Well we’re 21 days into the new year and so far I’ve only finished one book, Jeneration X by Jen Lancaster (so good!). But I’m dabbling in a few books right now and have a lot of books on my horizon for 2019.

I’m planning on joining Modern Mrs. Darcy’s 2019 Reading Challenge this year. She always has the best reading prompts and this year’s feels more inspirational / guiding ideas than restrictive categories. I’m not looking for homework here, just some ideas to help guide my own reading choices.

I thought I’d take a page from Anne’s blog and list some of the books that I’m interested in reading for each category.

A Book You’ve Been Meaning To Read

Godmother by Carolyn Turgeon | This one has been sitting on my nightstand for a few months now, always one or two books below my top choice. I hope to relieve it of it’s always a bridesmaid status soon.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak | I probably mention this book every year. Maybe 2019 will be the year I finally get around to this one.

A Book About a Topic That Fascinates You

Becoming by Michelle Obama | Like most of the women I know, Michelle Obama is one of my favorite people. She fascinates me and I’m really looking forward to finishing this (I read the first chapter shortly after Christmas).

The Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson | This is a book about the history of the English language, written with Bryson’s usual wit apparently. This is a book I’ve been meaning to read for a few years and I think now’s as good a time as any.

A Book in the Backlist of a Favorite Author

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins | I finished Anna and the French Kiss last month and was obsessed!! This book tells the love story of one of the side characters from AATFK.

Renegades by Marissa Meyer | I’ve been meaning to read this new series by Meyer for awhile. I loved The Lunar Chronicles series and have fangirled about it incessantly. This one seems to be really popular, too.

A Book Recommended By Someone With Great Taste

The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith | I think everyone I know loves this series and by all rights, I’m probably going to love it also. But I really didn’t enjoy JK Rowling’s other non Harry Potter book, The Casual Vacancy, so I’ve been putting it off stubbornly. But I want to give it a shot this year as lots of people with great taste have vouched for this.

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas | This could also work as a backlist title. A lot of my friends have been telling me that this one is even better than Throne of Glass. Which one did you like better?

Three Books By The Same Author

We got three books by Eva Ibbotson for Christmas from my aunt who has the best taste in books. I don’t know if we’ll dig into them as read alouds or just pass them around the family.

The Secret of Platform 13 by Eva Ibbotson

Which Witch by Eva Ibbotson

The Island of the Aunts by Eva Ibbotson

A Book You Chose For the Cover

Like Anne, I’m going to leave this category blank as I think it should be a spur of the moment whim kind of book.

A Book By An Author Who Is New To You

Marilla of Green Gables by Sarah McCoy | I just saw this one mentioned on a blog recently – or maybe Instagram. I’m majorly intrigued and the book has solid reviews.

The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor | I’ve heard this is the best Alice in Wonderland reimagining out there and I love me a good reimagining.

Note: These two books are the only ones on my list that I don’t already own. I am trying to make an effort this year to read books I have already purchased.

A Book in Translation

Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli | This was originally written in Italian and I’ve been meaning to read it anyway.

The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi | This is a graphic memoir that I’ve had on my bookshelf for awhile. It was originally written in French.

A Book Outside Your (Genre) Comfort Zone

Artemis by Andy Weir | This one isn’t a huge stretch but it’s a little more sci fi and a little less fantasy than I usually lean. I enjoyed watching The Martian though and my husband liked the book so I thought I’d try reading this one.

The Dark Tower by Stephen King | This is one of my husband’s favorite books but it’s outside of my comfort zone in regards to sheer length and also the fact that it’s written by Stephen King. I don’t think it necessarily qualifies as horror, but it’s written by the king of horror novels.

A Book Published Before You Were Born

The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie | This was Agatha Christie’s first Poirot mystery and it was written in 1916. I really liked Murder on the Orient Express so I’m looking forward to reading this one.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde | I love Wilde’s humorous works and I’ve always wanted to read this more serious book. Honestly it’s weird that I haven’t read it already.

I make no promise that these will be the books I’ll read this year, but as of right now they are my top choices.

What book are you most looking forward to reading this year?