Books I Neglected In 2018 (Because I’m a Monster)

So, I read a grand total of 96 books in 2018. Which means I didn’t read … all the others. I KNOW. I’m just as disappointed in myself as you are.

I had such grandiose TBR plans for 2018. Where did I go wrong?

Obviously, I didn’t have enough coffee and chocolate to power my reading engine, and rest assured, I plan to remedy that this year.

So here are 10 books that somehow slipped through the cracks in 2018 (which I should probably read in 2019, lest they start to feel unloved).

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday is dedicated to books I meant to read in 2018 but didn’t get to.

1. Dry by Neal Shusterman

In my defense, this book didn’t come out until October, and I got it for Christmas, so it was pretty late in the year. But still. That’s a whole week just about that I could have read it. What was I thinking?! I have so many regrets. Shusterman has quickly become one of my favorite authors, after reading the Arc of a Scythe series. I can’t wait to start this one!

2. Dread Nation by Justine Ireland

I was so looking forward to this book, and I bought it on my Kindle … and then promptly forgot that I owned it. You know, like you do. Rediscovered it again towards the end of last year, like an early Christmas present! Pretty sure that’s how you know you have too many books on your Kindle. At the point you start discovering things you didn’t know you own, you have a problem. Or so says my husband. But what does he know, anyway? I’m still super looking forward to this, and with book two coming out this year, I really shouldn’t keep putting it off.

3. The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

A friend actually recommended this series to me, and her recommendations are usually pretty dang good (shout out to you, Sara, and your impeccable taste in books … and friends, obviously.) After reading the synopsis and a sample, this book is 100% up my alley. I’m not quite sure why I haven’t gotten to this one, but I really need to.

4. Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor

I’ve had a couple people recommend this book, after I read The Children of Blood and Bone and wasn’t entirely enamored with it. I really wanted to read more African-centered books, and since this was on my radar, I did pick up a copy. I just … haven’t gotten around to reading it. Wow, I’m bad at following through on things.

5. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

I’ve heard such good things about this series. Honestly, I’m as baffled as you are. Why has it taken me so long? Who knows? What am I even doing with my life at this point?

6. Vengeful by V.E. Schwab

I HAD THIS BOOK IN MY HANDS. *wails* It slipped right through my fingers, after waiting forever on the wait list to get a hold of it. To be fair, I got this mid-December, and I had family down for the holidays. And for some reason, they wouldn’t let me read rather than spend time with them. Rude, right? So I forfeited my position for the next person because I knew I wouldn’t have time to read it. So now I’m back on wait list limbo. I loved Vicious so much that I’m eager to get my hands on this again!

7. And I Darken by Kiersten White

I bought this whole series, and it came so highly recommended. I’ve read other work by Kiersten White, and I enjoyed it, and I look forward to reading this. Unfortunately, this just got pushed down on my TBR with so many other books coming out. I have forsaken it. See? I did tell you I was a monster.

8. Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman

I read A Man Called Ove last year, and It. Was. Fabulous. Seriously. If you haven’t read it, go do so. You’re just wasting your lives, people. In fact, just read all of Backman’s books, because they’re all so worth it. I intended to do that last year, but as it turns out, they’re harder to get my hands on, as no libraries around here have them, so I have to order them. I really didn’t like Britt-Marie at first, but by the end of My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She’s Sorry, I was a bit in love with her character and didn’t want the story to end. So I will for sure be picking this up this year.

9. Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

A Middle Eastern inspired novel with gunslinging and djinn? Totally sold on this one. I actually plan on reading this in the next couple of weeks, since I was able to grab it from my library. The wait was really only partially my fault. The library didn’t have it in, and they only recently picked it up. But I snagged it as soon as it went on the shelves, so I plan to rectify this one soon! Surely that counts for at least a little bit of good karma, yeah? Just a smidge?

10. Scoundrels by Victor Cornwall and St. John Trevelyan

I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this and its sequel Scoundrels: The Hunt for Hansclapp from NetGalley. I’m all for comedy books, and this one sounds fantastic. I intended to read it in December, but that sort of just … didn’t happen. I blame my in-laws. That seems like par for the course. Since it didn’t, though, I look forward to reading this in the next month or so!

What books did you have every intention of reading in 2018 and just didn’t get around to? Are they still on your TBR for 2019? Can you hear their little voices crying out, broken-hearted at being forsaken?! No? Just me?