#Yearly Wrap Up

[meirimerens]

color sorting very soothing activity for the color-inclined

[asexualbookbird]

BEHOLD! BOOKS I READ IN 2023!

A handful of rereads, a lot of new favorites, and I put a huge dent in my physical unread piles! I'm pretty happy with my reading year to be honest!

BEST OF 2023

Nettle and Bone by T Kingfisher - If I haven't talked about it enough please read this. An absolute DELIGHTFUL start to the year, which is odd to say of a book about abusive spouses and dead sisters. Like. I wanted to reread it right after finishing it, and will probably reread it this coming year, I loved it so much

The Untethered Sky by Fonda Lee - also heart wrenching but listen, there are BIRDS! Giant birds!!!! A strange pick me up during a bad time, but it WORKED!

To Shape A Dragon's Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose - Oh what a marvelous read, a delightful adventure, I look forward to book two!

Provenance by Ann Leckie - don't hate me, but I think I might enjoy this more than the Imperial Radch trilogy. It's really what I wanted from A Memory Called Empire, and it was so much fun to see the Radchaai from a different perspective!

The Liar's Knot by MA Carrick - DEROSSI VARGO, MY BELOVED! But also, this has such rich worldbuilding. Every time there's a Pattern reading in a scene, the authors did their own reading in real life and put the results in the book. They came up with multiple calendars for the world. And it never feels overwhelming, everything is integrated so naturally! Ren heists an entire family for her and her sister. A lovely brick of a book :)

Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire - I think this might be my favorite Wayward Children book so far, I'm glad these books are bite sized because I want to read them over and over <3

The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie - WHAT A FUNKY LITTLE BOOK!

WORST OF 2023

Black Wings Beating by Alex London - birds would not fucking do that. Why are we following the most insufferable of the characters. Why is everything about him, even the parts about his sister. Blegh.

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo - this canNOT be the same book tumblr couldn't stop talking about for months. I know I shouldn't judge a book by its sequel, but I know about the glowing demon dick. Come on. Also, like, the whole book was building up to rescuing someone and then THEY NEVER DID! wtf lol

Tress and the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson - Snooze. Yawn. Snore. One of the most boring books I've read. I was right to avoid Mr Sandwich and his books.

Whalefall by Daniel Kraus - I feel bad because someone hyped this a lot and was excited about it, and so I was excited about it, but it read like it was written specifically for a movie in mind. It's just Daddy Issues™️in the ocean.

This does not include rereads, of which Name of the Wind was one. Yes, I still loved that one. Still fun, still weird that it never felt long despite being a BRICK. Proof I don't hate long books because they're long, I hate long books that don't have to be long. Which is why the Dishonorable mention goes to Priory of the Orange Tree lol Get edited, beloathed.

Anyway! Onwards to 2024! :)

[angelwiththeblue-box]

art progess video to wrap up the new year!!! holy shit guys i can’t believe how many amazing people i’ve talked to on this dumpster fire of an app all of y’all are amazing and i’m so lucky to be considered your friend

i can’t wait to be more unhinged about our blorbos in the next year!! <3

@blueskiesandstarrynights @thedrowningpoetofdionysus @thedragonemperess @depressedtransguy @genuine-possum @beansisarat7 @finleycannotdraw @malecacidd @joshkiszkashusband @sapphossidechick @understandably-odd @youcandalekmyballs @tangledupblue @lab-trash @neonganymede @pensivetrolley @lilacebean @tronagon @pro-crastinate17 @heimeldat @asphyxiatedredherring @ghostlyfanparadise @ghost-light @legless-fish-on-rollerskates @sleep-is-my-enemy @sleepyandbi @someguyiguess @mx-perfectly-fine @dramabeansoup @feral-bookwoom @perseus-jackass

[caitlinincolour]

✨important things from 2023✨

if you recognize any let me know! these were all things that I loved or were impactful this past year and so ive made a little illustration to celebrate them <3

[magiccath]

18 full works, roughly 38,823 words, and one fantastic year. Thank you so much for supporting me in 2023, see you next year!

[druggeddraccus]

December:

Favorite book this month:

Imogen, Obviously was super cute i was surprised by how much i loved it. and Dreams of Gods and Monsters was a really good finale (though i hope to have more to read from that world lol)

All books read (this month):

True Love Bites by Joy Demorra (5/5)

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado (3/5)

My Dearest Darkest by Kayla Cottingham (2/5)

Small Things like These by Claire Keegan (3/5)

Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor (5/5)

Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli (4/5)

Coraline by Neil Gaiman (3/5)

All books read this year: (italics = reread)

Tress of the Emerald Sea by Sanderson (5/5)

The Martian by Andy Weir (2/5)

Foster by Claire Keegan (5/5)

Everything Leads to You (4.5/5)

Little Women (4/5)

Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler (4/5)

Parable of the Talents by Octavia Butler (4/5)

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree (4.5/5)

Skyward by Brandon Sanderson (5/5)

Frugal Wizard by Brandon Sanderson (3.5/5)

Wizards Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher (4/5)

All Systems Red by Martha Wells (3/5)

Spiderwick Series by Black & DiTerlizzi (5/5)

Homebody by Rupi Kaur (2/5)

Lucky List by Racheal Lippincott (4/5)

Mistakes Were Made by Meryl Wisner (5/5)

Something to talk about by Meryl Wisner (4/5)

Little Thieves by Margaret Owen (5/5)

Painted Devils by Margaret Owen (5/5)

Yumi and the Nightmare Painter by Sanderson (3.5/5)

Are You There God? It’s me Margaret by Judy Blume (3/5)

Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher (3/5)

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (5/5)

Wool by Hugh Howey (5/5)

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor (5/5)

Shift by Hugh Howey (4/5)

The Sunlit Man by Brandon Sanderson (5/5)

Pride and Prejudice and Pittsburgh by Racheal Lippincott (5/5)

Narrow Road between Desires by Pat Rothfuss (2.5/5)

True Love Bites by Joy Demorra (5/5)

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado (3/5)

My Dearest Darkest by Kayla Cottingham (2/5)

Small Things like These by Claire Keegan (3/5)

Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor (5/5)

Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli (4/5)

Coraline by Neil Gaiman (3/5)

Yearly stats:

Books read: 40 (reached my goal!!)

Rereads: 3 (counting Spiderwick series as 1)

Pages read: 14,060

Average rating: 4.08

[freckles-and-books]

Most read author of 2022!

[dramatothethirdpower]

Dramas I finished in 2023 (In Ranked Order from 1-5 stars)

5 Star reviews at the bottom

Bump up business ★★☆☆☆

Boss and a Babe  ★★☆☆☆

Professional single  ★★☆☆☆

See You in my 19th Life ★★☆☆☆

Crash Course in Romance  ★★★☆☆

Forecasting Love and Weather  ★★★☆☆

Glory Part 2 ★★★☆☆

Jun and Jun  ★★★☆☆

Kill Boksoon (movie) ★★★☆☆

Kingdom S1 finished ★★★☆☆

Maid’s Revenge  ★★★☆☆

Meet you in my 19th life  ★★★☆☆

My Lovely Liar ★★★☆☆

Only Friends  ★★★☆☆

Zom 100 (movie)  ★★★☆☆

Shoulder to Cry On ★★★☆☆

Strong Girl Nam Soon ★★★☆☆

Boy For Rent ★★★★☆

Castaway Diva  ★★★★☆

Exclusive Fairy Tale  ★★★★☆

First Love Again ★★★★☆

I cannot reach you (Japan) Netflix ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Jack O Frost ★★★★☆

La Pluie ★★★★☆

Midnight Silence (Movie)  ★★★★☆

Minato’s Laundromat ★★★★☆

Moonlight Chicken  ★★★★☆

Our Dining Table  ★★★★☆

Our Secrets  ★★★★☆

Unintentional Love Story  ★★★★☆

Unlocked (movie)  ★★★★☆

Why you? Y Me? ★★★★☆

20th Century Girl  ★★★★★ - I watched this one blind so I'm going to ahead and warn you, it's very, very, very sad! Sobbing hysterically on your couch, sad. Can't watch anything else until the feelings go away, sad.

Alchemy of Souls Part 2 ★★★★★ - I was worried with this one when they "recast" it that I wasn't going to like it, but it was gripping all the way through. I highly recommend the whole thing!

Glory  ★★★★★ - This one should be coming with all kinds of trigger warnings. It's a revenge drama about a girl who was brutally mutilated via school violence. If you, like me, love a good FAFO story give this a go. If you're even mildly squeamish, maybe don't.

Go Ahead ★★★★★ Go Ahead is... an acquired taste. It's found family, and it's coming of age, and it's love triangle and it's breathtaking beautiful. It examines different family dynamics and what it means to choose your family and what it means when your family doesn't choose you. All of that said... it is also a little bit about dating your step brother, and I know, okay, I KNOW, but if you just trust me on this, it's only a tiny bit weird and then it's not, and you're rooting for these maybe a little bit incestuous but not really, idiots.

Be My Favorite  ★★★★★ This thai BL is not your typical coming of age, falling in love, enemies to lovers, story. Instead we have time travel, and the butterfly effect of the consequences of our actions. Gotta be honest, I'm a total ho for sci-fi tropes and this was done well enough that it rocketed into a favorites of 2023 spot before it was half finished.

Hidden Love  ★★★★★ Come cancel me, Tumblr, I'm ready because one of my absolute favorite tropes is the *dun dun dun* age gap! In this drama a young girl falls hard for her older brother's best friend, and you get to watch as their relationship changes and grows as they mature. There is no hanky panky or even interest in our female lead before she comes of age but if you're a puri-teen steer clear, you won't have a fun time. My favorite part of this drama was actually the relationship between siblings, which felt much more authentic than many portrayals I've come across.

My Beautiful Man S2 ★★★★★ The second installment in this series delivers! There's angst, there's humor, there's *eyebrow waggles*. I'm a tiny bit obsessed with Hira and I can't wait for more!

My Personal Weatherman ★★★★★ Miscommunication, or as I call it, idiot plot, is the best. I know some people hate a storyline that could be resolved with less than 5 minutes of open communication between the romantic leads, but not me. Let these idiots stew in their misconceptions, let them leap tall buildings in a single misguided assumption. GIVE IT TO ME. Anyway, if you don't like that, don't watch this, but if you do, it's crack.

My School President  ★★★★★ GeminiFourth stole my heart in this cute coming of age story. It hit all the right notes, with the added bonus of Fourth! I will say normally I hate when they shoehorn music into Thai dramas (so that the stars can go on tour?) but it fit well with the plot and the soundtrack is amazing. They can be my only exception.

That's my dramas of the year wrapped! You can find all the drama's I've watched (that I remember) here:

[the-valiant-valkyrie]

i don't remember if i posted last year's version of this one or not. i wouldn't be surprised if i didn't because i didn't actually have a piece for every month of the year. it feels nice to have a completed board this year, though

[meirimerens]

another year of wading in the gorkhon water to the waist catching weird fish with my teeth. eh 😏. play "spot the farkhads" with me.

also Oh Hi hal and dave.

[template]

[asexualbookbird]

It’s that time of the year again! What have I read? Did I enjoy it? Did I throw any books off a cliff and into a volcano? I did not read too much this year, but what I did get through I really enjoyed! Makes for a hard wrap up post though, it’s hard to choose what goes where lol

TOP THREE FAVORITE BOOKS

3. Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

what a delightful little nugget of a novella! I nice little cosy read! I can see myself picking this up after I read something Heavy and need a wind down

2. Little Thieves by Margaret Owen

yes this has been sitting on my shelf since release day but golly gosh was this FUN! I’m glad I waited because it was just what I needed at the time!

1. Middlegame by Seanan McGuire

I don’t know what to say about this one except I read it in July and I have NOT stopped thinking about it. It was so well written, I love how everything intertwined, and I’m excited to reread it for book club next year!

Honorable mentions go to Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey and Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir. Yes, I too am surprised Nona didn’t make it to my top three, but listen. I read some very good books this year the competition was tough!

And because I know we all love to hate, the worst book of the year was New Moon by Rebecca York which upon reflection might have been a fetish book and that’s why it was Like That.

Onward to 2023! I’m going to read more of what I own! I’ve put a good dent in my physical TBR which I’m very proud of. No more stacks in the middle of my bedroom floor! I have no clue what’s coming out this upcoming year, so if there’s something you think I should know about, by all means tell me.

Reading Goal will stay at 50 books because that seems very achievable for someone with the attention span of a moth. Happy 2023!

[thecasualbookreviewer]

Rae's 2023 StoryGraph

Welcome to my little 2023 StoryGraph wrap up.

I started my reading goal for this year with 33 books because that was my physical TBR at the beginning of the year (though we all know I added more books to that as the year went on), according to my StoryGraph I read 34 books, which puts me at 103% completion of my goal:

Across 34 books, I read 10,551 pages, in their majority I read lighthearted, funny and adventurous books, with a medium pace and 97% fiction.

My top genres were LGBTQIA+, Romance and Fantasy. With a 71% print format

And my most read author was Alexis Hall

My average star ratings was on 3.82 stars

This is the first full year that I've used storygraph and I really liked it so I can't wait to start my 2024 reading journey!

[booksbeyondimagining]

Favorite Reads of 2022

My reading this year kind of fell by the wayside due to some personal issues, but recently I was able to get back into it a bit more (thanks especially to Little Thieves which brought me out of my rut.)

So some of the books I read this year that I enjoyed the most:

Dreams Lie Beneath, by Rebecca Ross (audiobook) The Bone Maker, by Sarah Beth Durst (audiobook) The Queen of Blood, by Sarah Beth Durst (audiobook) After the Rift series, by C. J. Archer (audiobook) The Librarian of Crooked Lane, by C. J. Archer (audiobook) The Business of Blood, by Kerrigan Byrne Books 5-8 of The Extraordinaries series, by Melissa McShane Little Thieves, by Margaret Owen

Obviously Little Thieves is probably the one that stands out as my absolute favorite of the year, but the others were all quite enjoyable too. The Bone Maker by Sarah Beth Durst was a little dense, but so well-written and with a world-building that was absolutely thrilling. It led me to The Queen of Blood which I also greatly enjoyed, but unfortunately the second book was only so-so for me and I had no interest in reading the third.

I made some more headway on C. J. Archer's backlist and finally listened to the last book in the Glass and Steele series, as well the first one in her new Glass Library series. I also listened to the whole After the Rift series which I adored. I know her books can kind of fall into a predictable pattern with similar tropes and heroines, but their so easy to listen to and fun so I don't care.

The Business of Blood was one that took me by surprise actually. I thought it was going to be a generic Victorian London murder mystery but there was some real grit thrown into it, especially concerning racism and prejudices. I got scared when the Jewish gangster character was introduced, afraid I was going to be forced into reading a bunch of antisemitic stereotypes and such, but it wasn't. He was Jewish, and he was a criminal, but he wasn't a criminal because he was Jewish. He isn't a good person by any means, but he does have some moralities and it just made for such an interesting character and I loved it. (Read my review here.)

I was really happy to finish reading The Extraordinaries series by Melissa McShane. It was one of those series I took a break from for a bit but it was easy to fall right back into.

I definitely did not read as much as I did this year as I normally do, but that's okay. I read for enjoyment, not to meet a quota. Here's to whatever books steal my heart in the New Year.

[therealhughiecampbell]

Well I’ve done it again, I do enjoy being in his top 1% each year!

[boooklover]

Covenant of steel #1: The Pariah, Anthony Ryan

Crescent City #1: House of Earth and Blood, Sarah J.Maas

Calame #2: Les deux-royaumes, Paul Beorn

In Defense of Witches: The Legacy of the Witch Hunts and Why Women Are Still on Trial, Mona Chollet

Verity, Collen Hoover

Throne of Glass #5: Empire of Storms, Sarah J.Maas

Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds, Brandon Sanderson

The Wheel of Time #14: A Memory of Light, Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson

[moccahobi]

2022 Review

 I’ve done these a few times! Love reviewing my writing this way! Thank you @here4theheartbreak​ for giving me the outline for this last year!

Fandom(s): BTS and Got7

Total Fics: 17

 Total Words: 48,673 words

 ~SHIP/CHARACTER BREAKDOWN~ 

Ships (if applicable):      

Yoongi x Namjoon

Hoseok x Taehyung

Namjoon x Jimin

Jaebum x Youngjae

 Character Frequency:     

Jungkook: 1

Taehyung: 8

I am counting each post separately, so this is skewed by AFBTTYA

Jimin: 2

Hoseok: 1

Namjoon: 2

Yoongi: 2

Seokjin: 1

Jaebum: 3

Youngjae: 3

Character POVs: 

AFBTTYA has a mix of multiple character POVs (Reader, Taehyung, Jungkook, and Yoongi)

Reader

Jimin

Yoongi

Taehyung

Listen and Learn has both Seokjin and the reader

Did you seem to have a preference for any particular member/ship/pov? Why?

Namjoon in ships is a fairly common one! I think that next year, I want to mindfully explore other ships!

Love me a Namjoon ship! Also it was very much part of the projects I was working on.

Less of a prefrence, I noticed (while counting all the fic pairings) that I didn’t have a Seokjin fic. In 2023, I really want to be more conscious of the members I am writing for.

I was mostly focusing on AFBTTYA and other fics/stories were less mindfully focused on. It happens.

Though mentally, I think that I often lean more towards writing POVs from specific members, I do see more of a lean towards the reader! Quite interesting!

Reader POVs are still my default so I think I notice when I do other POVs (with reader inserts).

 ~SPECIFICS~ 

Best and Worst Title? 

Best: Let You Fly

 Worst: Defrosting Ivy

 Best and Worst first line?

 Best: “The sweet fragrance of the flower shop filled Jimin’s nostrils as he worked away on a bouquet order.” (Let You Fly)

 Worst: “You looked down at the sheet of paper, the first of many...” (Listen and Learn)

 Best and Worst ending line? 

Best: “Everyone felt like a family. A Home. And as the night became day, you started to understand the truth.” (Buried Truths) 

This was actually a modified prompt from a prompt generatior that told me to end with something along the lines of “As the run rose, he understood the truth.” 

 Worst: “Now the real fun began.” (Hands, Hands, and More Hands)

 ~GENERAL QUESTIONS~ 

Looking back, did you write more fics than you thought you would this year, less than, or about what was expected? 

Oh my I wrote so much! So much! I am in awe!

Any reasons why? 

I had anticipated and planned to only write a little. All I really kept focus on was finishing AFBTTYA and anything else was a happy biproduct. 

What pairing/genre/fandom/trope did you write that you would never have predicted last year? 

OpEds!

How was it? 

I enjoyed it a lot! One was a hit and the other wasn’t but I intend to keep writing them! They are going to be something I do every once in a while and I am excited to have these convos!

 What’s your favorite story this year? 

Let You Fly! I enjoyed it soooooooooooo much!

Not the most popular, but the one that makes you the happiest. Why? 

Buried Truths! With an ace reader, a supernatural plot, some side plots, and a fun mxm pairing! It was so fun!

Highkey, that dynamic started as a critique of people who don’t like MxM. Common critiques I see for MxM are that it is forcing sexuality or a ship on the members... that it is disrespectful to imagine two members together. So in this story, having the reader be a wing person with no romantic pairing was a sort of to show how MxM, like MxR, is set in a world of disbelief. MxM isn’t saying that this pairing is real or that we want it to happen, it is simply a story. Also I really wanted to have more ace representation in fics so it was fun to make the reader ace and have a plot around that. 

Okay, your readers' most popular story? 

A Story From a Different Time

Story most underappreciated by the universe? 

Buried Truths. Hands down. 

Why? 

It’s MxM, there is a reader but no pairing, it’s a supernatural au, it’s Got7. There are many reasons I think it didn’t get a lot of notes.

Story that could have been better? 

Listen and Learn

Why? 

I wrote it sort of last minute. I realized I hadn’t done something for Seokjin and wanted to. So it kinda just... was quickly put together! I think it could’ve been fun to expand on more.  

Sexiest story? 

Stares in ace. 

My most acesexy story is Defrosting Ivy. Through out the past two years, I’ve been collecting quotes and ideas from different shows, books, podcasts, and conversations and pulling them together to try to come up with a story. I have so many fun, exciting, and tourturesome ideas at hand for that story. I can’t wait. 

Saddest story? 

Let You Fly 

What a great angsty story! I love it!

Fluffiest story?

Heated Blanket or A Story From a Different Time!

Most fun story (in content)?

A Story From a Different Time!

This story actually was intended to come out last year but due to my health issues and low inspiration, I put it on the backburner. 

That being said, it was inspired by an inside joke with @taegularities​, @voiceswithoutlips​, @heejinnien​, and @biaswreckme​. Rid is a grandma. We’d call her that all the time! So the fic was really quite a play off of that! And as I kept writing and expanding on it, I was able to put a lot more little inside comments and moments that I enjoyed adding!

Hardest story to write? 

A Fae’s Brew to Take You Away.

Not to get sentimental, but I started this story my freshman year of college. I am now a senior. It’s been with me through countless struggles and been waiting patiently while I did other stuff. I let it collect dust and when I got back to it, while I did finish writing it (and now need to edit it), it was a STRUGGLE. I lacked inspiration half the time.  

Easiest/most fun story to write? 

Defrosting Ivy and Let You Fly

What story took the longest? 

A Fae’s Brew to Take You Away. I started it 2019.

Did you take any writing risks this year? 

What did you learn from them?

What was your most productive days/day of the week/month, etc in terms of writing?

November and December! I went from writing 1-3k at the beginning of this year to writing 16-20k in November and December! It’s been a slow workup but I am so happy with all I’ve managed!

Name one thing you improved on this year in relation to writing. Either an actual technical writing thing, or even a mental approach to writing change. 

My relationship with writing. In addition to my physical inability to write as much at the beginning of the year, I had a mental block. I wouldn’t say burn out but I was darn close. I entered this year so unhappy with my writing and with work and time, I’ve really worked on healing that relationship!

Name one thing you'd like to improve on in the future? 

Writing consistently while maintaining my healthy relationship. I want to make a habit of having a consistent writing pattern without feeling like I am losing control of all that I’ve done to help my mental health with writing. While this month and last I wrote so much, I struggled with it as well. I felt like I was losing control almost and had days where I had to not write because I was starting to have toxic thoughts around my writing again. I want to keep a positive relationship with my writing. 

Why, and how do you think you could do it? 

I will try to carve out time each day to write. It will vary depending on my schedule which fluxuates with school and work but I will plan and give myself space to write. 

I want to try to do weekly check-ins with my writing to see how I am feeling and what my goals are. 

I really want to follow my inspiration

What are your fic writing goals for next year? 

Continuing my goals from this year, I want to finish more of my WIPs. The one’s I am thinking of working on (in no particular order) are:

AFBTTYA (editing)

Golden Ramyeon (writing and editing)

Defrosting Ivy (writing and editing)

At least one got7 wip of mine (writing and editing)

Life on Pause (writing and editing)

Take part in a project and a collab

Read more fanfic and improve my reviews

I intend to try to hold myself to this by posting bi-monthly collections of all that I’ve read with reviews and information!

Continue healing my relationship with my writing

How? I don’t quite know ripppp

 And finally, fics that you wrote in 2021:

I am not linking these but here is the list from my sheets

AFBTTYA 10

Heated Blanket

Happy Together Ficlet

AFBTTYA 11

Hands, Hands, and More Hands

AFBTTYA 12

Let You Fly

AFBTTYA 13

AFBTTYA 14

Buried Truths 1

Buried Truths 2

AFBTTYA 15

A Story from a Different Time

Buried Truths 3

Listen and Learn

Shut Up and Kiss Me

Defrosting Ivy