I would usually make a TBR post at this point of every month, but my holiday TBR list and challenge-related TBR posts went live recently (and they’re pretty all-encompassing). No need to reinvent the wheel here and share the same TBRs! I thought that INSTEAD of a December TBR, I’d reflect on all of the books I should have read in 2019. Or, maybe some books I would get to in December if it wasn’t fully planned out for Christmas novels.
I DID do a pretty great job of reading *most* of my highly anticipated books in 2019, but a few escaped me somehow. I usually keep at least one Kasie West book on the back burner for when I need a quick and enjoyable audiobook I wasn’t planning for, so I’m not super surprised I didn’t read FAME, FATE, AND THE FIRST KISS, but I currently have more than one KW book waiting for me. The other 2019 release I definitely should have read was HOPE AND OTHER PUNCH LINES by Julie Buxbaum because I’ve loved her writing so far. I was super excited for this one and am not sure how I managed to avoid reading it this year. Lastly, I should have read I HAVE LOST MY WAY by Gayle Forman in 2018, which means I definitely should have read it this year! Whoops. How am I sleeping on this one?!
As you can tell, there are quite a few books I was jazzed up for and just never got around to reading. I even had ARCs for a couple! Ugh. VIRTUALLY YOURS was written by an author I’ve enjoyed in the past but I did see some mixed reviews, so I’ve put it off a little. In fact, there are a couple others on here that reviews turned me off of for now. I was so pumped for WAITING FOR TOM HANKS and NEVER-CONTENTED THINGS but people didn’t seem to enjoy them… I had review copies for both of these too! FIX HER UP is another one where the reviews kind of deterred me. Don’t get me wrong, a lot of people whose reviews I trust LOVED this book, but they also warned that not everyone will love it. I don’t like alpha male stuff (seen in a review for book two in this companion series) and the overuse of “babygirl” will surely annoy me, so I’m a bit turned off by this whole series now. KILLING NOVEMBER is actually going to be a top January priority for me! I missed AIRPORTS, EXES, AND OTHER THINGS I’M OVER last year for some reason. I think it’s because I was so excited for the premise but forgot I didn’t love Petroff’s other book I’ve read.And finally, I love Mulan *so* much, so I kind of can’t believe I didn’t get to THE MAGNOLIA SWORD this year.
And finally: a few companions or sequels I should have read! I loved Elle Kennedy’s first hockey series and was so excited for the Briar U spin-off! I read the first book and preordered this one (THE RISK), but never found myself in the mood for it after its release. Hopefully I can get back on track (since I also preordered the next book!). While I didn’t love the first book like most people did, I was generally pretty excited to read MORE THAN WE CAN TELL for some reason. It’s another 2018 release I should have read that year, but also should’ve read this year, so we’ll see what 2020 has in store…
I have read all but three of these, and many earned high ratings from me. I have avoided The Risk, because I heard the rep was terrible in it, though, I am a fan of the series. I Have Lost My Way is Forman at her best. I adored the Buxbaum and Kemmerer books too. Killing November was a bit outside my norm, but I LOVED it. Lots of good ones up there.
Good to know!!
Lauren! I Have Lost my Way is so good! I hope you’re able to read it soon!
Good to know!! Thank you!
Oh I still need to read Killing November too!
It looks so gooood
I really enjoyed Waiting for Tom Hanks and, although Fix Her Up was a three-star read for me, the sex in it was incredible so, you know, maybe just skip to those scenes? ?