Best Books of 2018

This is probably one of the hardest posts I’ve ever written because choosing my favourite books that I read last year is tough. I read 175 books last year and when I sat down and started choosing the best reads, my list came to 36 books. Originally, I was going to write up three blog posts counting down to my favourite read of 2018, but I thought that was too extra.

So I cut down my favourite books to 20 — I tried to cut it down more but I just couldn’t do it. So, here we go!

Here’s my top 20 books of 2018!

20-17

 

If Not, Winter: Fragments of Sappho by Anne Carson

• Sappho: I am a lesbian, I am sexually and romantically attracted to women
  Some historian: Look, gals just being gal pals
  Anne Carson: Sappho is gay, here’s a list of her girlfriends
• Beautiful collection of poetry, I wish the full collection could have survived rather than such small fragments
• I read this in one sitting

Circe by Madeline Miller

• I was in a very Ancient Greek mood last year
• Beautiful writing, I was so freaking impressed
• A very slow book, focused on character development
• Follows Circe from birth, her exile, and her struggles
• Loved the portrayal of Odysseus — he’s not as heroic as he’s usually portrayed
• Circe’s son is coded queer!
• Circe is a boss bitch and I want to marry her

Point of Contact by Melanie Hansen

• One of the saddest romances I’ve ever read, but also the most beautiful
• I’ve never cried as much as I did while reading this book
• A romance between a former soldier and the father of his best friend, who died in combat
• Very, very sad — first half of the book is about everyone’s life before the death, and the second half is set after
• Despite the sadness, it’s one of the loveliest m/m romances I’ve ever read

Over and Over Again by Cole McCade

• I want to make it my life’s mission to get everyone to read this book
• The sweetest m/m romance between a 19-year-old boy who’s lost his way in the world and a gentle Romani goat farmer — who just happens to be his father’s best friend
• Soft — so much softness, you’ll die!
• I relate so much to Luca and his struggles with his parents and trying to find his way
• Lots of taking care of animals, getting snowed in, kissing, and laughing
• Bless this book

 

16-13

 

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

• Non-fiction novel about a Black woman who died from cancer in the 50s and who’s cancer cells were taken from her and then used to create vaccines that changed the course of human medicine
• Such a powerful novel, but a very sad one too as it charts how many people — mainly marginalised — were taken advantage of by those in the medicine profession
• But it’s also so interesting as, because of Henrietta, we have so many medicine and human laws now
• Amazing writing — draws you in

The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee

• Felicity is my aroace queen, I’d die for her
• I’d also die for her girl gang, featuring Sim and Johanna
• Just as good as The Gentleman’s Guide, those who say it isn’t are lying
• Loved the historical elements, mixed in with the slightly supernatural
• So many amazing feminism quotes in this book — and intersectional feminism at that

Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas

• No one is more surprised than me that I loved this book — fully expected to hate it
• For once I liked Aelin? I know, I’m shocked too
• Elide and Lorcan are #couplegoals. Forever wish we could have seen them bone, instead of reading a fade-to-black scene
• Loved how all the characters ended up
• But kinda miffed no one died. Let’s be honest, SJM would never do that but still
• Awesome action scenes

Of Fire and Stars

• The cutest little sapphic fantasy
• A princess travels to another kingdom to marry their prince but falls in love with the princess instead
• So many people hate on it, they’re all wrong
• I love my lesbian princess and bi princess

 

12-9

 

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

• So. Much. Queer. Subtext
• So pretentious: lots of references to Shakespeare
• One person in a group of college friends accidentally kills their leader and the rest try to cover it up
• My heart hurt reading this
• THAT ENDING?? Very ambiguous

The Bones Beneath My Skin by TJ Klune

• TJ Klune gets better and better with every novel he writes
• A contemporary sci-fi novel about a man who gets caught up trying to protect an alien child and trying not to fall for the soldier who guards her
• Artemis Darth Vader is the best kid in the world, I want a daughter just like her one day
• Going to reread this sometime this year

Luck in the Shadows by Lynn Flewelling

• Why didn’t I read this sooner?? Seriously so freaking awesome
• A young man becomes the apprentice to a spy and thief, and soon the two men get caught up in an ancient prophecy
• Seregil is the definition of a disaster bi and I adore him
• Alec needs to be protected at all costs, my little bb

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah

• Trevor Noah is hilarious and I want everyone to read his book
• A memoir about growing up in South Africa, as the son of a white Swiss man and a Black Xhosa woman during apartheid
• So many of the stories are absolutely hilarious. My favourite is the one about DJ-ing at a local highschool. Read that story and talk to me about it!
• But it’s also super sad, especially towards the end of the novel

 

8-5

 

Pisces Hooks Taurus by Anyta Sunday

• Anyta Sunday is the queen of soft romances with oblivious main characters
• As good as Leo Loves Aries, and I don’t say that lightly!
• A New Zealand man wants to get his green card to stay in the States and he has one month left to fall in love and get married. He moves into a new apartment and begins to fall for his new roommate, who doesn’t believe in love anymore
• AND THEY WERE ROOMMATES oh my god they were roommates

The Land I Lost by Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan

• BLESS CASSIE AND SARAH FOR GIFTING US WITH THIS TENDER SHORT STORY
• About when Alec and Magnus adopt their second son, Rafael, when Alec is on a mission in Buenos Aires
• Their son Max is the sweetest little guy! He gets a reward each time he can successfully ignore being tempted by demons
• My heart broke each time little Rafael smiled at photos of Magnus 😭

Ravensong by TJ Klune

• The second book in the Green Creek series went so freaking hard
• You thought book one had angst? Bitch, buckle the fuck up
• Gordo, despite being in love with Mark, refuses to let himself fall for Mark again, even though they’re soulmates
• The best characters were the Timberwolf and Carter, who will be the main characters in book four

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

• Literally read this massive book in three days because I couldn’t put it down
• Donna Tartt is amazing and i want to read all of her books
• About a young college man who is admitted into a very elite Ancient Greek class, and who befriends a strange group of people, and together they murder someone
• So many references to Greek mythology, I was screaming

 

4-2

 

Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor

• One of the best series enders ever
• Made so many references to Laini’s other series and it makes me think she’ll be writing more in this world
• THERO IS GAY, MY BABY I KNEW IT
• Lazlo and Sarai are so lovely together, I adore them … and I don’t ship many hetero couples,,, so
• So happy and satisfied with the ending

The Lightning-Struck Heart by TJ Klune

• Actually this #3 spot is for the whole Tales From Verania series, because that series is beyond incredible
• TJ Klune has three spots in my top 20 list and he deserves all of them!
• About a young wizard apprentice who must go on a quest with the guy he’s in love with to save the prince who was kidnapped by a talking dragon … and who is also dating they guy he’s in love with
• Gary the hornless gay unicorn and Tiggy the half-giant are #friendship goals
• This is legitimately the funniest book I’ve ever read

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

• About an ageing Hollywood star who is finally ready to tell her life story and she chooses an unknown reporter to listen to the tale, discussing, for the first time, her seven famous husbands
• Evelyn Hugo is the bisexual goddess, everyone should bow down to her
• The gayest book you’ll ever read. It straight-baits people — amazing
• Am going to reread this very soon

 

1

In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan

• I could write an essay about how amazing this book is ,, but this little paragraph will have to suffice
• About a boy named Elliot who goes to magical school in a magical land from ages 13-17, where he befriends an elf and a human boy, and they save the world multiple times together
• So sex-positive! Elliot discovers he is bisexual and he has sexual relationships with boys and girls, and he’s not shamed for it. Plus! Sex is viewed as a healthy exploration that some teenagers go through, not something that is shamed. Bless Sarah Rees Brennan
• Elliot needs to be protected. Yeah, he’s a little shit and can be judgemental, but he’s also very lonely and sad and just wants to be loved
• Love the unique magical world, especially the elf society!

 

That’s my top 20 favourite novels of 2018!! What’s yours?

Have you read any of the books on my list? Let me know!