The Quarter Year Crisis Book Tag
I’ve seen this on various blogs, but can’t seem to find the creator, so I can’t credit them. I’d like to, if anyone knows who did it.

I saw this over at Peat Long’s Blog, Biblio Nerd Reflections, and Chasing Destino (and, apparently, did it myself last year), and thought it was worth a shot. Three weeks later, here we are…

How many books have you read so far?

86 is what the ol’ spreadsheet says. Which is larger than I expected, I’ve gotta say (even after subtracting a handful of board books, picture books, etc., that’s still better than I’d have guessed).

Have you already found a book you think might be a 2024 favourite? If not, what was your favourite book you read that wasn’t quite five stars?

Smoke Kings by Jahmal Mayfield , City on Fire by Don Winslow, and The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett are the front-runners so far.

Smoke KingsBlank SpaceCity on FireBlank SpaceThe Tainted Cup

I’ve got Christa Comes Out of Her Shell by Abbi Waxman coming up this week (probably), I assume it’ll be in the running, too.

Christa Comes Out of Her Shell

Any 1-star books / least favourite book of the year?

America Fantastica by Tim O’Brien is a title that begs for someone to say it’s not that fantastic. And it isn’t. Not really that good–and I kept waiting for it to raise to the level of mediocre, at least. As I tried to describe.

America Fantastica

Most read genre so far?

Mystery/Crime/Thriller. Which will come as no surprise to anyone who is not me. I figured it might be on top, but I thought that Fantasy would be a lot closer so far this year. Which probably says a lot about how much reflection I’ve given to things.

1st Quarter Genre Chart

A book that surprised you?

Several of them, really. But I’m going to have to give this one to the 2024 InCryptid novel, Aftermarket Afterlife–McGuire does things in this story I didn’t think she’d do in this series. I was caught way off-guard more than once. Literally stunned.
Literally gif

Aftermarket Afterlife

A book that’s come out in 2024 already that you want to read but haven’t yet?

Ugh. So many of them. The four that come to mind (and I’m sorry to everyone who should have a book that comes to mind, but didn’t).
The Ballad of Sprikit The Bard (And Company) by Seán O’Boyle, Strange Religion: How the First Christians Were Weird, Dangerous, and Compelling by Nijay K. Gupta, The World Entire by Jo Perry, City in Ruins by Don Winslow (but I have to read City of Dreams first).

The Ballad of Sprikit The Bard (And Company)Blank SpaceStrange ReligionBlank SpaceThe World EntireBlank SpaceCity in Ruins

One goal you made that you’re succeeding at

To read more for and to post more in the Grandpappy’s Corner series.

One goal you made that you need to focus on

All of the others would fit. Catching up on my To-Be-Written stack is my primary focus at the moment.

(not that anyone but me can tell that, I’ll note)

New to you Bloggers/Booktubers/ Bookstagrammers/Booktokers for 2023 you recommend?

bullet Hair Past a Freckle
bullet The Quill to Live
bullet Burt’s Library

As per usual, I’m not tagging anyone in particular, but I’m curious–what’s the first of the year been like for you?