BOOKS I WANT TO READ IN 2019

Hello everyone! I know it’s almost March and this is generally a January-type post, but I figured why not! These are mostly books I’ve been meaning to read for a while + some that I just fancy reading this year… so please enjoy! Also, please click on the image of the book to go to the Goodreads page.

ALERT: This is a spoiler-free zone. All summaries are from the FIRST BOOK in the series.

---

AND THE OCEAN WAS OUR SKY

---

I really love Patrick Ness’ writing, especially is more magical and illustrated work, so hopefully this will be just as good.

“With harpoons strapped to their backs, the proud whales of Bathsheba’s pod live for the hunt, fighting in the ongoing war against the world of men. When they attack a ship bobbing on the surface of the Abyss, they expect to find easy prey. Instead, they find the trail of a myth, a monster, perhaps the devil himself…

As their relentless Captain leads the chase, they embark on a final, vengeful hunt, one that will forever change the worlds of both whales and men.”

---

SEIDE UND SCHWERT

---

Erstens, muss ich mich entschuldigen: ich bin seit lang nicht mehr in Deutschland, deswegen ist mein Deutsch ein bisschen… tja, nicht so gut wie es sein könnte. Wie dem auch sei, ich habe dieses Buch vor sieben Jahren gekauft und es liegt immer noch in meinen Bücherregalen, ungelesen. Deshalb, muss ich es dieses Jahr endlich lesen.

“Nie ist Nugua einem anderen Menschen begegnet. Sie wächst als Mädchen unter Drachen auf, bis die Drachen spurlos verschwinden. So beginnt sie ihre lange Suche in den Weiten Chinas. In einer ihr fremden Welt begegnet sie unsterblichen Magiern, fliegenden Schwertkämpfern – und Niccolo, einem Jungen mit goldenen Augen.

Auch er ist auf der Suche. Seit Jahrhunderten lebt sein Volk auf einer Wolke, hoch oben in den Lüften. Doch das Wolkenvolk ist vom Untergang bedroht. Niccolo wurde ausgesandt, eine rätselhafte Substanz zu finden, ohne die es auf den Wolken kein Leben geben kann – den Atem der verschollenen Drachen.”

---

EMILY DICKINSON

---

I actually have two collections of Emily Dickinson’s poetry to read, but I think they cross over a lot, so I’m counting it as one.

“Initially a vivacious, outgoing person, Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) progressively withdrew into a reclusive existence. An undiscovered genius during her lifetime, only seven out of her total of 1,775 poems were published prior to her death. She had an immense breadth of vision and a passionate intensity and awe for life, love, nature, time and eternity.” (Amazon)

---

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

---

If I read this, as well as the Shakespeare I have to read for required reading, then I will finally have read all of the Shakespeare that I have owned and I can check out some of his other work.

“A story of order and disorder, reality and appearance and love and marriage. Theseus, Duke of Athens, and Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons are to be married and great celebrations are planned.” (RSC)

---

OBSIDIO

---

So this it the final book in the Illuminae Files series. I read the previous one when it first came out, so I REALLY just need to get this read, especially seeing how much I like the series.

“This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do. This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.”

---

THE WELL OF ASCENSION

---

This is the second book in the Mistborn series. I read the first one years ago, but because it had been so long after I read the first one I keep putting off picking this one up because I’m afraid of not remembering what happened, but they’re super long so I don’t want to have to reread the first one… I should really just find a good synopsis on the internet.

“In a world where ash falls from the sky, and mist dominates the night, an evil cloaks the land and stifles all life. The future of the empire rests on the shoulders of a troublemaker and his young apprentice. Together, can they fill the world with color once more?” (summary for The Final Empire)

---

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

---

I know, I know. How could I not have read such a beloved classic? Well, funny story for you: the first time I tried to read this book I was 9 and didn’t understand the concepts of social commentary or satire. Hence, understandably, I was outraged by the famous first line and refused point-blank to read the book for about four years. Since then, I do actually know the story and I want to read the book, but I haven’t gotten around to it… this year is time to remedy that.

“Elizabeth Bennett is young, clever, and attractive, but she and her four sisters are in dire need of financial security in the shape of husbands. The arrival of the pleasant nice Mr. Bingley and the obscenely arrogant Mr. Darcy in the neighborhood turns all of their lives upside down in this witty drama of friendship, rivalry, enmity, and love.”

---

NORMAL PEOPLE

---

Normal People was Waterstones Book of the Year last year, and they generally pick some pretty good books for the reward, so I checked it out and it seems very interesting.

“…Sally Rooney’s second novel is a deeply political novel, just as it’s also a novel about love. It’s about how difficult it is to speak to what you feel and how difficult it is to change. It’s wry and seductive; perceptive and bold. It will make you cry and you will know yourself through it.”

---

THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT

---

I’ve really been loving both short stories and magical realism lately, so this should be right up my alleyway.

“Spirits in jam jars, mini-apocalypses, animal hearts and side shows. A girl runs a coffin hotel on a remote island. A boy is worried his sister has two souls. A couple are rewriting the history of the world. And mermaids are on display at the local aquarium.

The Beginning of the World in the Middle of the Night is a collection of twelve haunting stories; modern fairy tales brimming with magic, outsiders and lost souls.”

---

What books are you looking forward to reading this year? Have you read any of the books on my list? Please let me know!

Happy reading, Keira x.