2018 Reading Wrap Up

Happy 2019 everyone! I hope you’ve all had a wonderful festive period and are excited to begin a new year.

Reading through my 2017 reading wrap up, I feel a bit disappointed to write that I’ve had another year where the majority of the books I’ve read have been a bit average. That’s not to say that I haven’t enjoyed the majority of my reads, just that not many really stick out now we’re at the end of the year. I have already gushed about my favourite audio and print books of 2018, so I won’t bore you with repeating myself here, but please do check out my lists if you’re interested:

Favourite Audiobooks |  Favourite Print Reads

Saying that, I do think my reading preferences have changed for the better over the past twelve months. I have really enjoyed listening to a wide variety of audiobooks and I picked up a lot more non-fiction than I have in previous years. Both of these are aspects of my reading life that I aim to continue in 2019. I have a few more feminist essay collections and plenty of history books to devour and I think I might try a few more memoir/autobiography/’year in the life of’-esque books too. It has been refreshing to mix up my fantasy/romance heavy reading with the non-fiction reads so I’m looking forward to discovering some new favourites to try. At the moment I’m interested in learning more about space, so who knows, maybe 2019 will be the year I nerd out on planets and science. I’ve found it very rewarding to step out of my reading comfort zone and I hope 2019 will be no different. Although I did recently post a long list of fantasy books I hope to get to, too… 

Similarly to 2017, I’ve steered clear of YA books (apart from finishing off Sarah J Maas’ Throne of Glass series, because I just HAD to know how that ended). It’s tricky because sometimes the synopsis sounds intriguing but I know from experience that I just can’t cope with the angst and the infallibility of the young characters. I loved them in 2016 but after another year of sticking to books aimed at adult audiences, I have proven to myself that my regency/historical romance addiction has replaced the need for YA stories in my life. I’m okay with that, no matter how gorgeous some of the YA covers may be…

Whilst I still stick largely to fantasy, urban fantasy and historical romances, I have sampled a few sci-fi reads this year and surprised myself with how much I enjoyed them. I’m hoping I’ll find a few more to read over 2019 now I’ve got a sense for the type of sci-fi I enjoy (strong focus on characters and not too technologically advanced). I also discovered that I can enjoy fantasy stories with guns in them! Who’d have thought it?! I’m typically a feudal fantasy gal, lover of lots of old buildings, castles, swords and sorcery, and shying away from the more modern approaches to warfare, yet Guns of the Dawn by Adrian Tchaikovsky and Promise of Blood by Brian McClellan were some of my favourite reads this year. I can’t wait to read more in the flintlock/military fantasy sub-genre, I have heard great things about Django Wexler’s The Shadow Campaigns in particular, not to mention the rest of McClellan’s books. Exciting!

I read an amazing total of 160 books in 2018, surpassing my low target of 12… Despite consistently beating the large targets I’ve set myself over the years, I really hated the pressure when I fell behind in 2017 so I set myself a very small one for 2018 to see if it helped. It did, I flew through and managed 160 relatively easily with no mad panics or binge reading tiny books just to add to my challenge. I enjoyed it, but I feel silly putting another low goal for 2019 when clearly I can get through a fair amount in a year. So this year I’ve put 150 hoping it’ll be the best of both worlds… I’m wary, but ultimately, I want my reading to be fun so I’ll try not to focus on it too much and see how I go.

Without further ramblings, below is the full list of books I read this year. Where possible I’ve linked to reviews I’ve done, and you can find my lists for 2016 and 2017 here:  2016 | 2017. While adding my links, I noticed that I have written more reviews on Goodreads than I have on this blog… I will have to remedy that and transfer some over this year! In the meantime, the below links are a mix of blog posts and Goodreads reviews.

Happy reading!

1. Death’s Mistress by Karen Chance
2. In Vino Veritas by Karen Chance
3. Fury’s Kiss by Karen Chance
4. Mythos by Stephen Fry
5. Imprudence by Gail Carriger
6. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
7. Archangel’s Blade by Nalini Singh
8. Twelve Kings by Bradley P Beaulieu
9. Of Sand and Malice Made by Bradley P Beaulieu
10. Only Dull People Are Brilliant At Breakfast by Oscar Wilde
11. A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn
12. A Perilous Undertaking by Deanna Raybourn
13. A Treacherous Curse by Deanna Raybourn
14. The Emperor’s Blades by Brian Staveley
15. Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn
16. Silent in the Sanctuary by Deanna Raybourn
17. Blood Upon the Sand by Bradley P Beaulieu
18. Wilde in Love by Eloisa James
19. Written in Red by Anne Bishop
20. Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop
21. Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop
22. A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet
23. Breath of Fire by Amanda Bouchet
24. The Convenient Marriage  by Georgette Heyer
25. Guns of the Dawn by Adrian Tchaikovsky
26. Winds of Fate by Mercedes Lackey
27. Winds of Change by Mercedes Lackey
28. Any Groom Will Do by Charis Michaels
29. Darkhaven by AFE Smith
30. Children of Earth and Sky by Guy Gavriel Kay
31. Brother’s Ruin by Emma Newman
32. Weaver’s Lament by Emma Newman
33. City of Brass by SA Chakraborty
34. Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn
35. Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
36. Vein of Love by R Scarlett
37. Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
38. Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs
39. Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs
40. In Conclusion, Don’t Worry About It by Lauren Graham
41. The Tiger and The Wolf by Adrian Tchaikovsky
42. Knight’s Shadow by Sebastien de Castell
43. A Veil of Spears by Bradley Beaulieu
44. Cold-Forged Flame by Marie Brennan
45. The Children of Jocasta by Natalie Haynes
46. A Quick Bite by Lynsay Sands
47. The Promise of Blood by Brian McClellan
48. Omens by Kelley Armstrong
49. Visions by Kelley Armstrong
50. Deceptions by Kelley Armstrong
51. Lost Souls by Kelley Armstrong
52. Betrayals by Kelley Armstrong
53. Rituals by Kelley Armstrong
54. Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead
55. Succubus on Top by Richelle Mead
56. Jason and Medea by Appollonius of Rhodes
57. A Dead Djinn in Cairo by P Djeli Clark
58. Circe by Madeline Miller
59. For The Most Beautiful by Emily Hauser
60. Galatea by Madeline Miller
61. A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J Maas
62. Dark Currents by Jaqueline Carey
63. Beasting Beauty by Madison Faye
64. Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey
65. Seduced By A Pirate by Eloisa James
66. The Anna Karenina Fix by Viv Groskop
67. Kushiel’s Chosen by Jacqueline Carey
68. Storming the Castle by Eloisa James
69. Black Wings by Christina Henry
70. The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella
71. Hygge and Kisses by Clara Christensen
72. The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden
73. Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison
74. The Parentations by Kate Mayfield
75. One Good Earl Deserves a Lover by Sarah MacLean
76. Bitch Planet by Kelly Sue Deconnick and Valentine de Landro
77. Alice by Christina Henry
78. No Good Duke Goes Unpunished by Sarah MacLean
79. Wicked and the Wallflower by Sarah MacLean
80. Provenance by Ann Leckie
81. Devil In Winter by Lisa Kleypas
82. Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness
83. Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse
84. How to Marry a Werewolf by Gail Carriger
85. Clean Sweep by Ilona Andrews
86. Sweep In Peace by Ilona Andrews
87. The Sea King by CL Wilson
88. Misogynation by Laura Bates
89. Scandalous Desires by Elizabeth Hoyt
90. Angelfall by Susan Ee
91. Corrupt by Penelope Douglas
92. The Painted Man by Peter V Brett
93. Notes on a Nervous Planet by Matt Haig
94. The Duke Buys A Bride by Sophie Jordan
95. The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness
96. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
97. Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill
98. Friday Night Bites by Chloe Neill
99. Twice Bitten by Chloe Neill
100. Hard Bitten by Chloe Neill
101. Drink Deep by Chloe Neill
102. Biting Cold by Chloe Neill
103. Rough Justice by Kelley Armstrong
104. Silent Blade by Ilona Andrews
105. Portents by Kelley Armstrong
106. And Only To Deceive by Tasha Alexander
107. Kushiel’s Avatar by Jacqueline Carey
108. Retribution Falls by Chris Wooding
109. Promising Young Women by Caroline O’Donoghue
110. The Highwayman by Kerrigan Byrne
111. The Hunter by Kerrigan Byrne
112. The Governess Game by Tessa Dare
113. Unspoken by Kerrigan Byrne
114. Heart on Fire by Amanda Bouchet
115. Nightchaser by Amanda Bouchet
116. One Fell Sweep by Ilona Andrews
117. Burn For Me by Ilona Andrews
118. White Hot by Ilona Andrews
119. Wildfire by Ilona Andrews
120. Beyond the Veil by Pippa DaCosta
121. Chaos Born by Rebekah Turner
122. The Duke I Tempted by Scarlett Peckham
123. Firelight by Kristen Callihan
124. Kiss of Steel by Bec McMaster
125. Heart of Fire by Bec McMaster
126. Storm of Desire by Bec McMaster
127. Clash of Storms by Bec McMaster
128. Eternal Rider by Larissa Ione
129. The Guns Above by Robyn Bennis
130. Blood’s Pride by Eve Manieri
131. Something Wicked by Jo Beverley
132. Kill the Queen by Jennifer Estep
133. Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas
134. Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas
135. Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas
136. Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas
137. Empire of Storms by Sarah J Maas
138. The Assassin’s Blade by Sarah J Maas
139. Tower of Dawn by Sarah J Maas
140. Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J Maas
141. Blood Rights by Kristen Painter
142. Flesh and Blood by Kristen Painter
143. Soulless by Gail Carriger
144. Diamond Fire by Ilona Andrews
145. Wallbanger by Alice Clayton
146. Rhapsodic by Laura Thalassa
147. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas
148. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas
149. The Earl I Ruined by Scarlett Peckham
150. My Once and Future Duke by Caroline Linden
151. The Other Miss Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
152. Dear Ijeawele, A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
153. The World’s Wife by Carol Ann Duffy
154. Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes
155. The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman
156. Omens by Kelley Armstrong
157. The Glass Woman by Caroline Lea
158. The Guilty Feminist by Deborah Frances-White
159. A Time of Blood by John Gwynne
160. Mobile Library by David Whitehouse