The 7 Best Books I Read in 2018

In 2017 and 2018 I set a goal of reading or listening to 100 books or audiobooks. In 2017, I consumed 193 books mainly because I went on a huge children’s literature binge to combat my despair over Trump’s inauguration. That January and February, I went through loads and loads of story books and it was fun. It was a great antidote for the terrible news.

Last year, I ended up consuming 92 out of 100 books even though I started two book clubs and expected to easily meet my goal. I’m not unhappy that I didn’t meet my goal, just surprised. Last year was challenging for me, as I tried to balance the new commitment of spending time with my 92-year-old aunt who we moved from assisted living in California to a facility a few miles from my apartment. It was harder than I ever imagined. I spent a lot of time feeling sad and frustrated and that manifested in playing a lot of games on my phone and doing mindless internet scrolling.

I still read great books though and gave seven of them the coveted 5/5 rating on Goodreads. A mix of non-fiction and mostly YA fiction, they are, in no particular order:

 1. Educated  This book was on a lot of lists last year and for good reason. In it author Tara Westover shares her enthralling life story of being raised by survivalists in Idaho and not getting a formal education until she turns 17. It’s an incredible story of self-reliance and self-preservation. Pair it with The Glass Castle (which I gave 5 stars in 2017) if you want to read two stories about bonkers parents in a row.

2. I’ll be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer  This is a chilling account of the decades long search for the Golden State Killer, released just before he was actually found. Michelle McNamara was obsessed with the case and I enjoyed creeping myself out by listening to it. My personal interest in the case is that when he was known as the East Area Rapist (before he started killing his victims), he raped a woman on the street my family lived on when I was one. It was horrifying to hear places that I know described as crime scenes and haunting grounds and then a relief to know that he has finally been caught.

3. Girls Made of Snow and Glass  The last book I finished this year, by first time author Melissa Bashardoust, vaulted onto my list of favorite books ever. Ostensibly it is billed as a feminist retelling of Snow White (without the dwarves). It’s so much more though. It’s about friendship and nature versus nurture and creepy fathers and being true to oneself all while incredible expectations are heaped upon you. I listened to the audio and plan to buy the book to keep on my favorites shelf and read again and then again after that.

4. So You Want to Talk About Race Hey white people, don’t ask your black friends to teach you about the racism they experience daily. Save them the trouble, frustration, and heartache and do the research yourself instead. Start here with this book by Seattle’s Ijeoma Oluo. Learn about the structural injustices in America. It’s a fantastic launching point for your own study and understanding.

5. The Poet X  This novel in verse won the 2018 National Book Award for Young People’s literature. Elizabeth Acevedo captures a powerful and raw YA voice in her main character Xiomara. I devoured it in one night. It’s an accessible introduction to poetry if you’re looking for a place to start because while it’s still a novel, there are so many beautiful standalone pages.

6. Children of Blood and Bone  Tomi Adeyemi’s debut novel is an action-packed epic fantasy YA and the first of a trilogy. The friendship between the two main characters reeled me in and the magic of their country and journey made me stay. I listened to the audiobook and immediately went out to buy myself a copy and have been enjoying a slow reread ever since.

7. Heating & Cooling: 52 Micro-Memoirs This book is utterly delicious. On page three, I had already started lamenting its short length and upcoming end. It’s a tiny book with vignettes that when compiled together build you a stunning picture of the author, Beth Ann Fennelly’s life. It’s like nothing I’ve ever read and I plan to buy it this year with plans to reread it many times.



I’m two books into my 2019 reading challenge, where, again, my goal is 100 books. I’d love to hear your book recommendations if you’ve got them and, in turn, I’d love to suggest books for you. These seven are a good place to start.