Tag: anticipated books

2025 End of Year Book Survey

Posted January 28, 2026 by Haze in Book Tags / 5 Comments

I found Jamie’s End of Year Book Survey through Jana @ The Artsy Reader Girl two years ago and I’m doing it again this year, albeit really late! Please feel free to do this too if you haven’t already, and leave a comment with your link so I can check out your answers!

You can also check out my 2023 End of Year Book Survey and 2024 End of Year Book Survey if you’re curious!

2025 Reading Stats

Click here to check out My Year In Books in detail. You can also use it to check yours.

Number of books you read: 124
Number of re-reads: 24 out of 124!
Number of books you DNFed: I didn’t keep track of them!
Number of pages you read: 50,837
Most read genre: Fantasy at 63 books
Number of new-to-you authors you discovered: 53

Firsts and Lasts

First book you read: Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
Last book you read: Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller

Best In Books

1. Best book you read in 2025:
The Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman. Maybe I’m cheating because it’s a series, but they are just so good! If you want to see the top ten best books I read in 2025, I have a Top Ten Tuesday post featuring them!

2. Book you were excited about & thought you were going to love more but didn’t:
The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan. I was so excited about a Malaysian author writing Malaysian historical fiction, and it could’ve been good except the characters weren’t believable at all. One character’s behaviors in particular was so implausible that I would’ve dnf’d if it was any other book.

3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read:
Oz: The Complete Collection by L. Frank Baum. This is one of those stories that you think you know because it’s well-known in pop culture, but it’s the first time for me reading the book and whole collection, and I’m so suprised by how much more there is to the stories! I never really cared for the story we know, but now I’m a fan of the books!

4. Book you “pushed” the most people to read (and they did):
The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo. This is one of my all-time favorite books by a Malaysian author writing Malaysian historical fantasy, and I managed to get my bookclub to read it! They all enjoyed it (at least they said they did! 😂) and we had a great discussion about it.

5. Best first book in a series you started in 2025. Best sequel of 2025. Best series ender of 2025.
Started: I’m not counting Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman here because I read it in 2024 first. So The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal is the next best one!
Sequel: The Fated Sky by Mary Robinette Kowal.
Ender: I’m not counting Book 7 of Dungeon Crawler Carl because it’s not the end of the series, and I’m also not counting Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins, because it’s not a series ender even though it was written last, so The Martian Contingency by Mary Robinette Kowal is the next best one!

It just so happened I read the whole Lady Astronaut series in 2025, and the other series contenders didn’t qualify for one reason or other, but I had a good year of finishing series in general!

6. Favorite new-to-you author you discovered in 2025:
Fredrik Backman and/or John Scalzi. Backman’s book that I read was just so heartwarming and beautiful, and Scalzi is so much fun. I’m going to enjoy so many more books by these authors!

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone:
I actually read a variety of different genres but there was one subject matter I read in 2025 that I’m most ignorant about and that’s art, so The Art Thief by Michael Finkel. There were other nonfiction I loved more, but this was a topic I don’t typically read about.

8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year:
The Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman. No question. I can’t get enough of them, I still can’t. I love them all so much! I loved the first book and I thought the rest couldn’t keep getting better but they did! I am obsessed and I want more!

9. Book you read in 2025 that you are most likely to re-read in 2026?
I don’t think there are any books I read in 2025 that I’d want to read again this year except the Dungeon Crawler Carl series if I need a refresher before reading the next book. Heck, I might reread them just for fun anyway!

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2025:
The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst. It’s gorgeous!

11. Most memorable character of 2025:
Oooh, this is tough! I have so many if we count the rereads because I reread so many favorites in 2025, but if we stick to only new reads, it’s definitely Cathy Ames from East of Eden. She kind of haunts me!

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2025:
Stoner by John Williams. I don’t know what it is about it but it’s just so well-written. It reads so easy, flows so well, it’s just beautiful.

13. Most thought-provoking/life-changing book of 2025:
It’s surprising to me too, but What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami. I think it was the way he talked about his life; the writing, the running, the audacity of assuming success – which I found both so arrogant but also admirable. It made me wonder how I would live my life differently if I assumed success for everything I do, and it made me want to live that way, so we’ll see how that changes my life!

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2025 to finally read:
Oz: The Complete Collection by L. Frank Baum. I cannot believe I have never read any of the Oz books until 2025! They are so good and I think I would’ve loved them as a child.

15. Favorite quote from a book you read in 2025:
I have so many! But these are some of the ones I’m trying to take to heart;

“Nobody can take care of you the way you need to take care of yourself. It’s your job to take care of yourself like that.” – The Wedding People by Alison Espach

“Don’t cheat your friendships. Don’t ask them to mean less to you than they do, or think they only have value if they’re a stop on the way to a *real* relationship. All relationships are real. Friendship can be as deep as the ocean. It’s all a kind of love, and love isn’t any one kind of thing.” – Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts by Kate Racculia

“I’m the kind of person who likes to be by himself. To put a finer point on it, I’m the type of person who doesn’t find it painful to be alone. I find spending an hour or two every day running alone, not speaking to anyone, as well as four or five hours alone at my desk, to be neither difficult nor boring. I’ve had this tendency ever since I was young, when, given a choice, I much preferred reading books on my own or concentrating on listening to music over being with someone else. I could always think of things to do by myself.” – What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami

16. Shortest and longest books you read in 2024:
Shortest: The Main Dish by Michael Ruhlman (1hour 11mins)
Longest: Oz: The Complete Collection by L. Frank Baum (1796 pages)

17. Book that shocked you the most:
Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann. Perhaps I should say that it shocked me with how blatant the killings were when I read it early in the year, but we are now in January 2026 and have had some shockingly blatant killings happen already and I’m just numb at this point.

18. OTP, One True Pairing, of the year (you will go down with this ship!):
Emily Wilde and Wendell from the Emily Wilde books!

19. Favorite non-romantic relationship of the year:
I answered Carl and Donut from Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman last year, and I’m going to answer them again this year. It counts because I read the majority of the series this year and reread the first two books too. What I said in 2024 and still think for 2025: “I love their dynamic, I love their chemistry, I love the way they work together, I love how hilarious they are! I love them!”

20. Favorite book you read in 2025 from an author you’ve read previously:
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng. This was an incredible book and one that sticks with me.

21. Best book you read in 2025 that you read based SOLELY on a recommendation from somebody else:
Stoner by John Williams. This was recommended by a bookclub member. I resisted reading it for so long until I finally read it and was surprised by how well-written it was.

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2025:
Nicole from The Relentless Moon, book 3 of the Lady Astronaut series by Mary Robinette Kowal. Nicole appears in the other books but is not the protagonist of the series except for in book 3, but she really shines in book 3 and I fell in love with her.

23. Best 2025 debut you read:
I don’t think I read a single debut in 2025!

24. Most vivid setting you read this year:
Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. I mean, it was such a great book, but so vivid and brutal.

25. Book that put a smile on your face/was the most FUN to read:
The Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman was definitely the most fun, but in the interest of giving other books a fair chance, The Dispatcher series by John Scalzi was really fun too!

26. Book that made you cry or nearly cry in 2024:
I am a crybaby and an emotional reader. Everything makes me cry so I’m sure there are a lot more than these but these are just the ones I remember most; A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman, The Relentless Moon, book 3 of the Lady Astronaut series by Mary Robinette Kowal, and seriously, almost all the books in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman.

27. Hidden gem of the year:
This is a reread but I have to plug it because it’s just so good and not well-known enough. I need more people to know about it; The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo.

28. Most unique book you read in 2025:
Shark Heart by Emily Habeck. It has the most unique premise, I’d say. The MCs are newlyweds, but the husband had just been diagnosed with a condition that will slowly transform him into a shark. It sounds funny, but it’s a serious book and quite heartbreaking.

29. Book that made you the maddest (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it):
Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann, for obvious reasons that I’ve already mentioned.

My Blogging/Bookish Life

I am forgoing this part of the Survey because I feel like I haven’t been very present with my blogging life at all and don’t have answers for them. Hopefully next year will be better.

Looking Ahead in 2026

1. Book you are most anticipating in 2026 (non-debut):
Some of the books I’m anticipating for 2026 made it to my Top Ten Tuesday post, but Book 8 of the Dungeon Crawler Carl series didn’t make it to the list because the cover image wasn’t out yet at the time. It’s out now (just the cover image!) and the book’s expected release date is May 12, 2026, so I am just giddy with excitement!

2. 2026 debut you are most anticipating:
If Books Could Kill by Kate Eberle, releasing June 18, 2026. I am so excited for this because I love bookish books and I love the whole idea for this book – a reader wishes for her favorite romance author to write her life into a book, and gets her wish, except the author is writing a thriller this time, and the MC has to live it!

3. Sequel you are most anticipating in 2026:
I answered All Hail Chaos by Sarah Rees Brennan, the sequel to Long Live Evil last year, but it didn’t come out last year unfortunately. But it’s expected to be released May 12, 2026, now, and I’m still very excited for it!

4. One thing you hope to accomplish or do in your reading/blogging life in 2026?
I am really hoping to get my reading life more manageable; read more intentionally, write my reviews more promptly, be more present on the blog, make more connections with other bloggers, maybe write a few discussion posts, maybe write a couple of posts about my other hobbies outside of reading. Fingers crossed!

What are your answers to these questions? If you do this survey, let me know so I can visit your post and check out your answers. You can also leave your answers in the comments!

Tags: , , , , , ,

Top Ten Tuesday | Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2026

Posted January 12, 2026 by Haze in Top Ten Tuesday, Weekly Book Memes / 49 Comments

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.

Today’s topic is Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2026

All the books I’ve chosen for this topic are by authors I’ve read and loved before and I feel pretty confident that I’ll love these ones too! I’m so excited for them! However, I made a promise to myself that I would prioritize some of the older books on my TBR, so I’m going to pace myself and try to be a good TBR reader.

Top Ten Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2026

  1. Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett – Expected publication date: Feb 17, 2026. I loved the Emily Wilde series, and based off of this new title, I think I love it already.
  2. Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman – Expected publication date: Feb 10, 2026. I love the Dungeon Crawler Carl series by the same author, and Book 8 is supposed to be out May 12 but there wasn’t any cover design out yet, so I went with this unrelated book instead and I’ll probably read it too!
  3. All Hail Chaos by Sarah Rees Brennan – Expected publication date: Feb 17, 2026. The first book in the series, Long Live Evil, surprised me by how much I ended up loving it, so of course I’m reading this second one!
  4. Wolf Worm by T. Kingfisher – Expected publication date: Mar 24, 2026. I love so many of Kingfisher’s works, she’s an automatic read for me.
  5. The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer – Expected publication date: Apr 7, 2026. I mean, a witch with the power to go into books and interact with the world? It’s my dream!
  6. The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer & Tamara Moss – Expected publication date: Apr 7, 2026. I love a good mystery/thriller, and this one sounds so good.
  7. The Shippers by Katherine Center – Expected publication date: May 19, 2026. Just assume that I’ll read anything Katherine Center writes. I love her books!
  8. Platform Decay by Martha Wells – Expected publication date: May 5, 2026. This is Book 8 in the Murderbot Diaries series, which I love and must continue with!
  9. Whistler by Ann Patchett – Expected publication date: Jun 2, 2026. I loved Bel Canto and I feel like this one will make me feel all the emotions too.
  10. The Unicorn Hunters by Katherine Arden – Expected publication date: Jun 2, 2026. Arden’s writing gives me such mystical and magical vibes. I need this.

Are you anticipating any of these books? Have you read any books by these authors? What books are you looking forward to?

Tags: , , ,

Top Ten Tuesday | Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the Second Half of 2025

Posted July 28, 2025 by Haze in Top Ten Tuesday, Weekly Book Memes / 28 Comments

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.

Today’s topic is Beach/Beachy Reads 

Going with a topic I missed again today with the Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the Second Half of 2025. A couple of them have already been released since I’m late with the topic, but I’m excited about them and definitely still anticipating when I can read them!

Top Ten Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the Second Half of 2025

  1. No Body No Crime by Tess Sharpe – 15th July. I have enjoyed a few of Tess Sharpe’s books and I’m so excited about this one. I love how she writes her female protagonists and I’m sure I’ll enjoy this one too.
  2. The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst – 15th July. I only just finished reading The Spellshop recently but I loved it and I love that there’s another one! Telling us more about Caz’s mom, no less, and what comes after!
  3. Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher – 19th August. I am aware that I haven’t even finished Kingfisher’s other works yet, but this one sounds so good too! I love fairytale retellings, I can’t help it!
  4. The Secret Book Society by Madeline Martin – 26th August. Fine, I’ll admit it! I haven’t finished Martin’s other books either, but I’m still really happy to know that there’s going to be more waiting on me.
  5. We Met Like This by Kasie West – 16th September. I read a lot of Kasie West’s books when I was younger and I have maybe aged out of the genre, but I still love her books because it’s the comfort of reading a familiar author whose works make me happy.
  6. Thief of Night by Holly Black – 23rd September. It’s about time the sequel to Book of Night was released! I loved the first book and I’ve been waiting for more!
  7. Cover Story by Mhairi McFarlane – 7th October. Another author whose earlier works I haven’t finished, but you can never have too much of a good thing!
  8. Brigands & Breadknives by Travis Baldree – 11th November. Yayy, more books in the Legends & Lattes universe! You know I’m totally here for it!
  9. Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth – 30th September. I’ve read a couple of Sally Hepworth’s books and they are just the kind of mystery/thrillers I enjoy. Some are better than others, but I’m excited about this new one!
  10. The House Saphir by Marissa Meyer – 4th November. The Lunar Chronicles is one of my favorite series and I’m excited to read something else by the author. This one is about a witch who sees ghosts, totally right up my alley! I’m so excited!

Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Would you read any of these books?

Tags: , , ,

Top Ten Tuesday | Books I Did Not Finish

Posted March 24, 2025 by Haze in Top Ten Tuesday, Weekly Book Memes / 7 Comments

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.

Today’s topic is Books I Did Not Finish

There are many books I dnf’d because I didn’t like them but there were also some books that I think I might like but just wasn’t ready for. Today’s list is a mix of those I didn’t like and will never pick up again, and some that I know I want to try again one day.

Top Ten Books I Did Not Finish

  1. Dracula by Bram Stoker – This one is a funny story because it’s not that I didn’t like the book, it’s that I listened to it on audio and somehow thought it would be a good idea to listen while sleeping. I was frightened awake by a nasty, scary, loud voice – Dracula’s voice, I presume, I didn’t wait long enough to find out. I quickly turned it off and hid under the covers and I just haven’t picked up the book again. I will eventually! Maybe on print and not before bed!
  2. You, Me, and the Colors of Life by Noa C. Walker – I read up to 52% of the book. I don’t know what happens so this isn’t a spoiler, but I got the impression that things wasn’t going to end well for the MC. She has non-Hodgkins lymphoma, which is the same cancer I had when I was 19, and I couldn’t keep reading thinking that she was going to die from it.
  3. Caraval by Stephanie Garber – I had really high hopes for this book and I think I got all the way to 90% of the book and then rage-quit because it kept getting worse for me. Here’s what I said in a review: “It was all so juvenile and nonsensical, and there were so many holes in the plot. I didn’t like any of the characters at all, and even Julian, who was supposed to be the most appealing and was portrayed as such, didn’t appeal to me at all. A lot of the book was repetitive and annoying, and I really didn’t like Scarlett and her sister Donatella.”
  4. Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton – This one came highly recommended and I really wanted to like it but I just didn’t. I love the idea, but the execution was disappointing. There was too much narration, too many big words, too much telling, too much effort going into trying to convince us how smart the crow was. I just didn’t care about the characters or the story. I dnf’d about 35% in.
  5. I Fell In Love With Hope by Lancali – The language was beautiful but it was too much purple prose. It became not about the story but about the word-crafting, which is fine, but that’s not what I thought I was getting into. I dnf’d maybe 10% in, probably less, because I just couldn’t get through the story, I got so stuck on the words.
  6. We’ll Prescribe You A Cat by Syou Ishida – I only read two “chapters” but it looks like each chapter is an individual story about different people who were prescribed cats. They all seem unrelated to each other except for the cat thing, I can’t say for sure since I dnf’d, but I realized that maybe slice of life stories just aren’t for me. I was mostly bored.
  7. Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson – Here’s my review from when I tried reading it in 2016: “I couldn’t get past the first 15%. It started so confusing with the characters names and change in POVs, but then I started to get it and it seemed promising. Then came pages and pages of descriptions about how Kelsier was using Allomancy… all the talk of Pushing and Pulling, and IronPush, PewterPull, etc. It’s much worse than what I’ve described here, it was just too tedious and boring.” Don’t come at me, Brando Sando fans! I’ve enjoyed his other books, and I’ve since read the first three books of the Stormlight Archives and loved them. Maybe 2016 me was just not ready for Mistborn but I’m open to trying again!
  8. Stories of Your Life by Ted Chiang – I borrowed this book because I wanted to read just that one story that the movie Arrival was based on – Story of Your Life. I loved it and intended to read the rest of the book, but didn’t get to them before I had to return the book. I’ve since read Exhalation by the author and loved it so I’m looking forward to reading the rest of this one!
  9. The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion – I initially thought this book was about magical living, you know, the whimsical happy life kind of thing. I picked it up in 2016 when my father was sick and I needed something whimsical. It turned out to be a book about grief and I just couldn’t do it then because it was too close to home. One day, eventually.
  10. Only A Monster by Vanessa Len – I try my best to support Malaysians where I can, so I got excited when I found out this story has a Malaysian MC and the author has Malaysian roots. It sounded like a great story and I was looking forward to reading it but unfortunately, I couldn’t get into the book. I couldn’t relate to the characters or the story, but I love that others seem to like it and I hope that adding it to my list might help it find other readers.

Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Would you read any of these books?

Tags: , , ,

Top Ten Tuesday | Books on My Spring 2025 TBR

Posted March 17, 2025 by Haze in Top Ten Tuesday, Weekly Book Memes / 40 Comments

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.

Today’s topic is Books on My Spring 2025 to-Read List

I haven’t done a very good job of reading from my TBR so far this year, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have books on my TBR. It’s a symbol of hope. That I’ll actually read these books. We shall see. 😂

Top Ten Books on My Spring 2025 TBR

  1. The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst – I’ve posted this book on a few TBR lists already and I still haven’t read it! I don’t know what’s the holdup but I hope I’ll get to it this spring!
  2. The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook by Matt Dinniman – The third book in the series; I read the first two months ago and I desperately want to continue the adventure. It’s so much fun!
  3. Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros – I didn’t like the second book as much as the first, and I’ve heard mixed reviews about this one, which scares me, but either way, I feel like I have to see it through.
  4. The Lost Tarot by Sarah Henstra – The gorgeous cover reeled me in, and I love stories about divination, so it found its way into my TBR!
  5. The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston – Another one that’s been in my TBR for ages. It’s got good reviews so I really want to read it.
  6. The Terror by Dan Simmons – I’m quite excited about this one. I’ve had it on the waitlist since December last year and it’s supposed to get to me soon! Fingers crossed!
  7. Rose Madder by Stephen King – I’m on a personal Stephen King reading challenge and I heard great things about this book. It will be my first time reading it. I’m excited!
  8. The God of the Woods by Liz Moore – I love mystery thrillers and this one intrigued me. I also heard a lot of good things about the book and author so I thought I’d try it.
  9. Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett – I loved the first book, was a little disappointed with the second, but I love the characters and want to visit with them again!
  10. The Other Valley by Scott Alexander Howard – This one is so interesting; it’s a scifi with a time element, which I always love. Can’t wait to get to this!

Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Would you read any of these books?

Tags: , , ,

Top Ten Tuesday | 2024 Releases I Was Excited to Read but Still Haven’t Gotten To

Posted February 3, 2025 by Haze in Top Ten Tuesday, Weekly Book Memes / 30 Comments

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.

Today’s topic is 2024 Releases I Was Excited to Read but Still Haven’t Gotten To

There are so many good ones!! There’s really not enough time in the world to read all the books, but I’m going to try. This is why I need immortality, Book Gods and Goddesses!! But I’ll settle for a superpower that stops time if you can swing that.

Top Ten 2024 Releases I Was Excited to Read but Still Haven’t Gotten To

  1. The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan – This has been on my TBR since it came out last January because she’s a Malaysian author and I gotta support my fellow countrymen! I meant to read it sooner but I haven’t gotten around to it.
  2. The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst – I picked it up purely because of the cover, but it sounds really good too and I hope I’ll get to it soon.
  3. A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher – I’ve loved so many of this author’s books and I’m pretty sure I’ll love this one too. It’s got an interesting premise.
  4. The Girl in Question by Tess Sharpe – This is actually the sequel to The Girls I’ve Been, which I loved. I also loved a couple of other books by the same author so of course I need to read this one too!
  5. The Other Valley by Scott Alexander Howard – Saw it at my library’s featured shelf last year and have been borrowing and renewing it ever since, but still haven’t gotten around to it. 😅
  6. Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle – This one comes highly recommended by a friend whose book tastes I trust. I don’t know much about it, but I’m excited to read it.
  7. The Mighty Red by Louise Erdrich – Another one I saw at the library. I have read The Sentence by the same author and really enjoyed it, and this one sounds even better!
  8. Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson – This is the fifth book in The Stormlight Archives and I’ve only just finished the first two books, so it’ll be a while until I get to this one.
  9. The Booklover’s Library by Madeline Martin – I’m so excited she’s got a new book out, but The Keeper of Hidden Books is next!
  10. The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley – Picked it up at the library’s featured shelf and really loving the sound of it. I can’t wait to read this.

Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Would you read any of these books?

Tags: , , , , ,

Top Ten Tuesday | Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2025

Posted January 6, 2025 by Haze in Top Ten Tuesday, Weekly Book Memes / 11 Comments

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.

Today’s topic is Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2025

So many books to be excited about this year and these are just for the first half of the year! As if I didn’t already have tons of backlist books on the TBR, I’ve got new ones to contend with! I can’t wait!

Top Ten Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2025

  1. Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros – Expected publication date: Jan 21, 2025. The third book in the Empyrean series. The second was a little disappointing but I have to see this through!
  2. Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins – Expected publication date: Mar 18, 2025. I wasn’t interested in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes when it was released but have since read it and now I’m all in for any other book in the THG universe.
  3. Swept Away by Beth O’Leary – Expected publication date: Apr 10, 2025. I love her other books and I’m sure I’ll love this one too!
  4. Never Flinch by Stephen King – Expected publication date: May 27, 2025. I know some people are tired of reading about Holly but I love her, so I’m totally here for it!
  5. The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb – Expected publication date: May 6, 2025. I’m anticipating this alright, but I’m also scared to read it because I cried so hard with two other books from the author I loved.
  6. The Love Haters by Katherine Center – Expected publication date: May 20, 2025. I’m completely sold on Katherine Center and I’m excited for this next one!
  7. Overgrowth by Mira Grant – Expected publication date: May 6, 2025. I read a couple of her books a long time ago and they made an impression on me. Curious to read this one and see how I feel about it.
  8. Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett – Expected publication date: Feb 11, 2025. More Emily Wilde! More Wendell! More faerie hijinks! I can’t wait!
  9. Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid – Expected publication date: Jun 3, 2025. I love everything TJR, and this one sounds so good!
  10. A Language of Dragons by S.F. Williamson – Expected publication date: Jan 7, 2025. Dragons, languages, dark academia! I mean, how can I resist?!

Are you anticipating any of these books? Have you read any books by these authors? What books are you looking forward to?

Tags: , ,

Top Ten Tuesday | Books on My Fall 2024 TBR

Posted September 23, 2024 by Haze in Top Ten Tuesday, Weekly Book Memes / 44 Comments

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.

Today’s topic is Books on My Fall 2024 To-Read List

Some of these books have been on my list since the beginning of the year. Heck, some of them have been on my list since last year… and way before. It distresses me that I haven’t read them, the older ones in particular. I’m going to really try to get them done this fall!

Top Ten Books on My Fall 2024 TBR

  1. The Glass Chateau by Stephen P. Kiernan – This is the one I most want to prioritize. I’ve had it on my TBR the moment it was announced, before it was even published, and I was so excited when it was released. I love the author and I have no doubt I’ll love this book, but I just haven’t gotten around to it for some reason.
  2. The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan – Malaysian author, Malaysian setting, Malaysian reader (me!). I must read it!
  3. Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson – I have been wanting to read this for a while now. You know it caught my attention with a title like that.
  4. Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman – Everyone keeps recommending this as one of the best series you can listen to on audiobook, but I’m hesitating because I listened to a sample and I’m not sure I like the narration, so I’m waffling between getting it on print vs. audiobook. So many people can’t be wrong about the audio, right? But what if they are?!
  5. Never Whistle At Night by various authors – This is relatively new to my TBR but I really want to read it because I wanted to read more diverse books this year, and I love folklore and not whistling at night is also a superstition in my own culture.
  6. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot – A much older book that I’ve been wanting to read for a long time. Part of why I also signed up for a nonfiction reading challenge this year.
  7. Between Us by Mhairi McFarlane – I love the author’s works, but I don’t consider them light-hearted romance because they often have heavier themes and not so traditional HEAs, so I do need to be in a certain mindset to read them.
  8. The Keeper of Hidden Books by Madeline Martin – Another author I love, but much, much heavier stories. I read two of them very close to each other earlier this year, and I needed a break before I jump back into another one.
  9. The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer – I don’t even remember how I heard about this book but I was so excited about it, and it’s also a bookish book!
  10. The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins – Another bookish book I’ve been wanting to read. The things people say about it make me very curious!

Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Would you read any of these books?

Tags: , , ,

Top Ten Tuesday | Books I Was Super Excited to Get My Hands on but Still Haven’t Read

Posted May 27, 2024 by Haze in Top Ten Tuesday, Weekly Book Memes / 37 Comments

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.

Today’s topic is Books I Was Super Excited to Get My Hands on but Still Haven’t Read

There have been so many books I was super excited about but ended up not reading. These are some of the ones I’m still excited about and still want to read as soon as possible, but haven’t yet for some reason or other.

Top Ten Books I Was Super Excited to Get My Hands on but Still Haven’t Read

  1. The Glass Chateau by Stephen P. Kiernan – I love Stephen P. Kiernan’s books and I’m really excited to read this one too, but his books are the kind that require savoring and that means I have to find the right time and mental head space to read them.
  2. Between Us by Mhairi McFarlane – Mhairi’s books are categorized under romance, but they’re not quick, fun and silly romances. They tend to highlight serious real life issues as well and I love that about them, so I want to be fully present when I read this.
  3. The Keeper of Hidden Books by Madeline Martin – I loved the two previous books I’ve read by MM, and I know I’ll love this too. They’re just pretty heavy because of the subject matter, but they’re also hopeful and heartwarming, and I’m looking forward to reading this soon.
  4. Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder – I think the thing holding me back with this one is that there are at least six books in the series and I’m just scared of starting a new series when there are so many I haven’t finished yet.
  5. Shark Heart by Emily Habeck – Nothing holding me back with this one, I just haven’t gotten to it yet.
  6. The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan – Another one in the queue I intend to get to really soon!
  7. Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson – And this one too! I meant to read this and the above book this month, but I had other time obligations!
  8. Dragons of Autumn Twilight by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman – I’ve got a planned buddy read for this series in June, and I’m anxiously awaiting it! It’s a reread for me, but it’s been a while and I’m excited to revisit the nostalgia!
  9. Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie – I very recently finished the first two books in this series and I would’ve immediately started the next one, except my book buddies want me to wait for them. They’re supposed to have the book in a couple of weeks, but if they take longer than that, all bets are off!
  10. The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent – I was so excited about this and I still am, but I haven’t gotten around to it. Soon!

Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Would you read any of these books?

Tags: , , ,

Top Ten Tuesday | Most Anticipated Books for 2024 Jan – Jun

Posted January 8, 2024 by Haze in Top Ten Tuesday, Weekly Book Memes / 58 Comments

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.

Today’s topic is Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2024

There are so many that I’m so excited for!!! Almost all of these are authors I have read and loved, and I would read anything they write so that’s why I can’t wait for these. I know they are going to be good!

Top Ten Most Anticipated Books Releasing Jan-Jun 2024

Top-Bottom, Left-Right:

  1. The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo – releasing Feb 13. She’s a Malaysian author writing about Malaysian Chinese folklore. I’ve read The Ghost Bride and The Night Tiger, both written by her and I loved them. I’m very excited for this one.
  2. The Bride Bet by Tessa Dare – releasing Jan 15. This is the fourth book in the Girl Meets Duke series, and I’ve read the first three, so obviously this is next on the list!
  3. What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher – releasing Feb 13. I love T. Kingfisher, and I loved the first book in this series. I didn’t even know there was going to be a second book, but of course I have to read it too!
  4. Funny Story by Emily Henry – releasing Apr 23. I’ve read several of Emily Henry’s books and always enjoy them. This one has a storyline that is just too good to pass up.
  5. The Girl in Question by Tess Sharpe – releasing May 14. The first book I read by Tess Sharpe is the first book in this series, The Girls I’ve Been, and I was hooked. I love her strong female protagonists, and I was so excited to find out she wrote a sequel.
  6. The Dark Fable by Katherine Harbour – releasing Jan 30. The only author on this list whom I’ve never read. I’m not sure what to expect and I hope I won’t be disappointed, but I love the premise and I love fantasy stories, so I’m excited to read this!
  7. You Like It Darker by Stephen King – releasing Mar 21. I mean, it’s Stephen King. I haven’t read all his books but I’m sure going to try, and his new stories keep getting better so of course I’m going to read this.
  8. The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden – releasing Feb 13. I loved The Winternight Trilogy and I am very interested in this story. I want to read it!
  9. The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo – releasing Apr 9. I loved many of Leigh Bardugo’s books, and I am very interested in this story too. Anticipating it very much!
  10. The Bad Weather Friend by Dean Koontz – releasing Jan 23. I’ve only read one of Koontz books so far and I loved it, and I keep meaning to read more. I love the premise of this book, it sounds so deliciously creepy and I just can’t wait to read it.

Have you read any of these authors? What did you think of them? What are your most anticipated books this year?

Tags: , , , , , , ,