top 10 tuesday: Books I Meant to Read in 2018

Top 10 Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and The Bookish which is now hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl.  This week’s topic:

January 22: Books I Meant to Read In 2018 but Didn’t Get To

Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb.  I had a planned buddy read with Chelsea for this book back in JULY but then we mutually dropped that ball and it’s been sitting on my shelf ever since.  Obviously I’m not a big fantasy reader, but I’ve been curious about Robin Hobb for a while as she’s such a big name in the genre, and I know she has a million books set in this world so I’m just really really hoping I fall in love with it.  Anyway, our buddy read is now tentatively scheduled for some point in the next couple of weeks… pray for us.

Villette by Charlotte Bronte.  I’m a big Jane Eyre fan but that’s only one of two Bronte novels I’ve read (the other being Wuthering Heights – how predictable).  I do eventually want to read all of the Bronte novels and I think the next one I want to pick up is Villette, it just sounds very much like something I will enjoy, and I already know I love Charlotte’s writing.

The Cement Garden by Ian McEwan.  I read the first 20 pages of this when I was in the Bahamas and then decided to opt for The Magpie Murders instead for the third book that I read on that trip, but this promises to be very dark and twisted and obviously that’s what I’m all about.

The Spinning Heart by Donal Ryan.  What is with me and this book?!  It’s been on my TBR I think since 2015, I’ve owned a copy for years, I’ve packed it with me on several trips, I’ve loved 2/2 of Ryan’s novels that I’ve read…. and I still haven’t gotten around to this and I have absolutely no idea why.  If I need you guys to hold me accountable for reading one book in 2019, it’s this one.

The Red Parts by Maggie Nelson.  I have had a lot of great conversations with Ren at What’s Nonfiction about Maggie Nelson which all basically end with her saying ‘you need to read The Red Parts‘ and me agreeing ‘I definitely need to read The Red Parts‘ and yet, I still have not read The Red Parts.  This is one that’s consistently available with zero holds on Overdrive so I’m planning on picking it up there when I’m in the mood, but the problem is that I tend to forget about books I want to read if I don’t physically own them or have a digital ARC.  So, maybe I should just buy a copy?!  Either way, I’m going to try to get to this soon.

The History of Love by Nicole Krauss.  I don’t even know what this book is about, but a couple of years ago a friend who knows my taste well told me she thinks I’ll love it, and then she lent me her copy when I was visiting her last year… and I still have not picked it up.  Soon, hopefully!

Don’t Call Us Dead by Danez Smith.  I don’t read a whole lot of poetry but that’s something I’m going to try to change this year.  I bought this book as soon as it came out because it sounded brilliant, but it’s still sitting on my shelf.  Plus, I love Danez Smith on social media so I’m very eager to try their work.

The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander.  I have been in possession of Hadeer’s copy of this book for literally years at this point.  I think it intimidates me because I don’t read a whole lot of nonfiction outside of memoirs, but I do really want to pick it up this year.

The Gloaming by Kirsty Logan.  Like a lot of people I think I was first drawn to this because of its striking naked hardback cover, but the summary sounds fantastic as well.  I haven’t read anything by Kirsty Logan and I’ve been meaning to change that for years now.

Still Lives by Maria Hummel.  I skipped BOTM almost every month in 2018 but this was one of my only selections all year… and I still have not read it.  I’ve not been hearing terribly promising things (it has a 3.35 on Goodreads) BUT it’s about the contemporary art scene in LA which is ridiculously up my alley, and the author is from Vermont and I like to read locally.

Have you guys read any of these books?  Which should I prioritize?