Readathons & Challenges

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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98 Comments

  • Reply Kayla @ Books and Blends November 4, 2019 at 10:05 am

    I love this! Please sign me up and hold me responsible for my ARC actions!

  • Reply Roachie's Reviews November 4, 2019 at 10:08 am

    Sign me up – I need this badly! I’ve got over 100 NetGalley proofs to read and who knows how many physical ARCs 🙁

  • Reply Jess @ Jessticulates November 4, 2019 at 10:11 am

    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 Sammie @ The Writerly Way November 4, 2019 at 12:00 pm

    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 Sarah November 4, 2019 at 12:36 pm

    Yay, best of luck with this! I’m excited to see those numbers drop. 🙂

  • Reply Becca Leighanne (Bex) November 4, 2019 at 1:56 pm

    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 Musings of a (Book) Girl November 4, 2019 at 2:12 pm

    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 Leelynn @ Sometimes Leelynn Reads November 4, 2019 at 2:54 pm

    SIGN ME UP, DESTINY! I need this so badly.

  • Reply mistysbookspace November 4, 2019 at 5:25 pm

    This is so cool. I’m definitely interested in joining.

  • Reply DegenerateReads November 4, 2019 at 8:51 pm

    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 rachel @ typed truths November 5, 2019 at 2:12 am

    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 Kristin November 5, 2019 at 8:46 am

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

  • Reply northernplunder November 5, 2019 at 4:23 pm

    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 sepiareads November 5, 2019 at 7:10 pm

    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 Kal @ Reader Voracious November 7, 2019 at 1:06 am

    I volunteer as tribute! i need this like I need air, thank you for your service.

  • Reply Nicole Evans November 12, 2019 at 5:40 pm

    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 msnoseinabook November 15, 2019 at 2:41 am

    Yesss, need this!

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  • Reply Dee Williams November 23, 2019 at 12:57 am

    A Goodreads group sounds excellent Destiny!

  • Reply dbsguidetothegalaxy December 5, 2019 at 5:29 am

    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 Mel December 12, 2019 at 4:15 pm

    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 bookswhitme December 15, 2019 at 8:38 pm

    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 Destiny @ Howling Libraries December 21, 2019 at 12:29 am

      Yaaaaay haha! Well, yay that you’re participating, not yay for out-of-control ARCs. ? lmao but we’re gonna get there!!

  • Reply Maude B. December 16, 2019 at 3:46 pm

    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 Blogmas Day 7: Reading Goals for 2020 – Booked Unicorn December 19, 2019 at 5:38 pm

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  • Reply Jorie December 23, 2019 at 1:17 am

    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 Destiny @ Howling Libraries December 23, 2019 at 2:25 pm

      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 Louise December 23, 2019 at 8:10 am

    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 Destiny @ Howling Libraries December 23, 2019 at 2:29 pm

      Jorie was just telling me about that – that’s awesome! I’m going to go peek at yours now! 😀

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  • Reply Isabelle @ Nine Tale Vixen January 1, 2020 at 9:31 pm

    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 Destiny @ Howling Libraries January 4, 2020 at 6:55 pm

      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! ?

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  • Reply Alex @ WhimsyPages January 9, 2020 at 5:00 pm

    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 A. Rivera (@bloodravenlib) January 13, 2020 at 4:11 pm

    I like the idea of this challenge, so sign me up.

    Here is my blog post declaring the intention to do it: https://itinerantlibrarian.blogspot.com/2020/01/arcs-and-review-copies-out-of-hand-i.html

    I’d be interested in joining the GR group and the Discord (though I admit I am not as adept there, but willing to try it and learn).

    Thanks for hosting. Best, and keep on reading and blogging.

    • Reply Destiny @ Howling Libraries January 30, 2020 at 3:14 am

      Welcome to the challenge! We’d love to have you! 😀 Have you had the chance to sign up for the group or Discord yet?

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  • Reply Courtney January 25, 2020 at 9:20 am

    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!

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