Somehow, it’s already the middle of January. How did that happen! This post is maybe a little later than originally intended, but still: Happy New Year! Here’s hoping 2024 brings joy and health for one and all!
As is my annual tradition, rather than setting a bunch of reading goals that I probably won’t achieve, I prefer to focus my bookish intentions on series reading. There are so many series out there that I want to get to!
Right now, though, I’m not feeling like committing to reading any particular series from start to finish. I don’t have any in mind that I absolutely, positively want to binge my way through. But… there are a bunch that I’ve considered starting, so for 2024, I’m switching up my focus.
Instead of full-series commitment, my 2024 priorities will focus on series I’d like to start. Who knows? Maybe some will hook me right from the start and I’ll want to keep going, but at the very least, I want to give a bunch of first-in-a-series books a try. We’ll see — if I like them… I may dive in and binge to the end!
Of course, it’s still early in the year, so I may completely change my mind about some or all of these, but as of now…
My priority series to sample/binge/finish in 2024 will be:
Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series by Mia P. Manansala: I own paperbacks of the first two books in the series, and the books as a whole come highly recommended, so I hope to at least get started!
A Stitch in Time series by Kelley Armstrong: I read the 1st book a few years ago and really liked it, but at this point, would need to start over at the beginning.
Innkeeper Chronicles or Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews: I feel like this author’s books are a gap in my fantasy reading! Both series have been recommended to me, so I may sample one or both, then see which (if either) grabs me enough to continue.
The Lady Janies series by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows: I read My Lady Jane in 2022, identified this as a series to continue in 2023, and then failed to make any progress. Hope springs eternal — maybe 2024 will be the year!
Eye of Isis by Dana Stabenow: I’m excited to read the first book in this series — Death of an Eye — with my book group next month. There are three books published so far, with a 4th in the works. If I like book 1 (and I’m confident that I will), I expect that I’ll want to keep going.
The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper: This is a repeat from 2023. I just didn’t get around to these books last year, but I still really want to. I’m thinking audio might be the way to go…
And now, all my “maybe” choices — these are all series starters that I’m interested in. Maybe I’ll get to some of these in 2024, and then maybe I’ll want to read more from the same series… or maybe not. In any case, here are the other series starters that I’m considering this year:
- Something Fabulous by Alexis Hall
- Pines by Blake Crouch (first in a trilogy, and I’m pretty sure I’ll want to read them all once I start)
- Kitty and the Midnight Hour (Kitty Norville series, #1) by Carrie Vaughn
- Green Rider by Kristen Britain
- Infinity Gate by M. R. Carey
- Legenborn by Tracy Deonn
- Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier
- Arrows of the Queen by Mercedes Lackey (because I feel like I absolutely should have read the Valdemar books by now)
- Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky (which, yes, has been on my series-to-read list for a few years now, but I haven’t given up!)
Are you planning to start any new series this year? If you’ve read any of the series on my list for 2024, please let me know what you thought and if you have any recommendations!
Bookshelf Fantasies 
There are a bunch of series I’m in the middle of, but I can’t really think of any that I definitely want to finish, except for Kate Elliot’s Crown of Stars series, though I have only finished the first book, so my opinion may change. I hope you get to The Dark is Rising soon! The first book’s tone is different from the others’. It’s more of an adventure book, while the others are very atmospheric and eerie at times.
I’m not familiar with Crown of Stars, but I’ll have to look into it! Good to know about The Dark is Rising. I did read the first book with my son years ago and not being sure about continuing, but I keep hearing about the series as a whole, and I want to give it a try.
I read the first Crown of Stars book last month, and liked the characters enough to want to follow them on. It’s an epic fantasy series set on an alternate medieval Earth. Lots of politics going on in the background (so far, the main characters are pretty inexperienced), some action now and then to keep things moving. People to care about, people you’ll love to hate. I should really get onto the second book asap!
Sounds great! Potentially another to add to my list!
I read Green Rider in 2023 and it was just ok for me. Nothing wrong with it, but I am not continuing this series. Of the ones you mentioned I really want to read Arrows of the Queen (on my shelf) and Children of Time. I have so many first books in series I don’t really know where to start!
It can be overwhelming — I’m having a very hard time choosing!
The Kitty books are fabulous.
That’s great! I’ve really enjoyed other books by the same author, so I’m looking forward to giving Kitty a try.
I’ve read one, and always meant to get to more, but just haven’t been motivated enough, I guess.
I liked them, hope you do as well. Another series: The Dresden Files, by Jim Butcher each book gets better (I think there are 17 of them). Have fun.
I’ve read all the Dresden book! I think I lost a bit of interest by the time the most recent few came out, but I know I’ll be back whenever there’s a new one!
Hoping you get to try Green Rider. I’d like to try Arsenic and Adobo too.
I really do want to give Green Rider a try! I worry with books like that one or other fantasy series starters, once I start I’ll want to keep going! Not necessarily a bad thing, but there are just so many books to get to.
That’s a great thing. I really wish I was like that. It would make me get through series so much faster and actually finish them.
Once upon a time I was going to get to that series; when I bought the first 2 or 3 used, the bookstore clerk got all excited and encouraged me to read them. … Several years later, I disposed of some of the latter ones, because I needed shlef room for ones I’m actually likely to read. I believe I still have Green Rider on my shelves though. So I havent’ given up entirely.
I’m the queen of starting series and not finishing them, I should do a post like this too, lol. The Kelley Armstrong series sounds really good. And I’ve been trying to read Children of Time for years! Good luck😁
I bought the first Children of Time book when I thought it was a duology… and now there are 4 (?) so far. Feels like a huge lift to dive in and catch up, although I did make it all the way through the Expanse series, and those books were huge. 🙂
I should probably do a post like this to hold myself accountable for all of my unfinished series! Good luck with your reading goal!! 😊
Not that I necessarily stick to my plans… but it’s fun to at least attempt!
I’ve only read Legendborn from your list and loved it, you’re in for a treat!
That’s great to hear! I know my daughter loved Legendborn and has been pushing me to read it.
I see a number of series I’ve intended to start for a long time too, and haven’t. I own some of them and have given up on others. (I did once upon a time read a bit of one of the Kate Daniels ones at one time, but then never got back to it. – partly because I wasn’t at home at the time). None of them are on my priority list right now though. 😂. Ah, the perennial TBR list!
Some of these have been on my TBR lists for years… so at some point, it’s either read them, or admit that I never will!
😂. Yep!
I picked up the Clean Sweep series because of Dana Stabenow’s review. Definitely worth your time.
Great to know! I do have a copy… just need time to get to it.
I enjoyed A Stitch in Time and anything by Ilona Andrews is an auto-read for me. Hope you love them all.
Thank you! I’m eager to give Ilona Andrews a try! I read the 1st book in the Stich in Time series and really liked it, but it was long enough ago that I’d want a reread before continuing.
Hope you love Ilona Andrews as much as I do.