I annoy myself with the number of books on my bookshelf that I really want to read and haven’t yet – so I apologise if that annoys you too!

Getting a good book and a cuppa and cosying up on the corner of the sofa is one of my favourite self-care activities to do. But I just don’t give myself the time to do it – so hopefully this will help!

So, I thought that I would create a list of books currently sitting on my bookshelf (and some in my Amazon wish list) that I would really like to finally read this year – feel free to hold me accountable and check if I have been reading!

*as the majority of these books I already own, I have copied the description of them from their blurb

Let’s start with the books that I’ve started reading but haven’t finished yet…

Working Hard Hardly Working by Grace Beverley
“We all know the pressure of feeling like we should be grinding 24/7 while simultaneously being told that we should ‘just relax’ and take care of ourselves, like we somehow have to decide between success and sanity. But in today’s complex working world, where every hobby can be a hustle and social media is the lens through which we view ourselves and others, this seemingly impossible choice couldn’t be further from our reality.”

I have been loving this book!! The reason I am still reading it is because after a few sections I am taking time away to reflect on what I have just read and how I can use it in my life. I also think that this is the kind of book that I will go back to when I need a reminder.

How To Solve A Murder by Derek & Pauline Tremain
“Not the usual tools of trade, but for Chief Forensic Medical Scientist Derek and Forensic Secretary Pauline they were just part of a normal day in the office inside the world-famous Department of Forensic Medicine at Guy’s Hospital in London.

Derek has played a pivotal role investigating some of the UK’s most high-profile mass disasters and murder cases. Derek’s innovative work on murder cases, in particular, has seen him credited as a pioneer of forensic medical science, after developing ground-breaking techniques that make it easier to secure a conviction and also identify a serial killer.

Warmly recalled and brilliantly told, these intriguing revelations will open your eyes to the dark world inhabited by those who investigate death and murder (typically most horrid), and unveil the secrets of how each case is solved.”

This is a super interesting read. I just decided that I wanted to read another book more and am yet to pick it back up again. But I definitely will soon.

The Tattooist Of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
“In 1942, Lale Sokolov arrived in Auschwitz-Birkenau. He was given the job of tattooing the prisoners marked for survival – scratching numbers into his fellow victims’ arms in indelible ink to create what would become one of the most potent symbols of the Holocaust.

Waiting in line to be tattooed, terrified and shaking, was a young girl. For Lale – a dandy, a jack-the-lad, a bit of a chancer – it was love at first sight. And he was determined not only to survive himself, but to ensure this woman, Gita, did too.

So begins one of the most life-affirming, courageous, unforgettable and human stories of the Holocaust: the love story of the Tattooist of Auschwitz.”

I only got a few pages into this book and had to stop. You need to be in a good frame of mind before reading this and during lockdown I just wasn’t. It’s a tough read, but definitely one that I want to continue with. As my mental health is doing a lot better right now, hopefully this year will be the time that I finish it.

Philomena by Martin Sixsmith
“As a teenager in Ireland in 1952, Philomena Lee fell pregnant and was sent to a convent – a ‘fallen woman’. For three years after her son was born, she cared for him there. Then the Church took him away and sold him, like countless others, for adoption in America.

This is the story of Philomena and her search for the son she never stopped loving. It is a tale of lives scarred by hypocrisy and secrecy, a compelling narrative of human love and loss – heartbreaking, yet ultimately redemptive.”

I watched this film, and it filled my heart with love and broke it into pieces equally. Therefore, when I spotted this book, I knew I wanted to read it. This was at a time when I was rediscovering my love for reading – so I felt intimidated with the number of pages and the tiny size of the font. However, as I know that the plot is something that’s really important to talk about, I want to take the time to read it soon.

Becoming by Michelle Obama
“There’s a lot I still don’t know about America, about life, about what the future might bring. But I do know myself. My father, Fraser, taught me to work hard, laugh often, and keep my word. My mother, Marian, showed me how to think for myself and to use my voice. Together, in our cramped apartment on the South Side of Chicago, they helped me see the value in our story, in my story, in the larger story of our country. Even when it’s not pretty or perfect. Even when it’s more real than you want it to be. Your story is what you have what you will always have. It is something to own.”

In my defence, this isn’t one that I’m struggling to read, it’s just the book that I am currently dedicated to reading – that’s why I haven’t finished it yet. I’m a big fan of Michelle Obama and I am really enjoying reading about the world from her point of view.

If I finish at least one book this year, I’ll be happy…

Now onto books that have been on my TBR pile for the longest time.

Mindhunter by John Douglas & Mark Olshaker
“What makes a serial killer?

John Douglas has looked evil in the eye, and made a vocation of understanding it.

In Mindhunter, the FBI special agent who was the inspiration for Jack Crawford’s character in The Silence of the Lambs (and who lent the film’s makers his expertise) explains how he invented and established the practice of criminal profiling.

He also discusses individual case histories including those of Jeffrey Dahmer, Charles Manson, Ted Bundy and the Atlanta child murders.”

I bought this book for my boyfriend as we are both big fans of the series! However, he isn’t much of a reader – so I kindly took it back and added it to my TBR pile. I might also have to re-watch the series again soon.

Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
“For years, rumours of the ‘Marsh Girl’ have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Caroline coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya Clark is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she years to be loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life – until the unthinkable happens.”

This book was a part of my lockdown haul that I made when I decided that I enjoyed reading again – I just haven’t got round to reading it! This is definitely going to be one of the next ones that I read.

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo
“This is Britain as you’ve never read it.

This is Britain as it has never been told.

From the top of the country to the bottom, across more than a century of change and growth and struggle and life, Girl, Woman, Other follows twelve very different characters on an entwined journey of discovery.

It is future, it is past. It is fiction, it is history.

It is a novel about who we are now.”

This was another book from the same haul as the last one – and again will definitely be one of the next books that I read.

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
“Four unlikely friends. A shocking murder. Welcome to The Thursday Murder Club.”

I was so excited when I found out that this book was being released – and I just haven’t read it! But with another of Richard’s books now on the shelves, I need to hurry up and read this one so I can buy it!

And to finish off, two books on my Amazon wish list that I really want to read but won’t buy until I’ve made a dent in the above list!

Atomic Habits by James Clear
“People think that when you want to change your life, you need to think big. But world-renowned habits expert James Clear has discovered another way. He knows that real change comes from the compound effect of hundreds of small decisions: doing two push-ups a day, waking up five minutes early, or holding a single short phone call.

He calls them atomic habits.

In this ground-breaking book, Clears reveals exactly how these minuscule changes can grow into such life-altering outcomes. He uncovers a handful of simple life hacks (the forgotten art of Habit Stacking, the unexpected power of the Two Minute Rule, or the trick to entering the Goldilocks Zone), and delves into cutting-edge psychology and neuroscience to explain why they matter. Along the way, he tells inspiring stories of Olympic gold medalists, leading CEOs, and distinguished scientists who have used the science of tiny habits to stay productive, motivated, and happy.”

This book has been recommended to me more times than I know. And I think it’s about time that I just read it! I think this will be the kind of book, similarly to Grace Beverley’s, in which I read a bit and then reflect on how it impacts my life and then continue reading.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
“Nora's life has been going from bad to worse. Then at the stroke of midnight on her last day on earth she finds herself transported to a library. There she is given the chance to undo her regrets and try out each of the other lives she might have lived. Which raises the ultimate question: with infinite choices, what is the best way to live?”

If I’m honest, I have all of Matt’s books on my TBR pile…

This isn’t even my full list – but it’s made me see how often I want to do things and then don’t…whether that’s through laziness, lack of time, lack of belief in myself, procrastination, distractions, or a host of other things. I deserve to give myself time to do things that I enjoy. Right now, that’s reading, creating content, and planning my secret project. So, if you need me, I’ll be doing just that!

I’m considering attempting to read one fiction and one non-fiction a month – but we’ll see how that goes…

Do you enjoy reading? What books are on your TBR pile? Let me know in the comments below!

Cerys x

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