The End of the Year Book Tag | 2023 Edition

Hey hi hello friends, and welcome back to my blog!

Today, I will be doing a classic book tag, the End of the Year Tag! This tag was created back in 2016 by none other than Ariel Bissett, one of my favorite Booktubers and cohost of my favorite podcast, Books Unbound. And it was in fact a BU episode that reminded me about this tag and the fact that I needed to do it! I usually try to do this tag in October, but as we know, October was way too hectic. But better late than never, right? 

Okay, enough babble. Lets get into the tag!

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1. Are there any books you started this year that you need to finish?

    Nope! I am not a fan of leaving books unfinished through long swaths of time. Although if you've been following me for most of the year, you'd know that it took me like 5 months to read The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov. I started it in March, put it down, and then picked it back up in August and finished it. Not my finest moment. 

2. Do you have an autumnal book to transition into the end of the year?

    I don't have a specific book that I like to read to set the Autumn mood, but I did read Frankenstein last month and that definitely set the tone I was looking for. That book has fully put me on the gothic/historical/dark academia train that I will hopefully ride until December. 

3. Is there a new release you’re still waiting for?

    There are two, and they are both graphic novels! Ariel would be proud, I'm sure. On November 15, the 11th volume of Saga is being released, which totally slipped under my radar until now. And the 5th volume of Heartstopper is coming out on December 7th, which is definitely a highly anticipated release for me. I can't wait to get my hands on both of these books.

4. What are three books you want to read before the end of the year?

    This is simultaneously my favorite and least favorite question in this tag, because it makes me focus on the most important books on my TBR, but I always have trouble narrowing it down to just three.

First, I really want to read If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio this month. I only just got my hands on a copy of my own, and it seems like all of my favorite Booktubers are reading it this year and loving it. Both Hannah (A Clockwork Reader) and Bella (throneofpages) read If We Were Villains in 2023 and they both say it's one of the best books of the year. I just have to know what they know!

Second, I want to get at least one more classic under my belt. Bonus points if it's a translated classic. I have a couple on my shelves, so I need to pick one. I think either Silence by Shusaku Endo, or The Goddess Chronicle by Natsuo Kirino. They're both relatively short (unlike some other classics I have waiting for me), and we all know that I enjoy Japanese literature. 

Lastly, it's got to be Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. Listen. This book has been on my physical TBR since 2018. The only other book that's been on my TBR that long is The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, which I also really want to read before the year ends, but at this point I think I have to choose which one I need to prioritize, and Jonathan Strange is the priority. I don't care if it's the only book I read in December; I need to read it. 

5. Is there a book you think could still shock you and become your favorite book of the year?

    Honestly, I doubt it. I read so many incredible books this year. I mean, this was the year of the Stormlight Archive! I can't see how any of the books on my TBR will top Stormlight at this point. 

6. Have you already started making reading plans for 2024? 

    Yes indeed, I certainly have! They're pretty vague at this point, but I definitely have some ideas for my reading goals for 2024. You'll get an entire breakdown of my goals and plans in January, but here's a sneak peek: 

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And that's the End of the Year tag! It's short, but I do really love these questions. 

This year, I actually feel behind in my goals. There is a very good chance that I won't reach my Goodreads goal of 150 books, which I can't remember the last time I've read so little in a year (I say little even though I know 150 books in a year is crazy, but please remember that I don't have a job, so I have lots of extra time for reading). I feel like there is still so much I need to get done, and there's only 6 weeks left of the year. 

Oh my god. There's only 6 weeks left of the year. 

Okay, I need to go scream into the void now. If you want to do this tag, feel free to say that I tagged you! 

Until next time, friends!