Since I began tracking my reading on Storygraph in 2022, I’ve noticed 3 trends.
First, I don’t have a niche. In 2012, when I began my blog, I wrote exclusively about Indian books. After all, I had moved all that way. I figured I should read books by Indian writers. And the love I discovered in India will never die.
But since returning to the US, my reading habits have become eclectic. As I have sought to diversify my reading across genres and identities, I can’t seem to niche down as so many booktokers, booktubers, and bookstagrammers do. Rather, their devotion to their niches seems to fuel my lack of one. What can I say? I’m easily influenced. I have a Libby tag with over 400 booktok books on it. Maybe it’s my tendency toward mood reading, but for me, it’s fantasy one day, nonfiction the next.
Second, I read more nonfiction than most reviewers in online spaces. While reviewers like Nathan and Kaitlyn specialize in nonfiction, most (not all!) online book influencers tend toward fiction. I read fiction and nonfiction about equally. In 2023, I read 54% nonfiction; in 2024, 45%. This year, with 13 books read, I’m at 62% nonfiction. I have a penchant for academic titles within my nonfiction taste. You can take the girl out of grad school, but you can’t take the grad school out of the girl. Honestly, I would love to work at an academic press.
Third, I love a good backlist book. And I am not alone! In We need to talk about the backlist, Thad McIlroy reported that backlist books represent about 2/3 of what readers buy. Since 2020, some publishers have reported increased backlist sales. Although McIllroy doesn’t get into the reason for that increase, I would argue that financial uncertainty and a need for comfort drove readers not just to the backlist books, but to the library backlists specifically. That’s where I get most of my backlist reading. Booknet Canada seems to support this theory noting that “only 14% of circulation is frontlist titles across all subjects.”
Libby has a reputation for long hold times on the latest, trendiest titles. (This reputation is wholly undeserved, but that’s another essay.) For example, I recently put Source Code and Careless People on hold at the Free Library. Both books have wait times between six weeks and several months. By contrast, you can download the Checklist Manifesto and Brotherhood on Libby right now. Just search for titles using the available now filter, and you can discover the most amazing backlist titles!
What defines the backlist is as varied as the backlist itself. Most publishers consider a book that’s been out for more than 12 months—and is still selling!—to be part of their backlist. For authors, the backlist is any book that’s not their current title. For both publishers and authors, backlists can represent a significant and reliable revenue source.
Nowhere are backlists more fun to explore than in licensed books, including my fave IP: Star Wars. Penguin Random House is ready to help you find the best backlist titles whether you prefer print and ebook or audiobook formats. Of course, a lot of the Star Wars backlist titles (the EU now rebranded Legends titles) are not on audiobook. My hope for the Legends backlist is that more titles become available soon.
I didn’t really start noticing how much of a backlist reader I was until I dug into the High Republic books when the Acolyte came out. Last year, my reading list was dominated by Star Wars, and I didn’t mind one bit. I’ve written elsewhere about how much I’ve enjoyed reconnecting with the lore and rediscovering the joy of my first fandom. Even if it does not feel like a “real” hobby in those moments of self-doubt.
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I completed the A to Z blogging challenge. So, I thought why not challenge myself again to write every day about my favorite books. If you follow me elsewhere, you’ve probably seen me talk about some of these books, but I hope the list holds a few surprises.
I’ve shared some of my favorite backlist titles, so let me know which books you’d add to my ever-growing TBR.