Sara's Reading (At Least) 42 in 2023

[Sara]

This Year's Reading Corner

Last Year's Reading Challenge
Last Year's Year's Reading Corner

2021's Reading Challenge
2021's Reading Corner

[Sara]

Please refer to my priority reads and queue shelves on here too!

A few books I would like to finally pick up this year:
✅ ✅

Rrereads I would like to get to:
✅

(the last one for each category is lesser priority)

[Sara]

I'm really trying to read more of the books I physically own so that I can either declutter or truly personalize my bookshelves. Glad my first book of the year is one I own! This was trippy but really well written.



1/42

Currently Reading:

[Sara]

I'm so sad I didn't adore this like I thought I would. It was a very interesting concept though, and one I keep finding myself thinking about a lot despite finishing the book.



2/42

Currently Reading:

[Sara]

A quick read while I'm still working my way through Addie Larue. This was small but it was very meaningful. I got a little emotional while reading it.



3/42

Currently Reading:

[Sara]

I think this is the longest book I've read since the beginning of the lockdown!



4/42

Currently Reading:

[Sara]

That was so freaking cute I finished it so quickly!



5/42

Currently Reading:

[Sara]

Listened to mostly during my commute to uni + when I dropped off my brother at the airport. It was ... actually very well written.



6/42

Currently Reading:

[Sara]

Plot twist of the century I think. Or decade at least. Ok fine, the year. I'm finally starting my reread of the Grisha trilogy to finally reread Six of Crows and King of Scars so I can finally read Rule of Wolves!



7/42

Currently Reading:

[Sara]

8/42

Currently Reading:

[Sara]

I'm sad I didn't love this nearly as much as I was hoping to but I'm glad I finally read it.



9/42

Currently Reading:

[Sara]

I adore Nikolai and Zoya separately now... together? Hopefully? In Rule of Wolves? Please? Also, finally finished my reread of The Grisha Trilogy which means ... SIX OF CROWS IS NEXT!



10/42

Currently Reading:

[Lisa]

Sounds like you're right on track with your reading goals for the year, Sara. Any thoughts on the Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage so far?

[Sara]

Lisa wrote: "Sounds like you're right on track with your reading goals for the year, Sara. Any thoughts on the Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage so far?"

Hi hello! I'm excited to be on track and also reading more books I've been meaning to for a while, especially books I own physical copies of. I'm actually really enjoying it, it's my first Murakami and it's so... readable, for lack of a better word. Like it's just easy to pass time and read a whole chunk without realizing. It is a little slow and it's more of a study of people/relationships and not as much is happening, so I have to be in the mood, but I'm really enjoying it! Have you read it?

[Lisa]

Sara wrote: "I'm actually really enjoying it, it's my first Murakami and it's so... readable, for lack of a better word. Like it's just easy to pass time and read a whole chunk without realizing..... "

I have not read it yet but I understand what you mean about Murakami's readability. Kafka on the Shore was my first Murakami and I loved every minute of it. If you enjoy bildungsroman and magical realism, and Murakami's writing style, I definitely recommend it. I also liked, The Elephant Vanishes if you enjoy short stories and don't mind reading about apathetic characters . It showcases surrealism, magical realism and realism - everything he does really well.

[Sara]

Lisa wrote: "Sara wrote: "I'm actually really enjoying it, it's my first Murakami and it's so... readable, for lack of a better word. Like it's just easy to pass time and read a whole chunk without realizing......"

Sorry for the delayed reply, I somehow missed this! Buildingsroman and magical realism are two of my favorite genres/kinds of stories so I'm bumping that up on my tbr, thank you so much! As for The Elephant Vanishes, I'm intrigued and your description sounds so wonderful, but short stories are always such a hit or miss with me. I hope your reading has been going well!

[Sara]

I was looking for a fun audiobook to listen to on my commute and this fit the bill perfectly.



11/42

Currently Reading:

[Sara]

I'm so pleasantly surprised at how much I actually enjoyed that. I was fully expecting this to be my least favorite Austen novel but it's actually quite possible top three!



12/42

Currently Reading:

[Sara]

I picked this up on a whim and oh my gosh that was so good! Also, apart from an audiobook to listen to on my commute, I'm going to focus on only reading Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage before I pick up anything else.



13/42

Currently Reading:

[Sara]

It's an audiobook!



14/42

Currently Reading:

[Sara]

I did it, I finished it! And I somehow really really liked it despite so many things about it I didn't like.



15/42

Currently Reading:

[Sara]

I'm actually kind of sad this is done.



16/42

Currently Reading:

[Sara]

This started off so strong but was sadly not great.



17/42

Currently Reading:
tbd

[Sara]

Just a few updates.



19/42

Currently Reading:

[Sara]

I'm halfway through The Bell Jar and I've only sat down to read it once. I just haven't had the chance to read the rest. Also Y/N was a wild read.



20/42

Currently Reading:

[Sara]

Love how my last two books have been about very very unwell women.



21/42

Currently Reading:

[Sara]

Inej Ghafa is a queen.



22/42

Currently Reading:

[Sara]

I wish I had loved that more than I did.



23/42

Currently Reading:

[Sara]

Thorn really surprised me. I picked it up at random and thought I'd read a few pages before falling asleep... then was startled by my 4:30 am alarm. I didn't realize time had even passed; I was so engrossed in the book, something like this hasn't happened in a WHILE.



24/42

Currently Reading:

[Sara]

This was bad.



25/42

Currently Reading:

[Lisa]

You're doing fantastic , Sara :)
What did you think of Happy Place? While I really liked Beach Read, I feel like my enjoyment for Emily Henry's books have gone downhill, so now I'm not really sure I want to pick up her latest, specially since I've heard such mixed reviews about it.

May this weekend be filled with great weather, and long stretches of uninterrupted reading time 🌞
Have a great weekend!

[Sara]

Lisa wrote: "You're doing fantastic , Sara :)
What did you think of Happy Place? While I really liked Beach Read, I feel like my enjoyment for Emily Henry's books have gone down..."

Hi Lisa! Thank you so much for stopping by! I actually haven't picked up Beach Read yet (but I own it and plan on reading it eventually, just haven't gotten around to it yet) but I really really loved People We Meet on Vacation (I will say, I am partial to friends to lovers). Unfortunately, I wasn't a fan of Book Lovers or Happy Place, but I at least enjoyed Book Lovers, Happy Place was truly not it for me. I think, personally, it was more about sexual tension and not really about emotional connections/working through actual issues so for me that didn't work. If that's up your alley though you will enjoy it! It was still an easy read and I finished it very quickly though.

May your week be filled with amazing weather and lots of time to read, and may your reading all be five stars!

[Lisa]

Sara wrote: "Lisa wrote: "You're doing fantastic , Sara :)
What did you think of Happy Place? While I really liked Beach Read, I feel like my enjoyment for Emily Henry's books h..."

Interesting! I'm the opposite. I prefer enemies-to-lovers, because I really enjoy banter, and I feel like (at least in the books I've read so far) there's not enough tension to keep me entertained. Like for Book Lovers and People We Meet on Vacation I was just bored for most of the time.

The main thing that's really holding me back from Happy Place is that I've heard that it heavily relies on the miscommunication trope, which is just... annoying - unless it's done in a very specific way, and even then, there has to be more reasons to keep me engaged with the characters/storyline. Plus, I've heard the whole friends-group in general is not... great/mature.

I might check it out one day, once the hype dies down though.... Or I might just skip it altogether and wait for her next release.

I hope you enjoy Beach Read whenever you get to it :)

[Sara]

Listen, I don't know what happened either okay. Just pretend I updated regularly like a normal person.



31/42

Currently Reading:

[Sara]

I picked this up and didn't go to sleep until I finished. It wasn't incredibly interesting in terms of plot, but the writing was beautiful, and I loved seeing the characters grow and change. (Also wooo back on track for this year's reading challenge!)



32/42

Currently Reading:

[Sara]

I can't believe it took me that long to finish my reread of this masterpiece. That last scene with Kaz and Inej really really made my heart race. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!



33/42

Currently Reading:
tbd

[Sara]

I can't believe it took me that long to finish my reread of this masterpiece. That last scene with Kaz and Inej really really made my heart race. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!



35/42

Currently Reading:

[Sara]

I DID IT I FINALLY DID IT!! (And loved it of course)



36/42

Currently Reading:

[Sara]

40/42

Currently Reading:

[Sara]

Officially completed my Goodreads goal!!



42/42

Currently Reading:

[Sara]

Officially completed my Goodreads goal!!



43/42

Currently Reading:

[Sara]

I honestly didn't expect to finish this by the end of the year. I started this reread with the full intention of counting it towards next year's Goodreads challenge and yet ... here I am. I have to say, Andy Serkis' performance was incredible and I somehow enjoyed and loved this book soooo much more this time around. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series (finally!). Hopefully, next year will be my year of reading many bigger books.



44/42