Today, I'm linking up with That Artsy Reader Girl for the first Top Ten Tuesday of 2019! The subject this week is Best Books I read in 2018. I read sixty-nine books this year! And reviewed the vast majority here or on Goodreads. That astonishes me. Wow
The title of this post is a lie. I read so many wonderful books this year that I've got two lists of ten here, one of new-to-me reads and one of rereads. So in reality, this is my TWENTY favorite books of 2018.
As always, titles are linked to my reviews. All artsy pictures are from my Bookstagram adventures. I've provided a bit of info about the genre, audience, or subject matter, plus my movie-style rating for each.
Top Ten New-to-Me Reads of 2018
1. A Flame in the Dark by Sarah Baughman -- Protestant Reformation, Christian fiction, PG-13
2. A Name Unknown by Roseanna M. White -- WWI, Christian fiction, PG.
3. Speak Easy, Speak Love by McKelle George -- Roaring '20s, Shakespeare retelling, PG-13
4. Soldier On by Vanessa Rasanen -- Christian fiction, modern military fiction, PG-13
5. Jane of Lantern Hill by L. M. Montgomery -- classic, coming-of-age, G
6. Loving Isaac by Heather Kaufmann -- Christian fiction, parenting an autistic child, PG-13
7. A Hobbit, A Wardrobe, and a Great War by Joseph Laconte -- nonfiction, literary history, PG-13
8. Guns of the Timberlands by Louis L'Amour -- historical fiction, western, PG
9. Girl in Disguise by Greer MacAllister -- biographical novel, spy novel, Civil War history, PG-13
10. Jane of Austin by Hillary Manton Lodge -- Christian fiction, Jane Austen retelling, PG-13
Top Ten Rereads of 2018
1. Persuasion by Jane Austen -- classic, romantic love, G
2. The Hound of the Baskervilles by A. Conan Doyle -- classic, mystery, PG
3. The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery -- classic, romantic love, PG
4. The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton -- coming-of-age, young adult, PG
5. Gone-Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright -- slice-of-life, middle-grade, G
6. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen -- classic, coming-of-age, PG
7. The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin -- mystery, middle-grade, PG
8. On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder -- classic, history, PG
9. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury -- classic, dystopian, sci-fi, PG-13
10. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis -- classic, fantasy, PG
I've been doing top ten lists of books read each year for a while now. Click on the year to read my lists from 2017, 2016, 2015, and 2014.
How about you? What favorites, new or old, did you read in 2018?
I think my favorite new-to-me book I read in 2018 was either Summer of Salt by Katrina Leno or Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz. They were both really emotional reads for me and they felt new and fresh in a good way.
ReplyDeleteJessica, I've not heard of either of those, other than in passing (like, I know you reviewed AADDTSOTU, but I haven't read your review yet cuz I'm... a bad person. Or a busy person. Or a tired person. Take your pick). What did you like about them?
DeleteHere's my top-ten list for the year: http://www.elisabethgracefoley.com/2019/01/top-ten-books-read-in-2018.html I feel like I had a bit of a ho-hum year for new-to-me fiction, but on the flip side, I read some really great nonfiction books. (Oh, and Gone-Away Lake made my list too!)
ReplyDeleteI haven't read anything on your new list, but A Flame in the Dark looks intriguing, since I've been reading some German history and am interested in the Reformation era.
Elisabeth, I've had years like that too. And how cool that Gone-Away Lake is on your list too!
DeleteA Flame in the Dark has wonderfully researched historical elements, so you might like it for those alone?
I've read 2, 6, 8, and 10 of your rereads, but all the rest sound so good! I'll be adding them to my ever growing to-read list!
ReplyDeleteMC, ahh, the ever-growing TBR list. What happens when you hang out online with readers a lot, amiright?
DeleteGreat to see some love for Speak Easy, Speak Love! I personally still need to read Northanger Abbey, but I'm planning to in 2019.
ReplyDeleteMy TTT: https://bookworm716.blogspot.com/2019/01/top-ten-tuesday-favorite-reads-of-2018.html
Emma, oh man, isn't SE,SL an amazing book? I intend to reread it this year.
DeleteI'll check out your TTT this evening :-)
I tried to do this TTT but I gave up. Most of my favorites were re-reads. Most of the fiction I read was meh, and I thought a mixture of nonfiction and liked-not-loved fiction would be weird.
ReplyDeleteI need to find some way to get my hands on Speak Easy, Speak Love as my library doesn't have it.
Livia, I've had years like that too. I hope you can get a copy of SE,SL somehow! It's so good.
DeleteI don't think I've reread a book in years, which is a shame as there's so many stories I'd like to revisit - either because they were childhood favourites or that they're recent faves. Maybe that'll be a bookish goal for 2019...
ReplyDeleteMy Top Ten Best Books of 2018.
Elena, sometimes I think I reread more old favorites than try new books. I know some years it's almost 50/50, anyway :-) That would be a cool bookish goal for the year!
DeleteThanks for sharing your list -- I'll check it out this evening!
You read so much! Great list.
ReplyDeleteAww, thanks, Skye! Yeah, I did. Sixty-nine books last year!
DeleteI've just started reading A Hobbit, A Wardrobe, and a Great War - good to see it was one of your top tens :)
ReplyDeleteCarol, ooooh! I hope you like it as much as I did.
DeleteI am looking back at all your posts of favorites and I see a trend: The Blue Castle continues to make your favorites list year after year. I love it! I had never heard of The Hobbit, the Wardrobe, and a Great War. Adding it to my TBR! I have had Jane of Austin on my TBR for a while, so I need to get to it soon!
ReplyDeleteElena Alice, aww, how fun that you're checking out the past ones! I always enjoy making these. And yes, The Blue Castle has climbed high onto my list of favorite books :-D
DeleteThe Hobbit, the Wardrobe, and the Great War is a really good book, and I hope you enjoy it! Jane of Austin is really fun too.
Thanks for the lovely comments!