In this post, I will compile no TBR, set no goals and make no promises. The streak of failure ends here! So instead, let's take a look back at the books listed in all three of those past posts and see where they are now.
2023
The Book of Dust Vol.2 by Philip Pullman
(see below)
Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
As stated in my 2024 update, I ended up unhauling this book. At the time, I thought that if I kept putting off reading books that had been on my shelves for years, I would never read them, so I donated them instead. I don't fully agree with that thought. I have many books I am dying to read, but since I have only read an average of 80 books per year, over the past 3 years, it's impossible to get to them straight away. However, what I hadn't realised was that this was a romance, a genre I do not read, and so in the end I'm happy to have cleared a space on my shelves.
The Ill-Made Mute by Cecilia Dart-Thornton
(see below)
The Primrose Railway Children by Jacqueline Wilson
Read in December 2023...just scraping in to tick one off at the tail end of the year. I had strong thoughts about this book and shared a short, somewhat incoherent and rant-filled review in my reading round-up: What I Read Last Quarter // October - December.
Sepulchre by Kate Mosse
Another unhaul! As with The Book of Dust, I had read Labyrinth in 2019 and enjoyed it enough to want to continue the trilogy. The sheer size of the physical copy I had is what deterred me. I realised that in the length of time it would take me to read (only being able to hold in for short stints with my weak wrists), I would be able to read many other books that I'd prefer. So off to the charity shop it went!
A Clock of Stars: The Shadow Moth by Francesca Gibbons
Read in August 2023! Woohoo! Rated 4 stars, yet to read the sequels.
The Garden of Lost and Found by Harriet Evans
Unfortunately, a victim of my hauling curse. Reading the blurb, this is something I may read in the future.
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
(see below)
Dracul by Dacre Stoker & J.D. Barker
(see below)
The Wizards of Once: Twice Magic
Read in February 2023! This was the first of three that I ended up reading from my list of 10 for 2023. Better than nothing, but still an overall fail! I rated this 4 stars - definitely not a fail! And still have the final two books on my bookshelf - a bit of a fail...
2024
The Book of Dust Vol.2 by Philip Pullman
(see below)
The Ill-Made Mute by Cecilia Dart-Thornton
As with The Book of Dust, Dracul and Inkspell, The Ill-Made Mute was brought forward onto 2024's list and again, at the end of 2024, remained unread! It remains in our collection for another day.
As with The Book of Dust, Dracul and Inkspell, The Ill-Made Mute was brought forward onto 2024's list and again, at the end of 2024, remained unread! It remains in our collection for another day.
Dracul by Dacre Stoker & J.D. Barker
Read via audiobook in June 2024! It was kind of contrary to the purpose of trying to read the books on my shelves to listen to this one, but in the end, I'm pleased I did, as I only rated it 2 stars.
Read via audiobook in June 2024! It was kind of contrary to the purpose of trying to read the books on my shelves to listen to this one, but in the end, I'm pleased I did, as I only rated it 2 stars.
Murtagh by Christopher Paolini
Read in March 2024! A new entry to the list and knocked off in the first quarter of the year! That is how it's done. It shows what genuine excitement for a book looks like, and I was rewarded with a 5-star read. Yes!
Read in March 2024! A new entry to the list and knocked off in the first quarter of the year! That is how it's done. It shows what genuine excitement for a book looks like, and I was rewarded with a 5-star read. Yes!
Reynard the Fox by Anne Louise Avery
As yet unread. Still on the shelves and waiting for the perfect opportunity.
As yet unread. Still on the shelves and waiting for the perfect opportunity.
Inkspell by Cornelia Funke
Read as of December 2024, although it was started in September. Another audiobook listen, hybrid with the physical book, due to the breeze block size of my hard copy. I struggled to get through it and found it very tough going.
Here is what I said in my Quarterly Reading Round-Up that it was a part of, ''Inkspell, is the bane of my life currently. The physical books are too large and heavy for me to read in bed, so I wanted to listen to the audiobook. The English version is nowhere to be found apart from on one website, in parts and unable to be sped up, so I started and had to end the month having only gotten 7.5 hours into the 20 or so hours. In general, I do find this series to be quite slow-paced, which is annoying too.''
Read as of December 2024, although it was started in September. Another audiobook listen, hybrid with the physical book, due to the breeze block size of my hard copy. I struggled to get through it and found it very tough going.
Here is what I said in my Quarterly Reading Round-Up that it was a part of, ''Inkspell, is the bane of my life currently. The physical books are too large and heavy for me to read in bed, so I wanted to listen to the audiobook. The English version is nowhere to be found apart from on one website, in parts and unable to be sped up, so I started and had to end the month having only gotten 7.5 hours into the 20 or so hours. In general, I do find this series to be quite slow-paced, which is annoying too.''
Mossflower by Brian Jacques
Unread. Still on the shelves and waiting for its opportunity too.
Unread. Still on the shelves and waiting for its opportunity too.
The Lost Future of Pepperharrow Book by Natasha Pulley
Unread. Also, still a member of our library.
Unread. Also, still a member of our library.
---
2025
The Book of Dust Vol.2 by Philip Pullman
Read as of December 2025. After reading book 1 in January 2023 and thoroughly enjoying it, I genuinely don't know why I kept putting off book. However, in August 2025, I finally began to read it...and hated it! So much so, it was left half-read on my bookshelf until December, when I decided it must be completed by the end of the year. I continued to dislike it, perhaps a little less strongly, and ended up rating The Book of Dust Vol.2, three stars.
The Legend of Podkin One-Ear by Kieran Larwood
Unread. Still on the shelf.
Unread. Still on the shelf.
The Explorer by Katherine Rundell
Read in February 2025. Rated 4 stars. I'm a big fan of Kathrine Rundell in general, and had read this right after reading ''Why You Should Read Children's Books, Even Though You Are So Old and Wise,'' which is a book I will always recommend.
Read in February 2025. Rated 4 stars. I'm a big fan of Kathrine Rundell in general, and had read this right after reading ''Why You Should Read Children's Books, Even Though You Are So Old and Wise,'' which is a book I will always recommend.
Dreamstalkers: The Night Train by Sarah Driver
Unread and still on the shelf. I'm a big fan of Sarah Driver's The Huntress Trilogy, so I would like to get to this soon.
Unread and still on the shelf. I'm a big fan of Sarah Driver's The Huntress Trilogy, so I would like to get to this soon.
The Lion Above the Door by Onjali Q. Raúf
Read in March 2025. Rated 5 stars. This was actually not at all what I'd expected, but it was a pivotal and thought-provoking story about the forgotten heroes of the World Wars and the racism that surrounds it. An important read I'd suggest for any age, especially those with children who may be currently learning about the world wars at school.
Read in March 2025. Rated 5 stars. This was actually not at all what I'd expected, but it was a pivotal and thought-provoking story about the forgotten heroes of the World Wars and the racism that surrounds it. An important read I'd suggest for any age, especially those with children who may be currently learning about the world wars at school.
While the Storm Rages by Phil Earle
Unread. Still waiting for its turn.
On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin
Unread. I'm hoping to get to this in 2026; it's a long-term wish-to-read book.
Unread. I'm hoping to get to this in 2026; it's a long-term wish-to-read book.
Forget Me Not by Sophie Pavelle
Unread. Looking back at this list, this stands out, and I'm not 100% sure why I included it. Obviously, it's on my bookshelf, and I'm looking forward to reading it, but it isn't something that has been sitting there for an unacceptable amount of time or anything.
Unread. Looking back at this list, this stands out, and I'm not 100% sure why I included it. Obviously, it's on my bookshelf, and I'm looking forward to reading it, but it isn't something that has been sitting there for an unacceptable amount of time or anything.
So there we have it. 21 books, 9 read, 3 unhauled and 9 still to be read at some point in the future...hopefully. Like I said at the beginning of this post, I will not be continuing with this annual letdown, and so there is no list of 'Books I Must Read in 2026'. Let's just assume that I'd like to read everything I own, and as our library is currently totalled at 1,068* books, I have plenty to choose from!
* This, of course, includes the many hundreds that I have already read!
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