ANNOUNCEMENT: #ARCApocalypse 2020!

November 4, 2019

Are you behind on review copies? Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the stacks of ARCs you need to review? Have I got a reading challenge for you…

If you’ve been around here any amount of time at all, you already know I talk pretty openly about being behind on my review copies list. Between mental illness struggles, a terrible reading slump that’s been going on most of this year, and over-zealous requesting when I first got that beloved “Netgalley Librarian” status… well, just look at the numbers at the time I’m writing this post:

→ 139 overdue Netgalley/Edelweiss titles
→ 98 overdue print titles
→ 21 titles releasing later in 2019 (11 print, 10 digital)
→ 36 titles releasing in 2020 (36 already?!)

Obviously, something’s gotta give. While I do want to knock out as many in the remainder of 2019 as possible, you and I both know: it’s already November, and the holidays are a busy time of year — these numbers can’t drop that much between now and 2020! So, it’s time to take matters seriously: I am devoting the entire year of 2020 to catching up on my review copies. By December 31st, 2020, my goal is to have read every single ARC that released at any point leading up to that date — so, my 2020 titles, my leftover 2019 titles, and anything I have that came out before 2019, too.

I was going to just do this on my own, but then I thought: wouldn’t it be more fun to take you all along with me?

So, I came up with a hashtag I hope you’ll find as catchy and inspiring as I do: #ARCApocalypse! I’ll be using this hashtag on Instagram and Twitter to post my updates, and I hope you’ll join me. I’ll also be adding a Goodreads group and Discord server to the mix over the next few weeks, so PLEASE let me know if you’re interested in being invited to either (or both) of those!

I’ll also publicly post the links to the groups closer to December, as well as a blog post detailing my plans for how I’m going to tackle this reading challenge next year, so be on the look out for all of that, and comment below if you have any suggestions, ideas, or requests — or just general excitement to share! Talk soon! ♥♥♥

— destiny ♥

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More about Destiny @ Howling Libraries

Just a children's librarian/horror aficionado/geek girl trying to juggle motherhood, grad school, blogging, gaming, and everyday life.

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98 Comments

    1. Jess @ Jessticulates

      November 4, 2019

      This is such a fun idea! I also need to catch up on my NetGalley reads. My goal for 2019 was to get to an 80% feedback ratio, but I don’t know if I’ll make it, so I’ll definitely be joining you in 2020 to read as many of my eARCs as possible. Best of luck with all of your review copies!

      Reply

    1. Sammie @ The Writerly Way

      November 4, 2019

      Oh, Destiny, you made this challenge just for me, didn’t you? xD I feel both attacked and glad that my numbers aren’t *quite* as high as yours, so heeey, there’s a silver lining! It could totally be worse. 😛

      I’ve been pretty honest about falling behind, for much the same reasons as you. I’ve been forever chasing that elusive 80% feedback ratio, and it’s just … not happening so far? But I’m totally in for this! Maybe 2020 will be the year I start reading ARCs ahead and write reviews early instead of late. And let’s pretend like I just typed all of that with a completely straight face.

      Reply

    1. Becca Leighanne (Bex)

      November 4, 2019

      I’m planning knocking down a lot in the next two months, BUT! I know I won’t be CLEAR, so I would love to join you! Please invite me to both Goodreads & Discord <3

      Reply

    1. Musings of a (Book) Girl

      November 4, 2019

      I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS! I’ve only been blogging for 8 months and I don’t have any overdue ARCs from that yet but I have a ton from before I started blogging that I won in giveaways and such that I feel like since they’re ARCs I should do my best to review them if possible.

      Reply

    1. DegenerateReads

      November 4, 2019

      Perfect timing! I was thinking earlier this week about how behind I am on ARCs and decided I’d use 2020 to catch up. I’ll definitely be joining.

      Reply

    1. rachel @ typed truths

      November 5, 2019

      i love this! i only got into arcs these past few months but i immediately fell down the rabbit hole. this will be so great for motivation to catch up and stay caught up! i’d loved to be signed up for it pls – and can’t wait to see your stats go down!!

      Reply

    1. Kristin

      November 5, 2019

      I seriously need this type of challenge, as my ARC/press copy pile is almost past the point of no return. 😛

      Reply

    1. northernplunder

      November 5, 2019

      im definitely in need of a discord server to support and remind me to do this. im 10 pages from finishing wilder girls so theres 1 ive knocked off already 🙂

      Reply

    1. sepiareads

      November 5, 2019

      This is a great idea! While I don’t have as many to review as you, I do have a good amount so I’ll definitely be taking part.

      Reply

    1. Nicole Evans

      November 12, 2019

      Oh gosh, can I PLEASE join you!? I am so stressed and behind and I NEED THIS. I am hoping this will be the support and group I need to help me actually tackle this reading pile.

      Reply

        1. Nicole Evans

          January 5, 2020

          Awesome, thank you Destiny! I’m not super active on either, honestly, but I’ll join the Discord group just in case and try to pop in from time to time!! Definitely excited to get started on this challenge!

          Reply

    1. dbsguidetothegalaxy

      December 5, 2019

      Oh my gosh, definitely something I need! Please sign me up for both! I’m slowly making my way through the arc pile but that might go up one I slightly lift my ban ?

      Reply

    1. Mel

      December 12, 2019

      ahhh this is the reading challenge I NEED. I feel slightly better about all the unread and overdue review copies I have now, even though I probably have twice the number you listed, so THANK YOU!! I’ve been having a lot of overdue review copy guilt lately so I am definitely going to be signing up for this challenge.

      Reply

    1. bookswhitme

      December 15, 2019

      This is so amazing! I’m so excited to participate because my ARCs are out of control lol. I’ll definitely be announcing and tracking this on my blog too.

      Reply

    1. Maude B.

      December 16, 2019

      Oh my, this is the challenge I so desperately need for 2020 ! I recently let expire a few library ebook copies because of how hectic life has been recently, and I just. Don’t even want to check my overdue ARCs page…

      Reply

    1. Jorie

      December 23, 2019

      Hallo, Hallo Destiny,

      We are soul sisters this 2020! I just inked out an updated list of ALL review copies I’m behind on myself – I’ll be reviewing the list by NYE in case I have a few extra leftovers from 2019 but as it stands I have *210!* backlogued reviews! I’ve been openly disclosing this as well – all the details are on my own post which has been live and active on my blog for a few years now, as well as previously live on Riffle and let’s face it – there is no shame admitting that we have adversities, health afflictions and other things that seriously derail our bookish lives! I finally felt like 2020 was a better year for ‘me’ personally to attack my ARCs and/or finished review copies — I don’t have as many ARCs as you, but I do have a high number of owed reviews.

      I’ll join you to help cheer us on for the ARCs directly… however, I do have a serious backlogue myself and am thankful I am not the only one who grieved seeing it continue to snowball and grow — despite working towards erasing it for the past three years!

      Here’s the post where I talk about my backlogue of reviews. I also decided to join Louise @foxesfairytale for her January #HappyNewCLEAR readathon where we seriously sit and read our ARCs – I’m approaching it even if I can’t post all my reviews for those ARCs but seriously start and hopefully finish reading most of them, I’ll have a good foundation in which to move forward into February, etc. This challenge and that readathon go hand in hand now! 🙂 You’ll find those details about which ARCs I’m focusing on on my 2020 Reading Challenges page

      If you had called it #ReviewApocalypse I could have stuck with you til 31 December!

      I am seriously thankful I’m not the only one who openly talks about why her readerly life is constantly upturnt! Sending you a lot of encouraging thoughts and I can’t wait to see how we each progress through our main goal for 2020: knocking out our respective backlogues!

      Reply

      1. Destiny @ Howling Libraries

        December 23, 2019

        These sound like great goals, Jorie! Good luck in knocking out your backlog, too, and thanks for the words of encouragement! 🙂 I somehow missed Louise’s readathon, but I’m going to take a peek at that now because it sounds awesome! And I’ll check out your Reading Challenges page, too 🙂

        Reply

    1. Louise

      December 23, 2019

      I’m doing a sort of mini-versin of this myself in January to get through my early 2020 arcs but I’ll definetly sign up for this to help with the rest of the year and all my blacklist copies!

      Reply

    1. Isabelle @ Nine Tale Vixen

      January 1, 2020

      this is such a fantastic idea, Destiny! I somehow managed to get caught up on my ARCs toward the end of 2019 and am focusing on backlist books for 2020, so I won’t be participating – but I wish you and everyone else the best of luck defeating those ARC piles! ?

      Reply

      1. Destiny @ Howling Libraries

        January 4, 2020

        Thank you! Ooooh, that’s so awesome, congrats! 😀 I hope I can do that this year and spend 2021 focusing on backlist titles, too, haha! Have fun with your backlist reads! ?

        Reply

    1. Alex @ WhimsyPages

      January 9, 2020

      Amazing idea! And good luck with all of your ARCs! I don’t have THAT many 😀 but 2020 will also be the year to finally get my ARCs under control.

      Reply

    1. Courtney

      January 25, 2020

      I just saw this over at Papertea and Bookflowers, so I had to check it out. I am so behind on mine as well. I need to join!

      Reply

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