Quick Take: The End of Year Book Tag includes six questions that unpack the books I still need and want to read in 2021 and my bookish plans for 2022.
While the End of Year Book Tag was popular in the Fall, it made more sense for me to answer these questions in December. The tag gave me a good look at the backlist of books I wanted to read in 2021 and some other books I want to read before the New Year.
Are there any books you started this year that you need to finish?
There are quite a few books that I started and then never picked up again because I wasn’t in the mood for the genre. I’ve done a good job of marking them as back on my Up Next Shelf. Therefore, I have only one book that I’ve started this year that I need to finish before 2022. For school, I need to finish Theory by Dionne Brand.
The remaining books are from my monthly minimum TBR lists that I would like to finish before the new year. For the first three months in 2021, I did a great job of reading all the books on my minimum TBR. However, April, May and June each saw one book not being read:
The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi
Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
I did much better in July and read all three of those books on my minimum TBR. However, August to November was all downhill. The remaining books I want to read from those lists are as follows:
August
Men Explain Things to Me by Rebecca Solnit
Halfbreed by Marie Campbell
September
You’re the Only One I’ve Told: The Stories Behind Abortion by Dr. Meera Shah
Dune by Frank Herbert
The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon
October
The Fire Next Time by Jame Baldwin
Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski
The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold
November
Theory by Dionne Brand
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Last Chance Books by Kelsey Rodkey
I’m fully aware reading these fourteen books before 2022 is a tall order but it’s doable if I commit.
Do you have an autumnal book to transition into the end of the year?
This question makes it evident why most readers were doing this book tag in October/November. However, even in Canada, November was unseasonably warm and we’ve had a few more temperate days in December, too. Some books that reflect the shift in season are Last Chance Books by Kelsey Rodkey for its We’ve Got Mail similarities and The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin as seasons play a central role in its plot. A book that I think is also relevant is Wintering by Katherine May. While the book title suggests the focus is on Winter, the book itself is about the concept of “wintering” (or hibernating) to persevere through the hard moments in life.
Is there a new release you’re still waiting for?
I am eagerly waiting for the sequel in the reverse harem WITSEC series: Save Me by Ashley N. Rostek. The first in the series, Find Me, was my favourite read of October.
Save Me will be released on December 30th and knowing me, I’ll read and finish it on release day 😅. I still have the rest of the month to wait but luckily I have quite a few school assignments – and the holidays – to keep me busy before then.
What are three books you want to read before the end of the year?
I’m interpreting this question as three books I want to read that aren’t on my 2021 monthly minimum TBR lists.
The first book I want to read is When the Stars Go Dark by Paul McLain. Recently, I’ve been in the mood for mystery thrillers which is not a go-to genre of mine. However, this book has been recommended for fans of the TV series Mare of Easttown, so I’m really excited to read it. I’m anticipating some good character development.
The second book I want to read is The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. It’s been on my Up Next Shelf for a while and I’ve heard nothing but good things about the book. I also think it could be a contender for my Book of the Year.
The third book I want to read this year is The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson. I’ve been in a sci-fi mood the past few weeks so I think I’ll really enjoy this book. I also love it when social commentary is central to the plot of a book.
Is there a book you think could still shock you and become your favourite book of the year?
There are quite a few books on my Up Next Shelf that are 5-star predictions and could be contenders for my favourite book of the year. The “shock” is whether I’ll read them before the New Year 😅.
The one book that I think could be a contender for Book of the Year is The Prophets by Robert Jones, Jr. My top three books of the year typically includes historical fiction. I also love books that are character-driven and take the time to explore all the facets of the characters.
If The Prophets were to be my 2021 Book of the Year, I wouldn’t be surprised. But, my mood recently has been geared more towards YA romances and sci-fi fantasy. So, I’ll be shocked if I pick this book up in the next three weeks.
Have you already started making reading plans for 2022?
I have started making plans! I’ve already decided on a few reading goals, including how many books I want to read in 2022, and I’ve joined a few reading challenges on The StoryGraph.
I’m excited to announce that I’m starting a Reading Journal in 2022! I’m hoping to write an explanation of my star rating for each book I read. I think the journal will also help me stay on top of my reading challenges and goals.
In terms of content, I already have a few new ideas. But, I’ll also be continuing my Weekly Monthly Wrap-Ups.
Follow Me
❃ Blog ❃ Instagram ❃ Goodreads ❃ Facebook ❃ Bloglovin’ ❃ StoryGraph ❃
Sarah,
I really enjoyed reading this! Congrats on all your reading you accomplished.
I still have 2 more books to go before the end of the year. Hope I can finish them!