2023 Reading Goals!

Do you give yourself reading goals for the year? Lately I've heard about one that I am totally up for: to read 23 backlist titles in 2023. If you're unfamiliar with the term, "backlist" refers to a published book that is not a new release. I love this idea because it helps me focus on catching up on a variety of wonderful books I haven't been able to keep up with. I already had a list in mind, but I asked readers for ideas on my author Facebook page, and they delivered! I'll share with you my list of 23 in a moment. But first, I have to tell you that I have enjoyed a winning reading (and listening) streak over the Christmas break, and finished four 5-star books! They are:

1. Count the Night by Stars by Michelle Shocklee

2. The Rose and the Thistle by Laura Frantz

3. Within These Walls of Sorrow by Amanda Barratt

4. Yours is the Night by Amanda Dykes (Audiobook lovers, rejoice! This is in the top 3 audiobook productions I have ever experienced.)

Feel free to follow me on Instagram for more book recommendations!

Also, I've decided that "backlist" will mean that it was published more than two months ago. That leaves me with a whole stack of releases from December and January that I'd love to read, in addition to the backlist beauties. These include:

1. The Blackout Book Club by Amy Lynn Green

2. In Love's Time by Kate Breslin

3. The Sisters of Sea View by Julie Klassen

4. All the Lost Places by Amanda Dykes

5. Hearts of Steel by Elizabeth Camden

6. Yesterday's Tides by Roseanna White

7. The Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin

And those are just the very most recent releases! Is it any wonder I can't keep up? There are more releasing in 2023 that I can't wait to get my hands on, and I expect the same is true for you. Speaking of which, did you know there is a list on Goodreads of the Most Anticipated Christian Fiction of 2023? You can take a look at the books and vote for as many as you'd like! The Metropolitan Affair by yours truly is on the list somewhere... feel free to give it some love by voting for it or marking as "Want to Read"--or both! Pre-order now!

(Editor's note: Gasp! I just noticed that in this short stackof books pictured above, no less than four of them have the word "lost" in the title! Did you catch that? What are the odds?)

And now, without further ado, here are 23 backlist titles I'd like to read in 2023, about half of which were recommended to me by my readers. In no particular order:

1. Hope Between the Pages by Pepper Basham

2. The Curse of Morton Abbey by Clarissa Harwood

3. Tacos for Two by Betsy St. Amant

4. The Amory Ames series and A Peculiar Combination by Ashley Weaver

5. Every Wicked Man by Steven James

6. Elysium Tide by James Hannibal

7. To Dwell Among Cedars by Connilynn Cossette

8. Mist O'er the Voyageur by Naomi Musch

9. The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower

10. The Winter Rose by Melanie Dobson

11. June Bug by Chris Fabry

12. The Bookshop of Secrets by Mollie Rushmeyer

13. Beyond the Lavender Fields by Arlem Hawks

14. The Souls of Lost Lake by Jaime Jo Wright

15. The Lady of Galway Manor by Jennifer Diebel

16. The Lost Melody by Joanna Davidson Politano

17. The Lost Lieutenant by Erica Vetsch

18. The Italian Ballerina by Kristy Cambron

19. The Letter from Briarton Park by Sarah E. Ladd

20. Night Bird Calling by Cathy Gohlke

21. Secrets of a Charmed Life by Susan Meissner

22. My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier

23. Long Way Home by Lynn Austin

This is not an exhaustive list, but it's a great start. Feel free to ask me on the last day of the year how this plan went.

What about you? What backlist or new books are you looking forward to reading in 2023?

(*FYI, I moderate the comments to keep out spammers, so if you don't see your comment show up right away, never fear. I will approve it soon!)