My reading obsession is back and I love it! I enjoy the process of buying books almost as much as I enjoy reading them. My 2018 to-be-read list changes frequently, but there are some books that I really want to read this year. As I am always reading three to four books at the same time, this post contains a few different genres, focused on what I enjoy reading most. Hopefully this will inspire you to get back into reading, or try out a different genre!
Read on to find out which books are on my 2018 to-be-read list!
Fiction
If you would ever see my bookcase, my favorite genres would be clear very quickly. You might also be impressed with how many books I have crammed into one Ikea Kallex unit. My favorite genres are by far detectives, supernatural and historical fiction, with some classics here and there. The books in this category reflect my personal preferences 100%. However, there are always more recommendations I would like to pick up…
- Aurora Teagarden series – Charlaine Harris: I’ve read all the True Blood books by Charlaine Harris. When I saw that she has also written a series with a female lead called Aurora Teagarden, I had to give it a read. I got hooked after the first book, and have been slowly working my way through them. They’re funny, light-hearted (except for the murders of course) and the main character is relatable in a superficial manner. The books revolve around the life of librarian Aurora Teagarden, that has a knack for solving mysteries…and finding bodies.
- Altered Carbon – Richard Morgan: my friends had been recommending I watch the show on Netflix for some time. When I did, I immediately binge-watched the entire first season in a weekend. Dystopian novels are not usually my fave genre. However, the ideas offered by this one are so interesting and unique that I want to read the book. It goes into the details of a world where our identities are saved on a disk and all the consequences for society and equality.
- The Book of Life – Deborah Harkness: the third book in the All Souls trilogy. This series combines so many of my favorite subjects; supernatural beings, history, mystery, and alchemy. It’s complex, dark and the author really knows how to build and keep suspense throughout the book. If this sounds like a perfect mix to you, I recommend starting with the first book of the series – A Discovery of Witches.
- Trials of Apollo, The burning maze – Rick Riordan: this is a YA book and I’m 100% unapologetic for recommending it to everyone. The first two books in this series have made me laugh so much, I cannot wait to read the third! Mixing Greek mythology with teenage culture and adventure, Rick Riordan always writes fun, compelling books with great stories of friendship and inclusiveness. So whether you want to read it yourself, or gift the (pre)teens in your life with great books, see all of Rick Riordan’s books here.
Wellness books on my 2018 to-be-read list
It’s no secret that for me 2017 was a very challenging year. Also, in 2018 I am focused on continuing the journey of self-worth and self-exploration and having fun again! The books in the Wellness category are all chosen to help with different aspects of this journey.
- Thrive – Arianna Huffington: I started this book last year, but it was too confronting at the time. Arianna makes the case that we need to redefine what being successful means in today’s society. Now that I am critically looking at the definition of ‘being successful’, I believe that this book will prove invaluable.
- When things fall apart – Pema Chodrön: This book was recommended to me by Alison Wu, when asking for books about meditation and Buddhism. In its core, the book is about how to cope when life is difficult. In addition, how to reframe it so our suffering doesn’t become the main lens through which we see life.
- How to be human – Ruby Wax: Given to me by some of my favorite people on this planet for my Birthday (❣️), Ruby Wax shares a ‘manual’ on how we can get back to being human. Ugly emotions, struggles, and all. Written with help from a monk and a neuroscientist, the book goes into all the questions we may have about humans and our emotional development in a funny and vulnerable way.
True Crime books on my 2018 to-be-read list
Psychology and detectives have always been genres I have enjoyed reading about. True crime is the perfect combination of these two interests🖤.
- Mind Hunter – John Douglas: One of the founders of modern-day criminal profiling – John Douglas shares his experiences of over 40 years in hunting some of the worst serial criminals and examining their behavior. If you want to check if this would be too dark for you, check out the Netflix series Mindhunter. It’s based on John and his colleague Robert Kessler. Fun fact: Criminal Minds characters Rossi and Gideon were also based on John Douglas!
- I’ll be gone in the dark – Michelle McNamara: They caught him! Journalist Michelle McNamara investigated the Golden State Killer for over ten years. This book reflects how haunting that time was and her obsession with finding him. Unfortunately, she passed away before she was able to finish the book, but am sure she would be thrilled to know they caught the GSK now!
- The Stranger beside me – Ann Rule: I am so curious to read this story by journalist Ann Rule. She was working on one of the biggest stories of her career. Discovering the identity of the serial killer was who was terrorizing several states in the USA during the 1970s. The serial killer was caught…and revealed to be one of her friends. Her story shares her experiences during the case and how it was to learn someone she trusted was a psychopath.
Other books on my 2018 to-be-read list:
- Am I There yet? – Mari Andrew: One of my favorite artists I found via instagram – find her here!
- Body Love – Kelly Leveque: I’m working my way through her book now. Kelly is a holistic nutritionist that offers an accessible method to eating and feeling better. @bewellbykelly
- Dining In – Alison Roman: Just follow her on Instagram to see all the drool-worthy recipes I want to make. Yes, this follows a clean eating book…but life is all about #balance in my opinion 😉 @alisoneroman
- Everybody Lies – Seth Stephens-Davidowitz: What big data and small data can tell us about how we all lie – and how the internet can tell us who we really are.
I hope that sharing my 2018 to-be-read list has given you that itch to get back to reading!
Please share any suggestion you have – I would love to read them. Share in the comments below or through social media. I buy most of my books through the Bookdepository (free shipping and good prices), but most books above should be available through standard channels.
More Fiery Living blog posts can be found under the Lifestyle category.
Disclaimer: All opinions stated above are all my own! However, this post does contain affiliate links. This means that if you purchase a book through the link, I may earn a small commission.
