My Favorite Reads of 2018
2018 was a good reading year for me. I started to focus less on numbers and more on what I was reading. I still managed to read just over one hundred books, but there were very few I read just to read.
I also reread thirty-one books this year, which I was really happy about. I love discovering new things about old favorites and falling in love with a story or an author’s writing all over again.
But this post is more about favorites I discovered this year, so let’s get into it. These are in no particular order, just the books that I loved this year.
The Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi. These were the first books I read this year and I absolutely adore them. It’s a series of short fantasy stories written for children that have nearly everything I love in a story.
Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman. I have yet to read a Shusterman book that I did not enjoy, so this was no surprise to me. I read a few more of his books this year as well. This is a thought provoking series that asks the question “What happens when death is no longer inevitable?” Chilling and fascinating.
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys. I loved this book so much that I read it twice this year and am already contemplating another read. It follows four characters as their lives converge and they board the Wilhelm Gustloff in hopes of reaching safety only for disaster to strike. Beautifully and simply written.
Animal Farm by George Orwell. This is a short and powerful story that is relevant decades after it was written. I plan to revisit this one in the future. Everyone should read this and learn from it.
Sins of Empire by Brian McClellan. I was somewhat surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. Political fantasy with war and armies and insane characters tend to be a thing that I like, when I find the right ones, and this is definitely one of the right ones.
Rise of the Evening Star by Brandon Mull. This is the second book in Mull’s middlegrade fantasy series Fablehaven, the first of which I read in 2016. While I liked the first book, the series has definitely improved and Mull is climbing the ranks of my favorite writers.
Half-Moon Investigations by Eoin Colfer. Colfer has been one of my favorite authors since I started the Artemis Fowl series over a decade ago and I am trying to catch up on all of his books that I have not read. This one was excellent. The characters were brilliant, the writing superb, and the story fun.
What books did you read and enjoy in 2018? Please let me know in the comments, I would love some recommendations.
