At the start of each new year, I write a post about my intended series reading — which series I want to start, which I want to finish, and maybe even some that I want to devour all in one big reading binge.
Now that we’re at the end of December, it’s time to check back in and see if I actually accomplished any of my series reading goals for 2024.
So how did I do?
In 2024, my priority series to read were:
Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series by Mia P. Manansala:
Status: NOPE. Every time I pack for a trip, I throw my paperback copy of Arsenic and Adobo into my bag… and yet I still haven’t read it. That’s one well-traveled book! I do intend to read at least the first book eventually, but I seem to be missing the motivation to actually do it. I’ll keep book #1 on my TBR list… but can’t see myself making this a priority in 2025..
A Stitch in Time series by Kelley Armstrong:
Status: DONE! I’d read the first book a few years ago, but started again at the beginning, and read them all (plus the novellas that fit in between). Amazing series! I just wish there were more books still to read…
The Lady Janies series by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows:
Status: YES, I DID! I read the three books above, and had so much fun with them. There are still more to go — not officially “Janies”, as the next three each focus on a different Mary — but they’re part of the same overall Janie-verse (in a way), and I’m definitely going to continue.
Innkeeper Chronicles or Kate Daniels seriesby Ilona Andrews:
Status: NOPE. I never got around to starting either one, and despite having these books recommended to me quite a few times, I don’t see myself reading them anytime soon.
Eye of Isis by Dana Stabenow:
Status: TWO out of THREE. These books are so interesting… but two felt like enough for me in a single year. I look forward to coming back for book #3 at some point in the future (and there’s a 4th book set for publication in 2025, so there will be even more to look forward to!)
The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper:
Status: TWO AND DONE. I liked the first book in the series, but found the second a bit boring. Maybe I’ve just read too many children’s quest books at this point in my reading life, but I couldn’t find any reason to keep going with the series.
Maybes:
I mentioned a whole bunch of “maybe” series on my list for 2024… and didn’t read a single one! I’ll have to give serious thought to whether any of those will still be maybe-reads for me in the coming year.
Besides all the books mentioned above, I read a few other books from series during the past year, including a book that starts a series that I’m super excited to continue in 2025. I’m going to try not to overplan or overcommit, but that makes at least one series for sure that will be on my next list!
That’s it for my 2024 series reading. How about you?
Did you read any series in 2024? Any particular favorites?
Check back in January, when I’ll set a new batch of series reading goals for the new year.
Title: City of the Lost Series: Rockton, #1 Author: Kelley Armstrong Publisher: Minotaur Books Publication date: May 3, 2016 Length: 412 pages Genre: Thriller/mystery Source: Library Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Casey Duncan is a homicide detective with a secret: when she was in college, she killed a man. She was never caught, but he was the grandson of a mobster and she knows this crime will catch up to her. Casey’s best friend, Diana, is on the run from a violent, abusive ex-husband. When Diana’s husband finds her, and Casey herself is attacked shortly after, Casey knows it’s time for the two of them to disappear again.
Diana has heard of a domestic violence support town made for people like her, a town that takes in people on the run who want to shed their old lives. You must apply to live in Rockton and if you’re accepted, it means walking away entirely from your old life, living off the grid in the wilds of Canada: no cell phones, no Internet, no mail, no computers, very little electricity, and no way of getting in or out without the town council’s approval. As a murderer, Casey isn’t a good candidate, but she has something they want; she’s a homicide detective, and Rockton has just had its first real murder. She and Diana are in. However, soon after arriving, Casey realizes that the identity of a murderer isn’t the only secret Rockton is hiding – in fact, she starts to wonder if she and Diana might be in even more danger in Rockton than they were in their old lives.
An edgy, gripping crime novel from a bestselling urban fantasy writer, City of the Lost boldly announces a major new player in the crime fiction world.
Kelley Armstrong has become an auto-buy author for me, and I’ve been loving her recent series (A Rip Through Time and A Stitch in Time) and stand-alones. I hadn’t had the opportunity to explore her extensive backlist until now… and now that I’ve started, I can’t wait to keep going!
City of the Lost is the first book in the 7-book Rockton series. The premise is certainly unique: There’s a remote town — Rockton, population 200 — located in the wilds of Canada’s Yukon territory. It’s home to those fleeing danger who need complete isolation from the outside world, but it also offers shelter to some with questionable pasts who need a way to hide out and start over. There are no navigable roads in or out — new residents arrive by bush plane, and can only leave the same way. Relocating to Rockton is a serious commitment.
The books opens with a bang:
“I killed a man,” I say to my new therapist.
Detective Casey Duncan has a huge secret that’s been weighing on her for the past twelve years. After a brutally violent attack left Casey with permanent physical and psychological scars, she went to confront the ex-boyfriend whose actions brought about the attack (and who abandoned her to her attackers). During the confrontation, she shot and killed him, although that hadn’t been her intention. While she’s essentially gotten away with the killing, she’s always known that it could catch up to her at any point.
Meanwhile, her best friend Diana has been assaulted yet again by her cruel, abusive ex-husband, and she and Casey fear that they’ll never fully be rid of him. When Diana hears about a town where people can disappear, she proposed that they both go and get the protection they so desperately need. Casey is hesitant, but she realizes that this is the best possible solution for Diana. After an intense screening process, they’re in, but with a catch: The selection process easily unearthed Casey’s secret, but because they need a detective, they’ll let her in — only for a six-month stay.
Casey and Diana’s relocation to Rockton introduces them to a world that’s truly apart from everything they’ve known. And while Diana immediately immerses herself in the social life available to her as one of the small number of women in town, Casey gets right to work under the direction of Sheriff Eric Dalton. Dalton is brusque, demanding, and no-nonsense, and while he initially did not want Casey in his town, he quickly realizes how skilled and valuable she is.
Dalton and the town are in desperate need of Casey’s talents, as dead bodies begin cropping up. At first, it’s assumed that missing Rockton residents have simply wandered off into the woods and perhaps met with accidents, but as gruesome corpses are found, it becomes apparent that a killer is at work. Everyone in town is a potential suspect, and to make matters worse, Casey soon discovers that many of Rockton’s residents are actually more dangerous than she’s been led to believe.
The murder mystery and thriller elements are detailed and complex, with plenty of misleading clues and confusing trails of evidence. For a very small town, Rockton has a lot of characters to introduce, and my one complaint about City of the Lost is that it became difficult at various points to keep all the random people and their backstories straight.
That aside, the drama and tension escalate effectively throughout the story, and I loved seeing the different pieces come together. For me, when I read a mystery series, I enjoy the particular crime to be solved in each book, but what really holds my interest and attention is the character development that connects the books. City of the Lost is only the first book, but I can tell already that the characters are going to keep me coming back for more.
Casey herself is a terrific, imperfect, complex main character, and she has fabulous chemistry with Sheriff Eric Dalton. Even before personal chemistry comes into the mix, they’re amazing as partners, butting heads constantly while also building rock-solid respect for one another as professionals. Seeing them together, for me, is the high point of the story.
Beyond Casey and Eric, there are plenty of side characters who add depth to the story and help create a picture of a full society in this little town. And while the murders do get solved, there is clearly more to uncover in terms of people’s secrets and bigger picture questions about the council that runs Rockton from afar.
City of the Lost is a fantastic way to start a series! After just one book, I can say with certainty that I’m hooked and need more. Fortunately, there are six more books to explore in the main series, and I understand that a spin-off series, Haven’s Rock, includes two books so far, with a third due out in 2025. .
I’m going to try to take my time and not do a series binge… but it’s incredibly tempting to barge straight ahead! I’m looking forward to continuing the Rockton series. Next up: Darkness Absolute.
Title: Disturbing the Dead Series: A Rip Through Time, #3 Author: Kelley Armstrong Publisher: Minotaur Books Publication date: May 7, 2024 Length: 352 pages Genre: Historical fiction/mystery Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via Netgalley Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Disturbing the Dead is the latest in a unique series with one foot in the 1890s and the other in the present day. The A Rip Through Time crime novels are a genre-blending, atmospheric romp from New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong.
Victorian Scotland is becoming less strange to modern-day homicide detective Mallory Atkinson. Though inhabiting someone else’s body will always be unsettling, even if her employers know that she’s not actually housemaid Catriona Mitchell, ever since the night both of them were attacked in the same dark alley 150 years apart. Mallory likes her job as assistant to undertaker/medical examiner Dr. Duncan Gray, and is developing true friends―and feelings―in this century.
So, understanding the Victorian fascination with death, Mallory isn’t that surprised when she and her friends are invited to a mummy unwrapping at the home of Sir Alastair Christie. When their host is missing when it comes time to unwrap the mummy, Gray and Mallory are asked to step in. And upon closer inspection, it’s not a mummy they’ve unwrapped, but a much more modern body.
Kelley Armstrong is rapidly becoming a must-read author for me. Disturbing the Dead is the 3rd book in her excellent A Rip Through Time series… and I’ve also been head-over-heels for the A Stitch in Time series (of which I’ve read half so far). While both series have a timeslip/time travel element, they are completely different in tone and focus… and I’m loving them both.
A Stitch in Time has a romantic focus, with a woman slipping through a “stitch” that allows her to travel back and forth between our world and the Victorian era. Each book in the series has a different woman as the main character, but in all cases, travel back and forth is possible, and the characters must learn to fit in and blend in where they land, while also sorting out the complications of love across time.
In the A Rip Through Time series, a different core concept comes into play. 21st century detective Mallory Atkinson accidentally gets pulled through a rip in time during a visit to Edinburgh. When she is attacked and strangled in a dark alley — and the same thing happens to a young housemaid in the exact same place but in the 19th century — Mallory’s consciousness ends up inhabiting the housemaid’s body.
(There’s a lot more to it, so check out my review of the first book for more details).
Fortunately for Mallory, Catriona is employed as a servant in the home of eccentrics, a brother and sister who are devoted to science and social reform. Dr. Duncan Grey is an undertaker and the unofficial coroner of the Edinburgh police force; his sister Isla is a widow known for her independent thinking and her skills in the chemistry lab. Over the course of the first two books, they come to understand that the person they knew as Catriona isn’t actually Catriona any longer. They befriend Mallory, and her knowledge of 21st century police work and forensics quickly makes her an integral part of the household.
Here in Disturbing the Dead, six months have passed since Mallory’s appearance in their midst. Mallory has been promoted and is now officially Duncan’s assistant. Besides Duncan and Isla, police detective (and close family friend) Hugh McCreadie is also in on Mallory’s secret. Together, this group uses Mallory’s advanced knowledge to carry out investigations and apply a more rigorous scientific approach to Victorian era police work.
The action kicks off with an invitation to a mummy unwrapping. Egyptian artifacts and archaeology are all the rage, and Sir Alistair Christie is hosting a party to share his latest find. When the mummy is unwrapped, however, a very fresh corpse is discovered inside, and Mallory and Duncan find themselves once more in the thick of a complicated murder investigation.
The mystery is the driving force of the novel, and it’s a good one, with plenty of subjects, clues, motives, and red herrings. There’s also a very entertaining side plot about a pulp writer who’s started publishing lurid accounts of Mallory and Duncan’s exploits, much to their embarrassment (and Mallory’s annoyance, as the writer portrays her as an empty-headed girl whose main function is to look impressed — and sexy — while Duncan makes all the discoveries).
One of the many delights of the series is seeing Mallory being herself in the 19th century. Unlike the situation facing the characters in the Stitch in Time series, Mallory doesn’t need to make an effort to conceal herself or blend while amongst her friends. Yes, she must adapt to the time by dressing in corsets and adopting the appropriate social customs, but at home, her speech and knowledge are full of 21st century expressions, swearing, and casual sharing of unknown facts.
“Like people in my world who still think you can catch the common cold — or catarrh — by going out in cold weather, despite the fact we’ve known for generations that it’s caused by a virus.”
“Catarrh is caused by… what?” Gray says.
“Whoops. Sorry. Spoilers. Moving right along…”
She’s just so much fun, and scenes of her with Isla and Duncan are always a delight.
He opens his hand to reveal a derringer pistol. I may let out the kind of noise others make on seeing a puppy.
There a shocking development in the latter half of the book that left me gasping and dismayed. I did not see that coming! The author does a fabulous job of making the situation (no spoilers!) vivid and real, and yet also manages to pull off a great resolution to this particular twist.
Overall, Disturbing the Dead is a fantastic addition to a great series, and I can’t wait for more! Highly recommended — but definitely start at the beginning of the series.
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 seriesby 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!
At the start of each new year, I write a post about my intended series reading — which series I want to start, which I want to finish, and maybe even some that I want to devour all in one big reading binge.
Now that we’re at the end of December, it’s time to check back in and see if I actually accomplished any of my series reading goals for 2023.
So how did I do?
In 2023, my priority series to read were:
Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky:
Status: NOPE. For the second year in a row, I listed this series as a priority read, and for the second year in a row, I utterly neglected to even start it. I do still want to read these books! I’ve enjoyed the short fiction I’ve read by this author, and I’ve heard great things about these books. Still, they do seem like a big commitment, and I suppose that’s why I haven’t gotten started. I’ll keep these books on my TBR list… but maybe leave them out of my series planning for 2024.
The Locked Tomb series by Tamsyn Muir:
Status: ONE AND DONE. I read Gideon the Ninth toward the end of 2022, and despite not loving it, I thought I’d want to continue and see where the series went. As it turns out, I was wrong. Every time I thought about picking up the next book, I realized how uninterested I was. At this point, I can safely say that I’m done.
Wayfarers series by Becky Chambers:
Status: DONE! I read the first two books in the series in late 2022, and finished the other two early in 2023. I absolutely loved these books! I just wish there were more. I have a feeling I’ll be going back for a re-read at some point.
The Lady Janies series by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows:
Status: NO PROGRESS… but not giving up. I meant to continue with this series (I read the first book in 2022)… and just didn’t get around to it. I still intend to! Maybe 2024 will be the year to make it happen.
The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon:
Status: DONE! I listened to the audiobook editions of this romance trilogy, and really enjoyed all three books. (Recommended by my daughter, who has excellent taste.)
The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper:
Status: NOPE. But not for lack of interest. I’d still like to get to this series, and have no particular reason why it hasn’t happened yet. I’ll probably carry this series over for my 2024 list.
Regency Faerie Tales by Olivia Atwater:
Status: DONE. I managed to read all three of these books, although I liked each one a little less than the one before, so stopping after the first book really might have made the most sense. Overall, a fun little fairy tale series, even though my enjoyment didn’t last all the way through.
Maybes: I included two “maybe” series on my list for 2023:
The Kitty Norville series by Carrie Vaughn
Inspector Gamache series by Louise Penny
Status: NOPE. I didn’t touch either one. Maybe someday…
I read a few other series/trilogies/duologies during the year, some of which will end up included in my Best of 2023 list (when I get around to putting it together…). My absolute favorite series of 2023 (and a top contender for my list of all-time favorites series) is… (drumroll, please)…
The Green Creek series by TJ Klune — absolutely spectacular!
That’s it for my 2023 series reading. How about you?
Did you read any series in 2023? Any particular favorites?
Check back in January, when I’ll set a new batch of series reading goals for the new year.
Happy New Year! Here’s hoping 2023 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 actually try to achieve, I prefer to limit my bookish goals to series reading. There are so many series out there that I want to get to!
I absolutely recognize that I may end up changing my mind on some or all of these, but as of now…
My priority series to read in 2023 will be:
A bunch of carry-overs from 2022:
Children of Time series by Adrian Tchaikovsky: I own two of these books, and the 3rd comes out in January. I meant to at least start these last year… hoping to do better this year!
The Locked Tomb series by Tamsyn Muir: Another carry-over. I’ve read the first book (Gideon the Ninth), and have books 2 & 3 on my shelves, ready to go!
Wayfarers series by Becky Chambers – I finished the first two in 2022, and definitely plan to read the remaining two ASAP.
The Lady Janies series by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows: I read My Lady Jane in 2022, and want to read the next two in 2023.
Plus, some new additions to the list — series to start (and maybe even finish!) in 2023:
The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon: My daughter recommended these to me, and so far, I haven’t had any romance series on my annual series lists.
The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper: This is an older fantasy series that I really should have read by this point in my life! I read the first book years ago with one of my kids, but I think it’s about time that I give the series a shot, just for me.
Regency Faerie Tales by Olivia Atwater: This series slipped past my radar, but then I started seeing a lot of positive reviews. I think I need to give these books a try.
And finally…
A couple of series that I’ve been meaning to get around to for a while now. Who knows? Maybe 2023 will finally be the year that I give them a try. My “maybe” series for this year are:
The Kitty Norville series by Carrie Vaughn
Inspector Gamache series by Louise Penny
Are you planning to start any new series this year? If you’ve read any of the series on my list for 2023, please let me know what you thought and if you have any recommendations!
At the start of each new year, I write a post about my intended series reading — which series I want to start, which I want to finish, and maybe even some that I want to devour all in one big reading binge.
Now that we’re at the end of December, it’s time to check back in and see if I actually accomplished any of my series reading goals for 2022.
So how did I do?
In 2022, my priority series to read were:
The Kingston Cycle trilogy by C. L. Polk:
Status: DONE! I read the trilogy straight through, and had mixed feelings about it as a whole. I liked a lot of the concepts and characters, but the continuity and worldbuilding didn’t especially work for me.
Children of Time and Children of Ruin by Adrian Tchaikovsky:
Status: Nope. At the time when I wrote my post back in January, I thought this was a completed duology, but it turns out there’s a 3rd book coming out in early 2023. I really have no reason for not reading these books yet, other than juggling all the other books I wanted to read! These will go back on my series reading list for 2023.
The Expanse by James S. A. Corey:
Status: DONE! Wow. Just wow. I’d read books 1 – 5 prior to 2022, so this past year I read books 6 – 9 plus the collected stories. Fantastic series, start to finish, and I’m just sad that it’s done. Excellent storytelling with a powerful ending. A must-read series!
The Locked Tomb series by Tamsyn Muir:
Status: A little progress… I had just the first two books on my list at the start of 2022, but since then, a 3rd has been released. I finally read Gideon the Ninth about a month or so ago, didn’t love it… but remain interested enough to see what happens next. I intend to keep going in 2023.
Wayfarers series by Becky Chambers:
Status: Making progress! I’m currently on the 2nd book, and really enjoying it! I intend to keep going with the series, probably via audiobook.
Patternist series by Octavia Butler:
Status: Nope. As much as I’d love to read more Octavia Butler, I just never found myself motivated to start this series. I’d say that these books will remain on my maybe/someday shelf, but I don’t think I’m going to put them on my 2023 series list.
The Lady Janies series by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows:
Status: Baby steps. I read the first book in the series, and loved it! Just haven’t had time to continue yet, but I absolutely intend to.
The Witcher series by Andrzej Sapkowski:
Status: One and done (for now). My goal had been to make lots of progress in this series — maybe even finish it? I read one more book, The Time of Contempt, and even though I still have four more left to read (and actually own copies of them all), I feel pretty done at this point. Maybe after the next season drops on Netflix, I’ll feel inspired to continue with the books… but as of now, I doubt it.
That’s it for my 2022 series reading. How about you?
Did you read any series in 2022? Any particular favorites?
Check back in January, when I’ll set a new batch of series reading goals for the new year.
Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is Series I’d Like to Start/Catch up on/Finish.
I feel like I’ve done variations on this topic several times and don’t particularly want to repeat myself… but I’ll give it my best shot anyway. The following are series that I’ve started, but which I think I’ll probably never go back to.
(I only came up with eight… but that’s plenty!)
1) Poldark series by Winston Graham: I’ve read 7 of the 12 books in the series, and the 7th takes the story up to the point where the TV adaptation wraps up. And you know what? I think I’m good. As far as I understand, the next books start shifting the focus to a younger generation, and I’m just not as interested. Will I ever continue this series? Unlikely.
2) The Witcher series by Andrzej Sapkowski: I’ve read 4, and have 4 more left. I like the books, but didn’t want to get too far out in front of the Netflix storylines. Will I ever continue this series? I’d say it’s about a 50/50 chance.
3) Miss Peregrine series by Ransom Riggs: I read the first 3 books, when they were described as a trilogy, but lo and behold, the author continued the series! I felt like the story wrapped up pretty well with the 3rd book, so… Will I ever continue this series? Nope.
4) Discworld by Terry Pratchett: I had big plans to read all the Discworld books, in publication order, one per month. My ambitious goal lasted me for four books, and then I decided I’d had enough and needed a break. I know that publication order is NOT the way most people recommend approaching Discworld, so I haven’t written off the possibility of returning to the series and trying specific story threads. Will I ever continue this series? I want to say yes… but let’s leave this as probably, if I’m being realistic.
5) Murderbot by Martha Wells: I read the first four novellas, then stalled out when it came to book 5, which is a full-length novel. I didn’t stop for any particular reason, other than just not being in the mood at the right moment. Now I’m afraid that it would be hard to restart, without going all the way back to the beginning for a reread first. Will I ever continue this series? Probably yes. I liked what I read, so there’s no reason not to want to read more.
6) Maisie Dobbs by Jaqueline Winspear: I read the first two books in this historical mystery series, and thought they were okay. There are 17 books out so far! Will I ever continue this series? Probably not. I didn’t love the first two enough to want to keep going.
7) Grishaverse books by Leigh Bardugo: I read the first trilogy (Shadow and Bone), then read the first book in the next duology, but honestly, that felt like enough. Will I ever continue this series? I don’t think so (but I will keep watching the Netflix adaptation).
8) Cormoran Strike books by Robert Galbraith (J. K. Rowling): I read the first three books, didn’t quite get around to the 4th, and around the time I was considering reading it, JKR became a person I no longer wanted to support. Will I ever continue this series? Nope.
Are there any on my list that you think I should reconsider?
If you wrote a TTT post this week, please share your link!
Happy New Year! Here’s hoping 2022 brings joy and health for all of us!
As is my annual tradition, rather than setting a bunch of reading goals that I probably won’t actually try to achieve, I prefer to limit my bookish goals to series reading. There are so many series out there that I want to get to! My priorities change from year to year, but as of now, I have a pretty good idea of the series I want to tackle in 2022.
Most of the series I’m including here are completed, rather than ongoing series. I end up enjoying series most when I can read them either straight through or within a relatively short span of time, so everything stays fresh in my mind and I can feel like what I’m reading really connects.
I absolutely recognize that I may end up changing my mind on some or all of these, but as of now…
My priority series to read in 2022 will be:
The Kingston Cycle trilogy by C. L. Polk – I own copies of all three books, and have been wanting to start for a while now.
Children of Time and Children of Ruin by Adrian Tchaikovsky: I’ve heard such great things, and what’s not to love about a duology?
The Expanse by James S. A. Corey: This has been on my list for a couple of years in a row, but I seem to manage to read only one book per year. So far, I’ve read books 1 – 5. With the TV series ending this month, I want to move forward and get through most (or all) of the remaining books in the series. There are 9 in all, and next up for me will be #6, Babylon’s Ashes.
Gideon & Harrow by Tamsyn Muir – This isn’t a completed series (#3 will be out in the fall), but I’m disappointed in myself for not reading these yet!
Wayfarers series by Becky Chambers – Another series that I should have read by now!
Patternist series by Octavia Butler: I’ve been wanting to read more Octavia Butler, and this series has been on my shelf for a few years.
The Lady Janies series by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows: These look like so much fun!
Finally, I do want to go back to The Witcher series by Andrzej Sapkowski. I’ve read a few, but the last two were audiobooks that just didn’t stick with me (I couldn’t keep my attention from wandering), so basically, I’d need to re-read two of these before getting to the rest:
Are you planning to start any new series this year? If you’ve read any of the series on my list for 2022, please let me know what you thought and if you have any recommendations!
In some ways, 2021 crawled by… yet at the same time, WHOOOOSH! Where did it all go?
Back in January (as has become my yearly tradition), I wrote a post identifying the series I wanted to get to in 2021. Now it’s time to check back in and see if I actually accomplished any of these reading goals.
So how did I do?
In 2022, my priority series to read were:
The Modern Faerie Tales trilogy by Holly Black:
Status: DONE! I read the trilogy straight through, but didn’t actually love it. Holly Black is amazing, but this earlier trilogy does not reach the heights of awesomeness seen in the Folk of the Air books. Still, I’m glad to have read these stories.
The Plantagenet and Tudor novels by Philippa Gregory:
Status: Nope. I didn’t read a single one of these, even though I got as far as holding the first book in my hands a few times. I do still intend to get to these… eventually.
The Expanse by James S. A. Corey:
Status: A little bit of progress… I read book #5 (Nemesis Games)… but there are still 4 more books in the series. Now that the 6th season of the TV show is airing, I expect to start book #6 shortly, and then we’ll see. I do intend to read all of these… it just may take some time.
Emily of New Moon by L. M. Montgomery:
Status: DONE! I loved these books so much! I listened to the audiobooks during a particularly stressful month, and they were like ice cream for my soul. I hope to read more L. M. Montgomery in the year ahead. (My wrap-up of the trilogy is here)
Inspector Gamache books by Louise Penny:
Status: Nope. Despite fairly good intentions, I didn’t even read one book from the series. Like the Tudor books, these are still “someday, maybe” books for me… but I can’t see myself picking them up any time soon.
I did end up reading a few other series that weren’t part of my original goals:
I read the entire Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn (so much fun)!
Also, the Shadow and Bone trilogy by Leigh Bardugo (although not the two duologies that follow). Notice a theme here? I guess I can thank Netflix for the inspiration!
Plus, I read the available books in a few new-to-me romance series that are ongoing, as well as new installments in some favorite continuing series as well.
That’s it for my 2021 series reading. How about you?
Did you read any series in 2021? Any particular favorites?
Check back in January, when I’ll set a new batch of series reading goals for the new year.
Bookshelf Fantasies 