Nadaness In Motion's 2021 TBR List – Lots to Read!

Where do I begin with a new reading list?

I've held back from buying books for almost 2 years but started buying again between October and December 2020.

I'm planning – and I stress "planning" – to read more print books so that when people visit my library I don't have to say "I haven't read this or this or this!"

That said, I love to explore new books, series, and of course meet new authors. So book blogging will remain a part of me.

I have been gradually overcoming my fear of reading self-help books and will continue to do that in 2021 and years to come.

For the 2021 TBR list, there will be some Arabic books in there as well and of course whatever my book club decides on will be shown directly on Goodreads.

I had a 2020 TBR list post as well, and I read some of the books on it but naturally I got sidetracked – I mean what bookworm doesn’t?! :D

First, there are the books I haven't read from 2020 (Oops!). I'm halfway through several books to including Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, plus a few books from the 2020 list are going to be pushed to this year.

Overall, I'd LIKE to read 30 books this year and increase them as I go.

 

So, let's get on to the reading list. I'm dividing it into Non-Fiction, Fiction, and Poetry books.

Would love to hear about books on my list you've read or are planning to read.

(Note: I'll be updating this post with links to the book reviews written)

 

First: Non-Fiction Books

Mark Manson Book 2 :D

The last book I finished reading in 2020 was The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson. I'd already bought book 2 by Manson which is – brace for it – Everything Is F*cked! (Oops!)

I'm not going to start the year with it but I definitely plan to read it in 2021 – and probably be done with Manson once and for all.

Currently working on my book review of The Subtle Art.

 

Al Khoroog 'An El Nas by Dr. Mohamed Taha (Loosely translated to Leaving the Mold)

(الخروج عن النص)

This book is a short psychology book, written in colloquial Egyptian Arabic. I'd heard good things about it.

Its author Dr. Mohamed Taha is a psychiatrist and this book has short chapters so I'm looking forward to it. I even bought a second copy and gifted it to a friend.

 

The One-Page Marketing Plan by Alan Dib

I already started this in late 2020 but I'm only 10% done so it's definitely a book I want to finish and learn from this year.

As you can see, the book title is super attractive. Especially if you're a marketer and copywriter like me.

 

El Maskoot 3anno fi El Tareekh by Wassim El-Sisi (المسكوت عنه في التاريخ)

(Loosely translated to: Secrets in History)

This book is about stories and historical bits in Egyptian history that no one speaks about. Plus the cover is quite catchy!

 

El Tagreba El Fekreya Le Roh Ommo by Kirollos Bahgat (Humorous title, can't think of a translation!)

Like Manson's books, this one has an equally catchy title but without the F words. My copy is edition no. 60!

Having finished around 75 pages, this book offers more content and ideas in the realm of psychology. The writing is in Colloquial Egyptian Arabic.

 

Eyes of Wisdom by Dina ElMessiri

I picked up this book, by chance, at the Cairo Book Fair 2019 but only just remembered it. It's a quick-read with motivational messages and experiences.

The author Dina ElMessiri is a personal development coach and NLP practitioner.

 

Second: Fiction/Novels/Collections

Mysteries in Ancient Egypt (by Various)

(غموض في مصر القديمة)

You know the "don't-judge-a-book-by-its-cover" saying? Well, I ignored it and bought this collection of mysterious, potentially horrifying, short stories based on the cover and title.

It's an Arabic collection and I don't know any of the authors. So fingers crossed!

Mysteries in Ancient Egypt (left) and The Tour Guide (right)

Morshed Syahi by Reem Bassiouny (Title translation: The Tour Guide)

I picked up this book when I went to a book signing for Dr. Reem Bassiouny. I also sign my copy of the Mamluk Trilogy (ثلاثية المماليك) which I was told was undergoing translation into English.

The Tour Guide is a much shorter story and I won't deny the backstory and the size caught my eye since The Mamluk Trilogy is over 700 pages long! 

Crime Scene Connection by Deena Alexander

I'm reading this for a blog tour I signed up for with Lori Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

It's a mystery but not a cozy I think. I'm due to read and write my review AND publish it by 5 January! Oops!

The Trials of Apollo: The Hidden Oracle by Rick Riordan

I've been wanting to read more of Riordan's works and decided that The Trials of Apollo: The Hidden Oracle would be the February book club read. 

Update: I ran through the pages of this book! It was a bit slow and snarky at first but then it just flowed and I couldn't put it down. 

Book review is in the works but it's definitely a five-star read.

Saleeb Moussa (Moussa's Cross)

This is an Arabic police-thriller novel that I've seen being recommended in many Facebook groups for bookworms.

I got it and my mum started it first and says she's enjoying it. She says it's like a Dan Brown novel. So I'm excited to start it myself.

 

Lumina and the Goblin King by Cari Lyn Jones

This is a fantasy novel with fairies and goblins and magic. I got this as a review request at the end of 2020 and I'm looking forward to reading it. I'll probably start it in February or March.

 

The Little Grave by Carolyn Arnold

I got an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) of Carolyn Arnold's newest thriller The Little Grave. I'll be reading this in January so stay tuned!

Here's a small part of the synopsis:

It’s been five years since Detective Amanda Steele’s life was derailed in the path of an oncoming drunk driver. The small community of Dumfries, Virginia, may have moved on from the tragic deaths of her husband and daughter, but Amanda cannot. When the driver who killed her family is found murdered in a motel room, she can’t keep away from the case.

As Amanda edges toward the truth, she gets closer to a secret as personal as it is deadly. 

 

To the Moon and Back by Jean Nicole Rivers

This is a horror novel from the author Black Water Tales: The Unwanted, which has garnered over 25,000 views on my blog, making it the most-viewed post on Nadaness In Motion EVER!

 

The Hecatomb by J Edward Neill

If you're on Twitter, then you should be following J Edward Neill and enjoying his dark-themed artwork. He's also an author and I plan to read his short story collection The Hecatomb in 2021. If you haven't guessed, it's a horror collection.

 

Inside the Whispers by A.J. Waines

In 2020, I read Waines' No Longer Safe. In 2021, I plan to read book 1 in her Samantha Willerby psychological thriller series Inside the Whispers.

 

Third: Poetry

While I love reading poetry, I leave that to poets and authors sending me their work. I do have a few poetry collections that I'd like to read in 2021. But aside from those, I leave it to chance J

That's in addition to Actualizing Devotion by Hamza Matar and Stanley Park by Sapphira Olsen, both of which I got as review requests in 2020 but didn't get a chance to read.

 

My latest book haul - Arabic books for me and mum

Fourth: Anything That Comes Along the Way

There are lots of books I want to read – a bookworm's dilemma. But armed with this list, I can focus on reducing the number of print books and e-books on my to-read list.

As I mentioned, there are still some leftover books from 2020. I already have about 3 or 4 open that I'd like to finish.

I also expect more review requests and ARCs to come in. Plus, I'm part of a book club so more books on that front.

And you never know what you might just pick up here or there.

 

Have you read any of the books listed here? Or are you planning to read any of them?

I'd love to hear what you think and what you're planning to read.

If you've created a similar list and published it on your blog, feel free to share the link in the comments below.