Top Ten Tuesday: Best Books I Read in 2018

Happy New Year!

It's 2019, which means there are brand new places to be, people to see, things to try, and, of course, books to read. So while I want to get going as quickly as possible on all of these new opportunities, it's only fair we close out 2018 the way it deserves, and honor all the great reads we explored in that time, as well!

Here are my Top Ten reads of 2018:


Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, J. K. Rowling
We may not have made it all the way through our Harry Potter reread challenge - more on that in later posts! - but one thing I'm really thankful for, is re-exploring this childhood least-favorite among the series.

Dumplin', Julie Murphy
The idea of an above-average-size girl competing for a tiara isn't exactly a new concept in my life, which might explain how much I absolutely loved and identified with Willowdean Dixon. And the Netflix movie is perfect, too!

In Other Lands, Sarah Rees Brennan
Another reread for me, but one made way more fun since it was my first time rereading it since my younger brother picked it up, too... and it quickly became one of his favorite books of all time. Sometimes a great book can just be made greater when shared with others!

Children of Blood and Bone, Tomi Adeyemi
This dynamic and diverse new YA Fantasy gained a huge amount of press this year, for all the right reasons. I adored the main characters, and the lush, beautiful magical world they inhabited, and I cannot wait to see where things go in the sequel!

Twice a Hero, Susan Krinard
The mass market paperback, scrounged up from the $2 section of a dingy thrift store, that started it all: my summer reading challenge of tackling romance novels started off with this book.

The Magician's Land, Lev Grosman
Not an ending, but a beginning: I finally finished out the Magicians trilogy this year, and loved it so much that I almost immediately began watching the SyFy television adaptation.

Every Heart a Doorway, Seanan McGuire
What can I say, I'm an absolute sucker for a great children-falling-through-to-mysterious-worlds story. What is probably my favorite trope, was subverted into a masterful exploration of Fantasy, in this novella, which I was overwhelmingly happy to find is an ongoing series.

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F***, Mark Manson
In a world where self-help books overflow with mantras about how there is only one you, and that you are infinitely special, I prefer it when they lean a little heavier to the other side: yeah, there's only one you... but not only are you not special at all, you're also going to die one day, so get to doing something about it, man. This book fits that bill.

Kitchen Literacy, Ann Vileisis
A recently-raved-about exploration of the anthropology of food producer-consumer relationships, this book has not only changed the way I think about meals, but gives me a lot of hope for reading good non-fiction in the coming year!

Six of Crows, Leigh Bardugo
You know how I mentioned earlier how special it was, to be able to read In Other Lands with my brother? I can only imagine it was the same for him, as I closed out the year by reading his favorite book of all time, Six of Crows. 

honorable mentions 

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, Gail Honeyman
The Simple Wild, K. A. Tucker
Down Among the Sticks and Bones, Seanan McGuire (EHaD #2) 
The Hazel Wood, Melissa Albert

What's in your Top Ten? Let me know, in the comments below!