Happy new year!

Last month, I found myself thinking about what books would be on my Top Ten Books of 2011 list when I realized that I had fallen inexcusably far behind on my reviews. I had a stack of great books I’d been wanting to share for months, but for various reasons hadn’t gotten to. Therefore, my 2012 blogging resolution is to review every book I read within a month of finishing it. Sounds easy, but sometimes life gets in the way!

I’m also focused on finishing some of the great books that have lined my bookshelves, unread, for far too long. My ongoing challenge to read 25 books from my personal collection, Bookshelf ROWDOWN, should help.

In compiling my end-of-year list, I also noticed that the majority of my favorite authors were women. In that vein, I will also be participating in Orange January, a twice-yearly challenge to read more books from the winners and nominees of the Orange Prize, my favorite literary award.

I’ve already read a handful of winners and nominees over the years, including:

• Room by Emma Donoghue
• Great House by Nicole Krauss
• A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
• American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld
• The Personal History of Rachel DuPree by Ann Weisgarber
• The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
• The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

(Thanks to nomadreader for a complete list of Orange Prize winners and nominees.)

This month, I’m hoping to tackle other Orange Prize titles, including  Swamplandia! by Karen Russell; The Tiger’s Wife by Téa Obreht; Bel Canto by Ann Patchett; The Very Thought of You by Rosie Alison; Girl in a Blue Dress* by Gaynor Arnold; and The History of Love* by Nicole Krauss.

If I have time, I’d also like to get to We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver; Purple Hibiscus* by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie; and Paradise* by Toni Morrison. But some of these will definitely have to wait until Orange July.

(* denotes books that also qualify for my Bookshelf ROWDOWN!)

I also have a library copy of The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion on my e-reader, and I’d like to start Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games trilogy sometime soon. So many books, so little time!

Later this month, I’ll be writing about my stats from December and from 2011 as a whole. Here’s to another year!