ŷ������

I was very happy with my 2019 reading and have set the following goals for 2020:

1. Like so many I want to reduce my owned TBR. I am starting 2020 with 127 and would love to get this down to about 80 by the end of the year. I shall record both my purchases as well as books read.

2. The ‘series�� challenge of 2019 was one of my favourites so I wish to continue reading many of those series. I have chosen 13 series and aim to read at least two books in each one.

3. I wish to tackle at least 4 books (hopefully 6) that I have been wanting to read for a while but have intimidated me, mainly because of their size. I plan to incorporate one into each of the seasonal challenges.

I’m looking forward to some great reading in 2020 😊.

Reducing TBR January to June

JANUARY
Current TBR - 127
Purchased - 7
Read - 10
New TBR - 124

FEBRUARY
Current TBR - 124
Purchased - 7
Read - 11
New TBR - 120

MARCH
Current TBR - 120
Purchased - 7
Read - 14
New TBR - 113

APRIL
Current TBR - 113
Purchased - 6
Read - 10
New TBR - 109

MAY
Current TBR - 109
Purchased - 11
Read - 12
New TBR - 108

JUNE
Current TBR - 108
Purchased - 5
Read - 14
New TBR - 99



�� 1. Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottlieb 09/04
2. Midnight in Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster by Adam Higginbotham
3. A Kiss from Mr Fitzgerald by Natasha Lester
�� 4. Bruny by Heather Rose
��5. Banjo by Grantlee Kieza
6. Stillwater by Nicole Helget
��7. One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow by Olivia Hawker
8. The Likely Resolutions of Oliver Clock by Jane Riley
9. In a Field of Blue by Gemma Liviero
�� 10. The Sisters' Song by Louise Allan
�� 11. The Rules of Backyard Cricket by Jock Serong
�� 12. The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
�� 13. Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano
�� 14. The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
15. The Last Of The Bonegilla Girls by Victoria Purman
�� 16. Death of an Avid Reader by Frances Brody
�� 17. The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant by Kayte Nunn
�� 18. The Long Call by Ann Cleeves
19. Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
�� 20. Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout
21. Frankissstein: A Love Story by Jeanette Winterson
�� 22. Against All Odds: The inside account of the Thai cave rescue and the courageous Australians at the heart of it by Craig Challen
�� 23. In Five Years by Rebecca Serle
24. The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming by David Wallace-Wells
25. She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement by Jodi Kantor
26. Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators by Ronan Farrow
27. The Blue Rose by Kate Forsyth
�� 28. An Ace and A Pair by Blake Banner
�� 29. Me & Patsy Kickin' Up Dust: My Friendship with Patsy Cline by Loretta Lynn
30. A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson
31. Know My Name: A Memoir by Chanel Miller
�� 32. The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History by John M. Barry
33. Long Bright River by Liz Moore
�� 34. The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James
35. The Witches of Eileanan by Kate Forsyth
�� 36. The Shelly Bay Ladies Swimming Circle by Sophie Green
�� 37. Death in the English Countryside by Sara Rosett
38. Scythe by Neal Shusterman
39. A Fatal Obsession by Faith Martin
40. The Girl in the Letter by Emily Gunnis
�� 41. The Rain Heron by Robbie Arnott
�� 42. Phosphorescence: On Awe, Wonder and Things That Sustain You When the World Goes Dark by Julia Baird
43. Heavy as a Mountain by Vincent Connolly
44. The Twentieth Man by Tony Jones

Series

�� a) Joe Pickett by C.J. Box
6. In Plain Sight 06/01 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
7. Free Fire 06/04 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

�� b) Commissionario Brunetti by Donna Leon
3. Dressed for Death 02/08 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
4. Death and Judgement 30/10 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

c) Bosch by Michael Connelly
16. The Black Box 04/08 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
17. The Burning Room

�� d) Phrynne Fisher by Kerry Greenwood
16. Murder in the Dark 24/03 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
17. Murder on a Midsummer Night 20/04 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
18. Dead Man's Chest 18/05 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
19. Unnatural Habits 19/06 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
20. Murder and Mendelssohn 15/07 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

�� e) Bruno by Martin Walker
6. The Resistance Man 04/04 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
7. Children of War 10/09 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

�� f) Ruth Galloway by Elly Griffiths
9. The Chalk Pit 13/03 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
10. The Dark Angel 08/07 ⭐️⭐️💫

�� g) Matthew Shardlake by C.J. Sansom
3. Sovereign 08/06 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
4. Revelation 11/10 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

�� h) Vera Stanthorpe by Ann Cleeves
2. Telling Tales 02/03 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
3. Hidden Depths ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

i) China Thrillers by Peter May
4. Snakehead 08/01 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
5. The Runner

j) Dresden by Jim Butcher
11. Turn Coat
12. Changes

�� k) Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen
11. On Her Majesty's Frightfully Secret Service 28/01 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
12. Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding 27/09 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

�� l) Miss Fortune by Jana Deleon
2. Lethal Bayou Beauty 09/01 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3. Swamp Sniper 04/09 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

�� m) In Death Series by J.D. Robb
09. Loyalty in Death 05/01 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
10. Witness in Death 11/03 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
11. Judgment in Death 24/05 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
12. Betrayal in Death 23/10 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Big Books

1. The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins (Summer Challenge) 672 pages 14/01
2. Tandia by Bryce Courtenay (Autumn Challenge) 924 pages 07/04
3. The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett (Winter Challenge) 992 pages 11/08
4. Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi (Author Alphabet Challenge) 592 pages 15/10
5. The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History by John M. Barry (Extra Challenge) 546 pages 13/11
6. Banjo by Grantlee Kieza (Summer Challenge) 692 pages

Good luck Mari - sounds like an excellent challenge :)

Brenda wrote: "Good luck Mari - sounds like an excellent challenge :)"
Thanks Brenda. Looking forward to lots of great reading in 2020 😊

This looks like such a good challenge. Good luck! :)

Mari wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Good luck Mari - sounds like an excellent challenge :)"
Thanks Brenda. Looking forward to lots of great reading in 2020 😊"

Ditto :)

Lily wrote: "This looks like such a good challenge. Good luck! :)"
Thanks Lily. I love setting goals 😁

Excellent challenges, Mari! Good luck with it all, and very happy reading! xo :)

Kylie wrote: "Excellent challenges, Mari! Good luck with it all, and very happy reading! xo :)"
Thanks Kylie. Happy reading to you too 😊

Good luck Mari, May all your reads be good ones!

Kerri_M wrote: "Good luck Mari, May all your reads be good ones!"

Thank you Kerri. Wishing you a great reading year too 😊.

Quarter One check in.

1. Reducing Owned TBR

Have reduced my TBR by 14 books so I am very happy with this progress. Unfortunately of the 21 books I have bought this year I have read ZERO! Which is ridiculous. Admittedly I do often buy the books when they are on sale, but still. I have put a few on upcoming challenges so at least that is good.

2. Continuing Series

Making steady progress and don’t feel I'll have any problem with this challenge. These books are often comfort reads for me and during these times I anticipate I will be reading a lot of them.

3. Big Books

On target. Am about half way through my second one.

Overall a reasonable reading quarter. Like a lot of people my reading during March fluctuated as I really didn’t know what I felt like reading! I’m so looking forward to the Readathon that is happening this weekend as I think this will get me back into my groove.

Half Year check in.

I am finally under 100 on my physical TBR - this makes me very happy 👍 and I’ve read a number of books that I’ve bought this year 👏. Progress has been slower on my other goals but I think I will still able to meet them by year’s end.

Good job Mari!

Brenda wrote: "Good job Mari!"

Thanks Brenda, I have been pleased with my reading this year, despite it being such a dreadful year, in other aspects, to date.

That's good Mari :)

Reducing TBR July to December

JULY
Current TBR - 99
Purchased - 6
Read - 8
New TBR - 97

AUGUST
Current TBR - 97
Purchased - 7
Read - 16
New TBR - 88

SEPTEMBER
Current TBR - 88
Purchased - 11
Read - 9
New TBR - 90

OCTOBER
Current TBR - 90
Purchased - 6
Read - 11
New TBR - 85

NOVEMBER
Current TBR - 85
Purchased - 7
Read - 7
New TBR - 85

DECEMBER
Current TBR - 85
Purchased - 5
Read - 8
Final TBR - 82


��45. Lady Bird & The Fox by Kim Kelly
46. The Unexpected Return of Josephine Fox by Claire Gradidge
47. The Rearranged Life of Oona Lockhart by Margarita Montimore
48. Whisper of the Moon Moth by Lindsay Jayne Ashford
49. Let the Dead Speak by Jane Casey
50. The Penmaker's Wife by Steve Robinson
51. Storyland by Catherine McKinnon
��52. A Death in the Dales by Frances Brody
53. Stella and Margie by Glenna Thomson
54. Her Last Words by Kim Kelly
55. A Rising Man by Abir Mukherjee
56. The Girl With No Name by Lisa Regan
57. Swallow the Air by Tara June Winch
58. Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
59. Trouble in Mudbug by Jana Deleon
60. I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara
��61. Ice Blue by Emma Jameson
62. Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
63. The Botanist's Daughter by Kayte Nunn
64. Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire by Akala
��65. Your Own Kind of Girl by Clare Bowditch
66. The Inaugural Meeting of the Fairvale Ladies Book Club by Sophie Green
67. Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor
68. The Chestnut Man by Søren Sveistrup
69. The Children's Bach by Helen Garner
70. Slow Horses by Mick Herron
71. One Last Child by Anni Taylor
72. The House at Mermaid's Cove by Lindsay Jayne Ashford
73. Murder at the Dolphin Hotel by Helena Dixon
74. With Our Blessing by Jo Spain
75. The Viper: The final instalment in the Sandro Cellini series by Christobel Kent
76. The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware
77. Death at the Seaside by Frances Brody
�� 78. Their Lost Daughters by Joy Ellis
79. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
80. Kittyhawk Down by Garry Disher
81. The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan by Lisa Ireland
82. In an Instant by Suzanne Redfearn
83. In The Clearing by J.P. Pomare
84. Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America by Beth Macy
85. Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend

Last day of the year and time to review the goals set.

1. Reduce Owned TBR (stand alone books) to 80.

Final number is 82 which I am very happy with. Reduced my overall books by 35%.

2. Read at least two books from 13 series.

Only managed to do this for 10 of the 13 series. Of the 3 I did not achieve this goal I am dropping 2 (Dresden and the China Thrillers). Of the 10 I did read I am dropping 3 (Bruno, Joe Pickett, Ruth Galloway). I did manage to complete the Phrynne Fisher series, until a new one was released late this year 😂 but I will read this one in 2021.

I ultimately was happy to DNF a couple of series I have lost interest in as I have so many new ones to start 😊.

3. Read at least 4 ‘big�� books

I managed to complete 5 from my TBR and have started the sixth so very happy with achieving this goal.

Overall a good reading year in a year that has challenged us all.

Well done Mari! A fantastic effort :)

Brenda wrote: "Well done Mari! A fantastic effort :)"

Thanks Brenda and congratulations on you achieving your 2020 goal. 😊

Thank you Mari :)