2020 END OF THE YEAR BOOK TAG

Putting gorgeous anime art from Mononoke up there because I can’t think of a nice intro for this tag.

It’s the End Of The Year Book Tag. Enjoy…

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Are there any books you started this year you need to finish?

I have a couple of series finales I needed to finish that I really have no hope of finishing this year. I’ll put them here anyway.

I went on and off with The Enchanter’s Flame until I just completely forgot due to other more enticing books. For a finale, it wasn’t as engaging as the other installments because I find the writing repetitive. I want to finish Sebastian and Ailin’s story more for the sake of completing The Ellwood Chronicles than anything else because I invested a lot of time in it. Also, there’s a spinoff series out so I want to see this resolved first before jumping into that.

Ditto with Deosil.

For some reason, I just couldn’t get engaged with the story as much as I love Whyborne & Griffin. I got too impatient and already started with the spin-off Rath and Rune.

Brothersong is enjoyable but honestly, it’s not as riveting as Ravensong and Heartsong. It’s also a long-ass book and I’m taking a lot of breaks so I’ll probably be done with this by next year.

My love for Dr. Ashton ‘Snow’ Frost and the Unbreakable Boy knows no bounds. I was excited to delve into another Snow and Jude story but sadly, not feeling the writing here. It’s a bit repetitive, going on and on with how the Boys love each other. Yes, we get it, we love it. It just kills the momentum of the story, unfortunately. I badly want to finish this and I’m hoping to get past my issues. Will try again next year.

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

I planned to read something Christmasy but TBH, I don’t really read books by season. I go where the winds of whimsy blow and right now it’s taking me to dark romance territory. Namely, the deliciously deviant series, Handled.

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Is there a new release you’re still waiting for?

Not anymore because this!

was finally released

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What are three books you want to read before the end of the year?

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Wood is the standalone sequel to Bishop, featuring his best friend, Trent and his mentor, Wood. Struggling with this so far but not too much for me to completely give it up.

Zero Divergence is the series finale of the police procedural+partner-to-lovers series, Zero Hour. This is another one I need to finish before jumping to the spin-off.

How To Lure A Hunter is Karsyn and Claude’s story and I love this two to bits.

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Is there a book that you think could still shock you and become your favourite?

I’m not sure about upcoming books but I was surprised to actually enjoy a K.A. Merikan book. I don’t really jive with their writing but Their Bounty was a polyamorous delight that gave us my favorite broody mercenary, Drake.

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Have you already made reading plans for 2021?

I’m not very good at long term-plans. When I have an idea, I usually try to make it happened ASAP before I lose my enthusiasm for it. Also I’m a mood reader so I always end up reading something entirely different from what I originally planned.

So short-term plans it is:

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1. Vaguely entertaining thoughts of re-reading the very first MM books I read and see what I think of them now. Vaguely because usually, I have no time for re-reads. Too many new books await my attention.

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2. Start on the gargoyle series Cloth & Stone instead of waiting for the audiobook.

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3. Go on more steampunk adventures. The Gangster will be out by January so YAY! I hope the genre is going to be big in 2021 because I can’t get enough.

4. Not bookish but I’m on a gigantic anime slump right now. I haven’t watched any anime for a couple of years already. I really have to re-visit Mononoke (not to be confused with Princess Mononoke). This is a fantastical horror anime about a mysterious Kusuri-uri a.k.a. Medicine Seller who goes from town to town exorcising bad spirits. It’s very disturbing but absolutely lovely to look at. It might get me out of my funk.

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There you have it, my year-end loose threads and future plans. I have positive vibes about the coming year. Fingers cross it’s going to be hell lot better than 2020.

What are your reading plans for 2021?