(Way More Than) Top Ten Tuesday: Looking Back at 2018

Happy New Year! 2019, I’m ready for you. This week is a serving as both my TTT and my year in review. Credit here and here to the lovely ladies who list. *drum roll*

Number of Books You Read: 150
Number of Re-Reads: 2
Genre You Read the Most From: Romance, duh 🙂

Best book you read in 2018?

Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren

This was an easy choice this year. When I reflected back, I had so many books I wanted to highlight, and this was always at the very top.

Book you were excited about a thought you were going to love more but didn’t?

Wildcard by Marie Lu

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

Becoming by Michelle Obama

Just give this one a listen. I love/d Michelle before I listened, but that only deepened with each chapter.

Book you “pushed” the most people to read (and they did)?

Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas

We had to be ready for Kingdom of Ash…which none of us have actually read yet.

Best series you started in 2018? Best sequel of 2018? Best series ender of 2018?

Clean Sweep by Ilona Andrews

Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman

Only Human by Sylvain Neuvel

Favorite new author you discovered in 2018?

Lauren Blakely – I should probably write her some fan mail because she kind of saved my year. Not only did I read my first book of hers this year, I went on to read twenty-two more of her books.

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

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara

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

Burn for Me by Ilona Andrews

Book you read in 2018 that you would be MOST likely to re-read next year?

Honestly, none. I read some amazing books this year because I tried my very best to not spend the year re-reading. I plan to carry that effort forward to 2019 to make room for more awesome reads. Also, maybe Harry Potter (as always).

Favorite cover of a book you read in 2018?

Every Anxious Wave by Mo Daviau

Most memorable character of 2018?

Simon Spier of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Most beautifully written book read in 2018?

“Head, Scales, Tongue, Tail” by Leigh Bardugo from Summer Days, Summer Nights

This short story is worth getting your hands on Stephanie Perkins’ entire anthology.

Most thought-provoking/ life-changing book of 2018?

Wanderlust by Lauren Blakely

This is the book that made me want to start the blog, guys. LB def needs some fan mail.

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

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Favorite passage/quote from a book you read in 2018?

I think that perhaps everyone has a moment that splits their life in two. When you look back on your own time line there’s a sharp spike somewhere along the way, some event that changed you, changed your life more than the others. A moment that creates a before and an after. Maybe it’s when you meet your love or you figure out your life’s passion or you have your first child. Maybe it’s something wonderful. Maybe it’s something tragic. But when it happens it tints your memories, shifts your perspective on your own life and it suddenly seems as if everyone you’ve been through falls under the label of pre or post.

One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Shortest & longest book you read in 2018?

We Have Always Lived on Mars by Cecil Castelucci (It’s free, and Jim, I mean, John Krasinski has optioned this shortie for his next film. So just like read it it already.)

Wild and Free by Kristen Ashley

Book that shocked you the most?

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald by J.K. Rowling

I finally learned this year that it’s ok for me to not love everything that happens in the HP universe and still have it be a special thing in my heart that I still *mostly* love.

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

Laurie and Jack of One Day in December by Josie Silver

I won’t do any spoiling. I will simply say, these two belong together and deserve each other.

Favorite non-romantic relationship of the year?

Millie and Catherine of My Favorite Half-Night Stand by Christina Lauren

So these two are technically the same person, but I loved how they behave as separate characters in the book. And I also love how relatable they were – these two halves of one.

Favorite book you read in 2018 from an author you’ve read previously?

One Plus One by Jojo Moyes

Best book you read in 2018 that you read based SOLELY on a recommendation from somebody else/peer pressure/bookstagram, etc.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han (because of Netflix)

Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2018?

Carlos Ibarra of The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory

Best 2018 debut you read?

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

This is my new Hating Game. Now we hunt for the next book to dethrone it.

Best worldbuilding/most vivid setting you read this year?

So, I haven’t technically finished this yet (probably), but it’s so good that I literally dream of it…

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

Book that put a smile on your face/was the most FUN to read?

It Ended Badly by Jennifer Wright

Book that made you cry (or nearly cry) in 2018?
Seriously, like half of what I read this year made me cry, so ugliest cry goes to…

Bad at Love by Karina Halle

Hidden Gem of the year?

Phoenix Unbound by Grace Draven

*If* the Christina Lauren hadn’t been my pick of the year, it would have been this book. I am desperate for the next book.

Book that crushed your soul?
This book affects me so much that I have not been able to make a dent in it because I become so fragile that I can’t go on…

Ghosted by Rosie Walsh

Most unique book you read in 2018?

My Lady’s Choosing by Kitty Curran (my first choose-your-own-adventure!)

Book that made you the maddest (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?

A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas

One book you didn’t get to in 2018 but will be your number 1 priority in 2019?

The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzie Lee

The only book in my backlog that I genuinely feel guilty about not having read yet.

Book you are most anticipating for 2019 (non-debut)?

The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai

2019 debut you are most anticipating?

Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey

Series ending/sequel you are most anticipating in 2019?

Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell

One thing you hope to accomplish or do in your reading/blogging life in 2019?
Blog more, like actually do the damn thing!

XOXO and Happy New Year!