How are we already midway through 2022?! Am I on track to reach my reading goals? Is it time for me to freak out? OR am I doing better than I think? I’m hoping this tag will put everything in perspective and help me to have a better grasp on the rest of my reading year. 🙂

(Link to Goodreads synopsis through book title.)

How much have you read?

I’ve managed to read 53 books out of my Goodreads goal of 100 for the year so far. The past few years I’ve set my goal under 100, usually around the 75 or 80 mark, but I usually end up reading 100 books, so I went ahead and started my goal there this year.

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I’ve read 36 books out of 63 for my yearly Popsugar Reading Challenge, which puts me 7 books ahead of schedule. Here’s My 2022 Popsugar Reading Challenge Mid-Year Update post if you’d like to see what I’ve read so far.

What have you been reading?

Thanks to Kal @ Reader Voracious ‘s spreadsheet, I can produce this lovely pie chart showing exactly what I’ve been reading. And be reminded that it’s woefully unbalanced. In 2020 at my mid-year update, I’d read 29.2% romance. In 2021, I’d read 32.6% romance. Clearly, it’s the genre that has dominated my reading so far this year. I know this is a result of me prioritizing comfort reads, which ends up being mostly romance. I have read more Sci-Fi at the midpoint of this year than I did last year. So there is that.😃 One of my goals for the rest of the year will be to branch out from the Romance genre.

Best book(s) you’ve read so far in 2022?

I don’t have a clear favorite so far. Currently, One Night on the Island, The Hating Game, and Every Summer After are tied for the spot. And SURPRISE! they’re all romances.

Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2022?

I haven’t read very many sequels so far this year, but I enjoyed The Suite Spot by Trish Doller, which is technically the second book in the Beck Sisters series, but can also be read as standalones.

A new release you haven’t read, but want to?

Running Wild was one of my most anticipated reads for the year, and I STILL haven’t read it.

Most anticipated release for the second part of the year?

My most anticipated release this time last year was Lia Louis’ Eight Perfect Hours, so it seems fitting that her next book The Key to My Heart is my most anticipated for 2022, as well.

Biggest disappointment?

I always struggle with this prompt because while I’ve read books that didn’t quite live up to my expectations, I still found something to enjoy in them. But, I’m always disappointed that I don’t love Taylor Jenkins Reid’s books more than I do, so I’ll put Maybe in Another Life here. I’ve had this book on my shelf for years and I hoped I would enjoy it as much as I did One True Loves, but it didn’t happen.

Biggest surprise?

I was most nervous about this apocalyptic style ARC I had waiting to be read, but I ended up devouring City of Orange by David Yoon, finding it hard to put down. The ratings have not been high for this one, but I’m not too surprised. It’s not a book for everyone, but it got four and half stars rounded up to five on Goodreads from me.

New favorite author (debut or new to you)?

I finally read From Lukov With Love by Mariana Zapata in January and I’ve since read three more of her books. (All available on Kindle Unlimited.) So happy I finally listened to my fellow bloggers who’ve raved about her. I’m a sucker for her slow-burn romances.

Underrated gems you’ve discovered recently?

I was so impressed with this Young Adult debut. I gave This May End Badly by Samantha Markum five glowing stars! Loved the characters and setting. Pencil it in for your fallish back-to-school reading.

Rereads this year?

I LOVE to reread, but I haven’t reread a single thing so far this year. I’ll be marking this as another goal for the rest of 2022.

Newest fictional crush?

I was not a fan of Cooper at the beginning of Good Girl Complex by Elle Kennedy, but he won me over by the end.

Newest favorite character(s)?

Charlie and Nick from the Heartstopper series by Alice Oseman. Gosh, I love them.

Book that made you cry?

I finally read Happiness for Beginners, one of Katherine Center’s backlist titles, and boy did it pull on the heartstrings!

Book(s) that made you happy?

I laughed out loud so much reading The One Night and The Reunion by Meghan Quinn! The One Night is a novella that focuses on some of the characters and events that proceed The Reunion. I would recommend reading them both, even though it’s not required.

Favorite book-to-film (and book-to-tv) adaptation?

I’ve only watched one book-to-film adaptation so far this year and it was The Hating Game, which I ADORED! It’s rare that the movie is as good as the book, but this one definitely felt like what was on the screen matched what was on the page. I’ve watched several book-to-tv adaptations—Station Eleven (I actually liked the adaptation more than the book) and The Viscount Who Loved Me, the second Bridgerton book (the book is still better)—but my favorite so far is the Heartstopper adaptation. I can’t stop gushing about this one. It’s so well-done and represents the graphic novels perfectly.

Most beautiful cover you’ve bought (or received) this year?

While Elsewhere by Alexis Schaitkin wasn’t my favorite book of the year so far, I thought the cover was stunning!

What books do you need to read by the end of the year?

I have 14 upcoming ARCs (so far) to read for the rest of the year, which is TWICE as many as I had at this point last year. And I’ve read 29 ARCs so far. (The ‘New’ section above includes those 29 ARCs, as well.) Every year I set the goal to limit my requests and acceptance of ARCs. But the longer I blog, the more requests I get, and it’s so hard to say no. 🤦‍♀️😃 I need to be even more selective because I have so many backlist books waiting on my physical and digital shelves. Besides my ARCs, I need to read the rest of the books on my Popsugar Reading Challenge.

Favorite blog post you’ve done this year?

I don’t know if these are necessarily my favorite, but one of my goals for the year was to finally participate in Let’s Talk Bookish, a weekly discussion meme. I participated in two (Rereading Books and Buying Secondhand Books) and then I somehow missed the announcement when it switched hosts. I finally remembered to check in, and I’m glad I did because my suggestion ‘Should All Romances Have HEAs’ will be a prompt in a few weeks. Yay!

And that’s it! Thanks for reading along. New goals: less romance, less ARCs, and reread something! How’s your reading year looking so far?

Happy Wandering!