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Let’s Talk…Books That Have Been Neglected // Bookmas Day 10

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As part of my reading plans for 2025, I’m aiming to tackle a lot, and with that, I wanted to highlight a few of the books I’ve neglected this year.

This image captures the cozy, labyrinth-like vibe of a library.

If you’re new to my blog, first off, hi 👋! You might not know that I had a major operation this year, which threw many of my 2024 reading plans out the window. I didn’t get around to many of the books I’d been so excited to read. Beyond recovery, there were other reasons some of those anticipated reads ended up gathering dust on my physical TBR shelf. And I am going to be honest as to why.

Diving in…

Weyward by Emilia Hart

The book cover features a vibrant pink background with the bold title "WEYWARD" in white. A large silhouette of a crow with intricate details of feathers and a moth in the silhouette. At the top, the text "Men invented the word WITCH. We call ourselves..." sets the tone. The bottom of the cover displays the author's name, "EMILIA HART," and a quote from Bridget Collins praising the book as "Humming with a sly, exhilarating magic." A "Between the Covers 2023" award logo is also present.

Book Synopsis: “Three women, five centuries, one untamed legacy. The present day, Kate escapes to a Cumbrian cottage inherited from her great-aunt, only to uncover its hidden secrets. In 1942, Violet defies her father’s oppressive rules, but his response threatens to shatter her independence. In 1619, Altha stands accused of witchcraft, blamed for a local man’s gruesome death. Bound by strength and defiance, these women refuse to be caged. Weyward women belong to the wild—and they cannot be tamed.”

I had an idea for a blog post: to read a selection of books from various book clubs. From Richard & Judy’s book club, this book stood out to me—the cover caught my eye, and the synopsis was exactly what I needed to break up all the summer romances I had planned.

So, why haven’t I picked it up yet?

I was put off by the reviews. In recent months, the book became popular among my circle of book friends, and I’ve seen many conflicting opinions. Since these are people with similar reading tastes to mine, their mixed reviews completely dampened my enthusiasm for picking it up. Maybe spooky season 2025?

Beach Read by Emily Henry

The book cover features a vibrant, summery design with a bold, colorful title "Beach Read" in large letters. The background is a gradient of pink, orange, and blue, with a small illustration of a person swimming in the ocean. Below the title, there is a smaller image of a person lounging on a beach chair with a book. The author's name, "EMILY HENRY," is displayed in a smaller font at the bottom. A quote from Josie Silver praising the book as "The hottest book of the summer - the pages simply sizzle!" is included at the top.

Book Synopsis: “January, a hopeless romantic, sees her life as a movie. Gus, a cynical literary writer, believes love is a myth. What do they have in common? They’re broke, battling writer’s block, and racing to finish bestsellers by summer’s end. The solution? A bet to swap genres and see who gets published first. The catch? In telling each other’s stories, they just might rewrite their own.”

I bought this in an attempt to read Emily Henry’s works after the rumors, which later became an official announcement, of her books being adapted into films and TV series. I wanted to make sure I read the books first.

So, why haven’t I picked it up yet?

I took this with me to Looe, eager to sit on the beach and read it. The problem? I was so unwell, I only managed to leave the holiday home once. This is definitely a book I want to read on holiday or on a hot summer day in my hammock. Here’s hoping I finally get to it in 2025.

Fairy Tale by Stephen King

The book cover features a dark, forest scene with a winding path leading into the distance. A silhouette of a man and his dog can be seen walking along the path. The sky is a vibrant blue with a hint of orange at the horizon. The title, "FAIRY TALE," is displayed in large, bold letters in a yellow gradient, and the author's name, "STEPHEN KING," is prominently displayed at the top. A quote from the Guardian praising King as "One of the great storytellers of our time" is included at the bottom.

Book Synopsis: “Charlie Reade seems like a typical high school kid—athletic, smart, and well-adjusted. But after losing his mom to a hit-and-run and watching his dad spiral into alcoholism, Charlie learned to fend for himself. At 17, he meets Radar, a dog, and Howard Bowditch, an eccentric recluse with a mysterious shed. After doing odd jobs for Bowditch, Charlie grows close to Radar. When Bowditch dies, he leaves Charlie a cassette revealing a shocking secret: the shed is a portal to another world.”

I was itching to get this book—mind you, this was back in 2022. I think seeing it in everyone’s hauls and with spooky season approaching, got me really excited. Funnily enough, I did start reading this…

So, why haven’t I picked it back up yet?

Firstly, my mum had surgery, which is when I got busy and didn’t pick it up for a while. And then… it’s just so chunky. I was surrounded by so many books I wanted to read, and I just couldn’t face over 500 pages. But I do still want to go back to this—100%.

Wild Love by Elsie Silver

The book cover features a vibrant pink background with a bold, pink title "WILD LOVE" in large, stylized letters. Above the title, there is a pink heart-shaped padlock, and below it, a vinyl record sits on a record player. At the bottom of the cover, there's a depiction of a mountain range, and the author's name, "ELSIE SILVER," is displayed in large, bold letters. A quote from Ali Hazelwood praises Elsie Silver's writing as a "true revelation." The "Rose Hill Series" and "USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR" labels are also visible.

Book Synopsis: “Ford Grant, billionaire heartthrob, escapes to Rose Hill to open a recording studio—only to face chaos. A twelve-year-old girl claims he’s her father, and Rosie Belmont, his best friend’s little sister, storms back into town needing a job. Rosie is beautiful, unpredictable, and impossible to ignore. Ford hires her, vowing to keep things professional, but their playful sparring quickly ignites into something much hotter. Ford knows getting involved with Rosie is a bad idea, but resisting her? That’s impossible. And the one thing he can’t do is stay away.”

This is the first book in Elsie Silver’s next highly anticipated cowboy romance series. I bought it shortly after its release and set it aside for the summer.

So, why haven’t I picked it up yet?

Well…I’ve fallen out of my cowboy romance era…Does that mean I’ve stopped buying the series? Nope. I’m hoping falling out of that era is because when I got the energy to read again, spooky season was starting. Either way, it’s definitely still a book I want to read.

A Flicker In The Dark by Stacy Willingham

The book cover features a dark, ominous forest scene. A solitary figure walks through the trees, their silhouette barely visible against the darkness. The title, "A Flicker in the Dark," is displayed in bold yellow letters, with the subtitle, "She thought the murders had stopped. She was wrong..." written in white below. The author's name, Stacy Willingham, is prominently displayed at the bottom, along with the New York Times Bestseller designation.

Book Synopsis: “Chloe Davis’ father is a convicted serial killer, but the bodies of his victims were never found in the Louisiana swamps. The case destroyed her family, and his crimes haunt her every day. Now a respected psychologist in Baton Rouge with a loving fiancé, Chloe has rebuilt her life—yet a lingering paranoia never leaves. On the anniversary of her father’s crimes, a girl Chloe knows goes missing, and Chloe’s worst fears begin to unfold. The nightmare is starting again.”

This is my kind of storyline. I remember picking it up after seeing so many people haul it and talk about it on BookTok.

So, why haven’t I picked it up yet?

I haven’t prioritised it. I love this kind of storyline, but I think I’ve picked books based on seasons and trends. When talking to a friend about this Bookmas post, I instantly realized this was a book I’ve neglected. I feel that’s part of the reason I’ve had trouble picking it up lately.

And those are just 5 of the books I neglected this year. Of course, there is more than that. With over 400 physical books in my house, it is waaay more than that. I did contemplate doing 10 books for Bookmas Day 10, but it has been a long day. And apologies for this post going up so late.

Are there any books on your physical TBR you feel you’ve neglected? Comment below, or find me on Facebook, Twitter / X, Instagram or Pinterest. You can also find all my other bookish content here.

As always, thanks for reading…

Hannah Marie x

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