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!!!!
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!!!
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!!!
Read tbr
Here we go again, same old, same old….but I had to put it in!
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!
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
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!
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 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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.
You might have missed…..
Blogmas – Favourite Christmas Films Review – A Fire Endless by Rebecca Ross Blogmas – Anticipated 2023 books Blogmas – Festive This or That!
I saw this on Grace’s blog and thought it would be nice to do for Blogmas!
🎄Festive This or That!🎄
Real Tree or Artificial:
Artifical for me! I got a real tree once and, not sure if I didn’t keep it watered enough, but it started to smell horrible so it’s been artifical for me ever since!
Hot Chocolate or Eggnog:
Eggnog = absolutely not!!! 🤢 Hot chocolate all the way!
Snow or W/O Snow:
I’d love snow on Christmas Day! I don’t think I’ve ever had a Christmas Day with snow! Would be magical!
Love Actually or The Holiday: I haven’t ever watched The Holiday so Love Actually please! I haven’t watched Love Actually for a long time but I might give it a whirl again!
Elf or Home Alone: Omg that’s tough. I think Home Alone wins by a small margin though!
Mariah Carey or Michael Buble: Please no, not Mariah Carey, noooooo! Buble for me!
Movie or Boardgames: Can I say both?! In my household we love watching Christmas films and playing board games and I’m not sure I could choose!
Christmas Pudding or Christmas Cake: Christmas pudding for me (I don’t like marzipan and most Christmas cakes have it on and it’s such a pain to try and scrape off!!!)
Angel or Star topper: My Mum always has an angel so I’ve taken that tradition from her! She always goes on the tree before it’s decorated too!
Snowmen or Reindeer: Can I say both again?! Reindeer are the ultimate Christmas thing but I love snowmen too!
It’s that time of year again, time to look forward and what better way than books!
I like to make a list of books that are releasing so these are the books I am most looking forward to in 2023!!
The Stolen Heir by Holly Black The Mysteries of Thorn Manor by Margaret Rogerson Loathe to Love You by Ali Hazelwood Chain of Thorns by Cassandra Clare In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune Painted Devils by Margaret Rogerson
East and West. Humans and Spirits. Breccans and Tamerlaines. The Isle of Cadence has always held itself and its residents in a tenuous balance. But now Bane, the spirit of the North Wind, has pushed everyone and everything in his path off-kilter in a bid to claim dominion over all.
In the West, Adaira struggles to adjust to the more brutal, bitter ways of life among the Breccans. Striving to find her place in the clan, she swiftly realizes that it just might be the last role she desires to hold. And while magic blooms effortlessly for the Breccans in the west, the spirits continue to suffer beneath Bane’s harsh power, felt in every gust of wind.
In the East, Jack is adrift without Adaira until he sings to the ember-weak fire spirits, acquiring a dangerous mission he never expected. One that is destined to lead him westward. Likewise, Torin and Sidra are consumed by a new mystery as sickness spreads first amongst the crops, and then to the people of the Tamerlaine clan. While Sidra desperately searches for a cure, Torin dares to strike a bargain with the spirits—a precarious folly anytime, but especially now as the days grow darker.
With the island falling further out of balance, humans and spirits alike will need to join together to face Bane, and Jack’s gift with the harp will be called upon once more. Yet no one can challenge the North Wind without paying a terrible price, and the sacrifice required this time may be more than Jack, Adaira, Torin, and Sidra can bear to pay.
‘I am first yours, as you are first mine. Before all others.’
Oh I absolutely loved this book! I am obsessed with everything that is clan! I spent most of this book feeling toasty and warm inside!
We’re back with Torin and Sidra, now the Laird’s, since Adaira left to go to the West.
And we have Adaira (aka Cora!) and Jack. Adaira is with her new family and Jack was left in the East with his family, Mirin and Frae.
But the spirits are at it again! A blight has taken over and the 4 must race against time to find a cure.
This book was utterly magical, it made me think of old Scottish days with them dressed in their tartans in their castles, villages and clans!
The writing was absolutely beautiful, I fell in love with the spirits and also the moral of the story. I’m sure the moral was healing and what people have to go through to get there. And they all did. Together. So, so heartwarming. My joy cup runneth over!!!
Torin and Sidra, Adaira and Jack. Both each others endless fire.
This isn’t books but something else dear to my heart….Christmas films!!
There is nothing like sitting in the dark just with the glow of tree lights watching a Christmas film!
In my household we always make a list! When my son was younger Muppets Christmas Carol and Polar Express were his faves but now he is getting older his tastes have changed (I however still love Muppets Christmas Carol!!)
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?
Yes, The Sunday Post has turned into The Monday Post this week because I posted for Blogmas yesterday and thought 2 posts might be overkill!
Not much to report from this end: work, school, a hospital appointment for my son……same old, same old!!!
Anyone feel like their reading slows down in December? I’ve had lots to do already and it’s only the beginning of the season so only 1 audio listened to and one novella read! I have started another book but not finished it yet!
What I’ve Read
🎧 Waking the Witch by Rachel Burge ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ See my review here.
Goblins of Lapland by Caedis Knight ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ See my review here.
New arrivals
Make You Mine This Christmas by Lizzie Huxley-Jones
You might have missed…..
Review – Princess of Souls by Alexandra Christo Review – The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle Jensen Blogmas – Announcement Unboxing – Fairyloot Adult November 22 Blogmas – Anticipated reads
CJRTB Books 