I love reading more than anything else. It is certainly right up there with running. If you left me alone for a month, I wouldn’t switch the TV on, but I would get through a lot of books and would be very happy. I’d much rather read a book than spend time on social media or read a magazine (although I do those things too).
For me, reading is escapism. I read books because I love them, not because I want to learn or better myself (you will never catch me reading a self-help book). I don’t read great works of literature because I feel I should. I read what I want to. Because my reading time is my own time to relax and unwind.
I read every night before I go to sleep – although not many pages, as my eyes tend to blur and I’m so tired I start seeing things that aren’t there! When the kids are at school, I read every day when I’m eating my lunch. I read when I’m waiting for my son to come out of school and any time I am forced to wait anywhere for anything – like doctors’ and dentists’ waiting rooms. I love nothing more than to read on a train, although train journeys for me are few and far between.
On the whole, I’ve been pleased with my choices of books this year. I’ve read a lot of brilliant ones, some good ones and one or two I have been slightly disappointed with.
In 2018 I read 40 books, which is three more than last year, despite the fact that a couple of books at the end of the year seemed to take forever to read.
In addition to the books I’ve read for myself, for the first five months of the year I was also reading four children’s books a month for work. They could be anything from a 24-page picture book to a 500-page adult novel. So that adds another 20 ‘unofficial’ reads to my total. I’m pleased to say that my daughter still likes me to read to her at night, so I’ve read a fair few Jacqueline Wilsons and other books suitable for 12 year olds too.
So what did I read in 2018?
This year I’ve read:
- The Hanging Club by Tony Parsons
- Cold Blood by Robert Bryndza
- The Child by Fiona Barton
- Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough
- Can You Keep a Secret? by Karen Perry
- The Thirst by Jo Nesbo
- Three Things About Elsie by Joanna Cannon
- Still Me by JoJo Moyes
- Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
- He Said/ She Said by Erin Kelly
- Human Croquet by Kate Atkinson
- Let Me Lie by Clare Mackintosh
- Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell
- Dissolution by C J Sansom
- Deadly Secrets by Robert Bryndza
- The Marriage Pact by Michelle Redmond
- Emotionally Weird by Kate Atkinson
- The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
- The Widow by Fiona Barton
- Fleshmarket Close by Ian Rankin
- I Found You by Lisa Jewell
- A Very English Scandal by John Preston
- Can you hear me? by Elena Varvelo
- Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker
- A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
- The Not So Secret Emails of Coco Pinchard by Robert Bryndza
- The Break by Marian Keyes
- One Hundred Names by Cecelia Ahern
- The Missing Girl by Jenny Quintana
- This is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay
- Lethal White by Robert Galbraith
- My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent
- Bring Me Back by B A Paris
- Force of Nature by Jane Harper
- The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
- Macbeth by Jo Nesbo
- Friend Request by Laura Marshall
- How to Measure a Cow by Margaret Forster
- On the Bright Side by Hendrik Groen
- The Noise of Time by Julian Barnes
So what were my favourite books of the year?
It’s a tough choice, because I’ve read so many brilliant ones. Although my favourite genre is the psychological thriller, I find it is usually books which aren’t psychological thrillers that stand out as my absolute favourites. I wanted to come up with a top five, but could think of three favourites and couldn’t separate the next three. So this is my top six books of the year:
- Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
- Lethal White
- Three Things About Elsie
- Force of Nature
- This is Going to Hurt
- A Man Called Ove
January 10, 2019
Wow Sarah 40 books is an amazing total for the year, and I have read a fair few on your list. I too read for pure escapism, and love getting into bed around 45 minutes before the husband as that is my time to read. This is going to hurt had me laughing one minute, and wiping a tear away the next. Funny, as I didn’t think it would be the book for me. Hubby has just finished the Seven deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle which he enjoyed but said it’s quite a full on book that demands your full attention. Can’t wait to see what you read in 2019 x
January 11, 2019
I love the idea of going to bed 45 minutes before your husband just to read! I love reading while I’m eating lunch and also while I wait for my son to come out of school. This is Going to Hurt was brilliant, wasn’t it? Your husband has summed up The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle perfectly. It’s a brilliant book, but pretty hard to follow. You really need to concentrate! x
January 10, 2019
I’ve got or read quite a few the same as you in the last year. I have the seven deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle on my pile to be read. I really must also get This is going to hurt.
January 11, 2019
You and I definitely have similar tastes in books. The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a brilliant read. I’m sure you will love This is Going to Hurt.
January 10, 2019
Ooh good! I’ve been hoping you’d do a roundup post like this! I’ve got four books that I had for Christmas and three of them are relatively new, so I wanted to see if you’d reviewed any of them to help me choose which to read first! The Missing Girl is one of the books on my pile so I’m going to read that first when I get to the end of my current book 🙂
Nat.x
January 11, 2019
The Missing Girl is a superior missing person story, I’m sure you won’t be disappointed by it. Which other books did you get? I’m always looking for recommendations (although I may have bought rather a lot of books recently!). x
January 14, 2019
Love your attitude to reading and inspired by how you manage to fit it in. I have given up on daytime telly this year which is already paying dividends in so many ways including reading. I intend to read at least 52 books this year. OH is cynical that I can manage this which has made me even more determined. Loads to research from your list so thanks for that too. #ReadWithMe
January 15, 2019
Good luck with reading 52 books! I suspect I will read slightly less this year than last as I’ve made a slower start. I’ve never watched daytime telly in my life! I wouldn’t even watch the evening telly if it wasn’t for my husband. I still don’t watch it every day.
January 15, 2019
A great list and a great achievement, love that you get to read books as part of your job!! #readwithme
January 15, 2019
I gave my sister Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine for Christmas but really want to read it too. I’ve just joined Goodreads to track my reading, I’m hoping that a reading goal will help stimulate me to make reading time for myself :o)
#ReadWithMe
January 16, 2019
You will love Eleanor Oliphant! I really make reading for myself a priority, but I haven’t given in to joining Goodreads. I fear it would be something else I would spend far too much time messing around with on the internet.
January 15, 2019
Now I know why my wishlist is so long, as I’ve added quite a few from reading your reviews. I never switch the TV on either unless it is when I’m ironing or similar, always prefer to read #readwithme
January 16, 2019
Ha ha, I read a post last week and I instantly went and ordered three of the books reviewed! I did feel a bit guilty, but they all sounded so good and I didn’t want to forget them.
January 15, 2019
My TBR list gets longer every time I visit your blog! I added The Seven Deaths Of Evelyn Hardcastle to my ‘books to buy’ list, but I haven’t come across it in the charity shop yet.
January 16, 2019
Ha ha, sorry about that! I think people are still working their way through The Seven Deaths as it takes quite a long time to read. I know a couple of people who have been reading it for a while. I’m sure you will enjoy it when you finally get hold of a copy.