The End of the Year Book Tag

2022 Edition

Another book tag. This one was originally created by Ariel Bissett on YouTube and she and her cohost recently released it on their podcast, Books Unbound. It is designed to get us thinking about our reading expectations for the next few months and make some goals that can hopefully be completed by the end of the year. The last few months of 2022 are, for me here in the northern hemisphere, the fall season. The weather is cooling down, it’s getting dark earlier in the evening, and I’m feeling cozy vibes. Since my favorite cozy activity is reading, I’m excited to surround myself with books.

Let’s begin!

An update on my Yearly Reading Challenge on The Story Graph.

I’ve already read quite a few books this year. If you saw my last book tag, you’ll know my goal was to actually slow down my reading. I don’t think I actually did, but it feels slower. I don’t feel a mad dash to read as much as possible as quickly as possible. My pace is my pace, I guess, and I’m going with it. None of my goals for the rest of the year are too ambitious. I just can’t help being exciting about reading certain books.

1 – Books started that need to be finished?

I’ve been listening to this book for a long time. Which is reasonable since it is about 40 hours long. I have about 8 hours left so I’m pretty confident that I can complete this book by the end of the year. A surprisingly hilarious classic. An excellent narrator.

I have been to this most dangerous amusement park and remember its perils even thought I was probably only 8 or 9 years old when I went. That place was wild. And the story behind it is wild, too. An entertaining account of this interesting place, all the more so because I have a personal connection to it. I borrowed this book from the library and am reading it in October as part of the “Read a borrowed book per month” Challenge on StoryGraph.

One of the choices for my local book club this round. I don’t know a ton about Star Wars, its worlds, and its characters, but I love Han Solo and am loving reading about his and Leia’s wedding. I think there will be a honeymoon and some sci-fi action and there’s already been some hilarity. I am thoroughly enjoying this book. The dialogue in particular is spot on for how I remember these characters from the movie.

2 – An autumnal book to transition into the end of the year?

It’s got “autumn” in the title. And look at that cover! I have not read The Wallfowers Book 1 and I don’t care.

Another pick for my local book club because we couldn’t decide on only one. I plan on reading this one in a week or two – the perfect witch-y time, right before Halloween.

3 – New releases still being waited for?

This book comes out in little more than a month! I’m so excited! I’m planning a trip to one of my favorite bookstores to pick it up on release day, November 15. Will I read it right away or will it join my ever-growing pile of unread books?

5 – Book that may become a new favorite?

I really don’t know! Project Hail Mary because I really liked Andy Weir’s The Martian and its perfect blend of action, humor, and suspense? Three Fates because of its beautiful cover and promise of adventure and romance even though I’ve never read anything by Nora Roberts before? The Sword of Kaigen because it is a standalone epic fantasy with motherhood as a main theme? I don’t know if I’ll even get to reading any or all of these books by the end of the year, but we’ll see!

6 – Any reading plans yet for the next year?

Of course! It will mainly be focused on reading books that I already have at home on my shelf. To continue reading at least one book per month that I borrow from the library. Continue to practice not finishing books I’m really not into for whatever reason – life’s too short and all that. Perhaps next year will be the year I get down to a zero TBR because this is what it looks like now:

I’ve still got 7 books on my shelf that were there when I pictured my TBR at mid-year. And it is even bigger now with 25 unread stories, plus the books mentioned above that I am currently reading. Instead of forcing myself to read only what I own or going on a book buying ban, I want to instead tie my book-buying with my book-reading. Whether that sets a limit to how big my TBR can grow to at home (I’m thinking 8?), or implementing a read 2/buy 1 rule, or what, I don’t know. It seems the coveted Zero TBR has alluded me yet again… and I wonder if that big 0 is the reset I need when it comes to buying books.

We’ll see how the next few months of reading goes. Again, I hope you enjoyed this bookish post. Happy reading!