0-6/50 Books of 2019 Reading Challenge.

One of my 2019 Goals is to read 50 books and it seems to be the thing because I've seen a lot of my internet friends announce that they'd like to read more in 2019. I have my Goodreads Challenge set to 50 and already I've managed to read 7 books in two months, hooray! I really enjoy reading from the comfort of my sofa, on my work commute or opting out of scrolling through my Instagram for the 50th time that day.

I have many books in my TBR pile but after a huge clear out in January, I feel as though my bookshelf showcases the books I really want to read. I also make a regular trip to the library where I can get a spontaneous read and then there's the addition of my new Kindle. Anyway, let's get stuck into the first set of book reviews for 2019 with the first 7 books I've read!

Ask an Astronaut - Tim Peake | ☆☆☆☆☆

I've always been quite interested in Tim Peake's story so when I saw this book before Christmas, of course, I got my hands on it and couldn't put it down! I absolutely loved the style format of this book with it's Q&A style that made it for fluent reading. 

The book is sectioned into three parts; pre-launch, his space experience and then when he touches back down on Earth. It's a hugely insightful book to see what it's like to be an astronaut. His story is remarkable and inspiring on every page! I loved how he shared his insights on ISS and how space affects the human body. 

I learnt so much from this book and loved sharing some of the things I learnt with other people! I've recommended it to everyone! 

You Were Gone - Tim Weaver* | ☆☆☆☆

This book actually comes part of a David Raker series and although this is the case, you didn't need to have read the other books in order to understand its characters. The series revolves around an investigator of missing people and bizarre situations have happened before. This time the missing isn't missing as his wife, who died 8 years ago is back and demanding to see him! You Were Gone is really full of many twists and turns so it'll be enjoyed by people who enjoy a good crime thriller book. 

Although I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, it felt like I had been reading it for weeks because I couldn't quite get to the end as quickly as I would have liked. The book itself was an enjoyable read and every part of the mystery is uncovered thoroughly in it. There's no stone left unturned and this made you want to continue turning the pages. I loved the characters that Weaver created in this book and the plot was extremely clever to follow. 

Read more: My All-Time Favourite Children's Books.

Calm the F**k Down - Sarah Knight | ☆☆☆ 1/2

I read one of the other books written by Sarah Knight 'The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k' in April 2018 and if I'm honest I didn't enjoy it. I had heard she was releasing a new book this year and wanted to get my hands on it hoping that I'd hopefully engage with this one better. In Keep Calm and Carry the F**k On the author offers a practical, customizable game plan for taking on all of the hurdles in life, no matter how big or small they are. 

I found it again really hard to engage with this book and Sarah's style of writing, therefore that's why I gave it a 3 1/2 in star rating. Some of the topics and practical ideas for tackling anxiety head-on were really interesting and definitely could be applied into my everyday life, but some of the sections often felt as though they didn't have a place in the context. I felt fed up of the ideas by the time I got 60% way through the book so found it a real struggle to finish it. I would be interested in other people to read this and give me their opinions too. 

No One You Know - Michelle Richmond* | ☆☆

I was kindly gifted this book on behalf of the publishers and on reading the blurb, I thought this would make for good reading. Unfortunately, the book was disappointing and I didn't manage to finish it. The story is about the main character's sister Lila who is murdered and her sister's college professor writes a nonfiction book about the murder that names the killer. There are many things in the book that strays away from the main plot and it's disorientating for the reader, therefore a difficult read to get stuck into! 

From the second chapter, I really couldn't get into the story and attach to the characters either. It's unfortunate that I couldn't enjoy this book more. 

Read more: 4 Books I Read in 2018, and would highly recommend for your TBR pile! 

Diary of a Drag Queen - Crystal Rasmussen* | ☆☆☆☆☆

I knew I'd love this book as soon as I saw it advertised on the NetGallery website as a new release and quite frankly, I couldn't put it down! I finished it in a day! Crystal has written a fantastic book about her day-to-day adventures over the course of a year. We encounter so much within the pages; tucks, twists and sucks, heinous overspending and endless nights spent sprinting from problem to problem in a full face of make-up. 

It's such a fantastic book! I enjoyed the little insight we had into Crystal's life without overstaying our welcome and it provided thought-provoking conversations at the way we interpret the gay community in our society. I enjoyed her energy that oozed from the pages and some parts made me laugh out loud! Such an enjoyable read that everyone would love! 

Now You See Her - Heidi Perks* | ☆☆☆☆☆

In Now You See Her main character Charlotte is looking after her best friend's daughter for the day when she disappears. She thought the little girl was playing with her own children and she swears she only took her eyes off them for a second. Now it's down to Charlotte to tell her best friend Harriet that her only child and the child she was supposed to be watching, disappeared. But two weeks later Harriet is also being questioned by the police about the disappearance.  

The writer has created a clever style in presenting two sides of the story and the play between past and present to bring the plot together. It could get confusing but Heidi Perks delivers it in a way that really enables you to be along for the ride. The twists and turns of the story are really interesting and I couldn't stop turning the page to find out more and more. The conclusion is fantastic and it was one of those books I couldn't stop thinking about after! I would highly recommend this one on your list this year!

What have you been reading so far in 2019?

If you enjoyed reading this post, you may also enjoy reading The 10 Books of 2017.

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Books marked with an asterisk (*) were kindly gifted by the publishers or NetGallery in return for an honest review.