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 4/11

FINISHED 3 SERIES IN 2024
STARTED 7 SERIES IN 2024
DNF'D 1 SERIES IN 2024
READ 16 BOOKS IN SERIES IN 2024

TOTAL: 38

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.

2. The Glass Spare (1/2)

• The Cursed Sea (Book 2) - THE END.

3. 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
  

4. Saga (10/11)

• Saga, Volume 11

5. 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

6. 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.
  

XX. The Bromance Book Club (5/5)

• Untitled (Book 6) - Unknown Release - THE END.  - Gone from Goodreads?

7. 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)

8. The Daevabad Trilogy (1/3)

• The Kingdom of Copper (Book 2)
  
• The Empire of Gold (Book 3) - THE END.
  

9. Legendborn (2/3)

• Untitled (Book 3) - Unknown Release - THE END.
  

10. Primas of Power (2/3)

• Along Came Amor (Book 3)
  

11. Camelot Rising (1/3)

• The Camelot Betrayal (Book 2)
• The Excalibur Curse (Book 3) - THE END.

12. Mary (2/3)

• My Salty Mary (Book 3) - Aug 2024 Release - THE END.

13. The Diviners (2/4)

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

14. Written in the Stars (1/3)

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

15. Mystwick (1/2)

• The Midnight Orchestra (Book 2)

16. 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
  
• Untitled (Book 7) - Unknown Release

17. Empire of the Vampire (1/3)

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

18. Ex Hex (2/3)

• The Wedding Wish (Book 3) - Oct 2024 Release

19. Ice Planet Barbarians (1/19)

• Barbarian Alien (Book 2)
• Barbarian Lover (Book 3)
• Barbarian Mine (Book 4)
• Barbarian's Prize (Book 5)
• Barbarian's Mate (Book 6)
• Barbarian's Touch (Book 7)
• Barbarian's Taming (Book 8)
• Barbarian's Heart (Book 9)
• Barbarian's Hope (Book 10)
• Barbarian's Choice (Book 11)
• Barbarian's Redemption (Book 12)
• Barbarian's Lady (Book 13)
• Barbarian's Rescue (Book 14)
• Barbarian's Tease (Book 15)
• Barbarian's Beloved (Book 16)
• Barbarian's Seduction (Book 17)
• Barbarian's Treasure (Book 18)
• Barbarian's Bride (Book 19) 

20. The Merriwell Sisters (1/3)

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

21. Fire and Thorns (1/4)

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

22. A Vine Mess (2/2)

• x

23. Glimmer Falls (1/2)

• A Demon's Guide to Wooing a Witch (Book 2)

24. The Witch Haven (1/2)

• The Witch Hunt (Book 2) - THE END.

25. When In Rome (1/2)

• When in Rome (Book 1) 

26. Borrow My Heart (1/2)

• Untitled (Book 2) - Unknown Release
  

27. Graceling Realm (1/5)

• Fire (Book 2)
• Bitterblue (Book 3)
• Winterkeep (Book 4)
• Seasparrow (Book 5) - THE END.
  

XX. In Death (3/3) 

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

28. Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1/5)

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

29. Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery (1/4) 

• Homicide and Halo Halo (Book 2)
• Blackmail and Bibingka (Book 3)
• Murder and Mamon (Book 4)
  

30. 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)

31. Throne of Glass (2/7)

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

32. 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) - Unknown Release
  

33. Twisted Love (1/4)

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

34. Poppy War (1/3)

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

35. 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

36. Big Shots (1/2)

• Fangirl Down (Book 1) - 03/28/24
• The Au Pair Affair (Book 2) - Jul 2024 Release
  

37. The Hollywood Series (1/2)

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

38. The Friend Zone (1/3)

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

 

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

January 2024 TBR

Happy New Year! I have decided to just share my TBR now instead of update my challenges. This year, I'm testing out a book bullet journal and will be keeping up with my challenges there. For reference, my Goodreads goal is 75 books (I completed 125 last year) and I will be attempting to do the ABC challenge with book titles, finish 10 series, and read a book from all 50 states.

January is going to be insane with work and I know I'm fixing to be super stressed and that means that I most likely will not read any of these books, but I am going to try. I'm trying to do better with time management. I picked a physical book and 3 Kindle books (2 being Netgalley books). I'm going to do the rest of my reading as mood reading and most likely will throw on some audiobooks at work.

My TBR for January:

• Soul of Stars by Ashley Poston (Hardcover)
  
• Always Jane by Jenn Bennett (Kindle - Netgalley)
  
• Black Witch Magic by Mila Nicks (Kindle - Netgalley)
  
• Till Death by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Kindle)
  

What are you planning on reading in January?