Reading is an integral part of life in our home. One of my favorite T-shirts says “The Book is Always Better” – I wear it as often as I can. And I can ALWAYS talk books. Always.
I read a whopping 54 books this year. (Mr. Family Trip is still working his way through the Game of Thrones books – he is a man who never gives up!) I don’t enjoy television, so my decompress time is reading. (If you want to follow me in real-time reads, come on over to Goodreads.)
I don’t read much SciFi and Thriller. My imagination is a scary enough place without the help of psychos and aliens. I heavily dwell in nonfiction, self-help, fiction, and occasional fantasy.
Before we start: this list is about what I read in 2018. Some published this year, some much, much earlier.
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Here were my favorite reads in 2018:
This book was such a wonderful surprise! It feels there aren’t a large number of new concepts in modern fiction, especially ones that are whimsical yet memorable. But this one was riveting, creative and oddly philosophical. What would you do if you were aging slower than the rest of humanity and are going to live through centuries?
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
This is on all the lists, and for all the reasons. The fact that this is technically YA makes this book about a really difficult topic a read that inspires conversation and thought without being gory or too violent. This book is all substance.
I am pretty sure I have mentioned this book so many times you all are getting tired of it. (Tired of it now?) This is such an honest and interesting read on the power of meditation, or however you define mindful moments and planned stillness.
For the Love: Fighting for Grace in a World of Impossible Standards by Jen Hatmaker
I will read anything by Jen (and why, yes, I do feel like we are on a first name basis). This Christian author is realistic, funny, and just the right mix of inspiration, tear-jerking
The Bright Hour: A Memoir of Living and Dying by Nina Riggs
If ever a book has haunted, like a perfect Classical tune you can’t get out of your head, this is it. I cried – hard – when I read this. And I still think of her words frequently. This book really is a gift to parents. It is beautifully crafted and full of talent and passion (you all, crying again over this, right now). But it is a life-is-so-beautiful cry.
The Music Shop by Rachel Joyce
I so enjoyed these crazy characters. I have also enjoyed the playlist on Spotify that accompanies this book! This was fun, with a nice mysterious edge to it as well. Plus, I want the ending to happen in my life, so that enhanced my enjoyment.
The Scarlet Pimpernel by Emmuska Orczy
Don’t forget the classics! While it can be hard to transition into the style of writing literature of yore celebrated, it is usually worth hitting up a classic. This one, despite my English literature degree, I had never read. Yet the story was delightful (surprisingly light despite the historical background) and full of some fun twists.
This has been hitting everyone’s list and rightfully so. This should be paired with Hillbilly Elegy. Tara’s remarkable story is fascinating not so much because she “escapes” (and I cringe at using that word) but because what she knew as a child is not an isolated family scene. There are so many kids who currently live this way. This is a rare and stunning peek inside a way of life that many of us don’t know.
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
This was recommended to me by President Obama, so I knew I would like it. While it took a while to get into the characters, this is a quiet book that I ended up adoring. The setting was a time period I knew little about but the approach Towles took to tell the story was fascinating.
Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow
Yes, this is by the same author behind Hamilton and I am so ready for a Washington: The Musical. This book was BEAST. It was long and dense. However, much like Hamilton, I couldn’t put it down! It read like a saga.
These
I had no idea this book existed until this year (I stumbled on it through Goodreads browsing). And if teenage self me had this book, it would have been a lifelong favorite read again and again. Shockingly, I cried at the end. Given the disjointed storytelling (it is jounral entries), I did NOT see my emotional attachment coming.
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
A psychological twister, but with a light-hearted touch. Even though I knew at the beginning that Eleanor was not “fine,” the resolution was still a surprise. I loved her character, hated her mother, and cheered Eleanor on.
Rules of Civility by Amor Towles
Yes! Two books by the same author! I actually read this before A Gentleman in Moscow. They both had a quiet, underrated style, but were so different! The flashy life in this one was great fun to peek into. The twisted Gatsby-like people were both infuriating and riveting. Simply a great work of fiction.
Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage by Elizabeth Gilbert
Admittedly, this book lost some of its
I have no idea why I picked up this nonfiction book but I am glad I did! I wanted to share every tidbit I learned about a subculture I knew nothing about with Mr. Family Trip (who feels like he read the book, too). This book was not at all what I thought it was going to be.
This was the best fantasy read of 2018, as selected by Goodreads voters, for a reason. She was a powerful character and I couldn’t wait to figure out what happened to her. The mix with popular mythology was also fun.
So those were my favorites from 2018. Now you tell me: what did you read that you loved?
What a fantastic list! Will read the few that I have yet to read.