December is rapidly approaching, which means the end of 2023 is right around the corner. That makes it time for the End of the Year Book Tag. I did this one last year, too, but I’m still not sure where it first originated. If you know the creator, feel free to link them in the comments.

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

I’ve been working on Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas little by little for the last couple of months. I hope to finish it before the end of the year. I’ve just been distracted by other stuff recently and haven’t made much progress. There aren’t any other books that have been languishing on my ‘currently reading’ shelf. I’m pretty consistent with finishing what I’ve started and don’t usually have more than two or three books going at one time. My other current read at the moment is Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher.

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

Like I said last year, I’m not really a seasonal reader. Although, dark academia books scream autumn to me, and I’ve managed to read a few of them this fall, including The Secret History by Donna Tartt, In These Hallowed Halls by Olivie Blake & others, and Curious Tides by Pascale Lacelle. Starling House by Alix E. Harrow and Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig also gave me some great autumn vibes.

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

There aren’t that many releases I’m looking forward to before the end of the year, but there are, of course, some. The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater will be published at the end of November, and All the Hidden Paths by Foz Meadows, The Bitter Crown by Justin Lee Anderson, and Heartstopper Volume 5 will all be released in December.

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

Ha. Three books. Hopefully, I’ll get to a lot more than three… I really want to read Painted Devils by Margaret Owen. I was so excited when it was released, but it keeps getting pushed back because of ARCs, library holds, and other reading. I’m hoping December will be the month I finally get to it. I also really need to read some more Star Wars books so that I’m ready to make my ranking of the 2023 releases at the end of the year. I still have a few to go, including Inquisitor: Rise of the Red Blade by Delilah S. Dawson and The Eye of Darkness by George Mann.

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

Maybe? I cannot think of any particular one, though. There are so many books I’ve loved this year, but there isn’t one that stands out above the rest yet. Part of the problem could be that there are 210 of them (so far). It is just so much to consider when trying to decide a favorite. I think I might use a randomized bracket system this year to determine the book that comes out on top. Putting two books head to head over and over again seems like it will be easier to manage than sorting through them all at once. We’ll see.

Have you already started making reading plans for 2024?

Yes! Although, the planning is a bit different this year compared to the last several. While there are tons of new releases I’m looking forward to reading, I’m hoping to focus more on books I already own. I’ve already drastically cut down on ARC acquisitions and plan to stop requesting them entirely, except for the odd one here or there. It has all begun to feel a bit too much like a job, and I just want to go back to talking about the books I read without all the pressure of feeling like I need to help promote books all the time.

In general, my plans for 2024 are to have no, or at least less, plans. I want to mood read from my shelves. I don’t plan to do TBRs anymore, except for a couple of readathons I enjoy that will need them. I’m also going to avoid challenges, except for my basic Goodreads challenge. I just want to take it easy and enjoy my time reading the books without the stress of any deadlines, self-imposed or otherwise.

How is your end of the year shaping up? If you’d like to participate, consider yourself tagged! Be sure to link back so I can see your answers. 🙂