Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week a new theme is suggested for bloggers to participate in. This week’s prompt is a Freebie, so I decided to stick with my annual tradition of combining TTT and Jana’s Christmas Song Book Tag. You can check out my post from 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022, as well.
Hello Readers! It’s time for one of my favorite posts of the year, and I can’t believe it’s my fifth time to share this mashup. It’s always a fun way to look back on my reading for the year.
Let’s see what books I chose!
For today’s prompt, I will be limiting my choices to books I read for the first time in 2023.
(Link to synopsis on Goodreads through the book title.)
1
“All I Want for Christmas Is You”:
Favorite bookish couple
Oh boy, this is a hard one this year. I really have so many, but I’m gonna force myself to pick one. Harriet and Wyn from Happy Place by Emily Henry. Henry is a pro at making me believe in her characters.
My Review
2
“I’ll Be Home for Christmas”:
Name a book where a character is away from home (school, vacation, etc.)
- Jay Gardiner is very, very far from home in Whalefall by Daniel Kraus. I thought this book was phenomenal. My Review
- I just finished Lost Kingdom by Laurel Black a few days ago, and I was blown away! An intricate fantasy world with enigmatic characters who are all very far from home. The book even included a cool map to follow their journey. My Review
3
“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”:
Name your favorite “little” book (children’s book, short story, novella, etc.)
Physically, Heartstopper: Volume Three by Alice Oseman is not necessarily a small book, but I did read it in one sitting, so it counts for me!
4
“Santa Claus is Coming to Town“:
What book do you hope Santa brings you this year?
Despite the fact that I already own a couple of this author’s books, I’ve yet to read one by her. But I can’t resist all the wonderful things I’m hearing about Tom Lake by Ann Patchett.
5
“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”:
Which book turned your nose red (made you cry)?
Books don’t often make me cry, but The Good Part by Sophie Cousens had me feeling all the feelings.
My Review
6
“The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”:
Your favorite book/kind of book to read during the holidays
Since I’ve been limiting my ARCs, I only had a few holiday-themed ones this year. But a new Josie Silver book is a must-read for me. I adored A Winter in New York!
My Review
7
“We Three Kings”:
Your favorite trilogy
I only read one complete trilogy this year, and it was a reread of The Hunger Games. But I did read Ali Hazelwood’s three STEM novellas.
- Under One Roof (The STEMinist Novellas, #1) by Ali Hazelwood
- Stuck With You (The STEMinist Novellas, #2) by Ali Hazelwood
- Below Zero (The STEMinist Novellas, #3) by Ali Hazelwood
8
“Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow”:
A character you would love to be snowed in with
I feel like June from The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young would have plenty of stories to keep me entertained.
My Review
9
“Last Christmas”:
A book that seriously let you down
I didn’t have any books that I truly disliked this year, but I was a little disappointed with Greywaren, the final book in the Dreamer Trilogy by Maggie Stiefvater. It still got four stars from me, because it is Maggie and basically anything she writes is good. I was mostly sad it didn’t get a more meaningful ending. I honestly don’t remember much about the book, but that I wanted more.
10
“White Christmas”:
Upcoming releases you’re dreaming about
Okay, is anyone surprised that all the upcoming releases I’m excited for are Romances? Yeah, probably not. 😆 I’m pretty sure Emily Henry always makes this prompt. Her next hit Funny Story is coming in April. And Katherine Center, an auto-read author for me, will be releasing The Rom-Commers in June. Jen Devon’s debut novel Bend Toward the Sun (My Review) was one of my favorite reads of last year, so I’m super excited to pick up her next book Right Where We Left Us, which takes place in the same world as her previous book.
Have I included any of your favorites? Or one from your TBR?? Let me know in the comments!
Happy Wandering and Happy Holidays!
Katherine’s book looks soooo cute! And I picked up Sophie’s, too, so hoping I enjoy. Also, this is a fun list. 🙂
Yes!! Oh, I hope you enjoy The Good Part as much as I did!
I didn’t give Greywaren 5 stars either. I liked not loved the whole series. I loved The Raven Boys, though.
My TTT Freebie is a Christmas playlist
Yes! My thoughts exactly. It kind of felt like Maggie was over the whole thing in the last book, and just wanted to be done. Which made me sad. But I understand. I’m excited for her next project!
What a wonderful choice for this week’s freebie! It’s a whole book tag on its own. And I’ve heard rave reviews for The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young – that song pick made me wonder where’s the snowfall connection!
It’s a great book! But no snowfall connection! I guess that is confusing. 😃 The only thing that applies here is “a character you’d love to be snowed in with”. I always twist it so it’s not such a romantic prompt. Ha!
What a fun tag this is!
Here is my Top Ten Tuesday post.
Thanks!
I need to do this tag! It sounds so fun 🎄
Do it! And then let me know so I can read it. 🥰
Nice work! A new book by Katherine Center!! Yes!! Oh you’ve made my day!
Yes!! Her ARCs usually arrive in my inbox around Thanksgiving, but this one never showed up, so I’m a bit bummed this year. 😃 Hopefully it shows up late.
Such a shame you found Greywaren a little disappointing-I have to admit, I’m behind on the Dreamer Trilogy, I read the first book and still haven’t caught up with the others!
My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2023/12/05/top-ten-tuesday-449/
Yeah… it was still good, but nothing compared to The Raven Cycle.
I am right there with your anticipating those three White Christmas books. So excited to read new books by all three of those authors. The Good Part made me cry a bit too. I was hopeful though. Tom Lake was my first Patchett book, and I enjoyed it very much. I hope Santa brings it to you.
I think it was seeing your review for Tom Lake that made me want to read it! Fingers crossed it shows up. 😉
The Ali Hazelwood novellas were so much fun. I really need to get to Emily Henry’s work… Nice list (and I like the format!).
My TTT.
Yes! I’ve loved everything by Hazelwood, and I was late to the party. Emily Henry is one of my very favorites, too. You should give her a try! I’d recommend Beach Read or Happy Place to start. 🙂
Love the mash-up post! 😀
Thank you! <3
This is an interesting tag/top ten Dedra. I loved seeing your answers to them all. I might give this a try if I get time.
I have fun with this tag every year. I hope you decide to try it! I’d enjoy seeing your responses. 🙂
Fun tag! WHALEFALL has such an intriguing cover. It’s not really my genre, but I just might have to check it out. Glad you loved it.
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
Whalefall isn’t my usual genre either, but I couldn’t put it down! It was especially memorable reading it while floating in the pool. 😉
Ooh, I love this book tag & Christmas song mash up! I might need to do it too. I’m really looking forward to reading The Good Part, and I loved Ali Hazelwood’s trilogy 🙂 x
The Good Part was sooo good! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. <3
A Winter in New York sounds fun! Bummer about greywaren though 🙁
Yeah, it’s hard when books you look so forward to are disappointing. On to the next book! 😉
I love this tag and I may be doing it on my blog in the future. Thanks for sharing!
I hope you do!!