-A.M. Aguilar

Books I’ve Bought Recently but Haven’t Read Yet

Book shopping addictions and piles of unread books…

There are two types of people in this world: those who buy a book, immediately read it, love it, and then go out to buy another one, and repeat the process; and then, you have those who buy 2, 3, or 10 books at once and let them collect in piles around their house… unread. We may pick up a new book every other month but the other 8 books we have bought will keep collecting dust on those shelves ;). There is no in-between. What everyone has in common though, is that they all love going book shopping!

Whether it’s a large bookstore you are visiting, like Barnes & Noble or Books A Million, or you stumble into a small but cozy bookstore in your city’s downtown, OR you are ordering books online that will be shipped to the front porch of your house- we all love book shopping. I think it is a hobby in itself, just like reading. Finding the perfect book deal or the edition you’ve been searching for everywhere, the best used copy of the book you’ve set your eyes on, etc. Book shopping is entertaining, fun and addictive.

I am the type of person who buys at least 2, sometimes 3, books every time I go to a bookstore and then have a huge pile of unread books in the corner of my room :D. I firmly believe I will read them all at one point in my life. I love having many books around my house, though, it means I will never run out of new books to read.

From high fantasy classics to historical fiction romance, to YA adult fantasy and magical realism; today, I want to share with you the top 5 books I have bought recently, haven’t read yet, and am super excited to! Let’s get started…

5 Books I’ve Bought Recently but Haven’t Read Yet…

1. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

This fantasy novel, published in 1937, is the introduction to Tolkien’s richly imagined world of Middle Earth in its Third Age, aka The Lord of the Rings saga. This book serves as a prologue to the main trilogy which I have been wanting to read for ages now! In December of last year I bought the physical copy of The Hobbit and it is one of the books I am most looking forward to reading :).

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort. This intro to the hobbit Bilbo Baggins, the wizard Gandalf, Gollum, and the spectacular world of Middle Earth recounts of the adventures of a reluctant hero, a powerful and dangerous ring, and the cruel dragon Smaug the Magnificent. I am already excited to dive into the world of Tolkien’s high fantasy…

2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

I know! How come I still haven’t read this timeless classic? Please don’t judge me for it. It is so difficult for me to read classics but I bought a physical copy of Pride and Prejudice so I can motivate myself to do it ;). Jane Austen is one of the most well-known and famous English writers in History and I am desperate to know why! 

Following a romantic clash between an opinionated Elizabeth and her proud beau, Mr. Darcy, this is a splendid performance of civilized sparring. Jane Austen’s radiant wit sparkles as her characters dance a delicate quadrille of flirtation and intrigue, making this book the most superb comedy of manners of Regency England. Can’t wait to finally start this one…

3. Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan

You know that YA Fantasy is one of my all-time favorite genres. I have seen this book being recommended all over social media so I had to buy the first installment to give it a try! Girls of Paper and Fire follows eight beautiful girls who, every year, are chosen as Paper Girls to serve the king. However, this year, there’s a ninth. And instead of paper, she’s made of fire…

This is a richly developed fantasy that tells the story of Lei, a member of the Paper caste, the lowest and most persecuted class of people in Ikhara. The guards are after her, the girl with the golden eyes whose rumored beauty has piqued the king’s interest. A forbidden romance that becomes enmeshed with an explosive plot that threatens her world’s entire way of life… definitely sounds like my cup of tea. I think I may start reading this one in May :D.

4. The Greatest Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

This one is, technically, my sister’s copy but I still wanted to include it because she bought it recently and I still haven’t asked her to lend it to me, but I am excited to read it. Sherlock Holmes is the greatest detective in all fiction, and his adventures are among the finest crime capers committed to the printed page- of course I, fan of mystery novels, is going to be reading this collection of Holmes’ greatest adventures ;).

In tale after tale of his exploits, Holmes applies his unique powers of deduction to bringing some of the most ingenious crooks, criminals, rogues, and rascals to justice. He sees clues that others overlook, and displays skills at detection that are as uncanny as they are elementary. This book collects forty-eight classic tales, including the full-length novels- can;t wait to finally start diving into the world of Sherlock Holmes… 

5. La Sombra Del Viento by Carlos Ruiz Zafon 

I bought book 1 and book 2, in Spanish, during one of my online book shopping sessions. I am excited to finally read this one. I have heard immense praise for Carlos Ruiz Zafon’s writing and use of magical realism. This story is set one dawn in 1945, when a boy is led by his father to a mysterious hidden place in the heart of the old city: the Cemetery of Forgotten Books. There he finds The Shadow of the Wind, a cursed book that will change the course of his life and drag him into a labyrinth of intrigues and secrets buried in the dark soul of the city… 

Set in the enigmatic Barcelona at the beginning of the 20th century, this literary mystery combines the techniques of an intrigue story, a historical novel and a comedy of manners, but it is, above all, a historical love tragedy whose echo is projected through time. I can already feel, in my heart, that this will become a favorite. Despite it being my native language, I haven’t read many books in Spanish. I have grown used to reading in English since high school, but I want to give it a try with these :).

These are only a few of the unread books I have laying around my house, but they are the ones I am most excited to begin reading! Stay tuned on my Instagram stories where I always post my current reads- maybe you’ll see one of these names in the near future 😉 (@thebookssmuggler).

If you liked this post, don’t hesitate to comment and let me know what YOUR recent book shopping has brought you. I love chatting about books with you all. Be sure to check out some of my latest blog posts like “Favorite Books to Media Adaptations,” or “What Makes a Book my ‘Favorite’?” I am always thankful to have you here following along my bookish journey. Take care, stay safe and spread love always, dear book lovers. Have a beautiful week ahead. Happy reading!

What books have you bought recently but still haven’t read? Which are you most excited to begin reading…