The problem is that there are too many books in the world. And by “too many,” I do mean “Yay! So many!” And by “problem,” I do mean “luxurious, lovely happenstance.” My TBR list is always going to be bigger than my time frame for completing it, and I’m just going to have to make peace with that.
Here are a whole lot of books that I will likely start (and for the most part, finish) this month.
Book Clubs
- Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson – I meant to read for two hours Monday night and then finish up the rest yesterday before book club, but then the pace abruptly picked up and so I had to read to the end before going to bed on Monday. Worth it. Who even needs sleep.
- The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray – I want to be a personal librarian. Anyone reading here who would like to hire me to do that sort of thing? References available upon request.
- A Match to the Heart by Gretel Ehrlich – Memoir about being struck by lightning. We are all fascinated and curious.
- Circus of Wonders by Elizabeth Macneal – Fantastic Strangelings coming through with the magical again.
- Count Your Lucky Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur – Happy Endings selection for the month of love
- To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara – This is a pretty long book, Roxane Gay. You’ve never steered me wrong before, though, so I’m in.
Reading Challenges
I’ve added a couple of reading challenges (surprising no one – we all knew this would happen). Partly for me, but mostly because I know some of you like a little structure and I want to highlight challenges you may enjoy that I’m also participating in. If you want a challenge and none of the four I’ve chosen fit your tastes, fret not. Girlxoxo does this so much better than I do; here’s the master list of challenges they compiled for 2022.
A lot of my selections fit categories on all of the ones I’m doing (although my personal meta-challenge is that, no matter how many I end up tracking, I won’t use the same book for more than one prompt on the same challenge). In fact, I may do a separate reading challenge update in the middle of the month to outline all the prompts and the books I read to match them. Here’s just a taste for this month.
- Book Riot Read Harder – the prompt is “book set in a bookstore”, and the book is Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew Sullivan
- Girlxoxo Monthly Keyword Challenge – I chose the word “love,” and the book Super Sad True Love Story by Gary Shteyngart (although “midnight” is also a word that works for this month, so the Book Riot selection covers it, too).
- 52 Book Club – My title starting with “E” is Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes
- Pop Sugar – A book with a character on the ace spectrum (also a prompt for Read Harder), and I chose a book that’s been on my TBR list for a long time – Loveless by Alice Oseman
Lush Reads
The lush themes for this month are food, love, rest, and dreaming. And chipping away at long-time TBRs. Happy.
- Babette’s Feast by Julian Baggini – loved the movie and just recently found out it was a book.
- How To Do Nothing by Jenny Odell – I really feel like this month is going to be the month I finish it. It’s just so inspiring…to do nothing…
- All About Love by bell hooks – in honor of the recently departed icon.
- The Alchemist by Paul Coelho – Approximately 12,341 people have recommended this book to me – will it live up to the hype? My expectations are pretty high.
- Warrior of the Light by Paul Coelho – Might as well pick up the companion manual, too.
Additional Reads
This list is mostly an assortment of books due at the library soon-ish and racy/romantic recommendations from friends.
- The Love Story of Missy Carmichael by Beth Morrey
- 3 Doors by J.L. Vanders
- Fun Home by Alison Bechdel
- The Four Tendencies by Gretchen Rubin
- Love Me Back by Merritt Tierce
- My Life As a Villainess by Laura Lippman
- Baltimore Blues by Laura Lippman
- My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
Clearly, I need to set aside at least one reading weekend this month.
What are you reading now?
M. Suzanne Terry 
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