2018 was an unprecedented year for me. Back in January, I set my reading goal to be 60 books for the year. I figured I could get at least 5 books in a month, right? By June, I was ahead on my goal by 11 books (!), so I upped my goal to 70 books. But then, in June and July, I read over 10 books EACH MONTH (bless you, summer break), so, in August, I upped it to 90 books. And, on December 20th, I reached that goal.
So here are the best (and worst) of 2018. My stats just astound me… I never thought I could read so many GOOD books in one year. If you’re wondering how I managed to keep track of all of this, it’s in part thanks to Goodreads and in part thanks to my super awesome spreadsheet.
Also: My 2017 Best Of list
The Stats
Number Of Books I Read: 92
Average Books Read Per Month: 8
Number of Re-Reads: 8
Number of Books I Quit: 5
Average Year of Publication: 2008
Total Pages Read: 33,459
Average Number of Pages Per Book: 364
Average Rating Given: 3.78
Genre Stats
Source of Book
Genre of Book
Diversity Goals
Personal Development 6/6
Nonfiction 14/12
POC Author/Protagonist 14/12
LGBTQIA+ Author/Protagonist 13/12
Success on all fronts!
The Numbers by Month
Best Adult Fiction Read
Adult fiction book I read in 2018 that topped all the others
The Night Circus was one of the few 5 star books I read this year, and to say it transported me is an understatement. It wasn’t about the suspense or the love story, but about the environment that it created and the mystery that surrounded this circus. I loved it so much!
Best YA Fiction Read
YA fiction book I read in 2018 that topped all the others
The Hate U Give met every single expectation I had about it, and then some. It is exactly what a book should be — tackles social justice issues, presents teenagers in a real, honest way, and has enough humor to keep it interesting while not downplaying the seriousness of the story.
Best Nonfiction Read
Nonfiction book I read in 2018 that topped all the others
Quiet was a surprise read for me, and the extroverts in the room will not enjoy it. Trust me — it was our assigned reading over the summer, and about half of the teachers (the extroverts) hated it, while the other half (the introverts) loved it. I felt so seen and I found myself constantly reading passages out loud to my husband.
Biggest Let Down
Book I thought would be brilliant but was a total disappointment
I started The Book Thief years ago, but promptly put it down because I couldn’t get into the narrator being Death. However, this year, after hearing so much raving about it, I decided to pick it up again. I listened to the audiobook, which was beautifully done, but… I still didn’t get it. It made me so sad (oh hey, WWII), but I couldn’t find the ray of sunshine or the point in it. I just… didn’t like this one.
Breakout Read
Book that was surprisingly good or exceeded expectations
Here are two books I really didn’t think I would enjoy as much as I did. Crazy Rich Asians was barely a blip on my radar… but when the movie came out, I decided to put it on hold at the library. 35 people later… I totally got into this one. It was all the lighthearted drama I needed to get through the holiday season. With An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, on the other hand, I had very low expectations. I love John Green, but I did not have much faith for Hank’s book… until I read it. It was weird and quirky and an excellent examination on the social media culture we live in, and I could not get enough.
Most Recommended
Book I would recommend to anyone and everyone
No matter who you are or what your preferences in books are, these are two books I’d recommend to anyone. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine was the first book I read in 2018, and it has stuck with me throughout all of my reading this year. The main character in this one is so annoying at the beginning, but, as her story unfolds, you begin to find a connection. The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry is about a bookshop owner who recently lost his wife. It is one of my favorites in the “up lit” genre, and it just gave me the warm and fuzzies in the best way.
Best Author
An author whose writing I really clicked with
I generally don’t follow authors. There’s a couple that I look forward to having new releases, and if I stumble across some favorites, I may be more inclined to pick them up, but, in general, I don’t read books solely based on the author. Except… Beatriz Williams and Liane Moriarty. I have consistently enjoyed every book I’ve read by these two authors, and I look forward to their new releases every year.
Biggest Push
Book that got me most out of my comfort zone
Sure, I read a lot of historical fiction and contemporary love stories this year, but there were a few weird ones thrown in the mix. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry was one of the first nonfiction books I picked up this year, and it’s one of the only ones that I struggled through. Neil deGrasse Tyson does a great job of “dumbing down” the science, but I still felt way over my head. A Visit From the Goon Squad, on the other hand, wasn’t difficult, but it was a super quirky novel that had A WHOLE CHAPTER MADE OF POWERPOINTS! Poignant, interesting, frustrating… it was a different sort of read.
Best LGBT+
Best book featuring LGBT+ characters or written by an LGBT+ author
I had a goal this year to expand my reading to include LGBT+ authors and characters. It was an easier goal to accomplish than I originally thought, mostly because so many authors are seeing the need to include diverse characters in their novels. These two books, however, have the LGBT characters front and center without focusing on their love life alone — the characters are multifaceted without being only their sexual orientation. One Hundred Nights of Hero was one of our favorite book club picks this year. A graphic novel retelling of Arabian Nights, this book puts a feminist spin on the story and is so snarky and delightful. They Both Die at the End sounds super sad, and it is. But it’s also a story of friendship and love and showing up for someone in their time of need.
Taught a Lesson
Personal development book that taught me something about myself
I was definitely hit or miss when the personal development books I chose this year, but these two were my absolute favorites. Braving the Wilderness had me questioning my need to fit in and pushing me to stand true to myself and my beliefs. The Happiness Project had me looking for the things that make me truly happy and focusing on finding gratitude and more room in my life for those things.
Best Time Machine
Historical fiction book that set the scene
I LOVE historical fiction, especially when the book sweeps me away to a time and place I don’t know much about. As Bright As Heaven is set in 1918 Philidephia, at the height of the Spanish flu outbreak. I had NO IDEA this was as big of a deal as it was, and this book was devastating but also so powerful. The Miniaturist is set in 1600s Amsterdam, when the new world was still just being discovered. This novel did a great job of immersing me in the setting, using Danish vocabulary popular at the time and providing a glossary to help me understand. (Runner up would be Burial Rites for the same reason, but in 1800s Iceland.)
Best Dressed
Book with the most attractive cover
Aren’t they both beautiful? The Astonishing Color of After was one of my favorite YA books of the year (second only to The Hate U Give, and, even then, a close second). The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock was a weird historical fiction novel that taught me more about sex work in the 1700s than I probably ever needed to know. I’m glad I have both of these beauties on my shelves (thanks to Book of the Month club!)
Best Characters
Book with characters I couldn’t get out of my head
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe was another of the LGBT+ books that I read this year, but it was certainly a love story. The title characters weren’t the only great ones though — even the parents were wonderful in this book (so rare for YA!). The Broken Girls was another of our favorite book club reads of the year, and that’s because of the main characters and the setting. We got to flashback and spend time with a group of girls in their boarding school, and the present portion of the book was told from the POV of a kickass woman.
Best Place
Book that was set in an interesting environment
I mentioned this earlier, but The Night Circus has one of the best settings that I have ever encountered in a book. The author did an amazing job of enchanting the reader and making the circus mysterious and comforting and dazzling all at the same time. Challenger Deep was similar in its mysteriousness, but that came from the setting mostly being in Caden’s head. He suffers from schizophrenia, and the fact that the author cowrote this book with his son, who also suffers from schizophrenia, made this book feel so real.
Most Thought-Provoking
Book that made me think the most
I know I keep saying this, but The Book of Essie was truly one of my favorites of the year. Set in a famous evangelical family, Essie has to find her way out or risk having to have an abortion. The choices she faces and the way she stands up for herself just totally got me thinking about religion, money, and how far I would go in the same situation. Homegoing is a generational saga that follows two brothers — one of whom stays in Africa and lives among the tribes, and the other who gets traded to America in the slave trade. Following 7 generations, this book had me looking and thinking about the nature of America in a whole new light.
Best Shock
Book that made my jaw drop in surprise
I don’t read a lot of thrillers, and I’m sure the category was made for those. An American Marriage was one of my favorite books of the year, and it certainly made my jaw drop at the end. I had no idea how these characters would end up, and the commentary on our justice system was made even more powerful by the ending. The Last Mrs. Parrish, on the other hand, had a twist right in the middle that shocked me and made me fist bump the air. No spoilers, but it was a good one.
Most Humorous
Book that kept my laughing
These two books made me actually laugh out loud — something that doesn’t happen often when I read. Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows features elderly women writing romance stories, and it is HILARIOUS. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, on the other hand, is a true crime story that features some very real characters of Savannah, Georgia, including Chablis, the local drag queen.
Best Feelings
Book that made me really emotional
I don’t often cry when I read books, but these two had me sobbing by the end of them. I won’t spoil Firefly Lane, but the friendship between the two main characters was so poignant and real. When Breath Becomes Air is the saddest nonfiction book I read all year, featuring a doctor who realizes he has cancer and starts writing this book. It’s not a spoiler to say that he eventually succumbs to his cancer, but the musings he presents in this book about the end of his life are worth reading (even if you know the tears will come eventually).
Worth the Pages
Book that was long but worth it
Maybe I included this category just to have another opportunity to brag about finishing Anna Karenina? It was good, but not sure it was worth it (other than the bragging rights!). Cutting for Stone, however, was longer than expected but also really, really good. Set in Ethiopia, this book opened my eyes to the way doctoring works in impoverished countries (and, as a bonus, Abraham Verghese is an actual surgeon!)
What do you think of this list? Anything you think I got wrong? Any recommendations for 2019? Let me know!
