In 2023 I failed spectacularly at monthly updates, though I lasted for half a year so that’s not bad. So I decided to try doing it quarterly, which worked quite nicely, but now it’s time for the Challenge Check-In 2024 Q4! It also means that we’ve gone a full year, and it’s time to reflect on all the challenges. However, I’m only going to look at the past 3 months here, so if you’d like to see how I fared all year, you can check out the linked posts below. Further reflections and my usual Top 10 Reads of 2024 post will be up later in January.
If you missed it, you can check out my Q1 check-in HERE, the Q2 check-in HERE, and the Q3 check-in HERE! If you’d like to see how I faired with different things, I can recommend checking out my Reading Goals for 2024 post or The Sound of Madness 2024 post for further details.
These past 3 months were a lot slower. Well, except for October, which was still busy with traveling, work, and SPFBO reading, but then I was able to take some time for myself, especially in December when I took a lot of time off from blogging. I’m still not sure if I want to return, but sadly, I need to.
So, between October 1st and December 31st, I opened 18 books. I DNFd 3 out of 18, and 5 were rereads from previous years. 1 of them I’m still in the middle of reading.
Out of the 18 books, 3 were on the list I set up as my shortened TBR in my Reading Goals for 2024 post. Still not the best progress, but at least it’s more than the zero in the previous update 😅
The books I loved the most in 2024 Q4
Out of the 18 books, I gave 5👑 to 2 (both rereads…). I also had 3 4.5👑 reads (only one reread). A lot less high ratings, which is surprising, considering I read about the same amount in this quarter, and a lot less of it was SPFBO-related. Still having a mystery (adjacent) and romance kick, and I think I’ll make an effort in 2025 to read less fantasy. Anyway. Here are my fave favorite books from the last quarter of 2024 that aren’t rereads:
A Matter of Execution by Nicholas & Olivia Atwater. I’ve been planning to read this novella for ages, and I finally got to it. I was meant to read the follow-up novel as well, but…well, life happened. Maybe in 2025. Anyway. This is a fun heist story that introduces us to Captain Wil and his esteemed crew. I also highly recommend the audiobook, narrated by Nicholas himself!
The Reanimator’s Remains by Kara Jorgensen. Yeah, well, so this is the third book in this mystery romance series I fell in love with this year. And now I have to wait a full year for the next book, and I don’t know what to do with myself 😭
Keeper of Enchanted Rooms by Charlie N. Holmberg. I own a couple of Holmberg’s books, but I never read any of them (yet). I have this one in audiobook and have been waiting to read it as it fits perfectly with one of my challenges. I enjoyed it very much, and I’m planning to go back to this series to find out how the couple featured will fare.
Miserere by T. Frohock. I still yet to review this book, that’s going to be re-released in January. But let me tell you that this is a fascinating story of redemption set in a world between Hell and Earth. There is magic, faith, exorcism and some cool ideas.
That Festive Feeling by Heidi Swain. Look, the chances of this book making my top 10 are pretty much zero, but I needed a light, quick read over the holidays, and That Festive Feeling provided just that.
I finished as I started, apparently. Q4 definitely wasn’t my best when it comes to this particular challenge. In 2024 Q4, out of the 3 prompts, I finished 1, well maybe 1 and a half if we are being generous. As usual, I have to work with what I read and fit it into the prompts.
October – Yep It’s Halloween Time: Keeper of the Enchanted Rooms by Charlie N. Holmberg. Spooky time! Well, I haven’t read much of those this year, but this book features a haunted house, so that should do. And it was on my pre-made list so yay!
November – Short but Sweet: I was mostly reading ARCs and requests to clear my obligations before either reading anything I wanted or nothing at all, I did’t even stand a chance of reading four novellas. Even if I stretched things a bit to the whole year, I think I only read 2 overall.
December – Parting Gifts: I was planning to read a book that was gifted to me, but then I didn’t. So that’s it for me. That said, I did read a winter-themed book that fits the stretch goal, although I have no idea if I can make a score for that. Especially as I only added it to the TBR later into 2024 when I bought it on Audible… BUT NO ONE CAN STOP ME! So I’m claiming That Festive Feeling by Heidi Swain as my contribution.
This is the first year I’m taking part in the Choose Your Own Adventure: Year in Aeldia 2024 Reading Challenge which is its second year. I’ve been doing really well with this all year, and I managed to finish it. And while I was planning to take part in both of the Magical Readathon events, after the one in April I realised that I had no chance taking part in August as well. Fun these events might be, but I can’t do readathons. 2024 Q4 had the following choices:
October – It took you to a tavern crawl. No thanks! You head home (House as a main setting or character): Keeper of Enchanted Rooms by Charlie N. Holmberg. Man, I’ve been waiting for this month to read this book. It’s just such a perfect fit. The book is mostly set in a haunted house, which happens to be its own character as well.
November – Magically warm up your blanket and cozy up with your book (Favorite author): My reading didn’t quite go as I planned, and while I’m trying to do all my challenges without rereads, this time I had to break my own rule a few times for this one. This year I’ve been rereading the Shardlake series by C. J. Sansom. In November it was the turn of book 6, Lamentation.
December – Miss your impling. Pspsps so it comes running to you (Heist story): For a while it looked like I’d fail this challenge at the last minute. And then out of the blue, I decided to reread Double or Nothing by Craig Schaefer when I realized that I hadn’t read a single book by her in 2024 even though I wanted to catch up with the Daniel Faust series. As it turns out, it also features a heist story so I was saved!
In 2024 Q4, I decided to add the last 12 books to The Sound of Madness Reading Challenge card, and thus finishing it! Here they are:
- The Market of 100 Fortunes by Marie Brennan for ANYWHERE ELSE BUT HERE
- A Matter of Execution by Nicholas and Olivia Atwater for THE MYSTIC
- A Circle of Stars by Craig Montgomery for SOB STORY
- The Killing Game by Michael Dylan for LOW LIFE
- Keeper of Enchanted Rooms by Charlie N. Holmberg for YOU ARE MY HOME
- Miserere by T. Frohock for NOW WE ARE FREE
- Under Your Spell by Laura Wood for NEW SONG
- The Reanimator’s Heart by Kara Jorgensen for SAY IT
- That Festive Feeling by Heidi Swain for THROUGH GLASS
- Ritual of Fire by D. V. Bishop for GIVE THAT WOLF A BANANA
- A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson for KILL YOUR CONSCIENCE
- Tournament Topdecker by Benedict Patrick for CHASING STARS
Here is what my card looks like right now:
And that concludes my Challenge Check-In for 2024 Q4 and the whole year. Overall, I’m happy with my challenges and how I did with them. I’m planning to do much the same in 2025, so keep an eye out for a new set of Sound of Madness prompts as well as the other challenges!
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