As it’s the start of the year, it’s time to set myself some reading goals. Last year I was very comfortable with a 25 book target. In 2023 I don’t plan to up it by much, just going for 26 books. I’m hoping that is a practical target to fit around my writing and whatever else the year throws at me.
I have some books carried over from last year that I want to read so I already have an idea of some of my reads. I plan to stay away from Netgalley and requesting books even though it’s a great way to read books by my favourite authors before they are published. Saying that, if the publishers marketing teams contact me, I’m not sure I’ll be able to resist the pull of a shiny new book or two!
My TBR for 2023 so far
Fantasy
Urban Fantasy
Romance
Writing guides
That is just a taster of the books that I’ve wanted to read for a while. I have a ton on my kindle which I haven’t even looked through yet. I’ll see how I go with this lot first.
What do you think of my selection?
Have you set yourself a reading challenge this year? Do you usually meet your targets?
Whatever and however you read, I hope you enjoy lots of books in 2023!
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Suzanne Rogerson – Author of epic fantasy, heart-warming romance and short stories
It’s been a good reading year for me. I completed my Goodreads challenge of 25 in plenty of time, getting to 28 books in total. It’s not the biggest target, but I’m pleased I made it.
I’ve read a mixture of romance, urban fantasy and fantasy with a couple of thrillers, a how to book and a graphic novel thrown in.
You can check out all the books I read on my goodreads challenge here.
I’ve been transported to some amazing locations and different worlds, I’ve been entertained and kept up too late at night on many occasions!
I try to read as many books as I can by fellow indie authors or those published by small presses, and I’ve discovered new to me authors whose work I will be searching out in the future.
I haven’t reviewed as many books on my blog as I would have liked in 2022, but I try to leave reviews or at least ratings on Goodreads and Amazon because as an author I know how important these are.
Looking back over the list on Goodreads, I find it almost impossible to pick a favourite. But If I had to, I think I would say The Switch by Beth O’Leary. I only picked it up because so many agents rate her work and having read this book I can completely see why. I highly recommend it.
Did you meet any reading challenges you set yourself? Have you got a favourite read you can recommend?
I will be back in the new year with some of the books I plan to read during 2023.
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Suzanne Rogerson – Author of epic fantasy, heart-warming romance and short stories
I love the start of the year where I look at the books I own, check my TBR list and decide what to read throughout 2022.
I aim to read 25 books and have set my Goodreads challenge accordingly. I want to focus on writing more this year, but I do love escaping into a good book so I’m hoping that figure is not too ambitious.
Here are some books I’m really looking forward to getting stuck into though I’m not sure what order I will read them:
Fantasy and Urban fantasy
Revenge de los Muertos by Talis Jones – I won this in a competition and I’m currently reading it. I’m 40% in and it’s very intriguing. I’ve also pre-ordered bk 2 which comes out in a few days.
Nightborn by Jessica Thorne – I loved book one last year. It was one of my fav fantasy reads. See my post about them here.
Echo Murder by Laura Laakso – I really loved book 1 and keep meaning to catch up with the rest of the series.
Shadow and Bone trilogy – Christmas present I can’t wait to read. I loved the Netflix show and have already started the first book.
Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman in audio – This was on my list in 2021 so I really need to give it a listen.
Romance
New Hope for the Little Cornish Farmhouse – Nancy Barone. I love the premise of this book.
The Summer Island Festival – Rachel Burton – another book premise that drew me in.
Tanglewood Flower Shop and The Tanglewood Wedding Shop – Lilac Mills
I have loads of romance paperbacks to choose from so I expect there to be plenty of mood reads coming up in 2022.
Classics
Dracula Bram Stoker – my daughter loves this book and says I should read it.
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Are any of these books on your radar? Have you made a reading list for 2022?
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Suzanne Rogerson – Author of epic fantasy and heart-warming romance
In 2021 I set a target of reading 20 books. I’m pleased to say at the time of writing this I have read 32 and will hopefully get the chance to finish another by the end of the year.
Since deciding to write a romance series I’ve been devouring romance books, especially those by my fav authors in the genre Sue Moorcroft, Jo Thomas and Jill Mansell. I’ve also discovered some new authors I can’t wait to read more of. I’ve read a lot of books through Netgalley this year, which is a wonderful way to read new books, but not great at clearing my TBR pile.
I’m disappointed to see that I haven’t read much fantasy, but those I have read have been brilliant.
I read a few non-fiction about writing and nature and I’ve tried a classic which I had to DNF because I just didn’t care at all about the characters. I might go back and try to read the end at some point.
So here is my list of books split into genres for easy reference and links to my reviews where available.
So I didn’t set myself a huge target this year, but I didn’t expect to have completed it by August either. That makes me very happy.
Some people might read 20 books in a few months but I’m still pleased with this figure and hope to read quite a few more books by the end of the year.
Netgalley has been responsible for quite a few of my recent reads and I have 4 more accepted requests lined up that I will post about later.
Here is my list and links to reviews or a brief summary of my feelings for the books.
Netgalley Reads
The Hotel at Honeymoon Station – Tilly Tennant. An enjoyable and gentle romance. My 4 star Review
Chasing the Italian Dream – Jo Thomas. Brilliant summer read, I still miss the characters. My 4.5 star review
The River Between Us – Liz Fenwick. Enjoyable dual timeline though maybe not Liz Fenwick’s best work. My 4 starReview
Waste Not. Want Not – Lilac Mills. A surprising and enjoyable romance. My 5 starReview
Under the Italian Sun – Sue Moorcroft. I loved this hot romance right from the first page (not just hot because of the weather!) My 5 star review.
Writing Resourses
200 boosts for Indie Authors – Rayne Hall. A great book of tips to work through to improve your books and author career. Better for those starting out I think. 4 star
Save the cat! Writes a Novel – Jessica Brody. Very interesting way of looking at writing which I hope to try out on a new WIP very soon. 4.5 star.
Romance your brand – Zoe York. Helpful guide that makes you rethink how you should be writing a series. 4 stars
Romance books
An Island Christmas – Jenny Colgan. Enjoyable and emotional read.
Summer Kisses at Mermaid Point – Sarah Bennett. Enjoyable and heartwarming. Looking forward to revisiting soon.
The Tanglewood Teashop – Lilac Mills. Loved it so much I bought the next books straight away. Can’t wait to dive in again.
Unpredictable Consequences of Love – Jill Mansell. Loved this book and thought about the characters long after I finished it. My review
Winter Beneath The Stars – Jo Thomas. Despite a shaky start for me I ended up loving the characters and the location was wonderful. See my review.
Christmas Wishes – Sue Moorcroft. A heart-warming Christmas read I absolutely fell in love with. My big fat 5 star review.
(I started Christmas Wishes at the end of 2020 and finished it in early 2021. I considered it one of my fav reads of 2020 but it could also be a contender for the best of 2021 reads too!)
Fantasy
Raven Storm (book 3) – Emma Miles. My only fantasy read so far this year (shocking)!
I loved this third book just as much as the first 2. Emma Miles is such an accomplished fantasy writer and I love the world and characters she has created in this series. I must review this book and get on with reading book 4 which came out a few months ago. My Review of the series so far (books 1 and 2)
Other Reads
Beginning of The End – GJ Stevens. Gripping with non-stop action and a surprising twist end. My 5 star review.
Capital Action – GJ Stevens. Entertaining thriller of a read. My 5 star review.
Wolf Hollow – Lauren Wolk. Very emotional, evocative and immersive 5 star mid-grade read.
The Circling Sky – Neil Ansell. This cover is beautiful and I love the title which reminds me of the Pink Floyd song ‘Learning to Fly’. I love the New Forest and this book helped to transport me back there. I’m grateful a fellow reviewer sent me her ARC copy once she’d finished reading it – thanks Hannah at Echoes in an Empty Room. This is a relaxing 4 star read.
My only DNF
Wuthering Heights – Emily Bronte. I just couldn’t get on with this classic. I got half way through but I just didn’t care enough to keep reading. More of a frustrating read than entertaining for me.
The whole reason I decided to read this was because a character in my new romance series is an English Literature Professor and he said Wuthering Heights is one of his favourite reads. Having attempted to read in myself, I’m going to have to have a chat with him as to why he chose it!
What are your views on this classic or classics in general? I just can’t seem to get on with them.
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It has been great to escape into books this year and I have enjoyed being forced to start reviewing again mainly due to my Netgalley reads. There are some books here I would still like to review, especially by indie authors as I know how important it is to get those precious reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.
I’ll be back soon with a list of the books I want to read during the rest of the year including the books I still have outstanding on Netgalley.
What are your reading plans and how close are you to completing your 2021 Goodreads Challenge?
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P.S.
Talking of reviewing books, my Goodreads, Amazon and Audible book pages seem to have hit a bit of a slump. If you have read any of my books would you consider helping me out by posting a quick review? I love to read your thoughts and even a short review will really make my day. Thanks very much.
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Suzanne Rogerson – Author of epic fantasy and heart-warming romance
Though I managed to reach my Goodreads target of 35 books in 2018, I decided to go for a more conservative figure in 2019. I want to focus on writing much more and don’t want to stress about reading. I’m aiming for 30 books.
I hate to be restricted in what I read so reading to a list doesn’t suit me. I found that the books I planned to read last year just didn’t happen. This year I want to go with the flow and read whatever takes my fancy.
That mindset will take over as of February, because I do have a couple of books that I need to read in January.
Currently reading my first ever ARC from Netgalley – The Gutter Prayer by Gareth Hanrahan. The official release date is 17th January and I want to post a review then. The book is going well so far, and is a very different kind of fantasy for me.
Scythe by Neal Shusterman is my January book group choice, and I’ve been wanting to read this one for ages so I’m looking forward to it.
I still have to read the book I won a few months ago – City of Lies by Sam Hawke. As a competition winner, I feel it’s only fair that I review this book once I’ve read it, but it is a big book and I keep unintentionally pushing it down my tbr list.
And there is a non-fiction book I’ve been meaning to read for ages ‘Writing short stories to promote your novels’ Rayne Hall’s writer’s craft series.
Plus I cannot forget to mention that I’m planning to re-read my own books (The Lost Sentinel and The Sentinel’s Reign) to fully immerse myself in the Silent Sea Chronicles ahead of completing the draft of book 3 – The Sentinel’s Alliance. I’m really excited to get stuck in, and can’t wait to show off the cover of book 3!
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My thoughts on reviewing…
I fell out of love with reviewing books in 2018. I felt I didn’t have enough to say and some of my reviews were just going through the motions. So this year I only want to review books that I really loved and just have to share with you. I also want to read more writer’s guides and plan to review them and how they’ve helped me. I read a couple late last year. Once I’ve used the techniques mentioned I will share my thoughts on how they worked for me.
Tomorrow I will be sharing my first review of the year so you know it’s got to be a good book! Please stop by then.
This year has been busy in various ways and I have not read as much as I would’ve liked. My Goodreads challenge was 35 books and so far I have only read 29. I thought making a list for the rest of the year would help me get back on track.
So here goes.
Currently reading – Magic Study by Maria V Snyder. As with the first book I find the writing totally addictive and if I read nothing else but these books this year I would be happy.
ARC – Not Like Everyone Else by Jennifer Leigh. This is a YA thriller I’ve been interested in since following Jenn’s blog and I am going to read this before 2018 ends.
Self Published Fantasy Blog Off books – I bought lots of SPFBO books in the last SPFBO sale which I have yet to read. Here’s my post about the bargains I picked up. Now there is another sale 15th to 19th November so I will be getting even more books to add to my TBR list which already has 400 books! I really hope to read at least another one off this list and perhaps I may even share a surprise review from my husband who is currently reading one of SPFBO books – surprise because he has no idea I’ve mentioned this!
My Xmas Read – For the last three years I have read the latest Great Library book by Rachel Caine. This year I will be reading Smoke and Iron – book 4. My son started the series a few weeks ago and has already started the 4th book. I had planned to give it to myself as a Christmas present, but he begged to read it first!
Audio book – Still listening to Gilded Cage by Vic James which has been enjoyable so far. I like the voice of the narrator and she has brought the story to life for me. It does seem a bit slow, but I’m happy to stick at it.
Book Group Read – Sweet Dreams by Tricia Sullivan
This one sounds intriguing!
Books I’ve Won – I have been lucky enough to win two books recently and I can’t wait to read them. City of Lies by Sam Hawke and Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce. I would love to read and review these before the end of 2018.
So these books will take me to my Goodreads target of 35 books, but life and writing does have a habit of getting in the way. Fingers crossed I find some uninterrupted reading time!
At the start of 2017 I wrote a list of the books I planned to read. Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to reach my goal because I spent most of my time editing rather than reading. Looking back at the books I did read in 2017 I noticed I haven’t read as much fantasy as I would like. So in 2018 I hope to immerse myself in the genre.
I decided to record a few of the books I plan to read and hopefully by telling you all, it will inspire me to keep on track. Here goes…
Ash and Quill (The Great Library book 3) – Rachel Caine
(Book 1 and 2 were my Christmas reads over the last few years and I loved them. I’m 100 pages into book 3 and loving it just as much.)
A Gathering of Shadows (Book 2) A Conjuring of Light (Book 3) – V E Schwab
(I loved book one and chose it as a standout fantasy read for me in 2017. Here’s the post.)
Queen of Fire – Book 3 – Anthony Ryan
(When I read book 1 – Bloodsong a few years ago I knew I had discovered my new David Gemmell in this author. I enjoyed book 2 almost as much, but for some reason haven’t got around to reading the last book.)
Magic-Born – Crown of Stones book 3 – C L Schneider
(Crown of Stones is another great series that I can’t wait to finish reading.)
Magisterium books 2, 3 and 4. Holly Black and Cassandra Clare.
(A brilliant children’s series that my son and I adore. Hopefully the last book will be published in 2018?)
Rhyming Rings – David Gemmell
(David Gemmell is my all time favourite fantasy author! When I heard this unpublished book was being released in 2017, I snapped up a copy. I’m waiting for the right moment to sit and read this book without any distractions.)
Keepers – Sacha Black
(I’ve followed Sacha’s blog for quite a while now and have been eager to read her new book, which I won in a blog competition. I’m hoping it’s one I can recommend to my son as well.)
Caraval – Stephanie Garber
(Some of the reviewers I follow have loved this book and it’s on the strength of their reviews that I bought this. I’m looking forward to checking it out.)
I also have trilogies by Joe Abercrombie and Brandon Sanderson to complete, and it’s about time I started Throne of Glass by Sarah J Mass to see what all the fuss is about. I also hope to read some writing guides early in 2018 including;
111 tips to create your book trailer
111 tips to get book reviews
111 tips to market your book for free (all by Doris-Maria Heilmann)
13 steps to evil by Sacha Black
Fantasy Writing Prompts by Rayne Hall.
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Currently I have 283 book on my To Read shelf on Goodreads, bookshelves full of unread paperbacks, plus the kids have lots of books they’ve been recommending, and I have more books on my kindle and audiobooks to listen to. So once I’ve tackled the above list, I have plenty more books to choose from. Have you got any books that you think I should read in 2018?
What are your reading goals and what’s on your must read list?
Here’s to another year of great books. Happy reading!
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Suzanne Rogerson Fantasy Author 