I’m so excited for another year of books and chats! If you’re new to my blog, this is my 3rd year sharing a monthly fantasy book review which always includes a picture of the read with one of my cats. Yes, I’m both a crazy cat lady and a crazy book lady…and I’m happy about that!

Without further ado, I want to share the:

2023 Book Chat List  [individual post links will be added]
Jan      Rachel Morgan, City of Wishes 1
Feb    Lindsay Buroker, The Emperor’s Edge
Mar    Isla Frost, Dragons are a Girl’s Best Friend
Apr     KF Breene, Born in Fire
May   Charlaine Harris, Dead Until Dark
Jun      Dannika Dark, Keystone (Crossbreed 1)
Jul       Laini Taylor, Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Aug     Carrie Vaughn, Kitty and the Midnight Hour
Sept    JR Ward, Dark Lover
Oct      RJ Blaine, 1 book from The Magical Romantic Comedy (with a body count) Starter Pack
Nov     Anne Bishop, Written in Red
Dec     Karen Marie Moning, Dark Fever

While I do read books not listed above, I’ve tried to include different authors in this blog series each year. However, KF Breene was also in my 2021 list. I’ll definitely dig up that old review and will probably add a feature comparing the works.

I originally started this blog series in 2021 when I found myself struggling to make time to read. I felt guilty about that fun when I have a full-time job and am writing on the side. Then I read various versions of the ‘reading in the inhale, writing is the exhale’ advice. While reading is a coping method for me, making it part of my writer’s job gave it even more value and reduced my guilt. 

**New Year’s Resolution Tip: Have we all heard and use the SMART method for our new year’s resolutions? Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. This blog series is definitely an example of that working for me so let’s get back to it.**

Another benefit of posting my reading schedule for the year? No one has to buy the books to join the fun. Get a library card and check out the free options available for paperback and digital copies.

I truly believe we are better people when we read, but logic doesn’t always assuage guilt in this go-go-go world. If you are struggling with this battle, please consider this a personal request from a struggling writer. Your participation as a reader/ writer is vital and will help me along my journey! 😀 You can read the books with me or comment with similar books you’ve read and reviewed. We can all work together to ensure reading is valued!

For those new reader friends, there’s one more thing you should know. I focus each review on the NEGATIVE things other readers have included in their reviews. I know discussions with opposing sides can be considered a lost art, but I want us to be able to disagree and still talk. We all have preferences and pet peeves and no book will work for all of us. If we continue to start with that premise, I think we’ll have more fun with these Book Chats.

As I noted above, I consider this blog series part of my writing duties so my reviews are divided into two sections: reader and writer. I always put the reader portion first and note when we’re changing sides in case you are only interested in one or the other. 

For my fellow writers, the writing portion covers subjects I see often in Facebook writers groups. I’ll name just a few here: pacing, quirky characters, world building info dumps, covers, marketing, and blurbs. It has definitely helped me to have concrete examples of multiple POVs, time jumps, etc. as I continue to develop both my writing craft and my business knowledge. If you’re interested in joining this series, feel free to reach out about a guest blog. I’d love to have others share their reader/ writer reviews!

For now, let’s close this one with links to the previous Chat years master posts and some books & cat pictures! Happy reading/ writing to all in 2023!

-RSJ

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2021 Book Chat: Fantasy
2022 Fantasy Adventure Book Chat