Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl
Hi everybody and welcome to a new Top Ten Tuesday!
Today I am going rogue. The original topic for today was “Books I Enjoyed that Were Outside My Comfort Zone” but while I started writing that post I ended up completely overthinking “my comfort zone” and what books qualified… so I decided to leave this topic be for now and do something else.
Since it’s only a little less than 2 months before the end of the year I wanted to do my “10 Before The End” instead: the 10 books I’m hoping to read this year still.
Now, normally 10 books in 2 months time would be doable for me. But I’ve been feeling a little slumpy for the past two months and if that continues, I will not be able to read all of these in time. And then there’s also the fact that I’m a major mood reader so who knows, I may decide to pick up other books instead. So it might be a challenge… but we’ll see, if not this year, there’s 2026 🙂 Let’s go!
Tower of Dawn and Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas – I’ve been doing a re-read of the complete Throne of Glass series through audio and I only have two more to go so that should be doable this year still. (I’m currently reading Tower of Dawn)
Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson – I actually just finished this one, so that’s already one down, nine to go 🙂 While I’m not usually a thriller reader, this premise intrigued me. It was a great and thrilling read that kind of helped getting me out of my slump as I could not stop reading… but the ending was so sad (yes, I knew it was coming, it’s the premise, but I still cried my little heart out).
One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig – I’m determined to read this before spooky season is completely over (it’s still kind of spooky season, right?)
Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer – I started this one but though I enjoyed what I read so far, I’m having trouble picking it up again because it’s a physical copy and for some reason I struggle with reading those lately.
Good Spirits by B.K. Borison – A must for the holiday season!
Quicksilver and Brimstone by Callie Hart – I want to do a re-read of Quicksilver (because I read it just last year, but all I remember are general vibes) before I pick up Brimstone.
The Songbird & the Heart of Stone and The Fallen & the Kiss of Dusk by Carissa Broadbent – these have been on my shelves for too long! (But also, I might want to do a re-read of the first two books before reading this one, but then I know I won’t get these read before the end of the year…)
Tell Me:
What’s a book you’d love to read before the end of the year?
Holly’s book does look really interesting to me! That said, it probably would have been a book I could have put on a list today since it sounds different than most I normally read. 🙂 Hope you enjoy these all!
If I had done a list of books out of my comfort zone, this definitely would have been on it – but it was a great read even if not my usual 🙂
One Dark Window is a must for the darker days because of its vibes. And a reread is not necessary before diving into The Songbird and the Heart of Stone as it’s Mische’s story and things get explained when necessary.
My TTT: https://laurieisreading.com/2025/11/11/top-ten-tuesday-books-i-enjoyed-that-were-out-of-my-comfort-zone/
Thanks, I’m hoping to read One Dark Window soon so the vibes are just right 🙂 Thanks for letting me know that a reread is not necessary before The Songbird and the Heart of Stone, that will definitely save me some time!
I hope to read one excellent holiday story in December. Good luck with your quest.
I hope you’ll get to read at least one excellent holiday story this December!
Good Spirits is definitely one I also want to get to this year!
I hope we’ll both end up loving Good Spirits!
Good luck with your reading challenge. I’ve not read any of these, so can’t give any helpful suggestions about which to try next.
Here’s a link to my TTT post
https://rosieamber.wordpress.com/2025/11/11/%f0%9f%93%9a-toptentuesday-10-books-outside-my-comfort-zone-reading-tuesdaybookblog-booktwitter-bookx/
Thank you!
Great post! I’ve been thinking about doing this one for a while now, especially for my bookstagram cos I’ve seen so many people doing it and I get FOMO every time 🤣I loved One Dark Window and thought Quicksilver was okay. I think you might enjoy it though. I hope you manage to read and love all of these books before the year ends!
Haha I totally get you on the FOMO, hence this post 😀 I definitely hope to read One Dark Window soon.
I just read one dark window, mostly liked it but thought it needed more world-building than it had… I’ve got 5 more books ‘planned’ to read this year, but I’m a bit of a mood reader myself and may get to other books first.
https://getlostinlit.blogspot.com/2025/11/top-ten-books-that-push-my-comfort-zone.html
Thanks for letting me know, that’s good to know about One Dark Window before diving in. I hear you on being a mood reader, I’m already itching to pick up some other books instead 🙂
Good Spirits looks super cute.
It really does 🙂
Brimstone is on my list too!
I hope we’ll both love Brimstone!
Good luck! I need to finish Throne of Glass series. I am on the three one of the series. Here is my TTT. https://dmhoisington.wordpress.com/2025/11/11/top-ten-tuesday-9/comment-page-1/#comment-1039
Thanks! I hope you’ll love the rest of the Throne of Glass series!
Sorry you have been in a slump lately. Hopefully, one of these, or something else you decide to read will get you out of it! I am still not feeling 2 of the books I put on my 10 before the end list.
Thanks! And sorry you haven’t been feeling some books you wanted to read – hope they’ll pick up quickly though!
I have Good Spirits on my before the end of the year radar as well!
Hope we’ll both love Good Spirits!
I enjoyed reading Assistant to the Villain. I listened to the audiobook, and found I really liked the narrator. So much so, that’s how I’ve read the whole series so far.
Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
https://readbakecreate.com/ten-graphic-novels-ive-read-in-2025/
I am enjoying Assistant to the Villain, but I am struggling to read books in a physical format lately – I’m also more a fan of audiobooks 🙂
So many of these are great reads and I think it’s do-able! I’m going to be doing a 5 before the end because I just don’t have a way to fit 10, at this point. haha. Not Quite Dead Yet, is one I’m planning on getting to next week!!
I hope you’ll love Not Quite Dead Yet! It’s still the only one from this list I have finished so far, though I am reading three other books at the moment… I don’t think I’ll get to all 10, but I’ll be happy if I get to five 😀
I think 5 is completely doable!! I really liked Not Quite Dead Yet! Good luck, you got this!!
Thank you! 🙂
I just finished a Carissa Broadbent series and while I loved it, it was sooooo long.
I want to read One Dark Window and Quicksilver as well.. With only a month and a half left there is no way I could read another 10.. good luck!
Was it the Daughter of No Worlds series? That is a good one but indeed very long!
I’m probably not gonna get to all 10 either… but I’ll be happy with five 🙂