Top Ten Books I Meant to Read in 2023

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. More information here.

My goal was to keep this list to 10 and somehow it's under 10? But that could be because I spent a lot of months repeating my TBRs. Convinced if I put a book on enough TBRs, I'd actually read the book (looking at you, Always Jane). These will take top priority this year and I would totally love to not make this list next year even though I know it doesn't necessarily have to be books on our TBRs. That's just usually what it ends up being for me.

Currently reading: yellow highlighted

December 2023 Book Haul

Last book haul for 2023 and I kept it small with only 5 books, of which I've read 2 and 3 are left unread. In total for 2023, I hauled 88 books, which is 14 fewer than 2022. I've read 70 of those hauled (79%) which is also an improvement from 2022. I'm definitely going to try and continue to haul fewer books and read more of those I've hauled in 2024!

PURCHASED BOOKS

1. Saga, Volume 11 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (Paperback)
2. Wrong Guy, Right Room by Michelle Angelle (Kindle) 
3. Kissing for Keeps by Martha Keyes (Kindle)
   

LIBRARY BOOKS

1. Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott (Audio)
2. Glory in Death by JD Robb (Audio)
   

Tally for 2023:
Total Books Hauled: 88 (Read: 70 / Unread: 18)
Total Purchased Books: 21 (Read: 8 / Unread: 13)
Total Review Books: 9 (Read: 4 / Unread: 5)
Total Library Books: 57 (Read: 57 / Unread: 0)

What did you buy, borrow, or receive in December?

Have you read any of my hauled books?

Top Ten Anticipated Releases in the First Half of 2024

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. More information here.

Posting a tad on the late side here but better late than never. Here are my most anticipated reads for the first half of 2024!

1. The Bookbinder's Guide to Love by Katherine Garbera - JAN 4
   
2. The Spare Room by Laura Starkey - FEB 6
   
3. Remedial Magic by Melissa Marr - FEB 20
   
4. Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff - FEB 29
   
5. The Perfect Guy Doesn't Exist by Sophie Gonzales - MAR 26
   
6. The Boyfriend Subscription by Steven Salvatore - MAR 14
   
7. Funny Story by Emily Henry - APR 23
   
8. Happy Medium by Sarah Adler - APR 30
   
9. Love at First Book by Jenn McKinlay - MAY 14
   
10. Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan - MAY 21
    

What books made your most anticipated list?

Books I Read in December 2023

I read 9 books and DNF'd 1 book in December.

• Same Time Next Year by Tessa Bailey (Kindle, 144 pages, 2023, Adult Romance, Purchased) - 2 stars | My Review
• Go Tell the Bees I'm Gone by Diana Gabaldon (Audio, 49 hr 27 min, 2021, Adult Historical Fiction, Library) - 3 stars | My Review
• Jeannie Out of the Bottle by Barbara Eden (Audio, 7 hr 16 min, 2011, Adult Nonfiction, Purchased) - 2 stars | My Review
• Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott (Audio, 6 hr 51 min, 2018, YA Contemporary, Library) - 4 stars | My Review  
• The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson (Audio, 24 hr 39 min, 2006, Adult Fantasy, Purchased) - 4 stars | My Review - Counted towards Series challenge
• Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas (Audio, 12 hr 47 min, 2012, YA Fantasy, Purchased) - 3.5 stars | My Review - Counted towards Series challenge
• Glory in Death by J.D. Robb (Audio, 10 hr 16 min, 1995, Adult Thriller, Library) - 4 stars | My Review - Counted towards Series challenge
• The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu (Audio, 10 hr 31 min, 2020, YA Fantasy, Purchased) - 3.5 stars | My Review
• The Only Purple House in Town by Ann Aguirre (Kindle, 362 pages, 2023, Adult Paranormal, Library) - 1 star | DNF Review - DNF'd @ 8%
• The Adventurers Guild by Zak Loran Clark and Nick Eliopulos (Audio, 6 hr 42 min, 2017, MG Fantasy, Purchased) - 3.5 stars | My Review - Counted towards Series challenge 
  

Pages read: 144 + 128 hr 29 min
Pages DNF: 28

Top Ten Favorite Reads of 2023

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. More information here.

I was really hoping to keep this list under 10 and surprisingly I did. I got to September and realized I hadn't updated my ongoing list in 6 months and was a little nervous, especially with 3 March books. But it turns out that I haven't had a ton of 5 star reads in 2023. That's not to say I didn't enjoy my readings but I think I was a little less likely to hand out a 5 star. There are also a few 5 stars that didn't make this list because they were great but not my favorite, if that makes sense. Like last year, a lot of romance, some fantasy, and a memoir thrown in :)

1. Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn (January)
2. The Firefighter's Dilemma by Mariah Ankenmann (February)
3. Spare by Prince Harry (March)
4. Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake by Mazey Eddings (March)
5. This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron (March)
   
6. Happy Place by Emily Henry (August)
7. Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams (August)
   
8. The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren (September)
9. My Roommate is a Vampire by Jenna Levine (November)
10. Unfortunately Yours by Tessa Bailey (November)

What books landed on your 2023 favorites list?

Series 2024 Tracker

Happy New Year!

In 2023, I knocked my list down quite a bit, but I also started 20 new series. It kind of voided all the progress lol. In 2024, I would like to get this number to 25 actually. I don't want to start new series unless they are finished. This year will start out with 35 series.

Of the series on my list, 16 are actually completed as of the end of 2023 and there are 3 series that have 1 book remaining. My official goal for the year is to finish 10 series.

Updated 8/5

FINISHED 16 SERIES IN 2024
STARTED 15 SERIES IN 2024
DNF'D 7 SERIES IN 2024
READ 73 BOOKS IN SERIES IN 2024

TOTAL: 28

X. Elemental Assassin (19/19)

• Snared (Book 16) - 04/01/24
• Venom in the Veins (Book 17) - 04/02/24
• Sharpest Sting (Book 18)  - 04/02/24
• Last Strand (Book 19) - THE END. - 04/03/24

1. Perfected (1/3)

• Tarnished (Book 2)
• Unraveled (Book 3) - THE END.

X. The Glass Spare (2/2)

• The Cursed Sea (Book 2) - THE END. - 10/03/24

2. Winston Brothers (3/7)

• Beard in Mind (Book 4)
• Dr. Strange Beard (Book 5)
• Beard With Me (Book 6)
• Beard Necessities (Book 7) - THE END
  

3. Saga (11/12)

• Saga, Volume 11- 04/18/24
• Saga, Volume 12 - Unknown Release
  

4. The Delphi Trilogy (1/3)

• The Delphi Resistance (Book 2)
• The Delphi Revolution (Book 3) - THE END.

X. Heart of Iron (2/2)

• Soul of Stars (Book 2) - THE END. - 03/14/24

5. Knitting in the City (1/7)

• Friends Without Benefits (Book 2) 
• Love Hacked (Book 3)
• Beauty and the Mustache (Book 4)
• Happily Ever Ninja (Book 5)
• Dating-ish (Book 6)
• Marriage of Inconvenience (Book 7) - THE END.
  

X. The Bromance Book Club (5/5)

• Untitled (Book 6) - Unknown Release - THE END.   no longer interested in

6. A League of Extraordinary Women (1/4)

• A Rogue of One's Own (Book 2) 
• Portrait of a Scotsman (Book 3)
• The Gentleman's Gambit (Book 4) - THE END.
  

X. The Daevabad Trilogy (2/3)

• The Kingdom of Copper (Book 2) - DNF on 06/10/24
• The Empire of Gold (Book 3) - THE END. no longer interested in
  

7. Legendborn (2/3)

• Oathbound (Book 3) - Mar 2025 Release - THE END.
  

8. Primas of Power (2/3)

• Along Came Amor (Book 3) - Feb 2025 Release
  

X. Camelot Rising (3/3)

• The Camelot Betrayal (Book 2) - 06/04/24
• The Excalibur Curse (Book 3) - THE END. - 06/20/24

X. Mary (3/3)

• My Salty Mary (Book 3) - THE END. - 10/08/24

X. The Diviners (4/4)

• Lair of Dreams (Book 2) - 03/25/24
• Before the Devil Breaks You (Book 3) - 04/17/24
• The King of Crows (Book 4) - THE END. - 04/19/24

9. Written in the Stars (1/3)

• Written in the Stars (Book 1)
• Hang the Moon (Book 2)

10. Mystwick (1/2)

• The Midnight Orchestra (Book 2)

11. From Blood & Ash (1/6)

• A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire (Book 2)
• The Crown of Gilded Bones (Book 3)
• The War of Two Queens (Book 4)
• A Soul of Ash and Blood (Book 5)
• The Primal of Blood and Bone (Book 6) - Unknown Release
  

X. Part of Your World (3/3)

• Yours Truly (Book 2) - 08/05/24
• Just For the Summer (Book 3) - 07/08/24

12. Empire of the Vampire (1/3)

• Empire of the Damned (Book 2)
• Untitled (Book 3) - Unknown Release

13. Ex Hex (2/3)

• The Wedding Witch (Book 3) - THE END.
  

XX. Ice Planet Barbarians (19/19)

• Barbarian Alien (Book 2) - 04/26/24
• Barbarian Lover (Book 3) - 04/26/24
• Barbarian Mine (Book 4) - 04/26/24
• Barbarian's Prize (Book 5) - 04/26/24
• Barbarian's Mate (Book 6) - 04/27/24
• Barbarian's Touch (Book 7) - 04/27/24
• Barbarian's Taming (Book 8) - 04/27/24
• Barbarian's Heart (Book 9) - 04/28/24
• Barbarian's Hope (Book 10) - 04/29/24
• Barbarian's Choice (Book 11) - 04/30/24
• Barbarian's Redemption (Book 12) - 05/01/24
• Barbarian's Lady (Book 13) - 05/01/24
• Barbarian's Rescue (Book 14) - 05/02/24
• Barbarian's Tease (Book 15) - 05/02/24
• Barbarian's Beloved (Book 16) - 05/14/24
• Barbarian's Seduction (Book 17) - 05/15/24
• Barbarian's Treasure (Book 18) - 05/15/24
• Barbarian's Bride (Book 19) - 05/15/24

14. The Merriwell Sisters (1/3)

• Never Rescue a Rogue (Book 2)
• Never Wager With a Wallflower (Book 3) - THE END.

15. Fire and Thorns (1/4)

• The Crown of Embers (Book 2)
• The Bitter Kingdom (Book 3)
• The Empire of Dreams (Book 4) - THE END.

X. A Vine Mess (2/2)

• x

X. Glimmer Falls (3/3)

• A Demon's Guide to Wooing a Witch (Book 2) - 10/09/24
• A Werewolf's Guide to Seducing a Vampire (Book 3) - 10/11/24

X. The Witch Haven (2/2)

• The Witch Hunt (Book 2) - THE END. - 09/17/24

16. When In Rome (2/3)

• When in Rome (Book 1) - 04/22/24
• Beg, Borrow, or Steal (Book 3) - Feb 2025 Release
  

X. Borrow My Heart (1/2)

• Untitled (Book 2) - Unknown Release no longer interested in

X. Graceling Realm (2/5)

• Fire (Book 2) - 05/21/24
• Bitterblue (Book 3)
• Winterkeep (Book 4)
• Seasparrow (Book 5) - THE END. no longer interested in

X. In Death (3/3) 

• Immortal in Death (Book 3) - 01/24/24
  

17. Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2/5)

• The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (Book 2) - 10/31/24
• Life, the Universe, and Everything (Book 3)
• So Long, And Thanks for all the Fish (Book 4)
• Mostly Harmless (Book 5) - THE END
  

18. Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery (3/5) 

• Homicide and Halo Halo (Book 2) - 05/17/24
• Blackmail and Bibingka (Book 3) - 05/19/24
• Murder and Mamon (Book 4)
• Guilt and Ginataan (Book 5) - Nov 2024 Release
  

19. Mistborn (1/7)

• The Well of Ascension (Book 2)
• The Hero of Ages (Book 3)
• The Alloy of Law (Book 4)
• Shadows of Self (Book 5)
• The Bands of Mourning (Book 6)
• The Lost Metal (Book 7)

20. Throne of Glass (3/7)

• Crown of Midnight (Book 2) - 02/05/24
• Heir of Fire (Book 3) - 05/01/24
• Queen of Shadows (Book 4)
• Empire of Storms (Book 5)
• Tower of Dawn (Book 6)
• Kingdom of Ash (Book 7)
  

21. The Wilmont Sisters (2/3)

• Two Wrongs Make a Right (Book 1) - 01/23/24
• Better Hate Than Never (Book 2) - 01/11/24
• Once Smitten, Twice Shy (Book 3) - Jan 2025 Release
  

X. Twisted Love (4/4)

• Twisted Love (Book 1) - 03/07/24
• Twisted Games (Book 2) - 06/18/24
• Twisted Hate (Book 3) - 06/21/24
• Twisted Lies (Book 4) - THE END. - 06/21/24

X. Poppy War (3/3)

• The Poppy War (Book 1) - 03/20/24
• The Dragon Republic (Book 2) - 05/08/24
• The Burning God (Book 3) - THE END. - 05/14/24

22. The Empyrean (1/4)

• Fourth Wing (Book 1) - 03/27/24
• Iron Flame (Book 2)
• Onyx Storm (Book 3) - Jan 2025 Release
• Untitled (Book 4) - Unknown Release

23. Big Shots (2/3)

• Fangirl Down (Book 1) - 03/28/24
• The Au Pair Affair (Book 2) - 09/24/24
• Dream Girl Drama (Book 3) - Feb 2025 Release
  

24. The Hollywood Series (1/2)

• For Butter or Worse (Book 1) - 04/08/24
• Plot Twist (Book 2)
  

X. The Friend Zone (3/3)

• The Friend Zone (Book 1) - 04/09/24
• The Happy Ever After Playlist (Book 2) - 06/14/24
• Life's Too Short (Book 3) - THE END - 06/21/24
  

X. Elemental Emergence (1/?)

• Sanctuary of the Shadow (Book 1) - 05/22/24 - no longer interested in
  

X. You Lucky Dog (2/2)

• You Lucky Dog  (Book 1) - 05/31/24
• It Started With a Dog (Book 2) - 08/14/24

X. Castles Ever After (3/4) 

• Romancing the Duke (Book 1) - 06/12/24
• Say Yes to the Marquess (Book 2) - 07/05/24
• When a Scot Ties the Knot (Book 3) - 07/06/24
• Do You Want to Start a Scandal (Book 4) - THE END. - no longer interested in

25. Dark Olympus (1/10)

• Neon Gods (Book 1) - 06/24/24
• Electric Idol (Book 2)
• Wicked Beauty (Book 3)
• Radiant Sin (Book 4)
• Cruel Seduction (Book 5)
• Midnight Ruin (Book 6)
• Dark Restraint (Book 7) - Aug 2024 Release
• Sweet Obsession (Book 8) - Apr 2025 Release
• Untitled (Book 9) - Unknown Release
• Untitled (Book 10) - Unknown Release
  

26. Thorne Hill (1/9)

• Dead of Night (Book 1) - 08/01/24
• Dark of Night (Book 2)
• Call of Night (Book 3)
• Still of Night (Book 4)
• Curse of Night (Book 5)
• Queen of Night (Book 6)
• Reign of Night (Book 7)
• Heir of Night (Book 8)
• Blood of Night (Book 9)      

X. Dear Martin (2/2)

• Dear Martin (Book 1) - 08/06/24
• Dear Justyce (Book 2) - 08/12/24

27. Fool Me Once (1/2)

• Fool Me Once (Book 1)
• The Boyfriend Candidate (Book 2) - 09/07/24
  

28. The STEMinist Novellas (2/3)

• Under One Roof (Book 1)
• Stuck with You (Book 2) - 10/07/24
• Below Zero (Book 3) - 10/29/24

TOTALS FOR 2023
STARTED: 41

FINISHED 15 SERIES IN 2023
STARTED 20 SERIES IN 2023
DNF'D 12 SERIES IN 2023

READ 68 BOOKS IN SERIES IN 2023

TOTAL: 35