Books I've read halfway through 2023

This year, I created a Goodreads challenge to get back into reading. My goal is 25 books and I am halfway to my goal!

I also am trying to follow a monthly book reading challenge I got from Chantel Reads All Day on Youtube (her video https://youtu.be/1Zt59S9qHrQ )

To start my year off I read The Magicians by Lev Grossman. I was looking forward to this book because many of the reviewers called it an older version of Hogwarts and Narnia mixed together. I love the vibe of Hogwarts and Harry Potter, and it was set in a college atmosphere which is perfect for New Adults! While I was reading it though it became too much of knockoffs to the point I was trying to figure out which characters were supposed to be knockoffs from Harry Potter. It also went on a weird tangent where (SPOILER) the main character and his friends turn into animals and they have sex???

The ending is where the Narnia speculations come in and where the book actually got interesting. I think the last 100 pages were the best but it takes some will to get to them. This is the first book of a series and there is a show made from the book that I have yet to check out.

The next two books are the first 2 Harry Potter books. The Philosophers Stone and The Chamber of Secrets. I read these books growing up and watch the films at least twice a year for they are my comfort films. That being said I wanted to reread the books and try to find that nostalgia in my free time. It is also fun to compare the books and the scenes from the movies for what they did and could have done.

This year I have gotten into my dark academia books. I read The Secret History by Donna Tartt I think at a perfect time in my life. I was going through college at the same time the characters were in their life although my life was very different from there. This book has become one of my all-time favorite books. The characters, plot, setting, and the writing is just amazing. If you are in college and have not read this book I would highly recommend it. There is murder, Greek talk, cliques, secret friend groups, gossip/drama, and a little bit of romance.

Next, I hopped onto the hype of TikTok and read Daisy Jones and the Six before the show came out. It has a lot of my interest in bands, especially from the 60s-70s, and some romance. I absolutely love Fleetwood Mac which was most of the inspiration for this book and I think it was nailed perfectly. It is a different format of writing by using an interview style throughout the whole book, but I really enjoyed it and it was an easy read. The love and drama are what hook you in!

I reread The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chboskyk because the movie has been one of my top favorite movies for a few years now. I wanted to read it with an older perspective since the first time I read it I was in middle school and probably did not catch on or comprehend everything that was going on in the book. It does deal with a lot of triggering topics, so check into them before reading this book. This also has a unique format and tells a story through the main character sending the reader letters. It is a short read and a good story for someone going through High School.

I read the Six of Crows duology (Crooked Kingdom) by Leigh Bardugo. I read Ninth House by Bardugo and loved it I had to check out her other books. I will say I was a little late on the Shadow and Bone hype and the Grishaverse in general. When those books came out I was in High School not reading any personal books for myself. I did watch the Shadow and Bone show a year after it came out and fell in love with the Crows. I purchased the whole Grishaverse series and tried to read Six of Crows before the second season dropped. These characters are unforgettable and Bardugo writes them in such a way you can't help but love all six of them. Usually, when you read books with a group of people there are always those characters who get forgotten or are not memorable but I can not say that for these six criminals. It had just the right amount of romance where it was not shoved in your face and the plot could be written into a movie (Six of Crows spinoff please!!!) If you like heists, found family, forbidden love, characters with traumatic pasts, and some LGBTQ+ representation you should check out this series!

I wanted to read a classic every now and then so I picked up a quick read We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson. This gives the dark academia vibes, but it is also a very short easy read. Slowly you get to learn about the family, what has happened in their past, and why the town is wary of them. This book is one of the classics that can easily be read and should be read if you have time.

Lastly, is To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo. After watching the new Little Mermaid I wanted some sea books to read. I have always wanted a good sea/pirate book, but I have not found it yet but this book filled the gap for the time being. It is a darker flipped retelling of The Little Mermaid. A siren princess gets banished to land by her mother the siren queen to kill a prince. The prince happens to be a siren hunter. Is it an enemies to lovers yes absolutely but everyone needs a little bit of that romance trope every now and again.

I am currently reading Golden Son by Pierce Brown. It is the second book in the Red Rising series. I am not usually a sci-fi person, so it is taking me some time to get through this series, but it was highly recommended to me so I had to check it out.

-Stephanie

A book series I will never stop recommending!

If this is your reading aesthetic that appeals to you and the found family trope has you in a choke hold...

I would recommend the Six of Crow's Duology. These books are apart of Leigh Bardugo's Grishaverse world. Some might say you have to read the Shadow and Bone series, but I think these books are great as stand alones. If you would like world building context and the history time line then yes go and read the Shadow and Bone trilogy.

These books have 6 main characters that switch between point of views and there are many personalities to love and latch on to.

Set in a renassiance era with young older teens/new adults take on the worlds most dangerous heist. You have the traumtised master mind, a strong female counter part that hides in the shadows, a sharp shooter that is hiding his past, a lovestruck independent woman, a shy congressman son, and a religious fugitive.

Lot's of young romance if that is what you are looking for. There is forbiddin love, unattianable love, and some LGBTQ+ representation.

The characters steal the show but the over all aesthetic and setting is what brings you in.

If you love these characters and want to see them come to life accurately... check out Shadow and Bone on Netflix!

What is a book or book series you will not stop recommending?

-Stephanie

Welcome to Stephanie's POV!

Hi! I am Stephanie Jager an up-and-coming YA/NA fantasy fiction writer! I have created this blog to really connect to my readers. I want to start a monthly book club where we can all get together and share our love for reading. I will use this blog to post about what I am currently reading and feel free to express your thoughts on the books and include any recommendations. I will also share some updates on my upcoming work and some behind-the-scenes processes of writing. Once a month I am going to have a Q&A where I will answer questions on my books, books in general, and anything to do with being a writer and the publishing world!

-Stephanie