The End of the Year Book Tag

I am slowly coming to terms with the fact that the year is almost over, and while I am excited for the potential of a new year and the psychological refreshment it usually brings, I feel a bit panicked at the idea I haven’t done nearly enough this year. But I did just hit my 100 book reading goal, so in my reading life I’ve certainly done very much, and that’s all that matters for this post. I believe this tag originates with Ariel Bissett and I’ve seen Imyril and Peat bring out their posts already (although Peat sent me into a mini-crisis by posting it in November) so I’m considering myself tagged. Here we go!

Is there a book that you started that you still need to finish by the end of the year?

Realistically if I haven’t been reading it consistently it’s not gonna get done in the next couple of weeks, and this mostly applies to my non-fiction reads which I just dip in and out of when I can’t sleep. This year those are Why the Germans do it Better by John Kampfer and Scoff by Pen Vogler. The first of these I was reading to my husband in the evenings and it sort of trailed off when I started reading The Bone Ships by RJ Barker to him – coincidentally, that is also a book I’d add to the ‘finish before the end of the year’ list so we can start book two!

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

Well I don’t plan my reads to fit within a specific time of year or season, but it’s also well past autumn I feel like (I am currently sitting wrapped up in a very big blanket) so I’ll tailor my answer to winter books – the only one I can think of is The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton because it just seems like the perfect winter tale.

Is there a release you are still waiting for? 

Not really, my next anticipated releases are all set for next year.

Name three books you want to read by the end of the year

Ummm I’m still sort of in denial that the year is ending so… all of them? Okay, but realistically I want to finish my active current reads – Diary of a Young Naturalist by Dara McAnulty on audiobook and Master of Sorrows by Justin Travis Call. And then if I’ve got a bit of time left I may pick up one of the novellas I won from the SciFiMonth giveaway in November.

Is there a book that can still shock you and become your favourite of the year?

I don’t really see any overtaking some of the amazing reads of this year – it’s truly been a year of incredible releases and I will be making a post to gush about them.

Have you already started making reading plans for 2022?

Tragically, yes. I’ve already talked a little about my initial plans in this post about my Winter TBR, but I also have other ambitions – in 2021 I read a lot of new releases, which was fantastic, but I’m a re-reader and I’ve felt the absence of that this year with my focus on the new and shiny. I’m thinking of revisiting the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini to see if it still stands up to scrutiny after the shine of childhood love has worn down. I’d also love to reread Lucy Hounsom’s Worldmaker Trilogy because I’d love to talk about it more and share it with people – it’s also been long enough that I can’t remember anything but a vague storyline so it’ll be exciting to revisit. I’m also going to be doing a buddy read with my dear fellow blogger Max from The Book Pyramid – we haven’t finalised a book yet but I’m super hyped!

If you see this, consider yourself tagged!