Backlist books I want to read in 2021

Hello, everyone! I hope your week has been going well.

Today I’m going to be talking about the backlist books I want to read in 2021. Typically, every year, I make a TBR of ten-ish books I want to read that year. I very rarely actually read all ten (I read six in 2020), so I wanted to try to make this TBR books that I would actually read this year. So I kind of cheated and included a few books that I already have on hold at the library in the hopes that that will get me to read them. I also have a couple goals I wanted to keep in mind:

• I have a Goodreads shelf labelled “read soon or remove”, which are books I’m interested enough in reading but know I should read ASAP before I’m no longer interested in reading them. I always try to read a couple books from this list every year.
• I want to read at least one translated book.
• I want to prioritize books I own and marginalized authors as much as possible.

So, with those things in mind, let’s talk about the books I want to read this year! The brackets next to the titles indicate which Goodreads shelf that book is on.

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The Gallery of Unfinished Girls by Lauren Karcz (queer, ebook wishlist, read soon or remove)

This has been on my TBR for AGES, and I almost removed it last year before learning it’s queer (I believe it’s a wlw relationship but don’t quote me on that). My library doesn’t have a copy, so I’m going to hopefully buy it on my Kindle. And if I don’t read it this year, I’ll probably remove it tbh.

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The Nowhere Girls by Amy Reed (read soon or remove, queer)

This book is very similar to the last one: queer, been on my TBR for a while. But my library does have a copy! So hopefully I’ll read it some time soon, and will hopefully love it as much as everyone else seems to.

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Ragged Company by Richard Wagamese (Canadian, owned TBR)

I got this book for Christmas this past year, and it sounds fascinating. It’s about a group of homeless individuals who find a winning lottery ticket, but have no fixed address and can’t cash the ticket. I want to continue to read more Indigenous authors, and want to read Richard Wagamese in particular, so hopefully I’ll get to this one soon!

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Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor (owned TBR, top to-read)

I have been meaning to read this sequel for a while now, and have tried a couple of times. But it WILL happen this year, I’m speaking it into existence. I really loved Strange the Dreamer and have high hopes for this one, so hopefully I love it!

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A Little Life by Hanya Yangihara (owned TBR, top to-read)

I also got this one for Christmas this year and am super excited to read it! It’s been on my top TBR for too long now, and I really need to prioritize it. Literally everyone seems to love it (someone I went to highschool with messaged me on instagram after I posted about it saying how much she loved it), so I have very high hopes.

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Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo (on hold at the library)

This is my translated book! It sounds super interesting, and I’ve had it on hold for a few weeks now. I still have a few weeks before I’ll get it, according to my library, so hopefully I’ll have time to read it when I get ahold of it!

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Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien (Canadian, owned TBR)

This sounds like such a me book, and I’m really excited to read it. I bought it for my mom a couple of years ago, and she loved it, so that’s hopefully a good sign. It’s also by a Canadian author and a woman of colour, so hopefully I love it.

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From the Ashes by Jesse Thistle (Canadian)

Okay so I’ve technically already started this book. I got the audiobook from the library and listened to the first part, and then had to return it. So I’m planning on getting the audiobook again soon when I have a more normal commute, and I’ll hopefully read it!

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Who Will Run the Frog Hospital? by Lorrie Moore (owned TBR, top to-read)

This was on my 2020 TBR, and has been on my top TBR for so long, AND I own a copy now. So hopefully this year will finally be the year I read it.

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Ties That Tether by Jane Igharo (Canadian, BLM, on hold at the library)

This book sounds very me, and I’m really, really excited to read it. It’s by a Black Canadian author, and sounds super interesting, and my library has a copy. So I put it on hold, and will hopefully get it in the next few weeks. And hopefully I’ll love it!

So those are the books I want to read in 2021! I feel like a have a good enough variety to keep me on-track, so hopefully I’m able to read most of these!

Have you read any of these books? What were your thoughts? Which should I read first? Let me know!

Ally xx

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