All I ever seem to do is say “Oh! I’m going to read that soon!”
And quite frankly by this point I’m starting to side-eye myself. Although in my defence there is a lot to read and I only have two eyes (a disgrace) and I’m notoriously bad at balancing both writing and reading. But I finished off reading two books today and felt a little bit energised as I stared down my TBR pile thinking, “I will conquer u before this year ends.”
I won’t. But I felt like I could for 1 minute. And I think that’s beautiful.
Since my current reading-goals-count is at 184 (and yes I’m aiming for 200), this definitely leaves me time to read some of the books I’ve been planning to all year. (I’m ignoring the fact I need to read like, 100 more books before the year ends to catch up but 😪 I’ll stay realistic here and aim for 10.)
10 Books I So Must Read Before 2020 Ends
(Hold me accountable. I’m such a liar to myself and mood reader 😭😂)
The House in the Cerulean Sea
Basically 100% of bookstagram is yelling at me to read this and my SHAME only grows under the fact I haven’t yet. I actually do admit to be intimidated 😂Everyone loves it to pieces. If I don’t…I will be a monster. So lowkey anxious over this one, but I will read it so I can face the world again. (I better love it though 💀.)
You Should See Me In A Crown
Now considering I preordered this and then it took MONTHS to come and I sat there like, “Where 🤨is my book🤨” and then proceeded to not read it as soon as it hit my mailbox…yes I look slightly ashamed. It’s also TINY and I love tiny books. I can read them in one day and feel powerful. So here’s to finally achieving that.
Kingdom of the Wicked
Because why not 👀Admittedly I’ve only read Stalking Jack the Ripper from this author (and I didn’t finish the series yet because I’m horrible at finishing things. But I will!! Someday!!) but I’m seeing it all over the book community and I must KNOW. Plus I have it out from the library who wants it back. Now.
The Court of Miracles
Another one the library demands back. (Look, the sooner libraries learn that I borrow books and wish to keep them 😪the sooner we’ll get along better.) It does have a LOT of mixed reviews, and considering I’ve never seen or read the original Les Mis (it’s a retelling apparently) I’m a little worried. But it has a heist?!?!?! I love heists.
The Lucky Ones
I meant to read this ON release day 💀 Am I writing this post just to drag myself? It would seem so. It just sucks to want to read everything all at once and yet not be able to?! I’m tired of it. Demand time to pause.
Grown
I’m putting this here because I actually started it on audiobook! And then…I got 35% in and decided to switch to ebook. I absolutely love Tiffany D Jackson books (this will be my third from her this year 😭🙌🏻) but this one is just harder to read because it’s about grooming. These kind of stories need to exist but it’s hard to listen than to read for myself? So yes. Will finish though. (Also seriously drop everything and read Let Me Hear a Rhyme and Monday’s Not Coming. I am forever floored by these books.)
House of Dragons
So hilariously, I have this book on my “immediate TBR” bedside table stack and — still haven’t read it. But for some reason it’s excellent for photos and just appears in so many of them on my bookstagram account. I will read it though 😌 Soon. Also dragons! I mean, what could go wrong!
Please Don’t Hug Me
Not only is this title a law I wish the world abided by, I have been psyched to read this since I ordered it!! I’m forever mad how I end up prioritising ARCs and library books over books I buy. I mean?! I bought it because I WANT IT. Let me read it, brain!!! Also this is an autistic book by an autistic author (and Australian too) so basically everything I ever wanted.
These Violent Delights
Again with books I preordered and am excited out of my mind for…and still haven’t read?! Disappointed in me. But also this is queer dark academia and I’ve heard it’s so deeply twisted. Perfect 😙👌🏻It is a little bigger than I anticipated and my weak self is considering trying an audiobook? But I will read it…soon.
The Memory of Souls
I’m currently reading this so this is only half cheating to put it on the list. BUT! Hear me out. It’s like 700 pages long. And I’m listening to the audiobook which is approximately 700 years long. I only listen to about 1 hour (or a bit less) of an audio per day so who knows when I’ll finish. But I’ve not been so hyped for any book except this one for a long, long time. I’m ECSTATIC okay 😍😍😍 Three chapters in and it’s gifting me life with the gang all together of Janel, Kihrin, Thurvishar and Taraeth!! They breath and I go, 10/10 would do anything for you.
what are you definitely reading before 2020 ends?! 👀
The only one of these I’ve read is The Court of Miracles, but it is so good! I’m not a big Les Mis fan, but that didn’t matter. I fell in love with the characters and the story. The only other book I’ve liked this much this year was Fable, but I haven’t read as much as usual. I hope I get to see what you think soon!
@across_the_library
I’ve been feeling torn about this book! It looks and sounds so good but the Les Mis thing put me off. Maybe I should give in and read it after all 🙂
Good luck Cait. You can do this.
But if you can’t, it is okay too. I am mood reader myself so I totally understand 😂👌💕
Give you cake
This is a great idea, I should do it too so that I’m help accountable for all the books I must read in December!
i’m currently buddy reading Ruin of Kings with a friend! partly motivated by you saying how good it is! 😀
Good luck! I also have 10 books I need to read before the end of the year. None of them are new releases. They’ve just been sitting around forever. I’m looking forward to someday reading The House On The Cerulean Sea and These Violent Delights.
Among the stacks are books I got from Goodreads giveaways and also from authors/bloggers I follow…but probably not before the end of the year either!
I know what you mean about being anxious to read books that are getting a lot of hype. I end up putting things off to the backlist because I don’t want to be “that” reader who says “well I really just don’t understand the fuss…” And then everyone chimes in to tell you why you’re wrong, or that you misinterpreted the hidden themes of the book, or that you’re just bashing the book because it’s popular and there’s nothing wrong with popular fiction (there’s not, but popularity doesn’t always equal good writing)…ugh just the thought is exhausting! 😫
You Should See Me In A Crown is delightful. I hope you enjoy!
I’ve had the Court of Miracles on my Kindle for months and still haven’t read it either. Hopefully I will soon! I haven’t read Les Mis either though (I did see the film, but remember almost nothing about it other than singing!), so I’m hoping that doesn’t effect my reading of it. I basically just heard the word ‘heist’ and bought it! I love heists too, and I feel like there isn’t enough heists books out there.
I totally relate to the whole *I will read all these books before the end of the year……but will I….??* 😅 Fingers crossed that you’ll get to all of these – you got this!! And if not, there’s always next year 😂🥰
I have some of these on my “immediate TBR” as well! I literally just bought HOUSE OF THE DRAGON not too long ago (because, you know, DRAGONS) and honestly…it just sounds super awesome. I probably won’t be able to read it until next year, but I’m so freaking psyched for THE MEMORY SOULS. I’m about 3/4 into THE NAME OF ALL THINGS and these books are so damn good. You probably don’t know this but I think I actually picked up THE RUIN OF KINGS because I remembered you talking about it. Also I feel you on balancing writing/reading. It is not easy, at all!
I also hyped up You Should See Me in a Crown forever, and then–didn’t read it for MONTHS after, so I feel you on that, but! I just read it last month, and WOWOWOWOWOW. I cried, and it was wonderful, so I definitely recommend! Also, lowkey IN LOVE with Kingdom of the Wicked, and I cannot wait for the sequel details to be announced!
The House in Cerulean Sea is AMAZING
yes!! so many of these are also on my to-finish-in-2020 shelf!! lovely post ❤
First off, that graphic at the top?? All the heart eyes. So very pretty. 😍
This year has been crazy for me, and I just haven’t gotten as much reading done as I wish I could have… but I really only have so much time, and have to prioritize. 😅 I’m graduating next year, though, so hopefully I’ll get more reading done!! Also, my second semester in general should be lighter. So I might have time! Time to go stalk your blog and your instagram to make a list of must-reads… 😝
I’ve heard so many good things about Grown!! I have probably far too many books on my reading list to finish before the year ends too… but then again it doesn’t look like I’ll be going anywhere in 2021 anyway (I’m in the US and we’ll probably be locked down/in quarantine till next summer at the earliest)
I have only read two of these so far (The Lucky Ones and Kingdom of the Wicked) but I quite liked both of them! I feel you with there just not being enough time. I am impressed that you still try though, I think I have given up and figure I’ll get to all these books… someday. I guess when they stop printing new ones and I am stuck with whatever I already own? Honestly seems like the only chance, poor books! Though I will say- I think I might have actually read more books that were on my shelves than I bought this year? That’s gotta be a first, right? Hope you get to these before the year ends… or you know, whenever 😂
I can confidently say, that I have not read any of these. But 5 of them are on my bookshelves (and 2 of those 5 are review copies…)
I should join you in finally reading You Should See Me In a Crown before the year ends. It looks like such a sweet and fun cozy book for the holidays! Also, your mentioning that it’s tiny definitely sold me on reading that one before other books. xD I too loooove tiny books. It makes me feel so productive when I finish them in just a couple days!
Ohhhh smushy, it’s been so long since I’ve visited! I’ve read three of these and Please Don’t Hug Me was absolutely beautiful. There was something so incredibly emotional and pure to the narrative and I can’t wait to see what you think of it! House of Dragons is a fierce Game of Thrones YA book and one of the first I’ve read with dragons that I absolutely loved, especially one of the dragons affectionately called ‘Dog;, he’s like a giant fire breathing puppy. I hope you can squeeze in a few reads before the end of the year Cait, so many brilliant books to come!
Oh there are SO many books I told myself I’d read soon and then… well life and other books happened and here we are haha. The Lucky Ones has been sitting on my TBR since FOREVER and ahh, I also want to read You should See Me in a Crown, it sounds SO GOOD. I hope you’ll get to read all of these! <3
The only book that reminds me of The house in the cerulean sea is yours, The boy who steals houses. How could you NOT like this book then?? It’s so good and I’ll be rereading it for the rest of eternity (just like yours).
Welp I am sad to say that I haven’t read any of these either. But I also really want to read the Cerulean Sea, You Should See Me In A Crown and also Grown asap. This comment is late so I hope you’ve read some of them Cait xx
I was so excited for Court of Miracles before it released but I feel like it just fell off the radar after that – or maybe it’s just me. I need to read Grown too, it sounds so heartbreaking and phenomenal. I wasn’t a fan of Stalking Jack the Ripper , but I still want to give Kingdom of the Wicked a try.
OK ok you will definitely love the house in the cerulean sea, it’s such a feel good read and perfect for 2020! ngl i haven’t read any of the other books you mentioned in your post soo..oops? i’m so behind on releases this year and last year and basically every year. i mostly just want to read some rom coms because i’m in the mood for some chill adult romance books. i just want to like escape real life haha.
I haven’t read any of these, but a few are on my list, as well. I particularly want to read Court of Miracles. I hope you managed to get to some of them in the past month!
I read and bought most of the books, and they are so good. There still a lot more to read as well. I am so excited.