We’ve recently welcomed 2019 and with it come brand new resolutions. Well, my 2018 good-for-you goals are still very much on with tiny lifestyle tweaks to implement on 2019. Reading more is one of them!

I’ve always been a book lover. As a kid, I used to binge-read books like Little Women, Dance of the Dead, Harry Potter, The Neverending Story, all Goosebumps books and alike. It’s quite obvious I’m a raging fan of Horror and Fantasy, yet recently I find myself drawn to Gothic Romance and Magical Realism novels. Doesn’t matter really… As long as I get a little me-time with a good book, I’m good.

So today I’m honored to participate in Top 5 Tuesday hosted by Bionic Book Worm and share the Top 5 books I NEED to read in 2019!

Without further ado, here they come in all shapes and sizes.

The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde

I actually bought this one for a bargain price of $5 from a second-hand bookstore and I have a feeling that after “The Picture of Dorian Grey” and “Teleny” this book will prove to be a smart purchase. Time will tell, tho. I’ve watched the 1996 film adaptation starring Neve Campbell and Patrick Stewart which was quite the flop from what I remember, but I truly expect the book to compensate as Wilde always does.

 

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

I’m slightly bending the Top 5 rules with this one because I actually started reading it last week, but I’m still at the very beginning, so I hope it’s passable. I’m not familiar with other Kate Morton works, but so far so good. The story covers different life-courses, dark fairytales, a secret garden, and one mysterious castle. My hopes are high.

 

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez

A friend recommended this book to me, but I am familiar with the title. With my winter blues, I feel like I’m going through one hundred years of solitude myself so it’s only fitting I’ll read the book. This novel is a landmark 1967 novel by Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez who’s, from what I read, is wickedly witty and totally unexpected? Please correct me if I’m wrong, but I’ll definitely give it a shot.

 

The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett

This book is just sitting on my shelf, collecting dust for the past 10 years or so. I bought it a long time ago, browsed a little and haven’t touched it since and I’m not sure why. I think it’s time to dive right back in and well… read it! I remember the Discworld and the giant turtle, but other than that, a complete blur. But it’s Terry Pratchett and fantasy and I must read it a-l-r-e-a-d-y!

 

Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper – Case Closed by Patricia Cornwell

Just before I snatched The Forgotten Garden off the library shelf, I was contemplating on Patricia Cornwell’s Portrait of a Killer because anything Jack-the-Ripper themed super fascinates me. Cornwell applies her detective skills and digs deeper into the Ripper case, decades after the puzzling murders haunt London’s Whitechapel district. It’s titillating to see how Cornwell translates an 1888 investigation to the 21st century and perhaps reveals who the real Ripper is? Hmmm…

I hope you liked my Top 5 Tuesday must-reads and thanks again to Shanah of Bionic Book Worm for this awesome weekly post series!

If you have any other recommendations, keep me posted in the comments section below! When it comes to books, I have a relatively open mind 😉