?

The best thing about this challenge was the fact that I adored every single book but one I read for it! That is really unheard of for me! With the books I've collected on my shelves, I usually DNF one for every four books I read or the book will be a two, maybe three star read at most. None of the books I read were less than four star reads. I'm going to list all the books I read with covers and I will make sure to list the monthly theme in parentheses if it was the one I read for it.

The books I read for Tackle My TBR 2020 were:

Loose Ends by Morgan Brice (Published in 2019)
Hither, Page by Cat Sebastian

The Pale Light in the Black by K.B. Wagers (Diverse Read)

Storm Cursed by Patricia Briggs (Favorite Genre)
Smoke Bitten by Patricia Briggs

Alpha Night by Nalini Singh

A Gentleman Never Keeps Score by Cat Sebastian
Two Rogues Make a Right by Cat Sebastian
Slippery Creatures by K.J. Charles

Check, Please! Book Two: Sticks and Scones by Ngozi Ukazu
Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
Network Effect by Martha Wells

Something to Talk About by Meryl Wilsner (New-to- Me Author)
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman (TV/Movie Adaptation)
This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone (LGBTQIA Book)