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?