In 2018, I managed to read a total of 67 books. When I told my sister this, she frowned and told me that that seemed awfully low. While I set my goal for one book higher than this for the new year (link to goals post here), I also read some incredible books in 2018. These are all found on my favorites books on goodreads, but I only included the ones that I read in the first time in 2018, which totaled to 9 books. While I would have preferred a top 10 list, a top 9 list will just have to do.
These books are all books that made my feel. Most of them had tears and gasps, but I thoroughly enjoyed all of them and knew that they had to go onto my favorites shelf. I am likely to reread all of them (at least two this year because of series). Anyway, here goes top 9 books of 2018.
9. The Problem With Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout
This book features a girl going to public school for the first time since being adopted two years ago after living in an abusive foster home, where she finds the foster brother that protected her. The depiction of panic attacks is so real. I cried. I don't know if it was in a good way or not, but I absolutely loved reading this book. I even named my sheep after Mouse and Ryder because I wanted to name them after book characters I loved. It's a little bit longer, but emotions and plot happen all the way through.
8. What Girls Are Made Of by Elana K. Arnold
7. This Ordinary Life by Jennifer Walkup
This book is about managing responsibility and personal dreams. Jasmine even gives up something she wants to take care of her little brother, who has epilepsy. Everything is really well portrayed and while it partially reads like a typical YA romance, everything is so much more real. Nobody is perfect or perfectly unperfect. Jasmine always puts her brother first, but also achieves some of the things she wants. I don't know how to describe this book, but I absolutely loved it.
5. Just for Clicks by Kara McDowell
This book is a romance that has such awesome science that is easily incorporated into the thing. I love the way the relationship between Daniel and Natasha develops in a single day, as both of them have things that must be accomplished before it all suddenly just comes to an end. The point of view changes are really well done and lead to wonders about things that might be and what could have been. The ending was absolutely amazing as well.
3. They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera
Apparently I was really into the falling in love in a single day trope this year. This slightly dystopian world is extremely well created and the varying points of view as it is multiple peoples' last day is well done as well, as everyone affects one another. You will cry multiple times. Fair warning. After all, they both die at the end and even though I full well knew that Rufus and Mateo were going to die, that still did not stop me from crying. The characters are incredibly well created.
2. Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan
The descriptions in this book are amazing, especially since this world is dark 23 hours a day. This is a dystopian view of a fantasy world, and the idea and the portrayal are really well done. Luna and Fowler are an amazing couple and the secrets they keep from each other are also kept from the reader, despite their point of view. I love this and did not see some of the twists coming, but one in particular I actually screamed when it turned out to be true, even though I predicted it. I absolutely love this book and can't wait to read the sequel as well.
1. The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan
This book does an amazing job mixing magic and reality and the past and the future. I love books that while technically fantasy have more contemporary fiction elements to it. It's sad at moments and likely to cause some tears, but it's beautifully written and I still just absolutely adore the whole thing. I loved literally everything about this book and that is definitely why it's topping my list looking back over my 2018 reads
Honorable Mention: One of Us Is Lying by Karen McManus
Honorable Mention: The Distance Between Lost and Found by Kathryn Holmes
I absolutely love survival stories and this one is no exception. The portrayal of this breed of Christianity was particularly interesting. The characters and their interaction were all really well presented. During the quest for survival, the characters also have to cope with some major issues in their past and prioritize things in their life, including dealing with the truth. Hallie is an amazing character and relatable. It's a really well written survival story, in a genre that I already love.
All in all, these were the best books that I read for the first time in 2018. What were some of yours? Let me know which books you loved and would definitely recommend.
Thanks for reading!
Alyssa
These books are all books that made my feel. Most of them had tears and gasps, but I thoroughly enjoyed all of them and knew that they had to go onto my favorites shelf. I am likely to reread all of them (at least two this year because of series). Anyway, here goes top 9 books of 2018.
9. The Problem With Forever by Jennifer L. ArmentroutThis book features a girl going to public school for the first time since being adopted two years ago after living in an abusive foster home, where she finds the foster brother that protected her. The depiction of panic attacks is so real. I cried. I don't know if it was in a good way or not, but I absolutely loved reading this book. I even named my sheep after Mouse and Ryder because I wanted to name them after book characters I loved. It's a little bit longer, but emotions and plot happen all the way through.
8. What Girls Are Made Of by Elana K. Arnold
This is a young adult book that is not afraid to tackle issues that most don't mess with, including that Nina has a family that doesn't love her and that she is truly all alone. She also learns about dark topics that a lot of teenagers have to handle alone but no one talks about. I cried multiple times, once when a dog died. I connected with many of the feelings of Nina and this was the book that I needed a few years earlier than I read it. It's a little dark but I still loved it. Nina is definitely not perfect and that just makes everything that she goes through seem more real.
7. This Ordinary Life by Jennifer WalkupThis book is about managing responsibility and personal dreams. Jasmine even gives up something she wants to take care of her little brother, who has epilepsy. Everything is really well portrayed and while it partially reads like a typical YA romance, everything is so much more real. Nobody is perfect or perfectly unperfect. Jasmine always puts her brother first, but also achieves some of the things she wants. I don't know how to describe this book, but I absolutely loved it.
6. Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton
Getting into my first fantasy book in this list, Hamilton creates a unique world and magic that is complicated but well explained by slowly building it up throughout the story. There's love and a rebellion and magic, which are my favorite things in this genre. It has the potential to be part of a great YA fantasy series. Book 2 is already out and the third book comes out in March, so I'll be rereading this again to get context for a hopefully great trilogy as a whole.
Technically this book isn't released until February, but I read this through Netgalley and it is suited to include things about technology, social media, and the current state of those. There are twists and turns that surprised me, and everything was really well done. The sister bond between Poppy and Claire is so well done and realistic as someone who is different than and still really close to her sister. I could really see this actually happening.
4. The Sun is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon
This book is a romance that has such awesome science that is easily incorporated into the thing. I love the way the relationship between Daniel and Natasha develops in a single day, as both of them have things that must be accomplished before it all suddenly just comes to an end. The point of view changes are really well done and lead to wonders about things that might be and what could have been. The ending was absolutely amazing as well.
3. They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera
Apparently I was really into the falling in love in a single day trope this year. This slightly dystopian world is extremely well created and the varying points of view as it is multiple peoples' last day is well done as well, as everyone affects one another. You will cry multiple times. Fair warning. After all, they both die at the end and even though I full well knew that Rufus and Mateo were going to die, that still did not stop me from crying. The characters are incredibly well created.
2. Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan
The descriptions in this book are amazing, especially since this world is dark 23 hours a day. This is a dystopian view of a fantasy world, and the idea and the portrayal are really well done. Luna and Fowler are an amazing couple and the secrets they keep from each other are also kept from the reader, despite their point of view. I love this and did not see some of the twists coming, but one in particular I actually screamed when it turned out to be true, even though I predicted it. I absolutely love this book and can't wait to read the sequel as well.
1. The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan
This book does an amazing job mixing magic and reality and the past and the future. I love books that while technically fantasy have more contemporary fiction elements to it. It's sad at moments and likely to cause some tears, but it's beautifully written and I still just absolutely adore the whole thing. I loved literally everything about this book and that is definitely why it's topping my list looking back over my 2018 reads
Honorable Mention: One of Us Is Lying by Karen McManus
This mystery book has so many interesting secrets and I have to admit that I did not see the ending coming. It was a really good book and I absolutely adored it and can't wait for the secret or McManus' new book that comes out next week. The characters were funny and interesting and the way things went done were awesome and I would definitely recommend this book.
Honorable Mention: The Distance Between Lost and Found by Kathryn Holmes
I absolutely love survival stories and this one is no exception. The portrayal of this breed of Christianity was particularly interesting. The characters and their interaction were all really well presented. During the quest for survival, the characters also have to cope with some major issues in their past and prioritize things in their life, including dealing with the truth. Hallie is an amazing character and relatable. It's a really well written survival story, in a genre that I already love.
All in all, these were the best books that I read for the first time in 2018. What were some of yours? Let me know which books you loved and would definitely recommend.
Thanks for reading!
Alyssa
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