It’s about that time, my darlings!! 2018 isn’t quiiiiiiiite over, I thought I’d go ahead and share my Best Books of 2018 with you in case you’re looking for some reading recommendations (or a last minute Xmas present)!
The best books I read in 2018.
Goodreads says I read 207 books this year, which isn’t as many as last year but is still a pretty healthy sampling of books. Let’s take a look at some of the best ones!
The City of Brass (The Daevabad Trilogy #1) by S.A. Chakraborty.
This book is first on my list for a reason. It’s SO GOOD. If you like fantasy at all, you must read it immediately. There’s a super creative world (inspired by Middle Eastern and Islamic folklore), a strong female main character, and an enthralling, edge-of-your-seat storyline. I didn’t realize how badly I was craving epic fantasy that takes place in a society that doesn’t resemble feudal England. Read this immediately.
Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson.
This is such a weird book and I loved it. It’s primarily about two things: deep, abiding female friendship (something I love reading about) and unlikely magic. There’s also murder, mystery, and zombies.
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang.
I’ve been continuing my mission to broaden my mind by reading more contemporary romance novels (instead of just historicals) and this one was truly fantastic. The main character is a high powered statistician whose Asperger’s is getting between her and her ability to have a physically fulfilling relationship. She decides to hire a uniquely qualified tutor, and from there, events unfold!
A reminder before we move forward that when I say “romance novel” on this list, I do mean the kind with sex.
A Duke by Default (Reluctant Royals #2) by Alyssa Cole.
The first book in this series was on my 2017 best books list and I’m delighted to put this one on the 2018 list. Not every series is strong in every single installment, but so far, this one is. The hero in this contemporary romance is a Scottish swordsmith. The main character is a newly sober NYC socialite who moves across the ocean to take a job as the armory’s social media manager. #swordbae
Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orïsha #1) by Tomi Adeyemi.
There really isn’t much that I love more than a good YA fantasy novel with a strong heroine at the helm, and this is a fantastic one. Like City of Brass, this is the first in an incomplete series, so if that’ll make you crazy, don’t read it yet. Also like City of Brass, this book stands out because it’s fantasy that’s not based on a feudal European world. Children of Blood and Bone‘s world is inspired by the author’s Nigerian heritage, and the plot addresses many vital contemporary issues, especially those of racial prejudice and xenophobia.
The Lost Queen (The Lost Queen Trilogy #1) by Signe Pike.
I’m not sure we’ve discussed my love for Arthurian legends before, but they’ve been a particular weakness of mine ever since I read Mists of Avalon in fourth grade. This book takes place several generations before the mythical Arthur and it centers on Languoreth, who the summary describes as “a powerful and, until now, tragically forgotten queen of sixth-century Scotland—twin sister of the man who inspired the legendary character of Merlin.” Um, yes please!
The Governess Game (Girl Meets Duke #2) by Tessa Dare.
New from Tessa Dare, one of my favorite romance novel authors! This book is a perfect example of why she’s one of my favorites. The story starts on a high note with a very unusual and adorable funeral (yes, I said a funeral is adorable) and continues creative and delightful all the way through.
Puddin’ (Dumplin’ #2) by Julie Murphy.
Have you seen the movie Dumplin’? It’s good, but it’s a pale shadow of the original book’s magnificence. (It’s here in my Best Books of 2015). Puddin’ is the squeal to Dumplin’. It’s the expanded story of Millie Michalchuk, one of the lovable misfits who is a minor character in Dumplin‘.
Puddin’ is not quite as magical as Dumplin‘, but it is still a delight and I enjoyed it thoroughly. A genuinely heartwarming story of a young woman trying to figure out who she wants to be while facing the extra challenge of being fatter than society thinks she should be.
Wicked and the Wallflower (The Bareknuckle Bastards #1) by Sarah MacLean.
This is the latest series from Sarah MacLean, another of my favorite romance novel authors, and it’s fantastic. It’s classic Sarah MacLean: a woman who usually follows all the rules meets a man who follows none of the rules and romance and personal growth ensue. Just a little dark and utterly delicious.
Psy-Changeling Series by Nalini Singh.
Science Fiction is my least favorite book genre (other than nonfiction). It just doesn’t generally float my boat. So when a good friend of mine with excellent taste in books and her librarian sister recommended this SciFi romance series over and over again, my response was “ehhhh.” But I finally gave these books a chance and they’re fantastic. I’ve only read the first nine or so and some are better than others, but overall this series is creative, vividly written, and fully devourable.
If you want to see what else I read this year, you can check out my Goodreads here. Spoiler alert: I read a LOT of romance novels. #noshame
Want more books? See best books of the year archive, my list of books that make me feel better here, and my whole index of book reviews here.
This post contains affiliate links. Happy Friday, my darlings! I hope you’re all having a great December so far. I can’t believe that Hanukkah is already over and Christmas is around the corner…my family is interfaith, so we celebrate both holidays. It makes this time of year a little crazy but extremely fun. Keeping it short today because I’ve got cookies to bake and trees to decorate! xoxo, The Magician’s Land by Lev Grossman. This whole series is SO weird. Sometimes I don’t know if I like even one of the characters…but I definitely enjoy reading about them. The world is so vivid and creative and surprising and the twisty, meandering plot is amazing to read. Apparently there’s a tv show (or miniseries) too, and I’ll probably check that out. A Bride for the Season by Jennifer Delamere. This is a Christian romance novel that I picked up by accident. Have you ever read a Christian romance novel? Some of them are very well written (they just have extra Bible verses and less sex, compared to most romances) but some of them are extremely preachy and moralistic, with a heavy dose of slut shaming. I have no problem with the Bible verses and less sex, I have a big problem with the slut shaming. I didn’t read more than a chapter of this book and I don’t recommend it. The religious elements felt forced into the story and very judgey, like the book was written just to serve as an envelope for the moral points the author wanted to make. Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli. I thought this was the first book in this series, but I was wrong! I read and enjoyed it anyway. Colorful characters, genuine, sweet first love, diverse characters that feel like real people. Great YA. I’m going to read the other books. Did anyone else follow the story of the Times Square proposal?? The excited groom to be popped the question and then lost the ring down a sewer grate. The NYPD found the ring and, using Twitter, reunited it with the couple! Book Riot’s Best Books of 2018!!! You’re going to want to read all of these. 16th Century Gothic Boxwood Miniatures With Extremely Detailed Carvings. Michelle Obama On Lean In: ‘That Shit Doesn’t Work All the Time.’ Preach and also I need to read her book immediately. Dichroic Installations Reflect Dazzling Rainbows When Light Hits Them. The more rainbows, the better. Margaret Atwood is writing a sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale. This BLOWS MY MIND. This post contains affiliate links. Did you know that November – February is called engagement season? That’s because 40% of engagements happen between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day. That means that a whooooole lot of people are going to be picking out engagement rings right about now! I think that’s a great excuse for us to ogle a whole big batch of engagement rings. We’re keeping it all modern today: you know I love vintage and antique engagement rings, but the contemporary styles are fun to look at too! While I’m a huge fan of nontraditional engagement rings, we’re going to keep things simple today by looking at variations of the iconic theme: classic diamond engagement rings. Tow very beautiful and very dissimilar engagement rings to kick things off! The Art Deco-inspired beauty on the left is by Nicole Rose Jewelry, the ultra-chic pear cut diamond beauty is by Jade Trau. Three MAJOR engagement rings by Harry Kotlar. These babies are no joke. Harry Kotlar’s specialty is diamond cut, so you can also bet that these center stones aren’t just impressive in size, but they definitely all sparkle like crazy. I love an engagement ring with a pop of color! These two are great examples of what colored gem side stones can accomplish. The sapphire and diamond ring on the left is by Tacori, the amethyst and diamond on the right is by Kirk Kara. These little lovelies by Jennie Kwon are a great reminder that an engagement ring doesn’t need a big honking center stone to be special. Aren’t they gorgeous? Read MoreWhat I’m reading: Vol. 107.
BeckyWhat I’m reading:
Internets:
24 chic, modern engagement rings for engagement season.
I do feel that we’re in kind of a golden age for engagement rings: the internet makes wedding planning harder in some ways, but it also opened up worlds of possibility for lovebirds on the hunt for just the right engagement ring. With traditional wedding-related rules bending and breaking all over the place, there’s never been a better time to go for the engagement ring you truly want instead of the one that tradition says you should have.
