The 5 Books I Can’t Believe I Didn’t Read in 2018

I obviously did quite a bit of reading in 2018 (there are three books sitting next to me at the moment to attest to the fact I’m still reading). But, as my Goodreads To-Read list can tell you… there are SO MANY great novels and stories that I wasn’t able to read.

It’s a little depressing because now that it’s the end of 2017, I’m starting to see other book bloggers posting their 2018 lists showing all the books they read this past year. It’s impressive, but I’m like… Did everyone else get through their top picks but me???

I figure I can’t be alone, so I thought I’d share the 5 books I REALLY wanted to get to this year but wasn’t able to read for one reason or another…

#1 – A Thousand Perfect Notes by C.G. Drews

I was super excited to read A Thousand Perfect Notes! It’s actually the only reason I even found out about the wonderful world of Book Depository! I had read and viewed a TON of positive reviews, but when I went to my local bookstore, they were unable to order it for me. Then, Amazon wouldn’t sell it to me either… I was distraught. So I did what all normal, well-adjusted adults do – I went online and whined about it.

And that’s when I was told I couldn’t order it because it wasn’t being released in the U.S. but I might have some luck getting a copy through Book Depository. This changed my life! Not only did I find a way to get all the books, but I signed up for their affiliate program, as well!

So here’s the summary (from Goodreads):

An emotionally charged story of music, abuse and, ultimately, hope.

Beck hates his life. He hates his violent mother. He hates his home. Most of all, he hates the piano that his mother forces him to play hour after hour, day after day. He will never play as she did before illness ended her career and left her bitter and broken. But Beck is too scared to stand up to his mother, and tell her his true passion, which is composing his own music – because the least suggestion of rebellion on his part ends in violence.

When Beck meets August, a girl full of life, energy and laughter, love begins to awaken within him and he glimpses a way to escape his painful existence. But dare he reach for it?

I’m still really looking forward to the tears this book will be bringing… it’s just not going to happen before 2019 gets here.

#2 – The Girl and the Grove by Eric Smith

So I follow Eric Smith and his wife on Twitter, which is how I originally found out about his book, The Girl and the Grove. But then I started seeing all the great reviews and I actually checked it out on Goodreads:

Teenager Leila’s life is full of challenges. From bouncing around the foster care system to living with seasonal affective disorder, she’s never had an easy road. Leila keeps herself busy with her passion for environmental advocacy, monitoring the Urban Ecovists message board and joining a local environmental club with her best friend Sarika. And now that Leila has finally been adopted, she dares to hope her life will improve.

But the voices in Leila’s head are growing louder by the day. Ignoring them isn’t working anymore. Something calls out to her from the grove at Fairmount Park.

I’M DYING TO READ THIS BOOK GUYS!!!! It’s another one that I fully expect to have me in tears, but I’m okay with it!

Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to pick it up at any of the local bookstores… I just checked again today and they still don’t have it. So if no one gets it for me for Christmas, I’m just gonna have to break down and order it from Amazon.

#3 – The Lost for Words Bookshop by Stephanie Butland

This is another one I found out about through other book blogger reviews. I preordered it, but never got the chance to read it, which is exceptionally sad given the fact that the employee who handed it to me confessed to reading some of it before I got there to pick it up… he really enjoyed my book and had decided to order one for himself. I’m sure he’s read it by now. As you’ll see by the next book, this isn’t even the only book in this list that others have purchased on my suggestion and I haven’t even read yet myself! (I’m not really sure how I feel about this.)

So here’s the summary from Goodreads:

Loveday Cardew prefers books to people. If you look carefully, you might glimpse the first lines of the novels she loves most tattooed on her skin. But there are some things Loveday will never, ever show you.

Into her hiding place – the bookstore where she works – come a poet, a lover, and three suspicious deliveries.

Someone has found out about her mysterious past. Will Loveday survive her own heartbreaking secrets?

#4 – A Blade So Black by L.L. McKinney

Okay, so I don’t want to come across as unnecessarily dramatic, but… if I don’t read this book my soul may die a little bit!!!

This is another one that I have talked about wanting to read so much that multiple people now have it before me! Some pre-ordered, others recently picked it up for Christmas presents… and I’m still without a copy.

Have you checked this book out yet??? Here’s the Goodreads:

The first time the Nightmares came, it nearly cost Alice her life. Now she’s trained to battle monstrous creatures in the dark dream realm known as Wonderland with magic weapons and hardcore fighting skills. Yet even warriors have a curfew.

Life in real-world Atlanta isn’t always so simple, as Alice juggles an overprotective mom, a high-maintenance best friend, and a slipping GPA. Keeping the Nightmares at bay is turning into a full-time job. But when Alice’s handsome and mysterious mentor is poisoned, she has to find the antidote by venturing deeper into Wonderland than she’s ever gone before. And she’ll need to use everything she’s learned in both worlds to keep from losing her head . . . literally.

I’m really hoping this shows up under my Christmas tree!!!

#5 – Girl Squads: 20 Female Friendships That Changed History by Sam Maggs

This is another one I pre-ordered. I also signed up for every giveaway I could find for it!!! And yet… I haven’t been able to read it yet either.

The farthest I got was when I brought it home and read the first chapter to my daughters… I’m sad just thinking about all the time I’ve missed out on reading Girl Squads. Here’s the summary from Goodreads:

A modern girl is nothing without her squad of besties. But don’t let all the hashtags fool you: the #girlsquad goes back a long, long time. In this hilarious and heartfelt book, geek girl Sam Maggs takes you on a tour of some of history’s most famous female BFFs, including:

• Anne Bonny and Mary Read, the infamous lady pirates who sailed the seven seas and plundered with the best of the men
• Jeanne Manon Roland and Sophie Grandchamp, Parisian socialites who landed front-row seats (from prison) to the French Revolution
• Sharon and Shirley Firth, the First Nations twin sisters who would go on to become Olympic skiers and break barriers in the sport
• The Edinburgh Seven, the band of pals who fought to become the first women admitted to medical school in the United Kingdom
• The Zohra Orchestra, the ensemble from Afghanistan who defied laws, danger, and threats to become the nation’s first all-female musical group

And many more! Spanning art, science, politics, activism, and even sports, these girl squads show just how essential female friendship has been throughout history and throughout the world. Sam Maggs brings her signature wit and warmth as she pays tribute to the enduring power of the girl squad. Fun, feisty, and delightful to read—with empowering illustrations by artist Jenn Woodall—it’s the perfect gift for your BFF.

So there you have it, the books I can’t believe I didn’t read in 2018. What books do you wish you’d been able to get to but couldn’t this year? Do you think you’ll be able to check them off of your TBR in 2019?