Good day bookworms! As you can tell from today’s title, this post is all about my bookish regrets. The books I wish I would have read in 2018 but never got around to actually picking up. In an effort to keep this post a reasonable length, I have narrowed my list down to the top 6. Without further ado, here are the books that got away from me this year:
- The Cruel Prince by Holly Black (Release Date: January 2, 2018) – This was one of my most anticipated books of 2018. I received it in my January OwlCrate box. I was so excited. Jumped up and down. Never read it. What gives, Meg? Seriously?
For those of you who may not be familiar, this is a YA Fantasy book that follows a girl, Jude, who must live in the Faerie world after her parents brutal murder. Holly Black is queen of the Fae and I have heard pretty much nothing but good things about this. The second book in the trilogy, The Wicked King, is releasing on January 8, 2019. 
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (Release Date: February 27, 2017) – This YA Contemporary story topped the NY Times Bestseller lists too many times to count. This story follows 16-y.o. Starr Carter after she witnesses her childhood best friend, Khalil, get shot by a police officer. Khalil doesn’t survive and soon his story is headline news. Starr, as a consequence, is torn between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. This book has been adapted to the big screen which was released in October. I would like to see the movie but definitely want the opportunity to read the book first. With an overall Goodreads rating of 4.56 out of 5-stars, this is one the, if not the, highest rated book on this list.
Everless by Sara Holland (Release Date: January 2, 2018) – The premise of this YA scifi/fantasy story is one where a world is run on a currency of time. The rich are able to tax the poor into the ground, extending their own lives by centuries. It sounds a bit like the 2011 movie, In Time, starring Justin Timberlake but more fantasy world focused as opposed to dystopian. As you may recall if you follow my reviews, I am a sucker for any story that examines time, whether it be in creative ways like this or more mundane uses such as time travel, jumps or loops. Either way, I was so excited for this book to be released and got it almost right away. Did I ever pick it up? No. No, I didn’t. Also, it is important to note that the next book in the duology, Evermore, is releasing on December 31, 2018, and yes, I have preordered it.- Wildcard by Marie Lu (Release Date: September 18, 2018) – I was so pleased to see that one of my most anticipated book releases of 2018, if not the most, was being released on my birthday. I ordered in months in advance. This is the second book in the Warcross duology. Since Warcross was my favorite YA release of 2017, I had been chomping at the bit for this one. Alas, I still haven’t read it. Why do I fail at life?
Children of Blood & Bone (Legacy of Orisha #1) by Tomi Adeyemi(Release Date: March 6, 2018) – This debut YA Fantasy novel was easily one of the MOST hyped books of 2018. I had preordered a copy well in advance of the March release date with the full intent of reading it directly upon receipt. Well, it made this list so I think you can see how well that plan went. This story follows Zelie as she tries to bring magic back to her world. Based on Nigerian folklore, I have really heard nothing but good things about this one. I can’t really explain why I never ended up picking it up. It is quite large, coming in at 525-pages, so maybe subconsciously I was avoiding that commitment. Either way, I definitely NEED to read this in 2018 before the sequel releases in March.
Truly Devious (Truly Devious #1) by Maureen Johnson (Release Date: January 16, 2018) – This is another book that I purchased right around its release date. This is a YA Mystery book that is set at a private school in Vermont. If you follow my reviews at all, you may recall that boarding school or private school stories are some of my favorite. I’m not sure what it is about them. Something about the teen dynamic in an environment with fairly minimal adult supervision that I find extremely entertaining. Basically you know some messed up stuff is going to go down when kids are left to their own devices. This story sounds so interesting. It basically involves a cold case from the time the school first opened. A new student, Stevie Bell, a true crime lover, decides she is going to solve the case but once she starts looking into it, the killer apparently returns. This book has a sequel releasing next month (January 2019) and I have already preordered it so I definitely need to pick this one up ASAP. I know I am going to love it. I have heard great things about the audiobook so I am end up reading this first one via that format.
I am hoping to get to most of these within the first quarter of 2019; especially the ones with sequels releasing this year that I plan to read! What books got away from you this year? Any of these make your list as well? I want to know – leave a comment below or contact me via any of my social media links.
Cheers & Happy Reading~
YES to all these! Oh my goodness, same on The Cruel Prince. I bought a copy many months ago and was SOOO excited when it arrived. But alas it’s still sitting unread. I guess I’ll just plan to read it back to back with The Wicked King. I’ve had Wildcard on “hold” at our local library for ages and I’m finally down to being #2 on the wait list. So really hoping I get to this one in January. I loved The Hate U Give, but I enjoyed Dear Martin (Nic Stone), with some similar story elements, even more. I read Children of Blood & Bone with my ears (audiobook) while I did housework and I cannot say enough about Bahni Turpin as a narrator — ESPECIALLY with this book because there are different dialects and languages that she breathes unbelievable life into. Wow! Everless is on my TBR list and we have an audiobook copy of it, locally (with wait list), but not the book-book. Aaaand still waiting on Truly Devious. I’m kinda nervous to go through and compile my 2018 regrets, but I guess I need to make my “must reads” list for 2019. Thanks for sharing and have a happy 2019! I’m going to go hunt you down on goodreads and Twitter (I’m still new to Instagram, but I’ll find you there, too)!
Hi Shaye! Thank you so much for your wonderful reply. Firstly, I worship Bahni Turpin as a narrator – she is so wonderful. Have you listened to any of Tiffany D. Jackson’s audios? Allegedly and Monday’s Not Coming? She narrates both of those and of course is fabulous. Someone else had mentioned to me that she narrated THUG as well but I had forgotten. Maybe I will check that out on audio as well. I think out of all of these I will probably get to either Wildcard or Everless first in January! I also have Dear Martin on my tbr – glad to hear you enjoyed it and so nice to meet you!