21 BOOKS TO READ AT 21

It's my birthday and I'll read books if I want to (spoiler: I want to)

---

---

Happy birthday to me! Woo! 
I'm 21 today so I guess that means I am well and truly, officially an adult. No pretending I'm still a teenager. Adult. Nope. Not ready. 

It feels strange to me that I'm not still 14 and in the middle of high school. I mean, I still can't believe I'm allowed to drive, let alone have held a license for 3 years. But, setting aside all my fears about growing up and having to be responsible* (ha!), I've decided that I want to set myself a goal for this year of my life to read 21 books that I've put off for far too long - be them classics, modern classics or just any old YA/middle grade book that I've had on my shelf for way too many years being overlooked. 

*the main thing I wanted for my birthday this year was for my mum to help me gut my bedroom. Yup. Adult.

I'll be honest and admit that, although the idea for this post came to me a few weeks ago, I only began writing this at about 11:45pm... the day before my birthday... aka the day this post goes up. whoops. (I just checked the clock and its ten past twelve. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEEEEE)

Anyway, here are the 21 books I'm hoping to read in my 21st year!

LES MISERABLES by Victor Hugo
As a theatre lover, this just HAD to be on the list. I've owned at least one copy of Les Mis for at least 7 years and I did try to read it back then but it was a bad translation so here's hoping my Penguin Classics edition is more readable than the Wordsworth one! This is actually the reason I'm learning French. I want to read Hugo's story - not a translation. So maybe by the time I'm 80 I'll be able to do so!

INTERRUPTION: It is now the afternoon of my birthday and I just need to cut in to say my mum bloody booked us a trip to PARIS for February so this read is DEFINITELY happening ASAP!!

A LION AMONG MEN by Gregory Maguire
In the same vein as above, I've been working my way through Maguire's Wicked Years series. It seems to be every winter I get through one so this year it's time for book three to make its way into my life. I'm keen to continue the story but Maguire writes very political fantasy that I don't ever read so it's pretty tough going and takes a lot for me to get into - so the sooner I catch up to my schedule and can afford to kill some time on one book the better!

THE GOLDFINCH by Donna Tart
I hummed and hawed about buying this book for so long and a few weeks ago I gave in and finally picked it up second hand. Again, this is a book that I saw a lot of high praise for... but it scared me, so I never bought it. It's also a chunker which is intimidating but my 2018 reading goal is going to be set nice and low so I can focus on just reading for enjoyment rather than to reach a target which means no excuses to avoid big books!

ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE by Anthony Doerr
This is a historical fiction novel that was very popular a few years back but is still mentioned often and highly praised by bloggers out there but as it's adult fiction it has sat gathering dust on my shelves because it's scared me a little... However, the time has come for me to stop being afraid of books that aren't categorised like the other books I read and start reading for the story and the writing and not because it's aimed at a young demographic etc etc. I'm planning to pick this up closer to Christmas (I can finally start thinking about Christmas after today!) and I have high hopes for it!

I AM THE MESSENGER by Markus Zusak
Zusak? What's a Zusak? Never heard of the guy. Ok but seriously if you haven't read The Book Thief get on it pronto - well, once you've read the rest of this post first! Anyway! If you couldn't tell, I LOVED Zusak's other novel and I've had this one on my shelf for way too long. It sounds entirely different to The Book Thief so i'm curious to see how the writing compares and it sounds quite mysterious so I can't wait to pick this up

MADE YOU UP by Francesca Zappia
Most of the books on this list are classics or those must read modern classics that everyone loves but this book is quite simply on here for me, because I honestly don't know why I haven't read this yet. It sounds amazing and looks gorgeous. Then I received the author's latest book and decided to read that one first, loved it and yet here we are, putting the other book on this list because even though I know I like the author I still haven't read it. This year. It will happen.

ASKING FOR IT by Louise O'Neill
This is a pretty similar situation to the above except I haven't read any of O'Neill's other work as I want to read this first. And I haven't. Again, I've no clue why but it's not getting put off any longer... well I suppose it could since I have a whole year of being 21 but still!!

ELLA MINNOW PEA by Mark Dunn
This book intrigues me. It's something to do with the alphabet and letters going missing or something. Honestly, I can't remember. It does have a fox on the cover though. I've put this on here as I want to read more adult fiction and I'm drawn to this one so it's on the list.

THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABARET by Brian Selznick
I've seen this film at least once, and even then I haven't ever sat down from the start to watch. I feel like I've just seen bits and pieces but I know I loved what I did see - so of course I need to read the book. If you've seen this on a shelf you know just how massive it is so it's definitely going to be an arm workout to get through it but there's plenty of pictures in it to make it go by quickly.

ALL THAT SHE CAN SEE by Carrie Hope Fletcher
I absolutely ADORED Carrie's first novel and I have high hopes and expectations for this one. I bought it as soon as it came out but as I've been in a strange reading mood I've not yet picked it up. I definitely don't want it to sit on my shelf for years though, which is exactly what will happen if I don't have it on a list (ohh look at that, it's now on a list!) to keep me motivated!

DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE by Robert Louis Stevenson
This, as I'm sure we all know, is another classic and I have one of the gorgeous Penguin Leather-bound editions. I don't actually know this story too well but it's short and I do want to read some classics instead of thinking I'll hate them all without ever trying


Little break to say I'm writing this at stupid o'clock so forgive the short paragraphs and the worsening writing! You may continue now


FANGIRL by Rainbow Rowell
Yup. YA blogger who's never read Fangirl. Shoot me. I've tried to read Eleanor and Park twice and never got into it but I'm hoping for better with the YA Contemporary staple. 

THE NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morgenstern
Again. Everyone's read this... except me. I know. It's on the list though. It's happening.

FOREVER by Judy Blume
I. Love. Judy. Blume. This woman was my queen growing up - big thanks to Ms Drummond for reading the Fudge series to my class! However, I never really read her teen stuff. I might be a big girl now who's learnt all about sex and romance but that's not going to stop me pretending I'm thirteen again and picking up the classic Judy Blume book! 

NOT THE ONLY SKY by Alyssa Warren
I'm not going to lie, I was struggling to find books I really wanted to read or felt like I should have read by now to put on the list when I noticed this on my bookcase and it just called to me to be on this list and to be read this year. I got this book as a thank you for chairing Estelle Maskame's event in summer and I don't know much about it except it's a Black and White Publishing book which tends to mean greatness! They've never let me down yet!

UNDER THE DOME by Stephen King
I've talked loads the last few posts about how much I've been into mystery lately and with all the talk of IT (which I will never watch or read because I fucking hate clowns), Stephen King has been on my radar more than usual. He is more horror than mystery/thriller but I've always wanted to read something by him and I figured this is the safest of them all - please warn me if I'm wrong. I don't know if I think that because of The Simpsons Movie or what but for about a year I've been on the hunt for this book in charity shops and I finally found it so here's yet another chunky book for this list!

DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE by Laini Taylor
I'm not 100% sure what this book is about, I just know people love it and it's often shelved in adult fantasy instead of YA so I get to include it as another adult book. I just feel as I have two copies it's about time to get to it.

THE RAVEN BOYS by Maggie Stiefvater
I loved (what I read of) The Shiver series when I was younger but I've heard it is nowhere near as good as The Raven Cycle so naturally I want to read it. I guess it's on this list because I just can't believe I've made it this long without reading it.

SHATTER ME by Tahereh Mafi
This is similar to The Raven Boys in that everyone loves it and I still haven't read it but with THREE more books coming out I think it's time I get going on this series!

MY OWN STORY by Emmeline Pankhurst
To finish up, I have two non-fic books, the first of which is from one of my ultimate Q U E E N S. Anyone who sat the Higher History exam with me in 2014 knows how I about wept with joy when my suffragette babes came up as one of the questions. I just admire these women so much and I think it's high time I read this book.

THE EGYPTIAN MYTHS by Garry J Shaw
It's no secret I like history and I am fascinated by Ancient Egypt. I picked up this book about a year or two ago but haven't gotten round to reading it, but as I have more free time now I'm hoping to spend some time learning about things I'm interested in so this book is a perfect starting point!

And that's it. 21 books I want to read when I'm 21! It's now 1am on my birthday and I am exhausted so goodnight all (although it's probably not bedtime when I post!) and let me know if you've read any of these books before and which one I should start with!