Another year coming to an end, another year of finished
books under my belt. I upped the ante on my Goodreads Reading Challenge this
year by pushing myself with a goal of 85 books—a higher goal than the previous
year, but conceivably possible.
So yes, I reached my 2018 reading goal, because as arbitrary
as the goal is, I just *have* to finish something once I set my mind to it.
But I barely made it. My biggest lesson of the year is that I’d
rather read fewer (perhaps long) books that I love than more (perhaps short)
books that I might not love just for the sake of reaching a number. Next year I’ll
set a lower goal, one that gives me the freedom to take my time with each book—the
freedom to savor the ones I adore.
And trust me, there were many books I adored!
Not every book I read in 2018 was published in that year. I’m
a sucker for all sorts of genres, including the classics, and of course I still
had to catch up on some must-reads from 2017. Still, a good chunk of my
favorite hobby this year was taken up by books published in 2018, so narrowing
it down was damn hard.
And without further ado, here are my favorite books of 2018!
The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang
2018 marked the beginning of my foray into graphic novels,
and The Prince and the Dressmaker was
my favorite of the year. Following the story of a prince who likes to wear
dresses and his personal seamstress, the main characters learn and grow as they
fight for their own goals as well as each other’s. A true delight that had me
biting my nails before rooting.
The Dangerous Art of Blending In by Angelo Surmelis
Sometimes you come across the right book at the exact time
you need it. The Dangerous Art of
Blending In, which follows 17-year-old Evan Panos, was just that book for
me this year. Intense, relatable, and inspiring, Angelo Surmelis’s story
gripped me by the heart as Evan navigated the expectations of his abusive
mother and the confusion clouding his relationship with his best friend.
The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee
In 2017 I fell in love with The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, so I was over the moon
about its 2018 sequel. The Lady’s Guide
to Petticoats and Piracy matched all my expectations—a slow build with an
out-of-this-world adventure and a satisfying ending that made me sigh with
happiness. Check, check, and check. And bonus points, I’d argue that you don’t
need to read Gentleman’s Guide to
understand this sequel—if you wanted to dip your toes into this book before the
former, you’d be just fine.
Dread Nation by Justina Ireland
An alternate-history Civil War story with zombies that
explores racial issues—yes, please! In Dread
Nation, Justina Ireland immerses her readers in the nineteenth century and offers
creativity mixed with poignant cultural and societal commentary. The book
finishes with some loose ends, paving the way for a much-anticipated sequel. This
is not just your typical zombie book; it's a true piece of art and research that
happens to have zombies in it. Bonus points for having my favorite cover of the
year!
Nothing but Darkness by Maria Ann Green
The main character in this snaking thrill ride, Aidan Sheppard, finds himself taking bigger and bigger risks as he gets away with one horrendous crime after another—until he reaches a point where he's bound to be discovered. I was on the edge of my seat through Nothing but Darkness and couldn't wait to find out whether Aidan would get caught. This page-turning thriller is perfect for fans of Dexter and Gillian Flynn, particularly for lovers of anti-heroes and gore.
The Girl in the Sand by L.T. Vargus and Tim McBain
The Girl in the Sand
is dark, twisty, and quirky—all the things you'd expect from a Vargus and
McBain book. This thriller follows an FBI Profiler investigating a series of
shallow graves in the desert outside Las Vegas. With the authors’ tact for
building suspense and their well-developed characters that messed with my mind,
I couldn't stop thinking about this book after I put it down. And there’s great
news on top of that: even though The Girl
in the Sand is part of a series, you can read the books in any order.
Honorable Mentions
The following books published in 2018 were just too good to
leave off the list. My year of reading wouldn’t have been complete without
these delightful and original stories that made significant contributions to
their genres:
From Twinkle, with Love by Sandhya Menon: The main character in
this romantic comedy, Twinkle, is a hoot in From
Twinkle, with Love; as an aspiring filmmaker, she writes to her favorite
filmmakers, reaches for the stars with an epic Dracula remake, and finds love in unexpected places. Highly
recommended for people interested in stories about following your passion and
being true to yourself—especially if you like endings that make you cry happy
tears.
Pulp by Robin Talley: I’d been waiting a long time for a great
LGBTQ book set in the 1950s, so I jumped all over Robin Talley’s Pulp when it came out. Mixing the charm
of a young adult contemporary with the authentic feel of historical fiction, Pulp is a well-researched exploration of
1950s lesbian pulp fiction from a present-day perspective.
Severance by Ling Ma: The millennial main character in Ling Ma’s
Severance hooked me from the start
with her drab-but-identifiable office job and free-spirited nature; add an
apocalyptic satire to the mix and this book had me sitting straight-backed with
anticipation.
American Panda by Gloria Chao: A heartwarmingly cute read about
finding yourself amid your family's expectations, American Panda is relatable on many levels to anyone trying to
discover who they are and what they want to become—especially when at odds with
what your family thinks is best.
I breezed through Pumpkinheads in about two hours. Written by Rainbow Rowell and illustrated by Faith Erin Hicks, this graphic novel follows two seniors, Deja and Josiah, on their last night working at a pumpkin patch. The characters' initial goal is to find and talk to the coworker Josiah has pined over for years; but, in true Rowell style, the story quickly turns into a twisty adventure as unexpected hurdles—literal and figurative—stand in their way.
Pumpkinheads is the perfect feel-good book for the upcoming season, propelling you smells-and-all into fuzzy autumn feelings.
