I have a handful of reading goals this year:
1. Backlog Challenge: Read or DNF all remaining unread works (mostly older/lesser known stuff) for three authors I really like: Mercedes Lackey, Neal Shusterman, and K.J. Parker. I may add Mike Resnick to the list after finishing one of the others.
2. Complete the Pot Thief series challenge. Exactly what it sounds like. When I finish that, I'll replace it with a fairy tale retelling series my boyfriend has been wanting me to read for a while.
3. Read 50 nonfiction books. I did this last year and found it really enriching to be constantly learning about a huge variety of topics throughout the year.
And of course, my usual 365 book challenge, of which all the above are included.
I've been reading a lot this year so far, so without further ado, first 20, favourites marked:
1. The Heretic Royal by G.A. Aiken
2. The Illusionist Brain: The Neuroscience of Magic by Jordi Cami
3. Purple and Black by K.J. Parker
Absolutely stellar novella told through correspondence between a newly-crowned emperor who never wanted the job, and his best friend he's assigned as governor in a remote but politically important region. Starts out with fantasy-bureaucratic hilarity, and evolves into... something else. One of the best books I've ever read, hands down. I couldn't sleep after I finished it.
4. The Djinn Falls in Love and Other Stories by Mavesh Murad
5. Blue and Gold by K.J. Parker
6. Academic Exercises by K.J. Parker
7. Born to Run by Mercedes Lackey
8. Ten Tomatoes that Changed the World by William Alexander
9. Bruiser by Neal Shusterman
10. Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis
11. The Pot Thief who Studied Ptolemy by J. Michael Orenduff
12. Downfall of the Gods by K.J. Parker
13. The Devil You Know by K.J. Parker
Another fantastic K.J. novella, this one centered around a man and a demon trying to outwit each other. Super clever, witty, and twisty, just a great time.
14. The Last Witness by K.J. Parker
15. The Pot Thief who Studied Einstein by J. Michael Orenduff
16. Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire
Book eight in the Wayward Children series, and it is just fantastic, fresh, magical, but with incredibly dark themes.
17. The Father of Lies by K.J. Parker
18. Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman
19. The Big Score by K.J. Parker
20. Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina by Misty Copeland