My 2018 Best of Books

Thanks to Jamie, I've made another list of my faves (and not so faves) of the year.  Yeah, I'm 10 days late-- but I can't move on to 2019 until I wrap up 2018!  Head over to The Perpetual Page-Turner if you want to do your own wrap-up and link up!

**2018 READING STATS**

Number Of Books You Read: 43
Number of Re-Reads: Hmmm, I think besides Fear Street, I didnt reread anything
Genre You Read The Most From: YA Contemporary

1. Best Book You Read In 2018?

• Neverworld Wake by Marisha Pessl- Best Overall
• Sadie by Courtney Summers- Best "ME" Book
• All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda- Best Adult

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

• Truly, Devious by Maureen Johnson- I thought I was going to LOVE this book, but with the try-hard characters and the lack of any resolutions, it didn't live up.
• A Room Away From the Wolves by Nova Ren Suma- Ughh. This one hurts.  Nova is one of my forever fave authors, but I just did not get this book.

3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read?  

• Confessions of a High School Disaster by Emma Chastain- I wasn't expecting to meet a new Ruby Oliver or Jessica Darling this year-- but in came Chloe Snow and I was so happy surprised that I've been smiling ever since.

4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)?

• The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White- I didn't LOVE love this book, but I still told a lot of people to give it a chance.  It's super short, so I feel like it's little risk for a possible big reward.
• Finding Felicity by Stacey Kade- I will push any COLLEGE YA book that is written as well as this.

5. Best series you started in 2018? Best Sequel of 2018? Best Series Ender of 2018?

• Started: Confessions of a High School Disaster by Emma Chastain
• Sequel: The Year of Living Awkwardly by Emma Chastain

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2018?

• Emma Chastain
• Brigid Kemmerer
• Liane Moriarty

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

• Boneless Mercies by April Genevieve Tucholke- I barely ever read YA Fantasy, but I was glad I gave this a try.
• The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White- I read retellings, but not neccessarily of classics.

 8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?

• The Last Time I Lied by Tara Altebrando- This was such a thrilling follow-up to FINAL GIRLS.  I flew through it.
• The Last Good Day of the Year by Jessica Warman- The TENSION!!  I HAD to know what was going on in this book.

 9. Book You Read In 2018 That You Would Be MOST Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

• Neverworld Wake by Marisha Pessl- Oh I need to revisit this one again and see if there are things I missed the first go-round.
• Sadie by Courtney Summers- This is just worth rereading.

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2018?

• The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas- I like the simplistic/minimalist covers
• The Window by Amelia Brunskill

11. Most memorable character of 2018?

• Sadie by Courtney Summers- I will never ever forget Sadie.
• Confessions of a High School Disaster by Emma Chastain- I am SO happy I met Chloe Snow this year.  I can't get enough of her.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2018?

• Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer
• Boneless Mercies by April Genevieve Tucholke

13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2018?

• Sadie by Courtney Summers- this book had me thinking too many thoughts about things that I prefer not to think about-- and I kind of love it for that?

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2018 to finally read? 

• Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty- I got this book YEARS ago and it just sat here until I watched the TV show.
• All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda- This is one of my fave authors and it's one of her best books-- what was I waiting for?
• A Week of the Mondays by Jessica Brody- I love Groundhog's Day books and I love Jessica Brody.  I should've read this the minute it came out.

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2018?

• "And in that moment I wonder if Lovelorn wasn't so special after all.  Maybe everyone has a make-believe place.  Make-believe worlds where they play make-believe people." ~Broken Things by Lauren Oliver

16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2018?

• Longest: A Week of the Mondays by Jessica Brody- 464 pages
• Shortest: The Unwritten Rule by The Unwritten Rule- 210 pages

17. Book That Shocked You The Most

(Because of a plot twist, character death, left you hanging with your mouth wide open, etc.)

• The Last Good Day of the Year by Jessica Warman- That ending-- shudder.
• The Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll- Maybe I'm dense, but I really didn't see the 2nd twist/event coming at all.
• The Opposite of Here by Tara Altebrando- Totally normal book until the last page-- then WTF????  Totally messed with my head.

18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)

(OTP = one true pairing if you aren’t familiar)

• Juliet & Declan-- Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer
• Chloe & Grady-- The Year of Living Awkwardly by Emma Chastain 

19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year

• Elizabeth & Justine-- The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White
• Betts & Jo-- Always Forever Maybe by Anica Mrose Rissi

20. Favorite Book You Read in 2018 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

• Sadie by Courtney Summers

21. Best Book You Read In 2018 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure/Bookstagram, Etc.:

• Neverworld Wake by Marisha Pessl- Thanks to Cassi, otherwise I never would have read this awesome book!

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2018?

• Owen-- Broken Things by Lauren Oliver
• Ryan-- The Unwritten Rule by The Unwritten Rule

23. Best 2018 debut you read?

• Always Forever Maybe by Anica Mrose Rissi- I didn't think this was perfect, but I related so hard to the subject of this book & I really liked how the strong friendship was an important part of the main character's salvation.  I am looking forward to what else this author writes.

24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?

• Murdertrending by Gretchen McNeil- Alactraz 2.0 was an amazing setting.  I'm not sure I 100% bought that it could have happened, but I liked the concept.
• Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero- This book was very descriptive and I think that was the strong point of it.  Blyton Hills came alive for me.
• The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager- A creepy summer camp??? Sign me up.  I loved Camp Nightingale as the setting of a mystery!

25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?

• A Week of the Mondays by Jessica Brody- I can't believe this is the longest book I read this year because it was pure joy to turn every page.

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2018?

• Sadie by Courtney Summers- This book was just so beautifully sad and horrific at times.
• The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott- This book reminded me that it's not all robot in my heart.

27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?

• Neverworld Wake by Marisha Pessl- I've barely heard anything about this book and I think that needs to change.  READ THIS BOOK!!

28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?

• The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty- That ending.  I just had so many feelings and questions and ughhh.
• Unraveling Oliver by Liz Nugent- Wow.  This book really had nothing good in it, but I could not stop reading it.

29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2018?

• All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda- This is a mystery told backwards.  I don't know how the author made this work, but she did!

30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?

• This Darkness Mine by Mindy McGinnis- Just whyyyyyyy.  I was on board until the heart ripping out episode... and then I was firmly off.
• Truly, Devious by Maureen Johnson- I was mad I didn't get a payoff after 400+ pages.
• All of This is True by Lygia Day Penaflor- Don't even get me started on this book because I could go on for a WHILE.  If you've read this, I think you'll know where my anger stems from.

1. New favorite book blog/Bookstagram/Youtube channel you discovered in 2018?

• I have a terrible memory and when I find a blog I love, I always seem to think I've been following them forever!
• I'm not sure if I discovered these blogs this year, but they are ones I've discovered more recently in my blogging life:
• Vicky Who Reads
• Drizzle and Hurricane Books
• Book Loaner

2. Favorite post you wrote in 2018?

• I always love doing my annual Spring Break Fashion & Books Post.

3. Favorite bookish related photo you took in 2018?

•  I seriously slacked on Bookstagram this year.  I'm going to pick this as my fave:

4. Best bookish event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events,  etc.)?

• I gotta say ALA in New Orleans (although I also met Jesse Andrews at a local event and that was super exciting)

5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2018?

• Meeting Courtney Summers
• Bringing Jana in to help run the blog tour company

6. Most challenging thing about blogging or your reading life this year?

• Balancing life and Bookstagram and Blogging and running the FFBC

7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?

•  It was my 6th Year Blogoversary post!!

8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

•  I always wish reviews would get more love-- I think THIS one was my fave.

9. Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?

• I don't know if this qualifies as "bookish", but I was really happy with my purchase of a light box like THIS one.  It's brightened up my Bookstagram pics immensely.  It's also turned my spare room into a room with a giant light box in it, but sometimes hobbies make you sacrifice.

10.  Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?

• If I'm not failing a reading challenge, what is life??  I read 43 books and my goal was 60.

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2018 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2019?

•  The Lying Woods by Ashley Elston- This has me written all over it.

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2019 (non-debut)?

• Come Find Me by Megan Miranda- I am REALLY in the mood for a Megan Miranda book.

3. 2019 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

• Just for Clicks by Kara McDowell- I just think it sounds cute!

 4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2019?

•  Notes from a Former Virgin: Junior Year by Emma Chastain- More Chloe Snow!!!!!

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2019?

• I definitely want to go back to ALA in June.  I also hope to read more, Bookstagram more, be a better tour company partner, be a better bookish friend, and go to local bookish events when they happen.

6. A 2019 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone (if applicable):

• Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus- It's the only one I've read so far, but I did really like it!!

That's my 2019 reading year!!  What books did you read in 2019 that ended up as your faves?  Do we have any books in common??  Let's chat!