My Top Ten 2018 Publications

Happy New Year!

Wow. Here we are. A new year brings a new list of our favorite books. I surprised myself by finishing 110 books in 2018. Out of 110 books, I gave 29 of them 5 stars. I had A LOT of 3 and 4-star reads.

The books I chose below were all 5-star reads for me. I judge books based on a few things, but the most important thing to me is how much I enjoyed it. I like page-turners and well written characters and plots. But what matters the most to me is the overall entertainment and enjoyment I receive from the book.

I’m going to post two lists. Today I will share my favorite books published in 2018, and then tomorrow I’ll share a (shorter) list of my favorite books I read in 2018 that were NOT published in 2018!

So without further ado… here are my ten favorite books published in 2018:

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10. LIFEL1K3 by Jay Kristoff

LIFEL1KE was just SO FUN. I loved the action, friendships, and good vs. evil themes all throughout this book. I already know DEV1AT3 is going to be a must-read for me in 2019.

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9. Bruja Born by Zoraida Córdova

Bruja Born is the sequel to Labyrinth Lost. This is a Latinx own-voices novel that’s filled with magic, tragedy, and sisterhood. I loved every page of it.

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8. Vengeful by V.E. Schwab

Another book that was just so fun for me to read. I loved the action and mayhem so much. And to be reunited again with my favorite antiheroes, Victor and Eli, filled me with so much joy. Plus this book is worth the read just for Marcella alone.

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7. Blanca y Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore

This book totally swept me away. It’s own-voices and so incredibly atmospheric and haunting.

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6. Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor

I knew Muse of Nightmares was going to be a hit and it did not disappoint. I love the world that Laini Taylor constructed, and I loved the side story about Kora and Nova even more.

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5. Circe by Madeline Miller

I don’t often read books based on mythology but Circe totally blew me away. It’s so beautifully written and feminist. I now want to read all of Madeline Miller’s works.

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4. Heartstopper: Volume 1 by Alice Oseman

This self-published edition of the webcomic filled me with so much happiness. I cannot stop gushing about it. Please, if you are ever in need of a pure, heartwarming story, pick this up.

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3. The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

I’m in awe that this is a debut novel. R.F. Kuang stunned me with her writing and world building. This tale is dark, brutal, and tragic — and I loved all of it.

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2. The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

This own-voices book is full of so much good. I cannot recommend it enough. Yes, it’s steamy and romancey, but I loved the dynamic between the two main characters, as well as the family relationships. Also the Southeast Asian rep which meant so much to me.

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1. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

The Cruel Prince was one of the first books I read in 2018 and was the first review ever on my blog. I guess it’s no surprise this book made it on my top ten. It is THE book that inspired me to start blogging. And, wow, that a journey it’s been! I love this book so much (I even reread it on audio) and hope you’ll give it a chance sometime! It’s a faerie world filled with dark, political intrigue, and enemies-to-lovers romance. ❤

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That’s it! I also want to thank every single person who has ever reached out to me via my blog, instagram, twitter, goodreads, etc. You all mean so much to me and I am so thankful that just even one person reads my reviews or takes the time to leave a comment. I wish you all nothing but the best for 2019!

xx,

Amy