Hi everyone!
Can you believe that 2020 is almost over? Maybe it’s because the pandemic has reduced my social obligations to a bare minimum or because I spent pretty much half of the year dreading exams, but these past few months have really seemed to fly by! So guess now is as good of a time as any to reflect on some reading-related things I still plan to do before we leave 2020 to the history books 😉
And what better way to do that than with The End of the Year Book Tag? This was created by Ariel Bissett over on BookTube, and Riddhi over at Whispering Stories was kind enough to tag me 😊 So if you haven’t checked out her wonderful blog yet, go do it!!!
Before we get into the questions, though – thank you so much for all the kind messages and birthday greetings that made it my way last week! You guys really cheered me up, and this week was already loads better than the one before it. My cat is still pretty sick, but at least she’s eating again and (sort of) walking, so I’m cautiously optimistic that she’ll get better. And my birthday turned out to be a really relaxing day, with lots of family time and food, so I definitely can’t complain!
Also, I got some pretty wonderful new books 🥰 – one of them being The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, which I’m now utterly obsessed with. I only intended to peek at the first chapter to get a feel for the story and then ended up having to do homework until well past midnight because I couldn’t put the book down and neglected everything I actually I had to do for univesity… Oops. But yeah, this one is by far my favorite Victoria Schwab book now (I’m so sorry, Vicious 😅), and I highly recommend you go and read it if you haven’t already!
However, before this turns into an Addie LaRue gush, let’s get into the tag questions and see what the rest of 2020 has in store for me!
Are there any books you started this year that you need to finish?
Umm, yes *laughs nervously* – The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang! I actually feel a tiny bit guilty about postponing this one for so long, since I absolutely love The Poppy War and am dying to know how this series continues! But when I started The Dragon Republic sometime in April (I think 🙈), I realized that I’d forgotten quite a few details from the first book, so I decided to reread The Poppy War before continuing on. However, reading two un-put-downable 700-page books in the midst of exams seemed like a very bad idea, so it took me until October to finally get back to The Poppy War 😅 But I’m all caught up now, so The Dragon Republic is probably going to be either my first or second Christmas break read! 🤗
Do you have an autumnal book to transition into the end of the year?
No, not really. I do usually devour at least one Harry Potter book in December, though, so I guess that’s the least Christmassy of my end of the year rereads that I could pick for this question? 😁 Right now, I’m actually really in the mood for Prisoner of Azkaban – I’ve only read that one once this year, so I guess I’m overdue for a reread 😊
Is there a new release you’re still waiting for?
2020 releases – no, not really. I mean, there are only like three weeks left in this year… But Kristin Cashore’s Winterkeep comes out on January 19, 2021, and I AM SO EXCITED!!! 😍😍😍 You guys know how obsessed I am with the Graceling series, especially Bitterblue, so the fact that we are getting a sequel has me freaking out!!! Also, can we just take a moment to thank whoever designed this absolutely stunning cover?
What are three books you want to read before the end of the year?
My three most pressing ones are probably The Empire of Gold by S.A. Chakraborty, The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang and Die Längste Nacht (German for ‘the longest night’) by Isabel Abedi. The first two, I’ve been dying to read basically all year, but I decided to save them for Christmas break so that, if I want to, I can stay up all night to finish them without having to worry about exams or eight o’clock classes that might be affected rather negatively the next day 😂 And I’m also pretty intrigued about Die Längste Nacht – this was lent to me by one of my friends, and she happened to let it slip that the protagonist’s dad works at a publishing company 😍 (Also, this might kind of have been in my possession for quite a while and I’m thinking it might not be a bad idea to return it before the new year? 😅 If you’re reading this, dear lender, feel free to hold me accountable to these words 😉)
Is there a book you think could still shock you and become your favorite of the year?
That’s going to be horribly difficult, because The Winternight Trilogy and The How and the Why were just amazing! 🥰 But maybe The Empire of Gold still stands a chance? The first two books in this trilogy have steadily made it into my yearly favorites, so my hopes for this finale are honestly exorbitant! 🤗
Have you already started making reading plans for 2021?
I don’t even make plans for the next month, let alone the next year… I’ll just grab whatever’s lying around 😁 But you bet I’ll be reading Winterkeep the minute it comes out!
Also, I fully intend to get my physical TBR pile back down to zero, so if I haven’t managed that by the end of December, I’ll definitely be tackling that in the first week of January!
Finally, I really want to try and read a novel in Russian! I tried this year, but my language skills were still so terrible that it took me like 10 minutes a page… I didn’t even make it past a chapter before giving up 🙈 But with crazy amount of homework our Russian instructor is making us do this semester, maybe I’ll have progressed enough to give it another go sometime at the end of next year?
Anyway, that pretty much wraps up my plans as far as reading is concerned these next few weeks! Do tell me if you relate to any of these and whether you’ve read any of the books that I mentioned here 😉
Also, since 2020 is almost over and I feel most people have already done this, I won’t be tagging anyone specifically. But if you’re interested and still want to let us all know about your reading plans, consider yourself tagged! I’d love to know what you’ll be up to these next few weeks!
And, as always, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments: What books do you still plan on getting to this year? Which new release are you anticipating the most? Have you already made any reading plans for 2021? I would love to know!
A Book Owl's Corner 
I hope you like The Dragon Republic, I loved it even more than The Poppy War 🥰 I definitely need to read the Daevabad trilogy soon, I’ve heard such great things about it!
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That’s great to hear! Now I’m even more excited to finally pick it up! 🤗 And yes – do read the Daevabad trilogy! It’s soo good! 😍
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I hope you have a great end of the year! I’m hoping to read Empire of Gold as well!
(www.evelynreads.com)
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Thanks, Evelyn! I hope you have a great rest of the year, too, and that we both end up loving The Empire of Gold! 😊
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This is so great, Die Längste Nacht cover is so pretty!! And good luck with your Russian, hopefully you’re able to read at least half a Russian book next year 🙂
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Haha, I really hope so! Even half a book would be a success compared to half a chapter 😁
And yeah, I really like the simplicity of that cover, too! Although I do think the head thing looks more like some company logo than a book cover design… Though maybe it has some significance to it that I’ll figure out once I actually read this 🤔😂
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Haha hopefully the head has a reason and it’s not just logo-y, I like when covers tie to the story inside 😆
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Yes, so do I! Why would you want some random unrelated picture on the cover? 😅 Though I also hate it when cover designers put so many details on there that the cover ends up spoiling the whole story… I guess I’m just hard to please in general 😁
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Same, when it tells the whole story is also very annoying 😅
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I feel you on the dragon republic! It’s just been sitting in my room staring me ever since i started it then put it down!
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It’s good to know I’m not alone on this 😁😂 Though fingers crossed that we’ll both end up loving it once we do pick it up again! 😊
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Agreed! I gotta get back in a fantasy mood lol!
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Ahhh I’m so happy to hear you’re loving Addie LaRue!!! And the Daevabad trilogy too!! I added the first book in the series to my TBR as soon as I heard there was political intrigue… I really need to get around to seeing what all the hype is about 😊
And same for The Poppy War!! I haven’t read a single negative review of the entire series so I really have no excuse… though the content warnings honestly sort of scare me 😅
Hope you finish off the year with some amazing reads!! Great post ❤️
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Ahh yes, Addie LaRue is just so good!! 😍 Hopefully I’ll have some spare time in the coming days so that I can write a review, because then I can finally go read everyone else’s afterwards!
And if you want political intrigue, the Daevabad trilogy and The Poppy War are perfect! Though yes, The Poppy War definitely isn’t for the squeamish 😅 But that’s one of the things I liked about it – it doesn’t glorify war, but shows you the entire messy gruesomeness of it all… So I’m really hoping the second book will live up to the first one!
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I guess I have to keep an eye out for your thoughts on Empire of Gold. If you end up liking it more than Winternight Trilogy, I guess I have to read it 😉
Unlike you, I’ve been planning my 2021 reading for months, and I think I’ve already planned more than I can read 😅 I can’t do monthly TBRs but the yearly ones work for me somehow. I’m making a whole post about it, but my top priority is going to be The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb. I’m so excited to try this author!
And I really hope you have more luck with a Russian book next year 😊
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Haha, I’ll definitely keep you updated on my Empire of Gold thoughts and my Russian struggles, then 😉
And I’m honestly in awe of how far you plan ahead! That would never work for me – I need to pick something up immediately when I’m in the mood for it, or I might never get back to it 😅 Though I definitely plan on continuing the Farseer Trilogy in 2021, too! If only I didn’t have my stupid issue of apparently owning an edition of The Assassin’s Apprentice that is really rare 🙈 I just can’t find the other books with matching covers, so I’ve put the trilogy on hold for over a year now 😅 It’s so dumb, I know… I already have tons of mismatched series, so it really shouldn’t matter 😂 So next year, I WILL get the other books, whether they match my Assassin’s Apprentice copy or not! 💪 Because what’s the point of not continuing with a series I adored just so I’ll have matching covers eventually? 🙄😅
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Yeah I’m really not a mood reader, so I need to make plans. Otherwise I’ll just end up reading a bunch of first books in series and never continue 😅
And I so understand your struggle over mismatched covers! It’s really no joke. It’a also just more important to have matched covers of books you really like. You’ll just have to get a new and not-so-rare-edition of Assassin’s Apprentice when you finally buy the other books 😉
Maybe I’ll have caught up with you by the time you continue with the series 😅
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But… I love my rare edition 😢 And what’s the point in owning two when I already have a perfectly good copy and could buy a different book instead? It’s such a predicament 😂😂😂 I seriously wouldn’t be at all surprised if you caught up with me while I lamented about this 😁 I guess I’ll just resign myself to having mismatched covers… Though I’m glad you understand my struggles 😉
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Haha yeah, I can see how that’s a tough situation you’re in 😂
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It’s great to hear that your cat is doing better. I hope she fully recovers soon!
All those covers are so pretty!! I’m with you on not making reading plans. I just grab whatever I feel like reading at that moment. I also want to get my physical TBR pile back down to zero soon, so let’s hope that works out well for both of us. I hope you have a great rest of the year with amazing reads!
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Thanks, Nefeli! I really hope so, too!
And yes – how do people make all these plans? 😨 I’m way too indecisive for that; what I feel like reading changes constantly! So if I get a book and don’t read it immediately, chances are I’ll never pick it up again 😅 And then there’ll be a pile of unread books laying around, which I just find enormously stressful… So yes, I hope we’ll both be successful with our TBR-diminishing plans! 😁
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I want to read Addie LaRue!! I’m so happy to hear that you loved it too, everyone’s making me so excited for it 😄 And I’m so intrigued by the Poppy War. I don’t think it’s the type of book I will enjoy, but I have heard so many wonderful things about it… I don’t know 🙈
Great post as always Naemi! And props to you for wanting to read a book in Russian 😏 That’s very impressive!
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I really hope you end up loving Addie LaRue, too! I was a little worried at first because it was just sooo hyped, but in this case, I really think it’s justified! 😊 And as for The Poppy War, I’d say it’s high fantasy at its finest 😉 So if you ever feel like delving into that genre more, it might be a good place to start!
And thank you! Though we’ll have to see how impressive my Russian plans actually are – let’s hope I follow through this time! 😁
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I’m also really excited about Winterkeep! I might have to reread the other books, though; it’s been a while since I’ve read them.
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Yay, another Graceling Realm fan!! 🤗 I really hope this book will be as amazing as I expect it to be and that we both end up loving it 😊 And rereading these books is never a bad idea if you ask me 😁 They’re just so good!!
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I loved reading your responses to this! I definitely want to get to Winterkeep as well! I read Graceling forever ago, and I’m trying to get a reread done early next year for it. I also really need to read City of Brass! I’ve heard so many amazing things about it, and I’m glad you enjoyed the first two books of the series 🙂
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I’m so glad Winterkeep is on more people’s radar, I’m going to need people to talk to about it once I’ve read it! 😁 There’s no way I’ll be able to keep my thoughts to myself 😉
And yes, try City of Brass!! It’s sooo good 😍
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If I don’t get to read Six of crows this year I would break my promise to a lot of people, so let’s hope I read it, haha! There are so many 2021 books I’m looking forward to, I have a list of over 50 ones *cries* and I’m currently still making plans!
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Wow, over 50 books! 😅 That seems so overwhelming, though, of course, I very much relate to your predicament 😂 While I don’t have that many anticipated reads yet, there are also quite a lot of them, and once I actually start researching more, I’ll probably be panicking as well 😁😁
And add me to the list of people who want you to read Six of Crows!! The hype is more than justified, it’s sooo good 😍
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