December TBR
I always think I’m going to have more time to read in December than I actually do so I want to plan my TBR this month a little more conservatively. However, I hope that as I won’t be spending as much time traveling or visiting with extended family this year maybe I will be able to end the year strong! I don’t normally set a specific number of books I want to read in a month but as this is the last month of the year I have to look at my yearly reading goals and see how I can accomplish them. My reading goal for this year is 110 books. That’s slightly lower than what I’ve been averaging the last few years but 2020 has been a rough one so I’m excited to even be above 100 books read. In order to accomplish this goal I’ll need to read 6 books this month. I started putting together the books I most want to read next and the first two are 600+ and 700+ pages so maybe I’m not being as conservative with my choices as intended…
Worst case scenario I have some shorter books/graphic novels on my TBR that I can substitute if I’m running out of time. At the moment though these are the 6 books I hope to read in December:
The Burning God by R.F. Kuang - This is book 3 in the Poppy War trilogy and given the popularity of my recap for The Dragon Republic (book #2) it seems I won’t be the only person picking this book up in December! I’ve written about this dark fantasy series a number of times so I won’t go in-depth here, but it’s a series I recommend any fantasy lover with a strong stomach for violence. Kuang is inspired by Chinese history and primarily focuses on war/military strategy and politics and I can’t wait for the finale.
Unlocked by Shannon Messenger - This is book 8.5 in the middle grade fantasy Keeper of the Lost Cities series. It’s 764 pages so not quite what you expect when you see that it’s listed as book 8.5 rather than book 9. I quickly flipped through it when my copy arrived and it seems to have quite a few illustrated pages. It looks like a combination of the series continuing on from Legacy (book 8) while also including a lot of additional content designed to give readers more insight into the world of the series including maps and even recipes? I’ll definitely need a lighter book (or 3) after reading The Burning God so I think this one will be a perfect read to bring up my spirits.
Crazy Stupid Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams - This is the 3rd book in the Bromance Book Club series (it’s a spinoff so it could in theory be read without having read the others). This series follows a group of hot-shots men in who live in Nashville. They’re successful businessmen or professional sports players who read romance novels for their book club. They use the material from the books and the discussion they have about them to improve (or begin) their relationships with the women in their lives. These books are a lot of fun. I read the first two earlier this year and really enjoyed them (although I probably enjoyed the 1st a little more than the 2nd) and I’m already looking forward to the 4th coming out next year.
This Close To Okay by Leesa Cross-Smith (release date February 2, 2021) - This is my December Book of the Month pick. I’d never heard of it before I opened the app this morning to browse the selections which is good because finding new books is one of the reasons I joined Book of the Month in the first place! It follows a recently divorced therapist who, one night, encounters a man about to jump off a bridge. She talks him down and invites him to have a cup of coffee with her and what follows is a weekend that is transformative for the both of them.
How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by Holly Black - This is an illustrated addition to the Folk of the Air series by Holly Black. For what I understand it’s a collection of stories that take place before, during and after the series all told from Cardan’s perspective. I loved some aspects of this series and did not at all care for other parts of it so I’m interested to see where this installment falls for me. This is also a slightly shorter book with fairy tale vibes which I thought would be perfect for December and also for reading quickly to get to my end of the year goal.
Assassins Apprentice by Robin Hobb - The start of a well-loved high fantasy series that’s been on my radar for years. So much so that it was included in my November TBR and I even read the first 50 or so pages, but then I chose to set it aside when Brandon Sanderson’s new book Rhythm of War was released. I absolutely plan on finishing it this month though (and this time I really mean it!).
