So I went on my own last week for Top Ten Tuesday with a Winnie-the-Pooh theme. And considering that a list of the top ten 2021 new to me authors (that I read) might end up being very similar to my favorite reads of last year, I am twisting it a bit. Mixing up last week’s and this week’s theme to get a list of books by new to me authors I still need to read!! (Most of these are now way overdue reviews too but they are coming soon here, fingers crossed)

So today I list those

Top Ten Books by New to me Authors I Still Need to Read (2021)

1. The Girl With No Name by Reine Andrieu (Kindle edition out already; Paperback expected March 2022)
2. The Second Life of Mirielle West by Amanda Skenandore
3. The Nine: The True Story of a Band of Women Who Survived the Worst of Nazi Germany by Gwen Strauss
4. The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict; Victoria Christopher Murray
5. Once Upon a Wardrobe: A Story of Narnia and a Sister’s Love by Patti Callahan
6. In the Wild Light by Jeff Zentner
7. The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe
8. Never Fall for Your Fiancee by Virginia Heath
9. The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles
10. Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

So which of these books do you recommend I start with first?

How to Read All the Books I Need to Read

Thinking about all the books on my various TBR lists (Goodreads; Google docs; list(s) on my phone, my laptop, and the notebooks that were closest to me at that-any-given-time; my blog posts of TBRs; etc) should send me away from reading. But who am I kidding? I simply add more books to the lists any chance I get and keep reading new books that are not on any of the TBRs at all. And then, I did not even mention all the books on my bookshelves (physical and virtual) which are not on many TBRs because they are, well, right in front of me, right?!

In my attempts to work on my list of lists of TBRs, I came up with another list. A list of strategies that may or may not help me reduce this. I welcome any tips you have as well.

The Tips That Might Should Will Work

• Not joining any reading challenges this year. Hopefully, this will mean that I will not be adding more books to my TBR by searching for books that meet the challenge rules outside of my TBRs! So, at least, one way of adding books is reduced. (But what about a TBR challenge??)
• Read at least one book from any of my TBRs each week (more or less frequent depending on the books themselves)
• Make a reading plan with books from my “need to read” list for each month (and stick to it). But of course, if I read additional books that are not on the lists, it is OK, right?!

What might not work for me?

• Not re-reading. I know, I know! There are way too many wonderful not-yet-read books out there waiting to be read. But, just like we return to comfort food every so often, I have my list of comfort, familiar reads. It is like meeting with family or friends after a break.
• Don’t add ARCs. Well, each time I go to check the next book I need to read from my ARC list, I inevitably find at least half a dozen more to add. I cannot stop… though I know I should.
• Listen to audio books. I have tried, honestly. But it has not worked for me. So this one is out.
• Stop buying books. Actually, I don’t buy books way too often (adding ebook deals to my Kindle library doesn’t count, right?!) And when I do go to the bookstore, I indulge myself.

That was all I had. But I welcome any other suggestions you might have that help you, and that might help me with my TBRs. Do let me know!!

And Now, the End of this Post

Dear reader, have you read any of the books mentioned? If yes, then which do you suggest I need to read first? And any other suggestions, recommendations for similar reads, or tips to reduce my need to read books are totally welcome too!