This topic seemed easy until I started writing my list and then I realized that it’s actually very hard. lol. As I’ve mentioned before, 2019 was not the best year for me. I’d just as soon erase it from my existence and move on. BUT I did discover some new authors I love and some other fun bookish things, so here we go!
New-to-Me-Authors
1. Annette Marie
I really loved listening to Annette’s Guild Codex: Spellbound series!
2. Riley Sager
I read ALL of Riley’s books last year after loving Lock Every Door so much. He’s an amazing author, who writes the kind of creepy that I love.
Different Genre Interests
3. Urban Fantasy
WHAT!? I like urban fantasy now? Who am I?
4. Historical Fiction
I’ve always been a lover of historical romance, but I’ve all of a sudden really fallen in love with historical mysteries or alternative history kinds of books.
5. Adult in general…
6. Therefore… I’ve officially fallen out of love with YA.
I know… how did this happen? But I’m ok with it! There’s a few authors I love that I’ll still keep tabs on, and I’m sure there will be a YA title here or there that piques my interest, but I’ve been reading significantly less YA over the last year or two, and that’s ok.
Apps
7. Hoopla
I finally fell in love with Hoopla and utilized it way more than I ever have. This is the kind of library service I like… no germs in my bed from gross physical books (the germs, you guys). Digital files on my own devices is so much better.
Products
8. Classical Music for the Reader Album Series
I love classical music, but sometimes the dynamics are so all over the place that the music is super quiet and then crescendos SO quickly that it scares the crap out of me and throws me out of my book. These albums are great, and I’ve made a playlist of all of them on Amazon Music Unlimited to I can stream them anywhere.
Personal Preferences
9. I don’t actually like owning lots of books.
I know this seems counter-intuitive, but hear me out. I love owning books, but only the books I love. When I was younger, I wanted shelves full of books. All the books. I wanted to look like a reader, but I wasn’t. lol. So I got books with pretty covers and then never read them. When my love of reading reignited, and I became a book blogger I wanted to own all the books and ARCs because I thought it made me look cool and like a good blogger. lol. Now, I just want to look at my shelves and smile because I love the books I see. I like having tons of empty space on my shelves for new books that I’ll love in the future. I’m fine with no longer owning all of them, and that dawned on me last year. I did a huge cull/purge and got rid of so many books that I’d lost interest in or didn’t love enough to want to read again. It was amazing, and I felt so light.
10. Book formats don’t mean a ton to me anymore.
I used to want all the hardcovers, but now I’m happy with books in all formats. Although, sometimes I want Kindle because the cover embarrasses me or I want to read the book on vacation and not have to drag a physical copy with me. Sometimes I also want a copy for my shelves because I loved it so much.
What bookish discoveries did you make in 2019?
I want to try Annette Marie. Her books look so fun! And yes to urban fantasy. I discovered it a few years ago and really need to read more. also, same with books. I like having my favorite books rather than just having a ton of books just for the sake of having them. Although my views on that change from time to time and sometimes I need to make myself cull a bit haha!
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Interesting that you’re reading more adult books now! I read mostly adults books in my 20s and 30s and have really started reading a ton of YA in the past decade. One thing I love about reading is that you can change tastes and interests, and there will always be books for you.
Well, now that you’re getting into historical fiction, you might want to take a look at historical BIOGRAPHICAL fiction – stories that fictionalize the lives of real people. I much prefer that to alternative history, which pisses me off no end (sorry, the Titanic went down; don’t try to make me believe it didn’t)!
I love Urban fantasy, I find it so much easier than high fantasy, and I totally get what you mean about wanting to own less books. I tend to only buy hardcovers of the books I really love (or think I’ll love). I just don’t have the space for more and what’s the point in having loads of books taking up space that are just OK.
Ooh this is a nice well rounded list! I didn’t know classical music for reading was a thing and I’ve totally got a Spotify playlist for that now. And trying to collect as many physical books as I can isn’t an interest for me anymore either. I love my Kindle and being able to borrow library books on it without leaving the house is just *chefs kiss* Impeccable. Happy Tuesday!
Great list! I’ve heard so many good things about Annette Marie’s work, I need to check her out. =) I must admit I do love owning pretty books, but the older I get the more comfortable I get with donating books to charity so I can just have my favourites on my bookshelves.
Jess @ Jessticulates recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday | New (to me) authors I want to read more from in 2020!
Yes to Riley Sager! I have yet to read The Last Time I Lied, but have enjoyed his other two so much. I think it’s so interesting how preferences in genre can switch so much in such a short time! About owning books, I am so conflicted! On one side I kind of want to have a huge collection of everything I read and have complete sets of all the books by certain authors. But on the other side, when someone asks me about my shelves I want (like you described) to be able to just point at all of them and say this one is great because.. and this one because… I’m leaning towards only keeping favorites but it’s a tough decision!
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Ooh nice list! I love Urban Fantasy too! That was my go to genre. Oddly I’m still sucked into the YA novels. A lot of the authors I loved reading in the beginning aren’t writing as much or switched genres. Though I do still have a good amount of those in my TBR pile to read. I just wish I could read faster. Or not require sleep!
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I love the Urban Fantasy genre and I’ve recently finished the second book in the Guild Codex:Spellbound series!
Kyla @ Kyla’s Library recently posted…Surprising and Disappointing Reads of 2019
First off, I’m sorry 2019 was so tough for you. Please know I hope 2020 brings with it a boatload of happiness and blessings.
I love your list. It speaks to doing what makes us happy. Too many times we endure things we don’t enjoy. Life is too short for that. I’ve been thinning the herd in my bookshelves over the last few years. There are authors or subjects whose collections I continue to add to, but overall, I read a book and then it is donated. Having Kindle books gives me more room on my bookshelves for those titles I would like to keep.
Hoopla sounds so cool. I get most of my reads these days from borrowing e-books from the library. Keeping germs from paperback/hardback library books out of the house is nice!
My TTT .
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Classical music for readers sounds right up my street, I will have to investigate…
My Ttt:
https://thecandleenthusiast.wordpress.com/2020/01/14/top-ten-tuesday-a-few-of-my-favorite-bookish-discoveries/?preview=true
::puts fingers in ears and hums:: germs from books? I cannot hear you!!!! :p Don’t put that visual in my head – I love my physical books! But like you, I’m only interested in keeping books I love. So I tend to read on e-book first these days and then if I loved it, buy a physical copy afterwards. Like you, I also tend to not care about type of physical copy except I am in the process of converting all my Terry Pratchett’s from mass market to hardback. Here’s to a great 2020!
What a great list! I wish I would have remember to include new to me authors. I discovered Mindy McGinnis last year and haven’t looked back.
I really want to try Hoopla but I use Libby and I’ll admit I don’t entirely understand the difference.
I’ve noticed myself veering away from YA books over the last few years as well. A lot of them just seem too silly and melodramatic for me! Not that I don’t still read some YA, I do, I’m just more choosy than I used to be!
Jana, I am very pleased to hear you have discovered a new love of historical fiction, as it is one of my favourite genres, too! :-D
jessicabookworm recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday | 14th January 2020
I read Riley Sager for the first time in 2019 and love his books so far!
I began cleaning out our books last year too. While I am an avid reader I find I don’t like the actual clutter of having every book around.
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Annette Marie and hoopla were both on my list, too! I read the first 2 books in her Red Winter trilogy. I’ll be starting the final book either today or tomorrow. I hear all of her series are great, though, and can’t wait to read more!
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Nice list, and appreciate your TTT each week. https://pmprescott.blogspot.com/2020/01/top-ten-tuesday-011420.html
Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres! I’ve kind of fallen out of love with YA too. Adult fiction always seems deeper and more complex to me.
Aj @ Read All The Things! recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday: Upcoming Young Adult Book Releases
It’s not something I discovered until I started scanning my unread books, but owning a whole lot of books is no longer my dream. It should be a nightmare, but all of the books I’ve scanned I really do want to read. But, in truth, I want to read a lot more than what I want to own. So I am working on purging books (though this seems way more difficult than it should be).
Having a Kindle and a library down the road made me realise that I don’t need to own all the paperbacks either. It has saved me a lot of money and shelf space 😊
I also read my first from Riley Sager last year (Final Girls) and really enjoyed it! ☺️ Hoping to read more soon!
La Femme Livresque recently posted…I’m Baaaack…With a Top 10 Tuesday Post on a Thursday: Top 10 New-to-Me Authors I Discovered in 2019