Favorite Reads, 2018 Edition

Every year, I set a goal to read 50 books and for the past 10 years I’ve met that goal. In 2018, I finished 65 books. It has become a custom for me to list my favorite reads at the end of each year. It’s fun to look back and remember all the great books I’ve read in the last 12 months. It’s also fun to share those favorite reads with my friends, family, and blog readers too.

I keep track of my reading lists on Goodreads.com. It’s an amazing source of book information and once you join (for free) you can share the books you like, explain why you didn’t like a book, and get ideas and suggestions for the next book your might want to read. In addition, if you’re interested in setting a reading goal for 2019 or just keeping track of what you’ve read and what you’d like to read, check the website out. I highly recommend it for book lovers, book nerds, and book worms of all ages.

Goodreads has also just released their Best Books of 2018 list.  I was surprised to see I’ve only read two out of the 21 top books. Of course, they list the top in a variety of categories and some of those categories just aren’t my cup of cocoa. I tend to read a lot of historical fiction, young adult and middle reader fiction, and, of course, general fiction too.  I also enjoy a lot of non-fiction books and an occasional romance. So don’t be surprised by the variety of books you’ll find on my Favorite Reads of 2018 list. I’m a bit all over the place when it comes to my reading preferences.

 

 

20 Favorite Reads From 2018

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Top Non-Fiction

1. The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women by Kate Moore

I finished this book in the early spring. It is a New York Times bestseller for very good reason. This is the tragic story of women in the U.S. who painted radioactive, glow-in-the-dark paint onto airplane dials and watches. Unfortunately, what was once a fun and coveted job ended up as a nightmare, You’ll be shocked, saddened, and angered at the way these women were abused and ignored. And you’ll be thankful for the fights they won that make us all a little safer in the workplace. The story moves along quickly and the reader is never bored. This reads more like a crime novel than a dull non-fiction piece.

 

 

2.  Forty Autumns: A Family’s Story of Courage and Survival on Both Sides of the Berlin Wall by Nina Willner

I find myself drawn to stories about World War Two. This true story begins in it’s aftermath and continues into the modern era. Forty Autumns is how long the author’s family was split by the Berlin Wall and the communist government of East Germany. Willner’s mother escaped to the West, married an American and settled in the United States. The rest of Willner’s German family, however, lived a very different life on the other side of the wall. I learned so much about those days by reading this moving and very interesting memoir.

 

 

3.The Lost City of the Monkey God: A True Story by Douglas Preston

This true story has danger, intrigue, adventure, and a great mystery. I bought it while traveling. It’s a quick read and great for airports and long plane rides or even for sitting on the beach. My husband has decided to take a crack at it and he rarely picks up my books. Preston joins a group of scientists determined to find a legendary lost city in the jungles of Honduras. If you’ve ever been interested in South American history, treasure hunting, or just love a good adventure tale, try this book out.

 

 

 

4.  The Little Book of Lykke: Secrets of the World’s Happiest People by Meik Wiking

I liked this book so much I wrote two blog posts about it. You can check them out here and here. Wiking is a leading happiness researcher and this book is full of great information on why some people are happier than others and what we can do about it.

 

 

5. This Is Where You Belong: Finding Home Wherever You Are by Melody Warnick

This is my most recent non-fiction read and I really needed to read it. Warnick talks about the desire many of us have to find something better and the restlessness we feel when we stay in one place. After move number 6 from Austin, Texas to Blacksburg, Virginia, Warnick begins a project to learn to love her town. She wrote the book to share her experiences. If you sometimes think the grass might be greener in a new city, read this book before you hire the movers. 

 

 

6. Harry Potter: A Journey Through a History of Magic by The British Library

Any Harry Potter fan would love this book. It is the official companion publication to the British Library exhibition. It includes previously unseen sketches and manuscript pages from J.K. Rowling. As an avowed Potterhead, I loved it,

 

 

7. The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative by Florence Williams

I read this book way back in January and I still find myself thinking about it and sharing it all the time. Williams traveled the world researching the way being in nature positively affects our brains. It will make you want to spend more time outdoors.

 

 

Favorite Reads in Adult Fiction

 

8.The Great Alone: A Novel by Kristin Hannah

This is another New York Times bestseller and for good reason. It is a dramatic tale of struggle and survival. Leni, a 13-year-old girl, has her life turned upside down when her father returns from the Vietnam War. He has violent outbursts and anti-social tendencies. He moves the little family to the wilds of Alaska where the isolation and long, dark days make things much worse. The domestic violence depicted is shocking so be aware of possible triggers.

 

 

9.  As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner

Another story about a family and survival, this novel is set in Philadelphia during the 1918 Spanish Flu epidemic. The Bright family moves into their uncle’s home in order for Mr. Bright to learn and take over the uncle’s mortuary business. Little do they know the sorrow and struggle they will face when the Spanish Flu reaches their city.

 

10. Music of the Ghosts: A Novel by Vaddey Ratner

Teera fled the genocide in Cambodia as a child. She grew up in the United States under the care of her aunt who escaped with her. The rest of her family died during their escape, except for her father. Teera doesn’t know his fate and, eventually, returns to Cambodia to discover it. This is a historical novel about war and it’s aftermath, about love, forgiveness, and family, and about learning where you belong. 

 

 

11. Bellewether by Susanna Kearlsey

I”m a big fan of Kearsley’s historical fiction. She writes with such detail, but also writes stories that draw the reader in. This book, like most of her work, skips back and forth between two time periods, and even has the two periods interact through supernatural means. Part ghost story, part history lesson, part romance, Bellewether is an entertaining and informative read.

 

 

12. Dreams of Falling by Karen White

Karen White is another author that likes to mix a little magic or supernatural wonder into her stories.  If you enjoy a little magical realism along with a story about family, friends, and buried secrets, try this novel.

 

 

13. Something Like Happy: A Novel by Eva Woods

This is a story about true friendship. Annie is an unhappy thirty-something with a dull job, a failed marriage, a sad little flat, and a very ill mother. Then she meets Polly who seems to be everything Annie is not. They strike up a friendship, mainly thanks to Polly’s outgoing nature. Keep your tissues close for this one. Sometimes life’s lessons come at a terrible price.

 

Favorite Reads in Juvenile Fiction

 

14. Bob by Wendy Maas and Rebecca Stead

This is hands down my favorite kid’s read from 2018. It is so funny and so sweet. I recommended it to every teacher friend I could. Please, no matter what kind of book you like, try reading this. If it doesn’t make you smile, you might need professional help.

 

 

15. Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk

This coming-of-age novel is the winner of the 2018 Scott O’Dell award for historical fiction. among a myriad of other awards. In this novel, Wolk explores questions of identity, belonging, and what makes a family. It is beautifully told and I recommend it for ages 10+.

 

 

16. The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book VI: The Long-Lost Home by Maryrose Wood

This is the last in the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series. If you haven’t read any of them, start with The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book I: The Mysterious Howling. If you know a child who likes humor and mysteries, this is a great series for them.

 

 

 

17. The Metropolitansby Carol Goodman

This story begins the day Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. It takes place in New York City, mainly in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The story revolves around four unlikely friends who are trying to solve a mystery and save the world. Arthurian legend also plays a big role in this book. It’s a really fun read.

 

 

 

18. Ghosts of Greenglass House by Kate Milford

This is the sequel to Greenglass House. Both novels revolve around historical mysteries and being true to yourself and playing to your own strengths. There are also smugglers and a treasure map involved. Sound intriguing?

 

 

19. Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

This novel is definitely for middle school readers and above due to it’s more mature themes. It takes place in the Winter of 1945 and tells the stories of four refugees trying to survive in war torn Eastern Europe. They all want to get passage aboard the Wilhelm Gustloff, a ship that will ferry them away from the incoming Russian army. But the ship is doomed and so are some of it’s passengers.

 

 

20. We Don’t Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins

I had to include one picture book. I found this one in a local children’s bookstore and it made me laugh out loud. It’s another one I found myself recommending to all my teacher friends. This book describes what happens when a young T-Rex starts kindergarten with a bunch of human children. The big lesson learned is to treat others the way you want to be treated. If you’re looking for more ideas for picture books, check out my favorite funny ones here.

 

 

There you have them, my 20 favorite reads from 2018. I hope you’ve found one or two to add to your to-read list or maybe a great gift for a special reader. What were your favorite reads from the past twelve months? Please share in the comment section below.

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