The Audiobook Challenge is back for 2023 and I did so well last year that I’m joining in again!

As usual, it’s hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer and That’s What I’m Talking About and they say to choose your level and get those audiobooks ready! #2023AudiobookChallenge


I’m going for the My Precious level!!! It’s 30 plus audios and basically means I had my earbuds surgically implanted!!!! 🤣

Details
Runs January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023. You can join at any time. The goal is to find a new love for audios or to outdo yourself by listening to more audios in 2023 than you did in 2022. Books must be in audio format (CD, MP3, etc.) and ANY genres count.

Achievement Levels

What level will you choose?

• Newbie (I’ll give it a try) 1-5

• Weekend Warrior (I’m getting the hang of this) 5-10

• Stenographer (can listen while multitasking) 10-15

• Socially Awkward (Don’t talk to me) 15-20

• Binge Listener (Why read when someone can do it for you) 20-30

• My Precious (I had my earbuds surgically implanted) 30+

• Marathoner (Look Ma No Hands) 50+

• Over-Achiever (Power Listener) 75+

• The 100 Club (Audiobook Addict) 100+

Link up on Caffeinated Reviewer’s post and join in the fun!

Happy Blogmas!

I thought it might be fun to look back at my tbr books that were added this year but I didn’t get a chance to read.

When I tell you the list bought tears to my eyes, I mean it!!!

So I have added only 6 here and thought I could revisit this list this time next year to see if I actually have read them!!

The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean
Shadowhunters Illustrated by Cassandra Clare
Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood
The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen
Kingdom of the Feared by Kerri Maniscalco
Defend the Dawn by Brigid Kemmerer

November theme – Some Kind of Monster

Some monsters can be easy to spot (dragons!) and others less so, hiding behind positions of power. This month’s theme is dedicated to all the monsters, and to those who defend the world against them.

Featured fandoms are Only A Monster, Priory of the Orange Tree, Winternight Trilogy, and A Deadly Education!

💛 Ascalon Sword Replica from Priory designed by @stacey.mcevoy.caunt
💛 Frozen Wilderness Scarf designed by @janninelecour inspired by Winternight
💛 Gateway to Freedom Tote designed by @noverantale inspired by A Deadly Education
💛 The Monster Inside Tea Tin inspired by Only a Monster designed by @lioninthetrees

💛 FEATURED BOOK 💛

The Luminaries by Susan Dennard

Redesigned cover
Foiled hardback
Digitally printed edges
Endpaper art by @ashmckenzieillustration
Signed
Exclusive bonus material

Happy Blogmas!

I think it’s always nice to look back and see that I’ve accomplished something in the year so thought I’d see if I finished any series in 2022!

I finished 15 series but I was really hoping for more….maybe next year!!

(Also let’s not talk about how many series that I haven’t finished and also new ones I’ve started this year *incoherent mumbles* )

So here we go……

1) Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac by Caroline Peckham
2) Ember of Night by Molly E Lee
3) Four Horseman by Laura Thalassa
4) Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin
5) Stalking Jack The Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco
6) All for the Game Trilogy by Nora Sakavic
7) Wilderwood by Hannah Whitten
8) Regency Faerie Tales by Olivia Atwater
9) Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
10) Gilded by Marissa Meyer

11) Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco
12) The Folk of the Air by Holly Black
13) Dauntless Path by Intisar Khanani
14) Bellinger Sisters by Tessa Bailey
15) The Extraordinaires by TJ Klune

How many series did you finish this year?

AFTERLIGHT – November 2022

I find myself really looking forward to this now bi-monthly box and this month was sooooo good! Perfect for the season!

This box included:

Mischief in the Snow Socks
Designed by @pinapali and has grumpy and sunshine snowmen!

Falling in Love Tree Ornament
Designed by @dalandan.ielle and is a perfect snowflake ornament! It’s on my tree already!!!

Make You Mine This Christmas by Lizzie Huxley-Jones

Exclusive hardback
Exclusive cover
Sprayed edges
Foiling on the hardcover
Digital signature
Author letter – art by @gibbs.arts

Each year I make some reading goals (and normally fail most every year!!!) so now I’m looking back at this year and examining and seeing if I can tweak for 2023!

For 2023 I’m going to read what I want!

I’m a mood reader but am also a yes man!!! I say yes to any book that comes my way so this year I tried to change that and it worked…sort of! I need to work on requesting arcs for 2023….see below!!!!

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Don’t go mad with arcs!

I say this every year and always succumb to the fomo at least twice a year and the same was true for 22! I’m not sure how I get better at this but I’m going to think twice before requesting anything!!!

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Fairyloot and Illumicrate books

Read within 2 months of receiving.

I had this as 1 month for 21 and failed miserably and it seems I also failed this in 2022! Beware of the Reader and I were doing buddy reads but we stopped so I need to talk Sophie into starting this up again as it really helped!!!

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Read tbr

Here we go again, same old, same old….but I had to put it in!

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Reading Challenges

I do love a reading challenge but because I’m such a mood reader, I can’t name books. This worked well in past years so will carry this on for 23!

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So that’s it.

Too ambitious?What are your reading goals for 2023?

Top Ten Tuesday is featured by That Artsy Reader Girl. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Topic: Books on My Winter 2022-2023 To-Read List

I find these posts not difficult to do but frustrating. I’m such a mood reader that I get frustrated with myself when I end up not reading the books that I’ve chosen! It feels like failure!

So for this list I am going to pick some books that right here, right now, I’d love to read….but I’m not saying I will actually read them in Winter!!!!

Zodiac Academy 7 by Caroline Peckham
The Stolen Heir by Holly Black
The Mysteries of Thorns Manor by Margaret Rogerson
Chain of Thorns of Cassandra Clare
Ruling Destiny by Alyson Noel

Midnight in Everwood by MA Kuzniar
Wintersong by S Jae-Jones
Heartstopper by Alice Oseman
Twin Crowns by Catherine Doyle
Winners Curse by Marie Rutkoski

What’s on your list?

Happy Blogmas!

Here we are, nearly at the end of the year and a close for my challenges!

The Audiobook Challenge is ran by The Caffeinated Reviewer and she asked us to choose our level and rock our ears off!

#2022AudiobookChallenge

I wanted to hit 15 listens in 2022 which is 10 to 15 listens – Stenographer – can listen while multi-tasking!!!) which I hit mid-year.

Then I carried on to Binge Listener (Why read when someone can do it for you) – 20-30 and then My Precious (I had my earbuds surgically implanted) 30+!!!

I ended up listening to 50 audiobooks this year! I’m totally amazed (and proud!) of myself!

Here are a few highlights from the second half of this year:

Did you take part in this challenge? How did you do?

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer  It’s a chance to share news, a post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received.

Hi everyone, hope you’ve had a good week?

We woke up today to snow! We hardly ever get snow so it was beautiful to see!!!! But it needs to be gone by the morning as I have to drive!!!!!

Nothing much to note this week apart from it was Christmas jumper day at work. I donned my jumper that says ‘Deck the halls with books and coffee’!!!!

Then Friday my son tripped and landed on his face (!) so I had to pick him up from school! Two days later and the swelling has gone down and he is just left with a cut….but now he has a cold and a cough! He has a condition that means he has no immune system so a cough normally means steroids or antibiotics so keeping an eye (and ear) on him!

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What I’ve Read

🎧The Art of Prophecy by Wesley Chu
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
See my review here

The Marvellers by Dhonielle Clayton (arc)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
See my review here

Shadowhunters Illustrated
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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New arrivals

I received my November Fairyloot and Illumicrate boxes but I won’t post the books as I doubt everyone has their boxes yet.

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You might have missed…..

Blogmas – Favourite Christmas Films
Review – A Fire Endless by Rebecca Ross
Blogmas – Anticipated 2023 books
Blogmas – Festive This or That!

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What have you read lately?