2018 was a HUGE year of reading for me. I feel like I say this every year, but I think I read more books this year than any other time in my life. I set a goal of reading 50 books and ended up reading 70! You can check out the books I read here.
I read a wide variety of books: contemporary fiction, science fiction, self-help, graphic novels, memoirs, and even some romance. In no particular order, here are the top 5 books that made my favorites list:
- The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
This the first book of a trilogy. I read the entire series, which is fantastic! It follows the journey of Essun, a woman living in a post-apocalypse Earth, who is searching for her kidnapped daughter. The world that the author has created in this series is imaginative, tragic, and yet hopeful.
2. Educated by Tara Westover
This memoir is written by a woman who grows up in a family of survivalists in the mountains of Idaho. Her father forbade school, doctors, and anything to do with the modern world. Yet despite all of this, Tara goes on to earn her PhD at Cambridge University.
3. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
Eleanor Oliphant is a woman with very poor social skills who has created a perfectly routine life for herself; that is, until she meets Raymond, a sloppy, laidback co-worker. As the story unfolds, we find that Eleanor has a dark, tragic past, and Raymond helps her to face her past and open herself up to a new life.
4. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
This is one of my favorite novels of all time. I decided to re-read it after it was named favorite book in PBS’ The Great American Read. This book touches on racism in our society, a theme which is still prevalent today, but it’s also about family. The Finches are some of my favorite book characters.
5. The Passage by Justin Cronin
This book was originally published in 2010 and became one of my all-time favorites. It’s the first book in a trilogy and sadly, by the time the second book came out, I had forgotten many of the characters in the first book and decided that I would need to re-visit at a later date. The Passage is being made into a TV series on Fox and so I decided that now would be a good time to re-read this book. Guys, if you love Stephen King’s The Stand and The Walking Dead, READ THIS BOOK!! The Passage tells the story of a virus gone wrong; (it turns people into vampires) and how the human race survives. I’m currently on the second book of the series and can’t put it down.
Also, I wanted to list some honorable mentions:
Scout’s Honor by Joanne Salemink
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin
How about you? What were some of your favorite reads in 2018?
May your glass (and bookshelf) always be full,
Tammy
Cool! You read way more than me! I listen to most of my books on Audible. I drive a lot for work and Audible helps so much. I just glanced quickly but I think I’ve only read 4 of your 70. The Book Thief may be my favorite book of all time! I liked The Woman in Cabin 10. To Kill a Mockingbird is such a classic. I love it! I got The Year of Less on an Audible book of the day deal. You don’t happen to be an Audible listener are you? I’m embarking on a spending freeze for 2019. I’m going to to check out some of your top picks. Educated sounds amazing. My top 3 from 2018 were Lilac Girls, Big Little Lies, and The Poisonwood Bible.
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I should have mentioned that a few books on my list were audio books! I have the Libby app and am able to borrow audio books from the library and listen to them in my car with the Libby app, so like you, I love listening to books on my daily commute!
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OMG 😮 80 books in a year is certainly an amazing accomplishment. I read, but not near as much as I should. Maybe I should make it a priority in 2019.
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For me, reading is as important as sleeping or exercising – if I don’t do it enough, I get grumpy! Reading has always been a relaxing way to escape for me and I Iove getting engrossed in a good book!
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Happy New Year to you and your family, Tammy!
I’m hoping it’s a “Dickens” of a year for me.😉
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Thanks, Kat! I hope 2019 brings you health and happiness!
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