firewhiskeyreader

The realization that 25 in 25 means a 5 x 5 bingo board works perfectly delighted me so much that I decided I absolutely had to make my own bingo board. This bingo board is absolutely personal to me, but I will explain my thought process behind it, in case it’s something that you want to adapt to work for you. I decided on five categories of books that I want to tackle, which you’ll see as we go through this board.

First, I want to finish up some series and originally I wasn’t going to pick specific series, but I changed my mind and picked the five I want to focus on. I have a total of eight and one novella to read that are taking up five spots. I know that seems silly, but I really want to make sure that I actually finish up these series so I decided to go for it.

The ones I chose are the Gold Rush Ranch series by Elsie Silver. I own all four digitally, but I’m also getting the final two from my parents for Christmas (I bought them myself and made them pay me back, but you know). Anyway, so I have two to go on that one. Then Lady of Starfire will finish off the Lady of Darkness series, but apparently she’s also releasing a novella? So I guess I should pick that up too. Along the Infinite Sea by Beatriz Williams and Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date by Ashley Herring Blake both finish up trilogies for me. And then the series that will take the most work, Plated Prisoner by Raven Kennedy. I just re-read book one and need to re-read books two and three, then finally read for the first time Glow, Gold, and Goldfinch. So, a big task, honestly, but I believe in myself.

Second, I know that I have an issue where I buy so many books from the same author and then I just keep not reading them. I’m good at spending money, but not always good at actually reading the books. So I did the math and figured out the five (actually, it was nine, so I had to get selective) of my most owned but unread authors and slotted them in. I’m not making it a goal to read all of my unread books by each of these authors, just at least one from each of them. (Probably should make it a goal to read all of them, but that seems like too large a goal.)

From Christina C. Jones, I own 13 of her books. Thirteen!!! That I haven’t read! That’s so wild. In my defense, I’ve also read probably about that many, but still. I definitely need to read several of these unread books. From Sarina Bowen, I own 11 books. And from her, I’ve definitely read at least another 11. I don’t even have to look it up to know that to be the case. Romance authors can be so prolific, honestly. (Also, if I actually read Waylaid specifically, I would finish off the True North series, which would be exciting!) Anyway, continuing on, I’ve got 9 books from Jeannie Lin and there’s absolutely no excuse for that. From Holley Trent, I also own nine of her books… Shameful. I am admittedly counting her writing as H.E. Trent because I really enjoy her sci-fi romance, I just need to continue in the series. And then from Sherry Thomas, I own eight of her books that I haven’t read yet. Ridiculous. (There are five authors where I own eight of their books, but I chose Sherry Thomas because I’m also hoping that will have the side effect of me catching up on the Lady Sherlock series. Cross your fingers for me.)

Third, I want to read nonfiction. I do not, however, want to commit myself to five specific nonfiction books at the outset so I’m leaving those blank for me to fill in as I go. I am not going to let myself use more than one memoir for this line though. Here’s a small list of the books I’m considering:

• Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop by Danyel Smith
• What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo
• The Hundred Years War on Palestine by Rashid Khalidi
• all about love by bell hooks
• Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
• Heavy by Kiese Laymon
• Ace by Angela Chen
• A Mind Spread Out on the Ground by Alicia Elliott
• Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton

Fourth, I am still trying to improve my historical fiction reading, but again, I’m reluctant to commit myself to the books this early on. I will be limiting myself here to a maximum of two books by a white author though because I want to make sure I’m specifically reading historical fiction from BIPOC authors. I also bought several multigenerational stories a year or so ago because I’m fairly confident I love them and then have proceeded to not read any of them. So here’s my small list of books I’m considering:

• Cantoras by Carolina De Robertis
• Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
• Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu
• Hula by Jasmin Iolani Hakes
• Still Life by Sarah Winman
• The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
• Looking for Jane by Heather Marshall
• If You Leave Me by Crystal Hanna Kim
• Confessions in B Flat by Donna Hill
• Wild Women and the Blues by Denny S. Bryce
• Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? by Crystal Smith Paul
• The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali
• The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson

Fifth, I’m also still trying to make sure I’m reading fantasy that is not fantasy romance. I have no idea what books I want to fill in here, other than definitely I need to finish Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson. Probably I should also read an N.K. Jemisin. Okay, well, now we have two picked out, I suppose. Heres’ a small list of the books I’m considering:

• Jade City by Fonda Lee
• Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas (Does this count as fantasy? Maybe not, but I’m willing to count it.)
• Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
• Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel
• Babel by R.F. Kuang (even though I’m terrified of it)
• The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo
• The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden

Closing Thoughts

Do you make reading goals? I wouldn’t say this is necessarily addressing all of my reading goals, but it is a fun way to gamify my reading, so I’m excited about it. I really hope that I enjoy this throughout the entire year!

xx