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!
- Death’s Mistress by Karen Chance
- In Vino Veritas by Karen Chance
- Fury’s Kiss by Karen Chance
- Mythos by Stephen Fry
- Imprudence by Gail Carriger
- The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
- Archangel’s Blade by Nalini Singh
- Twelve Kings by Bradley P Beaulieu
- Of Sand and Malice Made by Bradley P Beaulieu
- Only Dull People Are Brilliant At Breakfast by Oscar Wilde
- A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn
- A Perilous Undertaking by Deanna Raybourn
- A Treacherous Curse by Deanna Raybourn
- The Emperor’s Blades by Brian Staveley
- Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn
- Silent in the Sanctuary by Deanna Raybourn
- Blood Upon the Sand by Bradley P Beaulieu
- Wilde in Love by Eloisa James
- Written in Red by Anne Bishop
- Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop
- Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop
- A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet
- Breath of Fire by Amanda Bouchet
- The Convenient Marriage by Georgette Heyer
- Guns of the Dawn by Adrian Tchaikovsky
- Winds of Fate by Mercedes Lackey
- Winds of Change by Mercedes Lackey
- Any Groom Will Do by Charis Michaels
- Darkhaven by AFE Smith
- Children of Earth and Sky by Guy Gavriel Kay
- Brother’s Ruin by Emma Newman
- Weaver’s Lament by Emma Newman
- City of Brass by SA Chakraborty
- Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn
- Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
- Vein of Love by R Scarlett
- Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
- Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs
- Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs
- In Conclusion, Don’t Worry About It by Lauren Graham
- The Tiger and The Wolf by Adrian Tchaikovsky
- Knight’s Shadow by Sebastien de Castell
- A Veil of Spears by Bradley Beaulieu
- Cold-Forged Flame by Marie Brennan
- The Children of Jocasta by Natalie Haynes
- A Quick Bite by Lynsay Sands
- The Promise of Blood by Brian McClellan
- Omens by Kelley Armstrong
- Visions by Kelley Armstrong
- Deceptions by Kelley Armstrong
- Lost Souls by Kelley Armstrong
- Betrayals by Kelley Armstrong
- Rituals by Kelley Armstrong
- Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead
- Succubus on Top by Richelle Mead
- Jason and Medea by Appollonius of Rhodes
- A Dead Djinn in Cairo by P Djeli Clark
- Circe by Madeline Miller
- For The Most Beautiful by Emily Hauser
- Galatea by Madeline Miller
- A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J Maas
- Dark Currents by Jaqueline Carey
- Beasting Beauty by Madison Faye
- Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey
- Seduced By A Pirate by Eloisa James
- The Anna Karenina Fix by Viv Groskop
- Kushiel’s Chosen by Jacqueline Carey
- Storming the Castle by Eloisa James
- Black Wings by Christina Henry
- The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella
- Hygge and Kisses by Clara Christensen
- The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden
- Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison
- The Parentations by Kate Mayfield
- One Good Earl Deserves a Lover by Sarah MacLean
- Bitch Planet by Kelly Sue Deconnick and Valentine de Landro
- Alice by Christina Henry
- No Good Duke Goes Unpunished by Sarah MacLean
- Wicked and the Wallflower by Sarah MacLean
- Provenance by Ann Leckie
- Devil In Winter by Lisa Kleypas
- Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness
- Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse
- How to Marry a Werewolf by Gail Carriger
- Clean Sweep by Ilona Andrews
- Sweep In Peace by Ilona Andrews
- The Sea King by CL Wilson
- Misogynation by Laura Bates
- Scandalous Desires by Elizabeth Hoyt
- Angelfall by Susan Ee
- Corrupt by Penelope Douglas
- The Painted Man by Peter V Brett
- Notes on a Nervous Planet by Matt Haig
- The Duke Buys A Bride by Sophie Jordan
- The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness
- The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
- Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill
- Friday Night Bites by Chloe Neill
- Twice Bitten by Chloe Neill
- Hard Bitten by Chloe Neill
- Drink Deep by Chloe Neill
- Biting Cold by Chloe Neill
- Rough Justice by Kelley Armstrong
- Silent Blade by Ilona Andrews
- Portents by Kelley Armstrong
- And Only To Deceive by Tasha Alexander
- Kushiel’s Avatar by Jacqueline Carey
- Retribution Falls by Chris Wooding
- Promising Young Women by Caroline O’Donoghue
- The Highwayman by Kerrigan Byrne
- The Hunter by Kerrigan Byrne
- The Governess Game by Tessa Dare
- Unspoken by Kerrigan Byrne
- Heart on Fire by Amanda Bouchet
- Nightchaser by Amanda Bouchet
- One Fell Sweep by Ilona Andrews
- Burn For Me by Ilona Andrews
- White Hot by Ilona Andrews
- Wildfire by Ilona Andrews
- Beyond the Veil by Pippa DaCosta
- Chaos Born by Rebekah Turner
- The Duke I Tempted by Scarlett Peckham
- Firelight by Kristen Callihan
- Kiss of Steel by Bec McMaster
- Heart of Fire by Bec McMaster
- Storm of Desire by Bec McMaster
- Clash of Storms by Bec McMaster
- Eternal Rider by Larissa Ione
- The Guns Above by Robyn Bennis
- Blood’s Pride by Eve Manieri
- Something Wicked by Jo Beverley
- Kill the Queen by Jennifer Estep
- Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas
- Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas
- Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas
- Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas
- Empire of Storms by Sarah J Maas
- The Assassin’s Blade by Sarah J Maas
- Tower of Dawn by Sarah J Maas
- Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J Maas
- Blood Rights by Kristen Painter
- Flesh and Blood by Kristen Painter
- Soulless by Gail Carriger
- Diamond Fire by Ilona Andrews
- Wallbanger by Alice Clayton
- Rhapsodic by Laura Thalassa
- A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas
- A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas
- The Earl I Ruined by Scarlett Peckham
- My Once and Future Duke by Caroline Linden
- The Other Miss Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
- Dear Ijeawele, A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
- The World’s Wife by Carol Ann Duffy
- Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes
- The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman
- Omens by Kelley Armstrong
- The Glass Woman by Caroline Lea
- The Guilty Feminist by Deborah Frances-White
- A Time of Blood by John Gwynne
- Mobile Library by David Whitehouse
Nice list! I like what you say about one genre replacing another, or fulfilling the purpose of another I guess? Great post!
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Thanks! Yeah, I think my favourite part of the YA stories I read was the romance, so now that i’m getting my happily-ever-after through historical/regency romance reads, i’m not missing anything by not reading YA. Funny how reading tastes develop! 😊
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Definitely! I’m starting to read more adult fantasy and I’m really enjoying it (YA still has my heart for now though).
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It’s all great fun! I do miss the faster pacing of YA… sometimes the adult stuff can take a while to get going!
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That is true, but equally the slow burn can be fun
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YA can get a bit angsty in places! But I do still enjoy reading them.
I’m not sure I’m a huge fan of ‘hardcore’ sci-fi either. When it gets too technical, it goes way over my head!
And wow, 160 books is so amazing! 👌 I hope your 2019 goal works well. 😄
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They have their pros but unfortunately they’re just not for me anymore. Although there are a few out there that border YA/adult, I seem to be okay with those.
I’m glad I’m not alone with the sci-fi, lots of people who love fantasy love it too but for some reason I can take it or leave it. I’m willing to try some if they’re ‘low-fi’ enough 😀
thanks! I hope yours does too 😀
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Though the books were pretty average, it does seem to have been a good reading year for you. Hopefully will be better.
My books were average too. All the great reads mostly occurred at the beginning of the year.
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It’s a bit frustrating isn’t it? I’d rather read less books but have them be better than average. But sometimes it’s hard to judge 😄 hope 2019 is better for you 😊
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