12 Books Annalise Wants to Read in 2018!

Last year, I set myself not only a general reading goal, but 12 books that I really wanted to read. I don't do monthly a TBR because my mood when it comes to books is so varied and my reading choices really depend on it. This was supposed to help me through reading slumps, focus on the oldest items in my TBR, and make sure that I read the books that were most important to me. While I didn't end up reading all 12 (8, so, pretty close!), I still am going to give a tentative 12 books that I want to get to this year. Throughout the year, I'll be coming back to this post and underlining the titles that I have read! I have high hopes for my reading goal, but if I can get some of these read, I will be off to a pretty great start!

1. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo: I had (and read, and adored!) Six of Crows last February, and now I finally want to get around to Bardugo's first triology. I've heard only good things, and have had this pretty little thing on my shelf since October! I'm definitely planning to pick it up soon, since I've been in a really fantasy-oriented reading trend as of late! And while I do plan to read all of the GrishaVerse books, I'm going to keep my list away from multiple books in the same series.

2. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas: Critically acclaimed and highly important, especially in times like these, I got this book for Christmas and want to read it ASAP. I've heard such incredible things about this novel and I've been dying to pick it up. I know that it focuses on such a relevant and crucial topic, and having novels openly discuss events like the Black Lives Matter movement is vital to our society (words hold more power than many people think!) To it see being adored so much in the YA lit realm makes me extremely happy. This one will definitely be picked up very soon.

3. Emily of Deep Valley by Maud Hart Lovelace: Ellie and I are non-stop Betsy-Tacy fans and were gifted this book by our lovely former librarian (who you can hear talk about the Betsy-Tacy series here!) as a graduation gift. While Betsy doesn't play a huge role in this story, it is about a girl who deals with depression in the early 1900s, when depression 'wasn't a thing'. I've been waiting for the right moment to pick this up, so that when I do, I love it as much as the others in the series.

4. The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness: Every Patrick Ness book I read, I come out of it feeling like I had been locked inside its pages, and I can't wait to dive into this one (especially before the movie comes out!). Coming up on its ten year anniversary, I think it's about time that I read this loved and esteemed triology!

5. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: I am guilty of a crime - I haven't completed an entire Jane Austen book, despite my longing to! I started this novel before school, but was so busy in college, that I completely lost track of reading it. 2018 is the year that I am going to fall in love with the first half (and hopefully the second) of P&P all over again! And then perhaps, or hopefully, should I say, I can fall in love with the rest of Austen's work.

6. It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini: I got this book about three years ago and have picked it up so many times, but have regretfully always put it back down. This is the year that I want to read it. While I think the stigma around mental health is decreasing, I still think that reading (even fictional accounts) of the roadblocks that people with mental illnesses are trying to fight against is not only educational, but empowering. Especially to those of us who do suffer from a form of mental illness. This is very high on my list, to put it simply.

7. Unmentionable by Therese O'Niell: Also gifted to me by our former librarian, this book is my nonfiction pick of the year. With the tagline of, "The Victorian Lady's Guide to Sex, Marriage, and Manners", in this day in age, who wouldn't want to pick it up? Blurbed by one of my favorite authors, Jenny Lawson, and apparently absolutely hysterical, I'm hoping for a quick, laugh-out-loud read that will fill my current Jenny Lawson void.

8. We Have Always Lived In The Castle by Shirley Jackson: This book has been on my To Buy list for years, and now that I finally have it, it's time to delve in. I've heard so many amazing things about this story, and it's practically classic number two. While I've never read anything by Jackson, I'm hoping that this will be the year that that will be amended! However, I might save it for a spooky month.

9. The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey: Ellie and I did a book clean out recently, and this one survived the purge despite the fact that it's been on my shelf since at least sophomore (if not freshman) year. Not only has this book been out for ages, it also has a movie, so, I'm really behind the 8-ball on this one (then again, look at Pride and Prejudice . . .). I hope that I like this story enough that I can continue through the series, or at the very least, finally move this book off my TBR.

10. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab: Talk about a book that's been on my TBR since, like, forever. I recently read the Monsters of Verity duology and have become absolutely obsessed with Schwab and her writing. This entire triology is very high up on my list, and I will be reading it as soon as I finish all the other triologies I have elected to start this year (what is wrong with me).

11. Talking As Fast As I Can by Lauren Graham: Gilmore Girls? Lauren Graham? In a book format? I think yes. I got this book for Christmas and have no quarrels about putting another nonfiction on my list if this is the book. Every since it came out, I have been dying to pick it up, but have been waiting for the audiobook to be available at my library. But very soon, Lorelai, very very soon.

12. The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley: Last but not least, a title that has been sitting in my TBR for quite a while, it's beautiful cover being squashed by other books, this year, I hope to resurrect my book neglect. I'm hoping it'll have the same atmosphere, or just be similar to The Rabbit Back Literature Society, which I had a lot of success with last year. Regarldless, I love fantasy novels, especially stand alones where the premise sounds so dang interesting! I hope to have this stunning cover on display in my bookcase in the coming months!

That is it for the 12 books I really want to read this year! As mentioned above, I will be underlining the titles of books that I have completed! While I am not going to be rigorously sticking to these titles until I get them all completed, it'll be a nice list to look at when I'm not sure what to read next and to remind myself to vary my choices throughout 2018. Here's to a great reading year!

#ListsbyAnnalise #TBR