
TOP 8 BOOKS OF 2018 // ft. 2019 new years resolutions
Yeah, I can’t fathom that the year is already over but what else can you do??
To be honest, I would have liked to have read WAY MORE than I did, I mean I passed my goal and all (and read some great books) but still. I’ll get to my goals for 2019 in a minute. I read 36 books this year which I’m satisfied with but next year is definitely the time for MORE.
Anyways, I have 8 books to talk about and a couple honourable mentions so let’s just get into them, in no real particular order but some I I enjoyed more than others if that makes sense. Also, most of these aren’t 2018 releases, I only read them this year but who actually cares?
H O N O U R A B L E M E N T I O N S
The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli
I really loved this book. I adore Becky Albertalli and related to the main character, Molly, SO much. I loved being back in the Simon-verse and the romance was so cute. It was just such a great read
Renegades by Marissa Meyer
WOW. This is the book you didn’t know you needed in your life until you did. I have grown a great love for superheroes recently and I especially loved the exploration of anti-heroes and anti-villains in this book. I loved the characters and Marissa Meyer came up with such unique superpowers. This book was so great and I’m so excited to get to the sequel which I’m planning on reading very soon!
Save The Date by Morgan Matson
I went on a Morgan Matson binge this year and read like all her books and I LOVED THEM ALL. This book, in particular, was a blast. It’s about a wedding where everything goes wrong and it’s such a B-L-A-S-T!!! I devoured in like 2 days. I loved the sibling relations and the uniqueness of the family (of which the mother is the creator of a popular comic series) and it’s just so much fun. The only thing I didn’t like was the romance, but I highly recommend for a quick, summer contemporary.
A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab
I literally just finished this book, like yesterday AND I LOVED IT SO MUCH. I decided to just devour it over a weekend and was in awe of how awesome it was. I love ALL the characters and the magic system is extremely well-crafted. The element games were so freaking EPIC, I loved them. AND THE PLOT TWIST!!! AHHH!! I’m so super excited to get to the sequel, definitely getting to it soon.
T O P B O O K S O F T H E Y E A R
8. Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
I was debating whether or not to add any rereads to this list because I actually reread quite a few books this year. I was craving this world again and I knew I really enjoyed them when I first read them but not as much as I did this time around. The Infernal Devices is now officially my all time favourite series and I have no shame. I just ADORE these books. The characters and the world are so beautifully created and I cried so hard that there are no tears left in me. Also, I adore Clockwork Princess but, I dunno, I just thought to put this on this list instead? There isn’t a real reason, I love all my babies equally. I’ll just say this: THE BALCONY SCENE!!!!
7. Warcross by Marie Lu
This book. It blew me away. I now want to read all of Marie Lu’s books. It was my first read of the year and I devoured it so fast. It’s a sci-fi contemporary type book about this world taken over by virtual reality and IT IS EPIC. It’s got video games and amazing characters. The world is so freaking cool and I LOVE IT. I also just recently finished the sequel, Wildcard, which I also really loved and it totally reminded me about how epic the first book was. SO GOOD!!
6. Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi
I was trying to pick which of this series to put on this list because I read them all this year and I settled on this one. I read these books so fast and totally binged them all in one go (except Restore Me, which I read a bit later) and I really loved them. The first book isn’t actually that good but I adored the rest. The character development in these books is through the roof and the whole concept of this dystopian world is so interesting, I LOVE IT (especially Warner).
5. An Ember In The Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
Wow this book was so freaking amazing I can’t even deal. I read this book so quick and was totally enthralled by it. The world is excellent (and brutal) and I adore the characters. I am now officially obsessed with Sabaa Tahir. I just loved this book so much, I don’t even know why I haven’t gotten to the next book, I think I’m scared?? That my children will suffer? Because I know they do. The stakes of this book were just so high and the political aspect of the world is so good. Sabaa did an amazing job and I ADORED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!
4. The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
This book! I was OBSESSED. Alexandra Bracken is amazing and I cannot get over these books. I know they’re not for everyone since they’re a little slow but I loved the whole dystopian concept. AND THE CHARACTERS. Liam freaking Stewart is amazing and like one of my top book boyfriends now. I physically hyperventilate, that’s how much I love him. They’re just so good. I read the whole trilogy this year and LOVED THEMMMM. I’m definitely also going to read The Darkest Legacy very soon.
3. Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson
As I mentioned earlier, I read like all Morgan’s books this year just because of this book. This was a book that I read at exactly the right time and I felt so seen? I was going through almost the exact same things as the main character was when I read it and I was so glad that I picked it up when I did. It’s basically about this girl, Emily, whose best friend vanishes and leaves this list of things for Emily to do AND IT’S SUCH A GOOD BOOK. I love Morgan’s writing and how she structured the book. As I said, I read it at the exact right time and I related so much Emily. I just loved it so much and it quickly became one of my all-time favourite books.
2. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
I’m like the last person on earth to read this book, I know. But of course it’s amazing and I LOVED it. You probably already know what it’s about so I don’t think I need to tell you. But the world is amazing and the plot is amazing, I was on my toes the entire time. AND THE CHARACTERS. You can probably see a theme here, which is that characters determine my love of a book. But I’m no way over-exaggerating at how amazing they are. This book is just so complex and amazing and I loved it so much, that I’ll get anyone and everyone that I can to read it.
1. Queen of Air and Darkness by Cassandra Clare
I mean, come one, what other book would be at the top of this list? Of course it’s amazing, I didn’t expect anything less. It was such a perfect conclusion to the series and I LOVED IT SO MUCH. Cassie is my favourite and I adore all her books. Also, this book is incredibly long so I’m low-key proud how fast I read it, I read the last 500 pages in like a day. The characters are to die for, the stakes are so much higher and the Shadowhunter world has truly changed forever after this book. SO GOOD!! Need I say more?
2 0 1 9 R E S O L U T I O N S
As I said earlier, I read 36 books, but in 2019 I want to set my goal to 45. I want to read way more but it’s also my last year of school so I don’t want to push myself too much. At 45, it means I need to read a book every 8 days which I can totally do. I really want to push myself more.
I also want to be more active and upload really creative content. I want to grow and engage more because it feels like I’ve been growing so slowly and I really want to change that.
I also started a reading journal a month ago, which I want to use frequently. Basically just TBRs and wrap-ups. I also would really like to participate in more readathons and improve my mood reading. I’m a real mood reader, which is why I didn’t read as much as I wanted to. I find that I am so picky that I don’t push myself to read more actively (does that make sense??). I have really improved in the past month or so because I read the majority of books on my TBR so I hope my momentum keeps going.
Okay, I’ll stop rambling now. I read some great books this year and I’m really excited about next year. I’m determined to make reading more of a priority. I have a lot of studying to do but I’ going to make it work. I can tell 2019 is going to be GREAT!
HOW WAS YOUR READING YEAR? WHAT WERE SOME OF YOUR FAVOURITE BOOKS? WHAT’S SOMETHING YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH NEXT YEAR? I’D LOVE TO KNOW!
xo


12 Comments
Michelle
I read obsessively this year. We learned of an illness in the family, so hiding in books became the best way for me to (not) cope with everything going on. But it’s also the reason I fell behind on all of my ARCs, so I’m going to try to be more on top of things this year. Great post!
Ruby
Aahh no so sorry, sending love! Thank you 💕✨
ioana @dragonwaffles
Congrats on accomplishing your goal and HERE’S TO READING MANY MORE BOOKS IN 2019! I really need to get around to reading some Morgan Matson ahhhh I’ve never read anything by her ever lol. Also I didn’t read QOAAD this past year! and that! needs! to! change!!!! HOW DID I MANAGE TO NO READ THAT?! IT WAS MY MOST ANTICIPATED!!!! I’m honestly face-palming at myself rn!! Good luck with reading 45 books next year I’m sure you’ll do amazing!
Ruby
BOOKS!!! Yeah you need to read Morgan Matson and then you need to text me when you do. DISGRACEFUL TDA FAN IOANA!! How could you not read it? Even I read it and i was a year late to lord of shadows aghhh. Also thank you, we’ll see how much I *actually* read
Norrie
Happy new year!
I love your list of favourites 🙂 Have a few of those on my list – hopefully for this year.
Ruby
Happy new year 🎉 Yay! You must read them, they’re all so good
Michelle 🌈
AHHH YAY YOU LOVED SIX OF CROWS! I’m with you, characters determine my love for a book as well. Even if the plot isn’t that great, I can still love a book to bits if the characters are amazing. They can really make or break a book for me. Also glad to hear you enjoyed Save the Date! I still need to pick that one up 🙂
Ruby
ALWAYS, if i love the characters then who cares about plot 😂 oh yes you must, Save The Date is so fun
Jess @ Jessticulates
Great list! The Upside of Unrequited is adorable. 😀 You’re not alone; I read Six of Crows for the first time in 2018, too, and ADORED it.
Ruby
Upside is so relatable! Ahahah I’m glad I’m not the only one 😅
Jenn @ Bound to Writing
Great top picks! I love Upside and Ignite Me was amazing (especially Warner)! 😍 have a wonderful 2019!
Ruby
Thank you! Hope your year is lovely. 🎉