Friday 20 July 2018

HUGE second half of 2018 TBR!


I'm hoping to finish Emily Skrutskie's The Edge of the Abyss tonight which will mean I'll have read 17 books so far this year. That's definitely less than I was hoping by July - although three of those books have been 5 star reads that I've been raving about since finishing them - but this year I've been writing a lot more than I've been reading, which has been wonderful.



That being said, 2018 has also become the year that I've rediscovered my love for High/Epic Fantasy, not that it ever completely went away, and also the year that I've rediscovered my love for YA Fantasy in particular and I'd like to be reading more. The main reason I haven't been is because I haven't been making time for it, which is my own fault, so something I'd like to try and do the rest of this year is make more time for reading. I don't want to be super strict with myself because I don't want reading to turn into homework, but I am giving myself a TBR (an incredibly unrealistic one) for the rest of this year full of books that I'd like to try and have under my belt.

Will I get to all of these? Probably not, but I'd like to try and get to some of them and I'm creating this list today so I can keep track of my progress. The first 20 of these books are books I've been sent for review, mostly via NetGalley, and I want to get on top of my NetGalley reads - especially as I've had a lot of these for a while now! The others are a mix of 2018 releases that I'd like to read this year and some other books that I simply should have read by now and I'm annoyed that I still haven't.

So, grab yourself a drink and a snack, and on with my list!



West by Carys Davies: A few years ago I organised a book launch that Carys Davies read at and her writing was beautiful. I've been meaning to read her short stories since then but still haven't, story of my life, but West is her first novel - more of a novella, really, at around 160 pages - set in 19th century America. As it's so short I'm hoping to read and review this one soon!

Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss: Another very short one, Sarah Moss is another author I've been meaning to read for a while now and Ghost Wall sounds amazing. I believe it follows a young girl taking part in an archaeological experiment with her mother and her abusive father who has an obsession with the brutal lifestyle lived by Britain's Iron Age people.

See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt: I know Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight wasn't the biggest fan of this one and I've been curious to see what I think of it ever since, especially as it's a fictional account of the murders of Lizzie Borden's father and stepmother - murders Lizzie was suspected of committing herself.

The Good People by Hannah Kent: I adored Kent's debut, Burial Rites, so it's about time I read this one, too. I just haven't been in the mood for it yet!

The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker: My only experience with Pat Barker is her WWI era novel Regeneration which I had to read during sixth form, but her latest novel, about the women of Troy after the Trojan War, sounds brilliant. It follows Briseis who is awarded to Achilles as a prize of war, and after I read and adored The Song of Achilles last year it'll be interesting to read a book set during the same conflict from the women's point of view.


The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar: This book has been everywhere this year and I've actually already read a bit of it, but it didn't grip me like I hoped it would. I do want to finish it, though, because the writing is beautiful and I think there's the potential for it to be a real fun romp of a novel.

The Cursed Wife by Pamela Hartshorne: This novel is described as a psychological thriller set in Elizabethan London. That's all I need to know.

The King's Witch by Tracy Borman: There have been a lot of historians turning to historical fiction lately, in fact there are two more on this list, and Tracy Borman is a Tudor and Stuart historian whose documentaries I've always enjoyed so I'm intrigued by her first foray into fiction.

Lady Mary by Lucy Worsley: Unlike Borman, Worsley, another historian who makes fantastic documentaries, has turned to writing fiction for younger readers to spark their interest in history, and I believe Lady Mary is her third novel. I'm really interested in reading a novel from the point of view of the young Mary I during the dramatic break-up of her parents' marriage.

Riddle of the Runes by Janina Ramirez: Once again, Ramirez is another historian whose recently turned to writing fiction with the first in a children's series about a young viking detective. This one sounds really fun and I'm looking forward to reading some more Middle Grade!


Sea Witch by Sarah Henning: Put witches in a story and I'm 1000% more likely to pick it up. I'm not usually a big fan of villain origin stories, mainly because they always seem to be tragic love stories and I find a broken heart as an excuse for villainy pretty boring, but what I love about the sound of this one is that Henning has combined The Little Mermaid with Denmark's long history of witch hunts and I'm looking forward to reading it.

Spoonbenders by Daryl Gregory: This one sounds absolutely bizarre and I'm ashamed to say I've had it for a year and still haven't read it, mainly because when I started reading it I fell pretty ill - I ended up in hospital overnight - and now I can't stop thinking of how lousy I felt the first time I started reading it. I'd still like to read it, though!

The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia: If you've been following my blog for a while you'll know I'm a huge fan of Moreno-Garcia's work so I'm annoyed I still haven't got to this one yet, but I'm hoping to read it soon!

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden: I'm determined to read this one this winter, it's been on my TBR too long!

The Vanishing Throne by Elizabeth May: ... I don't even want to admit how long this one's been on my TBR, but hopefully I'll finally read and review it this year.


Gone by Min Kym: I haven't read much non-fiction lately but this memoir sounds fascinating so I'm hoping to get to it this year. Perhaps I'll read it for Non-Fiction November!

Under the Pendulum Sun by Jeannette Ng: This historical fantasy follows a woman who must travel to the land of the Fae to find her brother, a missionary, who's gone missing there. It sounds amazing so it's about time I got to it!

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang: I've been eager for some Asian and African-inspired high fantasy this year and I keep seeing this novel everywhere. It's giving me Mulan vibes, so I'm hoping to love it.

The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See: As much as I love historical fiction I've been on such a fantasy kick this year that it's a genre I haven't been gravitating towards as much, so novels like this one keep getting left behind. It sounds really interesting, though, so I'd like to get to it at some point.

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee: I'm really interested in the history between Japan and South Korea, something this novel covers, but I've also seen so many mixed reviews of this one that it's made me a little hesitant to pick it up. I'm hoping to get to it sooner rather than later, though!



Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi: This novel has been EVERYWHERE this year and I still haven't read it even though I haven't seen a single bad review yet. This is one I'm hoping to read very, very soon.

The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu: More Asian-inspired fantasy! This is another novel I've already started and have enjoyed so far. I'm on a bit of a YA kick at the moment, but I'm planning to return to it soon.

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland: The American Civil War and zombies? Yes please. This one sounds really fun and I've seen some great reviews. As it has zombies in it I think I might save this one for Halloween unless the mood takes me.

The Brilliant Death by Amy Rose Capetta: This is one of the few books on this list that isn't out yet, but it's Italian-inspired fantasy with an LGBT+ romance. I'm all for LGBT+ fantasy and I love Italy so I can't wait to read a setting inspired by it.

Red Sister by Mark Lawrence: Assassins and nuns. Yes. I couldn't get on with this the first time I tried to read it but as I'm now completely back in a fantasy frame of mind I want to give it another try and I'm hoping to love it.



The Queens of Innis Lear by Tessa Gratton: This is a fantasy retelling of King Lear in which three sisters vie for their father's throne. It sounds excellent.

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik: I'm planning to buddy read this one with Natalie @ A Sea Change, which should be interesting considering she adored Uprooted and I thought it was okay. As this is a retelling of my favourite fairy tale, Rumpelstiltskin, however, I'm hoping I'll love it.

Circe by Madeline Miller: I fell in love with The Song of Achilles last year so I can't wait to read Miller's second novel.

The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty: This novel features a heroine who is a con artist in 18th century Cairo and includes a genie. That's all I need to know to want to read it.

Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh: Since reading Six of Crows and The Abyss Surrounds Us this year I've developed a love for duologies, so I'd like to start this one set in Feudal Japan and featuring a girl who poses as a boy - one of my favourite tropes.



On the Front Line with the Women Who Fight Back by Stacey Dooley: The only other piece of non-fiction on this list, this is Dooley's first book. I love her documentaries so I'm hoping I'll really enjoy this, too.

Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli: I haven't really been in the mood for Contemporary this year but I'm planning to read this one soon because I always enjoy Albertalli's novels.

The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee: I really enjoyed The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue last year so I can't wait to get my hands on this one!

My Mum Tracy Beaker by Jacqueline Wilson: I haven't read any Wilson in years but she was my favourite author for the longest time during my childhood and I can't resist her new book in which a character I grew up with, Tracy Beaker, has become a mother herself.

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend: This is another book I haven't seen a single bad review for so I'm hoping to get to it soon.



The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch: I recently read the first page of this and could feel myself getting sucked in, but I wanted to finish The Edge of the Abyss before I let myself get pulled into another series. I've heard great things about this one and I believe this has a setting inspired by Venice, and I will take all the Italian-inspired fantasy I can get.

IT by Stephen King: I'm slowly making my way through this one and I'd like to finish it this year, especially as I loved the new film adaptation last year.

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood: I still haven't read this one and I need to rectify that asap.

Record of a Spaceborn Few by Becky Chambers: I love Chambers' sci-fi so I can't wait for the latest addition to her series.

Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women & Witchcraft ed. by Jessica Spotswood and Tess Sharpe: An entire anthology of stories about witches? Yes please, give it to me now.



The Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo: And lastly, as I'm sure you all know by now I adored Bardugo's Six of Crows duology earlier this year and with the news that one of the main characters from that duology is going to make an appearance in her new book being released in January, I think it's about time I read the trilogy that introduced the Grishaverse. I've actually already started Shadow and Bone and I can already tell I'm not going to love it anywhere near as much as I loved Six of Crows, but I still want to read it and appreciate it for what it is so I completely understand this fantasy world by the time her new book comes out.

If you read all of this, I salute you! 



Also if you haven't seen it already I'm currently hosting a giveaway for one of my favourite reads of 2018, so head on over here to enter!

Have you read any of these? Do you want to read any of these? And are there any books you really want to cross off your TBR by the end of the year?

2 comments:

  1. The beautiful ones was not really my jam, mostly just the time period is what I didn't like, but the writing was amazing.

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    1. Ah that's a shame! I think it's quite different to what she's written before but I always love her work so I'm looking forward to getting to it. =)

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