I made this list based on all the books I read in 2018 that I gave 5 stars. I had a lot this year! You can check out my top books from 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. Because of my book box subscriptions, I read more new books that I loved this year than any year before!
New Releases
Fawkes by Nadine Brandes
Why I liked it:
This historical fiction novel used magic and the two different attitudes towards using it to give an interesting twist on the Protestant/Catholic dynamic from 17th century London. The idea of using the color of items in magic was so fascinating and unique. The characters were amazing. The back of the book showed you what really did happen around the gunpowder plot that is still remembered and celebrated on the 5th of November as Guy Fawkes day in England. I had no idea that this holiday even existed and learning about it’s origins in this compelling, page-turning novel was delightful.
Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor
Why I liked it:
This is the second book in the Strange the Dreamer duology. This book not only finishes off the duology in a stunning way, but it also ties together the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series. I didn’t like the ending of the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series, but after reading this I changed my mind. The two series are now connected in such a clever and unexpected way that I love them both even more. This is the kind of 500+ page book that you could read in 2 days because you just can’t put it down. Laini Taylor writes the best romance and this is no exception.
My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows
Why I liked it:
I loved My Plain Jane much more than the first book in this series, My Lady Jane. It was fun, unexpected, hilarious and adorable. It was Ghostbusters meets Jane Eyre and I loved it.
Educated by Tara Westover
Why I liked it:
I read this book in one day. It’s a compelling and thought-provoking read. It was like Little House on the Prairie but they chose to live that way instead of having no choice like real pioneers did. The suffering they went through reminded me that I really am blessed with more than I realize. I walked away with renewed gratitude for education and medicine and family.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi by Jason Fry
Why I liked it:
The expanded scenes are mostly the cut scenes from the movie that you can watch on Blu-ray. But reading them integrated into the story was even better than watching the snippets on the bonus features. My favorite thing about novelizations is getting into the motivations and background of the characters. Hux is actually one of the characters you learn the most about in this book. Well, he was the most fascinating to me. You learn so much about all the characters. The book also has so much fun extras that just don’t work in a movie like BB-8 arguing with Poe’s X-wing. Yes it’s just as adorable as it sounds.
Backlist
Cress by Marissa Meyer
Amazon | Goodreads | My Review
Why I liked it:
I had almost given up on this series because I didn’t like Scarlet. I’m glad I didn’t. Cress was a great character. I loved the plot and the pacing and the clever Rapunzel references in this sci-fi world.
Princess Labelmaker to the Rescue by Tom Angleberger
Why I liked it:
I’ve read this whole series and this is the only book from the series that I gave 5 stars. I liked the rest but they were more like 4 stars. I was blown away by the clever story and the brilliant Star Wars references in Princess Labelmaker.
A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan
Why I liked it:
It was like Jane Austen meets fantasy and it was just as delightful, charming, and witty as that sounds. There’s magical beasts, romance, adventure, and social commentary on women and sexism.
Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
Why I liked it:
The world building is what shines in this book. But I also loved meeting the interesting characters and the adventure they get to go on. I also read this 500+ page book in two days.
Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda
Amazon | Goodreads | My Review
Why I liked it:
I loved all the footnotes and insights to the inspiration behind the musical Hamilton in this book. This beautiful book has great photos, detailed footnotes throughout the lyrics, and everything you need to know about the making of Hamilton. If you can’t see the musical on stage, this is the next best thing. If you’ve seen it and miss it already, this will bring back all the good memories.
Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
Why I liked it:
This detailed biography was long but not boring. I learned so much about this time period in history, not just about Hamilton’s life, because Ron Chernow is amazing at giving context which is what I think contributes to the length of the book. He doesn’t just spew details and facts. He tells you why those facts are important and why you should care about them. It’s insanely well researched and accurate. Well worth the read.
Star Wars: Thrawn by Timothy Zahn
Why I liked it:
This was one of my favorite books from the new canon. Thrawn was a character from the old Star Wars Legends books and it was one of the first ones I read as a teen. It’s great to see him back again. He’s a military genius and at the beginning of each chapter he gives out military advice that starts to apply to his life in unexpected ways and then I found myself thinking about how his advice applied to being a warrior in my own life…
My name is Jessica. I love to read Young Adult and classic literature. I’ve been a book blogger for six years and I haven’t gotten tired of it yet. I’m a very curious reader. Writing about all the questions and thoughts I had while reading a book is the best hobby ever.
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