Favorite Books of 2018; A Top Ten

So, to start this off this list is as of the date it’s published, so books I love after this date unfortunately are out of the running.  Another thing to note, I do list series, but that is because of the fact that I binge read them, so I had to include it as a series or risk putting each of the books in their own slots.  Hope you guys enjoy this list, and let me know your picks for the year down below!!

• Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J Maas

  • I had been waiting for this book since I finished Empire of Storms, and there was a lot of pressure put on Sarah J Maas and this book, so much pressure, but it rose above that and exceeded all expectations.  I don’t think I’ve read a finale that hit you in the feels, kept me surprised, and had me dreading any battle or small skirmish as much as I did.  This book actually made me want to reread the series and find any and all details I  could have missed!
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• Warcross / Wildcard by Marie Lu

• • If I had just read Warcross last year it would only be Wildcard on this list, but I was a dummy.  This duology was an amazing read, starting off with so much energy, and keeping me engaged every page.  In my eyes this book is definitely not hyped too much, instead I’d say it hasn’t gotten enough hype!  If you love video game stories, diverse books, and bad guys that are pretty well rounded then this is the book for you!

• The Winner’s Trilogy by Marie Rutkoski

• • Another of the series that I was late getting into I’m still shocked at how I’ve missed so many awesome series.  This one just had so many characters that you could only love.  Rutkoski did a wonderful job creating her world and characters, making all of them deep, and important.  There was so much to love about this series, and that is why I ended up binge reading it.
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• Onyx and Ivory by Mindee Arnett

• • One of the smaller Fantasy Releases I picked up this year, this is the one that surprised me by getting me engaged from the offset.  When most of my reads in the summer had slower starts, I can’t even say how much I needed this quick startup, or how excited I am to see how it continues in the next book of the series!

• Smoke in the Sun by Renee Ahdieh

• • Ahdieh has become a staple of my year, her books always filled with complex and beautiful worlds, and characters that are way too easy to attach to.  Wrath and the Dawn started my addiction, but the Flame in the Mist Duology sealed the deal for me. I know it wasn’t everyone’s favorite, but for me I loved every second of it!  (Anyone else??)
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• Cruel Prince by Holly Black

• • I think this one was one of my absolute favorites of the year.  It had it all; Complex characters, well written world, and a plot to blow your mind.  Jude and Cardan made this book what it was, and will likely continue the trend in Wicked King (my big 2019 Release).  It’ll be pretty hard to find a YA reader who doesn’t have this book on their shelf, its rise to fame quick and explosive, but it is Holly Black, and in my view she will always be the Queen of the Fae.

• An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

• • My other big Fae read for the year, it features them but in a different role.  In Rogerson’s world their only interaction with humans is for the artistic skills they themselves cannot perform.  A little bit of a twist, which is what got my interest.  Throw in a Fae Prince, who must act to save his own reputation, and it seems to be a done deal for me.  What I’m running into though is that very few writers work in this niche, so I may be running out of options soon.

• Dance of Thieves by Mary E Pearson

• • A 2018 new release by Mary E. Pearson, this book introduces new characters, while also keeping us in the loop of what happened to her Remnant Chronicles Series Characters.  To make things more interesting, she also made them less wholesome, with darker backgrounds, one being a thief earlier in life, and the other from a group kind of like a Mafia.  It was a great return to a world I already loved, and the inclusion of beloved characters just made everything so much better for me.
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• A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab

• • Schwab is an easy choice for books, her works typically delving into the magical/other worldly storylines.  I loved her Monsters of Verity Duology, and the first Darker Shade of Magic novel, but somehow it took me a while to get back to the series.  Conjuring of Light was what I needed in a finale, and kept me excited throughout the book.  Kell has become one of my favorite characters, and this book just made me love him that much more!

• The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

• • Can I just start this one off with asking why no one has been talking about this enough?  I think I’ve heard maybe one or two people mention this one on booktube (littlebookowl?), and that is a shame.  This one features Clairvoyants, our main character being one who has to hide her abilities or risk being arrested.  It’s like Wizards vs. Muggles, but the Muggles know and are hunting down the Wizards.  Shannon does an awesome job of introducing us to the struggle as Paige Mahoney knows it, then not just adding to it, but chucking away the facade she has known and replacing it with the truth; the awful truth.  It’s not the fastest of books, but once it picks up it hits you hard with its plot twists.

What were some of your favorite reads of the year?  Be sure to check out my Series Finished in 2018 post coming 12/28 for more hints at what I’ve read this year!

*****I do not own any of the pictures used in this post*** (except for the header)

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