amarisafloria

As expected, most of my books were from the library. It's so easy to browse their catalog for new releases, and I'd much rather borrow than buy. (But on some occasions, I will pre-order!) I'm hoping I can read more from my shelves this year, but I won't be disappointed if the majority comes from the library again. I'll be reading more 2019 releases this year, so I expect my data to stay roughly the same.


I've been loving ebooks more and more because it's portable and easy to access. I wrote a post about four years ago on why I love ebooks and why you should try them, and almost everything still rings true! (Except for the fact that they are so much more expensive now, but I usually borrow them for free on Overdrive through my library.) The only reason why I mostly read in physical form is because there's a visual representation of how far I've read, and that's motivating to me. I predict I'll be listening to a lot more audiobooks in 2019 because I enjoy doing so for my non-fiction reads.


I love YA, as you probably already know, but I want to work on reading more adult fiction! There are many of them I want to get to, but I am so INTIMIDATED 🤦🏻‍♀️

This chart includes both fiction and non-fiction, so that's the reason why the adult chunk is larger than I thought.





I wanted to include the genres I didn't read to make myself aware and better my efforts this year. My strategy, now that I've been able to test it out a little this month, is to sandwich all my reads with contemporary novels! It's my favorite genre, as you can probably see from this chart, and it's one I can easily jump into. Also, moving forward, I definitely want to read more historical fiction and literary fiction this year. So I'll be adjusting my future TBRs with this in mind!



Eight of the ten "series" books I managed to read were first installments, so I'm kind of disappointed that I didn't finish any of the ones I'm in the middle of. This is a big reason why one of my goals this year is to finish five series. I'm actually hoping to complete more, but I want to keep things practical. And it doesn't matter how many standalones I read in comparison, I just want to be more mindful of finishing series before starting new ones.


I am so surprised at this because I felt like I rated a lot of books around 3-3.5 stars! The chart above represents all 35 books I read (including graphic novels, comics, and picture books) but I did not include those in my average star rating. That one only includes full length novels. For this year, I think I will track graphic novels/comics separately, since my rating scale differs greatly.

I guess I actually shouldn't be surprised at my average star rating because 1) I'd say I was easygoing, and 2) I was more intentional with the books I chose to read. Instead of picking up something random, which I have done in the past couple of years ... I mean, I still did it from time to time. But not as often as before!

The idea for this came into my mind when I read Bee's post ("Do People Actually Read Reviews?") on Novel Ink almost a year ago. This post is a response to the question she poses, but I wanted to share it with all of you and see if you approach book reviews the same way I do! I'm curious to learn when you read book reviews, how often you write 'em, who you read and/or watch reviews from, EVERYTHING. Tell me what you think!

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ON BOOKS I HAVE READ
When a review for a book I've read shows up on my Feedly page, I try and read it right then and there. I don't have to worry about spoilers, and I can leave a meaningful note—ideally. I tend to only share a response if something in the review prompts me. I want to say something other than just "I LOVED THIS BOOK TOO!" so sometimes I refrain from commenting if I can't think of anything else. But the weird thing is, I love comments like that. I WANT to know if you loved the same story. And I want to know what you didn't like about it, too. I'm just happy to know you stopped by, read through my thoughts, and cared enough to respond. So why don't I do that for other bloggers? (Note to self: start doing this.)

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ON BOOKS I HAVEN'T BUT PLAN TO READ
I rarely read reviews for books on my "to read" list because I *really* don't want to be spoiled in any way. One of the things I don't like is when people are talking about a suspense/thriller book and they mention there's a plot twist. It doesn't matter how vague they are about it because, when I eventually pick up the book, I end up reading too much into the text and it ruins my experience. But I love watching reading wrap-ups on YouTube. I always assume that I won't be spoiled for anything, since each review is fairly brief. And if, for some reason, whoever I'm watching goes into spoilers, I've found that there's always a warning.

So what do I do with these reviews that show up in my feed on books I really want to read? I save the links in a Google document! When I'm done with a book, however long it takes me, I look it up and read the reviews then. One of my favorite things to do after finishing a book is to read all of the related posts I've saved and look up all of the videos on YouTube. It's kind of like having a book club! And I never comment on these reviews because it's almost always YEARS later when I finally get to it. But ... I think it would be cool if I found a response on one of my old reviews. (Not like this one though ... lol.) It means people are still reading and/or interested in backlist books.

ON BOOKS I HAVEN'T AND DON'T PLAN TO READ
These are the reviews I tend to ignore, unless it's from a reviewer who I share reading tastes with or just someone I follow and like what they have to say. Well, not so much what they have to say, but HOW they say it. Sometimes I'll do a quick read, just to see if it'll change my mind—and if it did, I'll usually leave a comment.

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Although I've been blogging about books for a little over five years now, I have only written a total of 32 full reviews. It's mainly related to how difficult I find writing to be, but part of it is also because I'm not sure how helpful they are. I'm more likely to skip or save a review than read it, so I automatically assume my readers are the same way.

But knowing all this? It doesn't hold me back from wanting to write reviews. I would love nothing more than to interact with you all and discuss the many details of my latest read, but I have to be honest—I write a lot of these reviews for myself, too. I love going back to my old reviews, no matter how cringy they are, because it reminds me of who I was during that time and allows me to see how my writing has developed.

If I've written a review, I am more likely to remember the book since I spent a lot of time taking notes and thinking about what I have to say. Most are spoiler-free, but I love sharing my favorite parts of older/well-loved books like To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han and City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. For the stories that aren't as popular, I've stuck to mentioning them in recaps and briefly sharing some thoughts in "books I read" posts. If I could, I'd review every single book I read in full—but sometimes I just don't have much to say.

It feels like some sort of accomplishment when people (online and in real life) read and actually love the books I recommend. I know there's a level of trust and respect when that type of follow-through happens, especially when there are millions of books out there to choose from. Thank you for following my blog and being my friend :)

And, of course, I can't talk about all this without mentioning some of my favorite bloggers and YouTubers who review and recommend books. I hope you end up loving them too 😊

Alexa from Alexa Loves Books Morgan from The Bookish Beagle Lala from BooksandLala Cristina from Girl in the Pages Rachel from Hello, Chelly Jane from It's Jane Lindsey Kelsey from KelseyReads Alexa from Library of Alexa Monica from monica kim Marines from mynameismarines

Madalyn from Novel Ink Jamie from The Perpetual Page-Turner Emily from Possibly Literate Cindy from readwithcindy Rincey from rincey reads Sara from sarawithoutanH Hannah from So Obsessed With Joce from squibblesreads Kristin from Super Space Chick Whitney from Whitty Novels

And another interesting thought: are you less likely to comment on the actual post than reply to a tweet with the link shared? I used to save all my comments on a Google document (when I read blogs at work and didn't want to sign into my accounts) and go back when I had time to get on a computer!

Okay y'all, I did a lot of cheating in today's post. 1) There are more than ten books on my list, and 2) three of them (or maybe four) are being released in the last half of this year. I couldn't help it, there are TOO MANY good books coming out this year.

So here are 25 books I am most looking forward to reading this year! I'll be checking in on all my monthly recaps to track my progress—the goal is to complete all of these by the end of the year 😊



The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker (January 15th)
I'm not quite sure why I'm drawn to this one, maybe because it's a sci-fi about dreams? Either way, I'm interested!

Famous in a Small Town by Emma Mills (January 15th)
I've pre-ordered this one (which is saying a lot, because I rarely buy books anymore!) and I love everything Emma Mills writes. A few bloggers I follow have expressed that it isn't as good as her previous novels, which I am a little nervous about, but I'm still so excited and ready.

Undying by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner (January 15th)
The last chapter in Unearthed left off on such a big cliffhanger, I know I will pick this up as soon as it comes out. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS ...

On the Come Up by Angie Thomas (February 5th)
I loved The Hate U Give, Angie Thomas' debut novel, and how her writing was so easy to read.

The Art of Losing by Lizzy Mason (February 19th)
Okay, I'm cheating with this one because I've already read it, but it was on this list before that happened. I loved this book so so much, and I can't believe it's Lizzy Mason's DEBUT novel. Girl can write an excellent story! Please add this to your must-read list.

Last of Her Name by Jessica Khoury (February 26th)
A space story inspired by the historical legend of Anastasia ... need I say more?! I want to do a side-by-side review of this one and Heart of Iron by Ashley Poston since they sound similar, but I'm sure they're not!

Outer Order, Inner Calm by Gretchen Rubin (March 5th)
I love anything Gretchen Rubin talks about. She's very goal-oriented and talks a lot about self-improvement, which inspires me!

Cold Day in the Sun by Sara Biren (March 12th)
I don't care about watching sports, but I *love* it as a subject in books! And movies/TV shows, too ... basically, any form of fiction entertainment 😂

The Princess and the Fangirl by Ashley Poston (April 2nd)
I enjoyed Geekerella a lot, but I was still hesitant about putting this sequel (or companion novel?) on this list ... not sure why! I ended up adding it because I can't resist a contemporary fairy tale retelling.

You'd Be Mine by Erin Hahn (April 2nd)
This is another one I'm not 100% sure about because it sounds a lot like Open Road Summer by Emery Lord, which I loved, but I am still going to read it. Mostly because I'm curious to see how it compares ... 🤔

Again, but Better by Christine Riccio (May 7th)
LOOK AT THAT COVER! I've been watching Christine's booktube channel for ages now, and I'm so happy for her. I would have included this even if I didn't know what it was about, but Shane (the main character) goes to LONDON. I LOVE LONDON.

Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (May 7th)
I *love* this duo's collaborations. Illuminae is one of my favorite books, period, so I'm excited to read another series from them!!!

Somewhere Only We Know by Maurene Goo (May 7th)
Not sure what this one's about, to be honest, but it's Maurene Goo and I really liked I Believe in a Thing Called Love!

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo (May 7th)
As you can tell, a lot of the books on this list are by authors I've read from. This one surprises me the most because I don't read poetry, but The Poet X was so good and it definitely deserved the 2018 National Book Award for Young People's Literature.

The Kingdom by Jess Rothenburg (May 28th)
I saw The Kingdom compared to Westworld. That's it. That's all I need.

The Rest of the Story by Sarah Dessen (June 4th)
No clue what this book is about, but I've been reading Sarah Dessen since middle/high school and will not stop now.

Wilder Girls by Rory Power (July 9th)
I didn't know of this book until I started doing research for this post, and this sounds perfect for the fall/darker months. ALSO, LOOK AT THAT COVER.

The Perfect Wife by J.P. Delaney (August 6th)
J.P. Delaney writes some pretty disturbing and twisted books, but they're so captivating and thoughtfully plotted. I'm sure this one will be no different.

Tunnel of Bones by Victoria Schwab (September 3rd)
This is the sequel to City of Ghosts, which I loved. So I will read the next book. As one does.

The Map from Here to There by Emery Lord 
This doesn't have a release date yet, but I'm pretty sure it's coming out this year. And if you're new here, I will read anything Emery Lord writes. ANYTHING.


If you're looking for more lists detailing 2019 releases, please check out Jen's, from Pop! Goes the Reader, and this one from Goodreads. It's lookin' like an excellent year for reading 😏

Joe and I had all our college friends over on New Years Eve to hang out + count down, and it was so much fun. We don't see them as often as we'd like, so any time with them is a treat. Other than that, things have been pretty quiet! For now, it's nice. After hosting three get-togethers in one week, we are happy with staying in while it's raining and bumming around. I've been able to get a good start on my reading for this year!




Here and Now and Then by Mike Chen
This January 29th release comes recommended by Rachel from Rec-It Rachel, which I didn't even know about until I saw it in her January Book Club post. I'm a sucker for any kind of time travel story, and this one seems to center around a father-daughter relationship.

Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou
I didn't "officially" add this to my Goodreads TBR until this weekend—I thought it was there all this time, tbh—but I've known about it for quite some time now, thanks to Emily from Possibly Literate and Madalyn from Novel Ink. I got lucky on Friday because the library I work at had a copy for me to borrow! More on that soon ... 😏

The Psychology of Time Travel by Kate Mascarenhas
Another time travel book!!!

I Know Who You Are by Alice Feeney
Not exactly sure what caught my attention, but I remember the author's name because her debut novel (Sometimes I Lie) came out last year. I think I'm going to wait and see what others say first, or check out Sometimes I Lie and decide from there?



BLACK MIRROR: BANDERSNATCH
Another mind-blowing story from the Black Mirror world, no surprise there. Bandersnatch was so immersive, entertaining, and dark as usual. I would highly recommend watching it with friends if you haven't seen it yet! If you have no idea what I'm talking about, Bandersnatch is an interactive movie on Netflix. We follow (and somewhat control) Stefan, a guy who is programming a choose-your-own-adventure video game based on a book he's obsessed with. It explores free will and becomes *so* meta, but I'll save the chatter so you can go ~experience it~ for yourself.

SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE
Even though everyone kept saying how much they loved this Spider-Man movie the most, I still didn't have any expectations before watching. Maybe because I loved Spider-Man: Homecoming so much ... although I admit a large part of that has to do with Tom Holland, lol. I haven't seen any of the other Marvel animated movies/TV shows so I can't speak for how Into the Spider-Verse compares, and I can't compare live action vs. animated characters. I CAN say, however, that I liked the story. But I loved the graphics and music so much more. The soundtrack is—and I apologize in advance for using this word—POPPIN'. SO GOOD. My one tiny critique is that there wasn't enough time for a specific character's backstory. (If you've seen Into the Spider-Verse and are wondering who I'm talking about, it's one of the villains.) But I think that's a personal problem, because I always want to know WHY.


I only have one thing to share this week since I didn't track anything: The Book Nerd's Guide to San Francisco, California! I LOVE THIS SO MUCH. I'm definitely biased because I grew up in the city and even though I moved away, I still visit from time to time. My entire 2017 year was spent drinking coconut vanilla lattes at Home (fun fact: there are two locations!) and I would recommend visiting ALL the libraries, not just the main branch.