I had a GREAT reading year and these are the 12 that I’m choosing to highlight. No easy feat given my list but all of these stories left an indelible mark in my mind and heart. Not all were released in 2018 but were read this year.
December 27, 2018 6:00 am
I had a GREAT reading year and these are the 12 that I’m choosing to highlight. No easy feat given my list but all of these stories left an indelible mark in my mind and heart. Not all were released in 2018 but were read this year.
1. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman 
This didn’t seem like something I’d find as interesting as my friends but I got to the point where I couldn’t ignore the hype amongst them. I was taken by this story early on and am still shaking my head at my having delayed reading this so long. I loved this story so much I even watched the subtitled movie!
2. The Wife by Alastair Burke 
I knew I was going to like this book, and I did…liked it a lot! What makes it a standout is the ending that gobsmacked me. It’s the kind of ending where you have to rewind the audiobook and re-listen to Chapters because you couldn’t have missed the clues so badly. It’s rare that I’m caught this flat footed.
3. Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren 
If I had to choose only one book as a favorite, this would be it. It captivated me from the onset, piqued my curiosity about the big secret, then wrecked me emotionally when it was revealed. And, all throughout the central connection is around books and words. If you’re interested in checking out this author team, this book is where I’d start. (The audio version is great!)
4. All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood 
It’s one of those stories where you’d do well to not read the synopsis close to when you decide to start reading this book. I’m glad I listened to it because the narration was outstanding. The subject matter is provocative and it did what I thought would be impossible…shifted my point of view on an explosive topic. These characters stayed with me for weeks!
5. Shelter in Place by Nora Roberts 
There are many stories out there that deal with mass shootings, mostly focused on the event itself and those that were injured and survived. This story focuses on those that escaped physical harm but were forever shaped by the trauma. It’s an outstanding novel that further exemplifies why this author continues to have staying power.
6. Unraveling Oliver by Liz Nugent 
If this isn’t ranked as my #1 top read, it’s a mighty close second. The writing is clever and the characters extremely well developed with a wicked ending, not because of a major twist (though it has one) but because of how conflicted you end up being about Oliver. And, there are multiple narrators used in the audio version that deliver outstanding performances.
7. Year One by Nora Roberts 
The first in The Chronicles of the One series, this story is a mixed genre of dystopia, fantasy and romance, a clear stretch for Roberts that she successfully mastered. The only downside is having to wait a year for the next book, which I have queued to begin next. It’s riveting and if you can listen to the book, do it.
8. All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin 
Contemporary issues involving sexting, teenage drinking, social bullying income disparity are all tackled in this powerful story, one I couldn’t put down, listening in one sitting. This is a new-to-me author I’ll be following from now on.
9. Good Luck With That by Kristan Higgins 
This is a truly important story that just gets it right. I’ve never read anything that comes this close to capturing the psychographics related to weight-related issues. Don’t judge it until you’ve read it cover to cover, no skimming because every word matters and I promise you your perspectives will be rocked.
10. Desolation Mountain by William Kent Krueger 
Every book in this series is a gem and I’m now in the position of having to wait for the next release. This story does an outstanding job of weaving mystery, setting and culture to create something authentic and special. I really hated getting to the end as I love being with these characters.
11. Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate 
The cover alone will almost break your heart and the underlying story pushes you over the precipice. But, there are triumphs that leave you in a good place to counter that sadness. It was just a very good story that evoked a range of emotions and without it I would not have learned about an astonishing set of events in our history.
12. All My Life by Prescott Lane 
I really like friends-to-lovers romances and this one is stellar. Lane is one of my favorites in the genre because of her skill at crafting particularly appealing characters who draw you in emotionally and intellectually. It’s just a great story.
Posted by Jonetta | Blue Mood Café
Categories: Best of 2018
Tags: Best of the Year
Mobile Site | Full Site
Get a free blog at WordPress.com Theme: WordPress Mobile Edition by Alex King.
Wasn’t hard to pick the top reads?? The first few were easy and then I narrowing it down was so much harder. Love your list. I own Before We Were Yours (haven’t read it) and A Man Called Ove is on my list! I loved The Wife too, very twisty! Now I’m super interested in picking up Unraveling Oliver. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
By Holly B / Dressedtoread on December 27, 2018 at 6:50 am
Holly, the first 10 were easy. Deciding on the last two were harder (I’ve got about 5 runner ups). If you read nothing else, you’ve got to choose Unraveling Oliver.
LikeLiked by 1 person
By Jonetta (Ejaygirl) | Blue Mood Café on December 27, 2018 at 8:05 am
I want to read Year One! Also, Before We Were Yours was amazinnnnng! Great list!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
By Christina - Recipe & A Read on December 27, 2018 at 8:15 am
Thank you, Christina! You will LOVE Year One.
LikeLike
By Jonetta (Ejaygirl) | Blue Mood Café on December 27, 2018 at 8:20 am
Just bought All My Life–I love friends-to-lovers stories, too! Thanks for the list!
LikeLiked by 1 person
By Nan on December 27, 2018 at 8:47 am
You’re welcome! Hope you enjoy, Nan.
LikeLike
By Jonetta (Ejaygirl) | Blue Mood Café on December 27, 2018 at 8:50 am
This is a great list. I absolutely loved A Man Called Ove!
LikeLiked by 1 person
By Kyra Leseberg on December 27, 2018 at 9:18 am
Thank you, Kyra! That was such a great story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
By Jonetta (Ejaygirl) | Blue Mood Café on December 27, 2018 at 10:24 am
Awesome list Jo! I have read 0 of them! But I wrote them down and I’m going to check them out! Have a wonderful Thursday!😁💕
LikeLiked by 1 person
By susandyer1962 on December 27, 2018 at 9:36 am
Thank you, Susan! Of everything on this list, the one book I would recommend you read right away is Love and Other Words. You will love it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
By Jonetta (Ejaygirl) | Blue Mood Café on December 27, 2018 at 10:21 am
I love it when a dear book friend posts a list like this and I’ve read very few of the books. It’s like a treasure trove, and I’ve just found it! Thanks for all the recs, Jonetta, and cheers to a great reading year! 🥂 ☕️
LikeLiked by 2 people
By jennifertarheelreader on December 27, 2018 at 10:37 am
And I love it when a dear friend gives me this kind of acknowledgement 💕
LikeLiked by 1 person
By Jonetta (Ejaygirl) | Blue Mood Café on December 27, 2018 at 10:44 am
Great list, Jonetta! I’ve read a couple of these, and a few others are on my TBR. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
By Darinda (Nightcap Books) on December 27, 2018 at 11:03 am
Thanks, Darinda!
LikeLiked by 1 person
By Jonetta (Ejaygirl) | Blue Mood Café on December 27, 2018 at 12:40 pm
Oooh, nice list!
I haven’t read any of these yet, but recently got a copy of Unraveling Oliver, Year One and The Wife. Look forward to reading them 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
By Norrie on December 27, 2018 at 11:41 am
Thanks, Norrie! Enjoy, at LEAST as much as I did.
LikeLiked by 1 person
By Jonetta (Ejaygirl) | Blue Mood Café on December 27, 2018 at 12:41 pm
Great list. I haven’t gotten to all of them yet. I own Year One on audio. I have Love and Other Words from the library right now. I have Good Luck With That on reserve; I had it once but couldn’t get to it from the library. I’m not so far in the Cork series. I have just recently read about Shelter in Place and put it on my tbr. And ….. So these are excellent picks. I want to read them. Anne – Books of My Heart
LikeLiked by 1 person
By Northwoman on December 27, 2018 at 12:23 pm
Wow and thanks, Anne! You’ve collected a lot of these. Hope you love them, too.
LikeLike
By Jonetta (Ejaygirl) | Blue Mood Café on December 27, 2018 at 12:43 pm
I also loved Before We Were Yours and A Man Called Ove! I have several of these other titles on my TBR 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
By Tina Woodbury on December 27, 2018 at 1:33 pm
Tina, that book (BWY) broke my heart.
LikeLiked by 1 person
By Jonetta (Ejaygirl) | Blue Mood Café on December 27, 2018 at 1:48 pm
Your list is amazing! I loved A Man Called Ove, All the Ugly and Wonderful Things, and Good Luck With That!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
By AshesBooksandBobs on December 27, 2018 at 2:00 pm
Thanks, Ashley! Those were definitely outstanding.
LikeLiked by 1 person
By Jonetta (Ejaygirl) | Blue Mood Café on December 27, 2018 at 2:13 pm
I loved the audiobook of When We Were Yours and I’m very tempted by Year One.
LikeLiked by 1 person
By nickimags @ The Secret Library Book Blog on December 27, 2018 at 4:08 pm
Well…don’t let me stop you😏
LikeLiked by 1 person
By Jonetta (Ejaygirl) | Blue Mood Café on December 27, 2018 at 7:50 pm
🤣
LikeLiked by 1 person
By nickimags @ The Secret Library Book Blog on December 28, 2018 at 4:58 am
I’ve had my eye on Year One for ages, I saw the audiobook on offer with Audible, I think I might just treat myself! I listened to The Wife on audio, and I agree, great ending!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
By Janel - Keeper of Pages on December 27, 2018 at 6:57 pm
I waited to listen to that one and I’m so glad I did, Janel. I do better with that genre on audio.
LikeLiked by 1 person
By Jonetta (Ejaygirl) | Blue Mood Café on December 27, 2018 at 7:51 pm
I just listened to a sample of it, and I like what I’m hearing!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
By Janel - Keeper of Pages on December 27, 2018 at 9:33 pm
Wonderful list! I’ve read most of these and the rest of them I want to read ASAP!💕💕
LikeLiked by 1 person
By Berit&V@Audio Killed the Bookmark on December 27, 2018 at 7:29 pm
Thanks, Berit! I know that feeling😍
LikeLike
By Jonetta (Ejaygirl) | Blue Mood Café on December 27, 2018 at 7:52 pm
Great list! I really enjoyed several of these as well, especially Good Luck with That and All We Ever Wanted.
LikeLiked by 1 person
By thebookishlibra on December 27, 2018 at 8:03 pm
Thanks, Suzanne! Both of those really surprised me.
LikeLike
By Jonetta (Ejaygirl) | Blue Mood Café on December 27, 2018 at 8:16 pm
Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren is on my TBR.
LikeLiked by 1 person
By Jennifer 😻📚🎧 (@TheBookNympho) on December 28, 2018 at 10:04 pm
Oh, Jennifer, I love that book.
LikeLike
By Jonetta (Ejaygirl) | Blue Mood Café on December 28, 2018 at 10:26 pm
I love that you always put so many different books on my radar. The only one of these that I’ve read was Year One (so excited to get the next book). Happy New Year.
Melanie @ Hot Listens & Books of My Heart
LikeLiked by 1 person
By Melanie Simmons (@mlsimmons) on December 29, 2018 at 9:55 am
Thank you, Melanie! You help keep me abreast of good titles in the fantasy genre so I’m glad to return the favor. I’ve got Of Blood and Bone Up next and I’m so excited!
LikeLike
By Jonetta (Ejaygirl) | Blue Mood Café on December 29, 2018 at 11:07 am
Some great choices here Jonetta. I have read several of them and have a couple on my TBR. I should get to them early in 2019. I especially want to read Good Luck With That.
LikeLiked by 1 person
By carhicks on December 29, 2018 at 7:29 pm
Thanks, Carla! You will love Good Luck With That.
LikeLiked by 1 person
By Jonetta (Ejaygirl) | Blue Mood Café on December 29, 2018 at 9:23 pm
[…] Of The Reader ♥ Blue Mood Café ♥ Bobo’s Book Bank ♥ Book Jotter ♥ Confessions of a Pinay Bookaholic ♥ […]
LikeLike
By Alba’s 2018 Favorites..♥ – Alba and Her Secrets..♥ on December 30, 2018 at 9:54 am
I also loved ALL THE UGLY AND WONDERFUL THINGS and ALL SHE EVER WANTED as well 💕
LikeLiked by 1 person
By Carol (Bookaria) on December 30, 2018 at 1:57 pm
I really didn’t think I’d like All the Ugly and Wonderful Things so that was a complete surprise. Giffin’s book turned out to be much more compelling than I’d anticipated.
LikeLiked by 1 person
By Jonetta (Ejaygirl) | Blue Mood Café on December 30, 2018 at 2:04 pm
Thanks for posting your list! It inspired me. I tend to read mostly nonfiction, but I realize I always really enjoy a good novel or mystery. After reading your list, there was a quick trip to the library, and I already read Love and Other Words and Unraveling Oliver. Enjoyed the first, but Unraveling Oliver was just awesome! Thanks! Glad to have found your blog.
LikeLiked by 1 person
By earthskyair on December 30, 2018 at 7:16 pm
Oh, you’ve made my day! Liz Nugent is a very talented writer. I read another by her, again on audio (Lying in Wait), and it was deliciously good. Thanks for your message.
LikeLiked by 1 person
By Jonetta (Ejaygirl) | Blue Mood Café on December 30, 2018 at 7:32 pm
Oh yes, I’d definitely be inclined to read more by her. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
By earthskyair on December 30, 2018 at 8:02 pm
I wrote a post about this and linked here. Thanks so much for the inspiration! https://verulomar.wordpress.com/2019/01/04/beloved-books/
LikeLike
By earthskyair on January 4, 2019 at 7:50 am
[…] I perused her comments in the Best of 2018 post, something clicked. I decided right then to make reading for enjoyment a bigger part of my 2019 […]
LikeLike
By beloved books | earth sky air on January 4, 2019 at 7:45 am