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Wednesday, 2 January 2019

5 Books I Want to Read in 2019

After three consecutive years of failing to read the five books I set out to read in the January of each year, I'm starting to wonder if the reason why I'm not reading these books is because I'm not motivated enough. Sure, I love reading, but with a busy lifestyle, long working hours (especially with the combination of blogging and my day job) and near-constant tiredness, if a book isn't motivating me, the chances are that I'm going to put off picking it up.

So, this year, I'm determined to beat my Goodreads challenge and read a minimum of 50 books in 2019. One of my New Year's resolutions is to stop feeling so guilty about taking time for myself, which ties in perfectly with my reading goal.

Let's make 2019 the year of reading!

Just before I introduce you to this year's books, here are the results of my last three years' books:

  • 2016: 1/5 books read
  • 2017: 0/5 books read
  • 2018: 2/5 books read
I'll freely admit that it's not the best track record, but I'm committed to changing that in 2019. 

Here are five of the books that I'm hoping to read this year. I still have a backlog of ARCs and review copies, so I'm hoping to make a sizeable dent in them, which is why these five books are all from indie authors or small publishers. We can't let the big publishing houses get all the reviews, after all!


Nirvana by J.R. Stewart

nirvana, jr-stewart, book

This has been on my tbr for three/four years now, but I kept putting it off because it received a number of negative reviews back when it was first released. As a general rule of thumb, I try my best not to read reviews until after I have read a book as I feel they can sometimes skew your perceptions of it - as evidenced in the case of Nirvana. However, 2019 feels like the right time to brush off the lingering memories of other reviewers' words and give the book a try on my own terms.

The Red Pearl by C.K. Brooke

the-red-pearl, ck-brooke, book

I was sent a copy of The Red Pearl several years ago, but as it wasn't a priority read (blog tour books, ARCs, and books I've personally requested) it kept slipping back to the bottom of the pile. I'm planning to clear as many of the old, forgotten review books as I can this year, so The Red Pearl is definitely on that list!

Circle of Words by the Brussels Writers' Circle

circle-of-words, brussels-writers-anthology, book

This is a short story anthology that I shamefully agreed to read and review a while back but, as usual, never got around to doing. Last year I read mostly YA books, so this year, I'm trying to broaden my reading diet as well as adhering to my other reading goals. As an anthology, Circle of Words offers plenty of opportunities for diverse reading!

The Sherlock Holmes Handbook for the Digital Age by Alan Pearce

The-Sherlock-Holmes-Handbook-for-the-Digital Age, Alan-Pearce, book

I was approached directly by the author about this book and immediately said yes as soon as I read 'Sherlock Holmes' in the title. I'm a massive fan of the character of Sherlock Holmes, from Arthur Conan Doyle's original books to the BBC TV series and Robert Downey Jr's big-screen portrayal. I'm a little ashamed to admit that after accepting, I plonked this book on my virtual tbr and haven't really given it a second thought - until now.

Revenge of the Malakim by Paul Harrison

revenge-of-the-malakim, paul-harrison, book

Revenge of the Malakim is another hastily-agreed review book that I accepted at a time when I really shouldn't have been adding to my already overflowing tbr list! I always have a tendency to overestimate how much time I will realistically have to read, resulting in too many acceptances and a stack of books I just don't have the time to read. 2019 is a strict 'no review copies' year as I work to finally read and review all the outstanding books like this one!

Which books are you hoping to read in 2019? Let me know in the comments below!

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