My Most Anticipated 2023 Sequels

There are A LOT of 2023 book releases I'm looking forward to, and my top 10 changes each day based on what genre I'm in the mood to read. But I also noticed a lot of my most anticipated books are sequels, so I'm making three separate posts for my most anticipated books (similar to what I did last year). This is the list of sequels. Next week, I'll post my list of books by authors I haven't read before and later, I'll post my list of new books/start of series by authors I've read before. It's a working title. Haha.

For your reading pleasure, here are my ten most anticipated sequels of 2023. There are a few honorable mentions that I couldn't fit in the list. They include Spice Road #2, Cherish, A Power Unbound, A Grim and Sunken Vow, and if it actually releases, I'm looking forward to Reign by Cora Carmack.

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A Fire in the Flesh by Jennifer L. Armentrout

I'm not the biggest fan of JLA's FBAA spinoff. I much prefer the original series. But I still enjoy the Flesh and Fire series and the discussion it brings on JLA's Facebook group about the overall Blood and Ash world. Plus, I do love me some dragons (draken) and I'm hoping for some wolven to appear in this last installment of the trilogy.

The Ashfire King by Chelsea Abdullah

I should probably note that books 5-10 in this list aren't really in any strict order. They can definitely fluctuate. I'm saying that under this particular book because this one is a sequel I want to read, but I'm not freaking out about it. So it could also be number ten on a different day, or, maybe it'll move to number eight closer to its release. Only time will tell.

Mysteries of Thorn Manor by Margaret Rogerson

While I did loooove Sorcery of Thorns, this is another installment that could fluctuate in regards to its place on the list. Since it's a novella, and not a direct full-length sequel, I'm a little disappointed already. I think it'll be fun, but it won't give me the same feels as the original.

Light Bringer by Pierce Brown

So yes, I haven't read Iron Gold or Dark Age yet. However, I'm still eagerly anticipating this book, if only because it brings the Red Rising series one step closer to being complete. Only one more book to go after this one, and then I'll do a reread of the original trilogy and finish off the last four books. I'm looking forward to it.

From the Grave by Kresley Cole

I can't believe the final book is actually coming out in April. I honestly didn't know if it was ever going to release. I still need to read the last two books in the series, though, so I think I'm going to do a complete reread before I get to this one. It's been years since I picked them up.

Prince and Pawn by Tavia Lark

This one is a new addition to my normal lists. I read the first two books in the Perilous Courts series in October-ish, and I thought they were super fun. The final book comes out in January, so it's a great way to start out the year. I get to have a light, fun romantasy to set the tone for 2023.

Zodiac Academy #9 by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti

I finished book eight last month, and book nine doesn't have a cover or release date yet. While ZA 8 wasn't my favorite installment of the series, as I hate it when the characters aren't all together in one location (when they're all separate, it's just not as fun), I am extremely excited to see how things play out in the last book.

Gold by Raven Kennedy

The last book in the Plated Prisoner series. Wow. It's been over a year since I read the first three books (half a year since book four), but it feels like it was just yesterday. I'm excited to see what happens in this conclusion.

The Midnight Kingdom by Tara Sim

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, so I"m ready to read book two. And, even better, it comes out on my birthday! Guess I know what I'll be buying myself to celebrate. ;)

A Soul of Ash and Blood & Visions of Flesh and Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Is it any surprise that these are my most anticipated books of 2023? And yes, I'm totally cheating by putting two titles as my #1. Well, I just can't help myself. I'm really, really, really excited for Visions but ASOAAB, Cas's POV book, comes out in July. So I get to be excited for that one sooner. It's all just too far away right now, and I need both of them!

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Alright, there you have it. My most anticipated 2023 sequels. What 2023 books are you looking forward to? Let me know in the comments section.

My 2022 Wrap-Up

Wow! 2022 is over! I moved, started a new job, and went to Disneyland and ApollyCon. I have even more fun stuff planned in 2023, but I'm also just looking forward to settling in more by finding my own place and liking my new job. However, before I get into the future, I need to discuss the past. Specifically, all of the books and book-related stats associated with my 2022 reading year!

Books Read in 2022

This year, I read 90 books! That's a lot better than last year's 66. I was hoping to reach 100, but December just had way too much going on. It always does with the holidays, but moving meant I only got a few reads in before the first day of 2023. I'm hoping I can reach around the same number in 2023, but I'm not holding myself to that. I'm setting my 2023 reading goal at 30, like always.

I'm not going to list out every single book I read in 2022, but I do have some fun stats to share.

In 2022, I read:

📚 42 fantasy books
📚 33 paranormal/urban fantasy books
📚 3 sci-fi
📚 12 contemporary

📚 23 young adult
📚 67 new adult/adult

📚 33 physical finished copies bought/received
📚 4 ebooks bought/received
📚 6 physical library books
📚 9 NetGalley e-ARCs
📚 1 physical ARC
📚 37 Kindle Unlimited ebooks

📚 19 books owned pre-2022
📚 71 books acquired in 2022
📚 3 rereads

📚 Finished reading 4 series that I started pre-2022.
📚 Started 22 new series in 2021 (some of which I don't plan on continuing).
📚 Started 5 series in 2022 and caught up with the series in 2022.
📚 Started and finished 5 series in 2022.
📚 Continuing 6 ongoing series.

📚 My highest rated book at 4.5 stars: The War of Two Queens by Jennifer L. Armentrout.
📚 My lowest rated book at 2 stars: House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas.

Books Bought in 2022

In total, I bought 142 books in 2022. This came out to almost $3,000. It's an average of $20.86 per book. Yikes. Those special editions are killing me. I'm actually planning on letting my FairyLoot YA sub go, as I realized I'm not reading the books and most of the predictions for early 2023's books just don't look intriguing. I'm going to wait for my skips to run out to completely cancel, but that will probably be in April or May. I've already used one. I also have been pickier about buying special editions in general. As I predicted last year, though, the FairyLoot adult sub, did contribute to the hurt in my wallet. But the real issue is my swag spending. I have a fan art addiction that I need to quench, as almost $2,000 on mostly FBAA art is just too much for one year's sum. I'll be attempting to cut back a lot in 2023. Oh, and because I bought 142 books but only read 90, I have to get rid of 52 books in early 2023. We'll see how that goes, as I don't have a local used bookstore anymore, just a library to donate to. Plus, books don't really sell well online.

My 2022 Reading Goals

Other than reading 30 books, I had a few other goals set for the year. They were mostly goals for getting my physical TBR under control. (See my 2022 reading goal post for more info.)

I had five goals for 2022. One that I know automatically that I succeeded at was reading more NA and adult fiction versus YA. And I think I had a better reading time because of it. While I didn't have more than one 4.5-star read, I just had a better time overall. A lot more four-star books versus three stars.        A goal I know I immediately failed at is reading A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin. I'm over halfway, so that's good. I think my goal for 2023 will be to finish the remaining half. Actually, I think I failed at all of my goals besides the one about reading more NA and adult. Goal #4 was to buy fewer than 66 books. Nope. Surpassed that number for sure. Goal #5 was to read all of the books I owned prior to moving to NYC. Nope. Didn't do that. Goal #1 was to read 15 books I owned physical copies of prior to 2020. Definitely didn't do that. And same for Goal #2, which was basically the same but for 2021 books too. Honestly like only 19 of the books I read were bought pre-2022, and most were 2021 purchases. Oops. I'll try to make more realistic goals for 2023 because I don't think I'm going to reach ones that force me to read my TBR.

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Okay, well, that’s the summary of 2022, all wrapped up into one post. Do you have a wrap-up post for last year? If so, share in the comments! Also, stay tuned for my 2023 reading goals post!

Stacking the Shelves: The Tarot Cards Edition

 "Stacking the Shelves" is a weekly haul meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews and Reading Reality. It allows book buyers to share their accumulation of books with the online book-loving community.

I've been at my job for almost a full month now, and things seem to be getting better. Monday will be the first real test, as it'll be the first time I meet with the people I'll be working for for the next however-many years. I'm not nervous at all. Ha! But to ease the anxiety, I do have some fun goodies to share with you today.

First up is the FairyLoot edition of Kingdom of the Feared, the third and final book in the original Kingdom of the Wicked trilogy. Sadly, this FairyLoot edition has two major problems: the sprayed edges are kind of faded looking compared to the first two books and the spine is purple instead of black. Since I display my books spine out, it's fairly obvious KOTF doesn't match. I know a lot of people have already emailed FairyLoot about it, me included, but it is a weird oversight by everyone involved. I just hope I can get an updated replacement jacket. I don't really care about the edges. I don't see them with how the books are lined up on my shelves.

Next is something I knew I had to have because I'm ridiculous. In the November FairyLoot YA box, there was a tarot card set for the characters from The Stardust Thief, a book I read and enjoyed. So, with me being a book-only subscriber, I knew I'd have to order the set second-hand or wait until FairyLoot put it up on their trove. I ended up getting the cards on Mercari for fairly cheap.

Well, that's all for me. What books have you bought/received lately?

My Top 10 Books of 2022

Another year over, which means another barrage of Top 10 lists for January. This list is for my top 10 reads of 2022. I read 90 books in 2022. That's pretty good. I'm hoping to do similar numbers in 2023, but as long as I get over 60, I think I'll be fine.

Enough of the future talk though, let's take a look at the past. In this top 10 you'll notice a theme of fantasy/paranormal books. No contemporary allowed. Haha. I just haven't been vibing with a ton of contemporary titles lately. Oh, and the bottom five in this list aren't really in any particular order. They could be changed based on my mood, whereas the top five are pretty much good where they are.

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Reign of Darkness by Ariana Nash

I've gone back and forth about what to put in this spot. But, in the end, I just went with a book in a series that I binged really quickly. The relationship dynamics between the two main characters is tension-filled, and the twist is one I definitely didn't see coming. Honestly, at first I didn't like book one, King of the Dark, but leading into book two, it became pretty awesome. I have mixed feelings about book three and the novella, however.

So This is Ever After by F.T. Lukens

Oh man, this one was just a fine time. It was like an upper YA Dungeons & Dragons happily-ever-after tale. I actually wish this book had a prequel and a sequel, just so I could read more about the world and characters.

Broken Fae by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti

The Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac series gave me some serious ups and downs, but I constantly think about this series. Some of the characters are just too awesome! Same with the worldbuilding! But yeah, I love Leon, so I had to put this book on my list.

Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim

My last read of 2022 ended up being a pretty great one. Spice Road gave me Stardust Thief and The Wrath and the Dawn vibes in a very well-written YA fantasy story. SPOILERS! I can't wait to see what the FairyLoot edition is going to look like!

Glow by Raven Kennedy

The fourth book in the Plated Prisoner series wasn't my favorite. I still reserve that for the second book, but this one did expand the world quite a bit and opened up the possibility for some really cool and crazy events to happen in the last installment!

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

Legendborn had its slow moments, but the payoff at the end was fantastic. I'm ready to read book two, but I don't want to wait two or more years for book three. So right now, I'm holding off. I'm excited to see where Bree and co. go on this King Arthur journey, though..

The City of Dusk by Tara Sim

I keep thinking about this book and the world. I'm excited to see what type of chaos we get in book two. Plus, it comes out on my birthday! It'll be a fun time. But anyway, this book was pretty much a darker, more contained version of Avatar: The Last Airbender with some necromancy thrown in to shake things up.

Zodiac Academy #4, #5, and #7 by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti

Zodiac Academy is a series I binged in like one week. Which is saying something since each book is 400-1,000 pages long. However, of all eight full-length books, I had three that were my favorite: numbers 4, 5, and 7. Primarily because all the characters got along more and they were all together in these books. I hate when they're apart.

Beautiful Monsters series by Jex Lane

This series snuck up on me. I just randomly downloaded it from KU one day after seeing a few recommendations on Instagram. And boy, was I hooked. It reminds me of Kresley Cole's Immortal After Dark series mixed with the relationship dynamics of C.S. Pacat's Captive Prince. Now, I just have to do the terrible wait for book four. Ugh. I hope there's news soon.

The War of Two Queens by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Did anyone not see this coming? I'm only obsessed with this series. And Kieran Contou. I can't believe I have to wait until 2024 for the official sequel. It's going to hurt so bad. But at least there are some fun extra books and ApollyCon between now and then.

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Alright, there you have it. My top 10 reads of 2022. What 2022 reads were your favorite? Let me know in the comments section.

November and December Wrap-Up & January TBR

I haven't done a wrap-up post since October. Yikes. Life has just been insane. I started a new job and moved back to my parents' house (temporarily, I think...), all in the span of two months. Both of which are smack dab in the midst of the holiday season and the colder times of the year. But that's okay. I ended up getting a lot of good books read during this time. With a few that'll end up on my Top 10 of 2022 list. Woohoo!

In this wrap-up, I’ll list the books I read, the books I reviewed, the books I bought/received, and my TBR for next month. Now, let’s get this bookish party started!

Books Read in November & December

Dark Harmony: 3 stars

A Curse of Queens: 3.5 stars

Captive: 4 stars (KU)

Sire: 4 stars (KU)

Broken: 4 stars (KU)

Ledge: 3 stars (library book)

A Light in the Flame: 4 star

Exhale: 2.5 stars (KU)

Mortal Skin: 4 stars (KU)

Forgotten Vows: 4 stars (KU)

Zodiac Academy: Sorrow and Starlight: 3.5 stars (KU)

Spice Road: 4 stars (NetGalley e-ARC)

I read nine books in November and three books in December. The November books include Dark Harmony by Laura Thalassa; A Curse of Queens by Amanda Bouchet; Captive, Sire, and Broken by Jex Lane; Ledge by Stacey McEwan; A Light in the Flame by Jennifer L. Armentrout; Exhale by Joel Abernathy; and Mortal Skin by Lily Mayne. In December, I read the sequel to Mortal Skin, Forgotten Vows, as well as Zodiac Academy #8, Sorrow and Starlight, and Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim. Of these 12 total books, four were physical copies and eight were ebooks. One of the physical books was a library copy, Ledge; one of the ebooks, Spice Road, was a NetGalley e-ARC, and seven of the remaining ebooks were borrowed from Kindle Unlimited. The three physical books I own and read during this period include Dark Harmony, A Curse of Queens, and A Light in the Flame, all of which were bought in 2022, so no pre-owned TBR books were read this month. Boo...

Books Bought/Received in November & December

I did not realize I had a ton of books I acquired in November and December until I tried taking photos of all of them together. I couldn't fit them into one picture. So I split them up, and they're not in any particular order, though I kind of did a bit of a November/December split with some exceptions because it was just too much. In November, I bought 13 books, all of which were physical books. I bought the entire Plated Prisoner series 1-4 and The City of Dusk from Waterstones; Sorcery of Thorns Owlcrate edition from Mercari; Bloodmarked, Charm, and A Light in the Flame from Barnes & Noble; ALITF paperback Indigo edition; and ALITF regular hardcover from Amazon.  I also got Illuminaries in the Owlcrate box and Dowry of Blood and The Ones We Burn in FairyLoot's November boxes. I don't think either of the FairyLoot editions arrived in November, though. I think they both delivered in December.

I didn't buy a whole lot in December, but I did receive quite a bit due to Christmas. Oh, and throughout November and December both, I received some preorders from FairyLoot and other sub boxes that I was charged for earlier in the year. Those included the Chest of Fandoms German editions of AKOFAF, TCOGB, and ASITE; The Dragon's Promise; and These Twisted Bonds. I only bought two books in December, and those included Broken Boundaries and the LugLife edition of FBAA. For Christmas, I received The Bone Shard Daughter and A Court of Honey and Ash from a book club friend and the three Covenant books and Covet from my parents. I also won a copy of TWOTQ. So in December, two books bought. In total though, I received 18 physical books in November and December.

Currently Obsessed With

I guess in October's wrap-up I talked about finishing my rewatch of The Office and starting up Parks & Rec. Well, I finished rewatching Parks & Rec and started up The Office again. Haha. I mostly just watch it when I need something quick to turn on while I eat meals. It's also a good show to run in the background when I work from home.

Besides my continual rewatch of those two shows, I haven't seen a ton of new stuff. I did watch Wednesday with my mom over a weekend. It was fun. It actually reminded me of CW paranormal shows but with a Netflix budget. I also watched the new Disney+ show The Santa Clauses, which I finished watching with my parents on December 31st, the last day of the year. I thought it could've been better and needed less CGI, more animatronics. Oh, and my older sister forced my family to watch Spirited, the Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell Christmas musical movie. It was okay.

January TBR

New year, new TBR! That's right, I'm not taking anything from 2022 into 2023. Even if there are things I need to finish (*cough* A Storm of Swords *cough*), I'll deal with all that after ApollyCon. Right now, my goal is to read as many ApollyCon authors as I possibly can before the event at the end of April. Two of those include What Lies Beyond the Veil by Harper L. Woods and The Book of Azrael by Amber Nicole. I also need to read A Court of Honey and Ash for January's book club. They aren't ApollyCon authors, though.

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Okay, well, that's the month of November and December, plus some January sneak peeks, all wrapped up into one post. Do you have a wrap-up post for last month? If so, share in the comments!