Lately, I’ve been creating seasonal TBR’s and reflecting on them at the end of said season. I’m having fun doing this every time, so I thought I would extend it a little and look back on the same season last year. Since spring 2024 is upon us and I will be creating my seasonal TBR in a short while, I thought it would be interesting to reflect on spring 2023. Did I read the TBR I’ve set for this season? And how did I do on my bookhauls of April, May and June of that year? Time to find out! If there’s a review of said book on my blog, the hyperlink in the title will direct you to it.

Did I read my spring 2023 TBR?

1. The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré – I feel so ashamed to admit it, but I still haven’t picked this book up. I really want to diversify my reading, but I keep prioritizing other books. I don’t know why really.
2. Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree – Cozy fantasy is a hit or miss for me and this book unfortunately was a miss. I really didn’t feel the vibe and I need more than just vibes. I was utterly bored and had to DNF it.
3. Tokyo Dreaming by Emiko Jean – This book has seen multiple TBR’s at this point and I really want to read it. It’s a relatively short novel, so I could squeeze it in sometime. However, it’s YA and I barely read that subgenre anymore. Also, it has been years since I’ve read Tokyo Ever After and I’m not sure whether I can still resonate with this type of book. But maybe I’ll be surprised and have a good time with it after all!
4. A Thousand Heartbeats by Kiera Cass – Yes, I’ve read this and was quite disappointed. It was incredibly mediocre at best.
5. Every Summer After by Carley Fortune – I went into this book with the wrong expectations. I’ve read the Dutch version and it has been marketed as YA here, but that’s definitely not the case. Not the right marketing can break a book honestly. It’s not bad, but definitely not what I had expected beforehand.
6. I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver – I definitely read this!
7. Love from Mecca to Medina by S.K. Ali – Oh my goodness, this is another one I still haven’t read after reflecting on this TBR last summer.
8. In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune – I’ve picked this one up during my summer break, but unfortunately I kept cringing the entire time. I had no other choice then to DNF it.
9. Fresh Blood by Nicole Arend – I read this book immediately after I got it and I was pleasantly surprised.
10. The Switch by Beth O’Leary – I’ve read this book as well, but I didn’t enjoy it that much. I just didn’t get the hype.

Did I read my spring 2023 bookhauls?

1. The Traitor Queen by Danielle L. Jensen – Yes, I read this one and unfortunately didn’t enjoy it that much. This is either because of the book itself, or maybe the Dutch translation.
2. The War of Two Queens by Jennifer L. Armentrout – Yes, I also read this one and loved it as equally as I did with the English version.
3. Fresh Blood by Nicole Arend – Yes, see above.
4. Glow by Raven Kennedy – No, I havent read it. It has been put on my Winter 2023 TBR as well, but still haven’t read it.
5. Ruthless Fae by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti – I actually started this one, but returnt it. I just couldn’t handle it anymore. One of my reading goals is to choose quality over quantity and this is not real quality. I was so over it after a few chapters already, I just don’t understand why i got this book in the first place. I quite enjoyed The Awakening back when I’ve read it, but now I don’t understand why either LOL. No I’m not a snob, I promise.
6. Satan’s Affair by H. D. Carlton – Yes, I’ve read this novella and I thought it was okay.
7. Haunting Adeline by H. D. Carlton – I’ve started it, but it was not the right time for this book then so I will try again soon.
8. The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent – Yes, I’ve read it and was pleasantly surprised!
9. Catfish Roling by Clara Kumagai – Oops, I haven’t picked this one up.
10. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros – Of course I have read this one!
11. The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean – Read it, but it was quite a quick DNF for me.
12. Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett – I picked this up, but I’m not sure whether I want to continue this. Maybe I will. I haven’t tracked it yet though. Maybe this works better in audio? Oh well, otherwise it’s jut €0.99 wasted.
13. The Toll by Neal Shusterman – I’ve started it, but DNF’ed it as well.
14. Annemijn by Emma Anna – No, but I will pick it up soon.
15. Omdat ik altijd al de jouwe was by Emma Anna – I read it and enjoyed it!
16. Na de klap by Marlies Allewijn – Yes, I’ve read this one as well and it was okay to me.
17. All the feels by Olivia Dade – No, this one is still on the TBR. It’s not really speaking to me anymore it seems though.
18. Atalanta by Jennifer Saint – Yes, I’ve read it, but didn’t write a review for it. I simply didn’t know how to do that. It was quite a letdown for me after loving both Ariadne and Elektra.
19. De kleuren van de zee by Miriam Bruijstens – Yes, I’ve read this book in summer.
20. Court of Shadows by Victor Dixen – Yes, I’ve read this book as well.
21. Things we never got over by Lucy Score – And yes, I also read this one. In my opinion, this is the best book in the series.
22. Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor – I’ve read it, but regret not DNF it. I absolutely did not enjoy it.
23. Someone new by Laura Kneidl – And yet another book I’ve read!
24. Lavinia by Ursula K. Le Guin – No, this one is still on my TBR.
25. De kleine theetuin brengt geluk by Anne west – yes, I was able to finish this book in a day or two.
26. Mijn toekomst is Roos by Hinke van Abbema – yes, I also finished this book and thought it was good.

Verdict:

• Read 7 books from my spring 2023 TBR and 2 of them were a hard DNF.
• Read 21 books from my bookhauls, 2 are a soft DNF, 3 a hard DNF.

Overall, I did a good job on my Spring 2023 TBR and Bookhaul! I hope to dive into the leftovers rather sooner than later.

Have you read any of these books?