Kim’s Top 10 of 2018
Another nearly impossible list to try to compile . . . but I tried! This year, I’ve decided to ignore my star ratings and go with the most memorable/emotional. Yes, several of the contestants from the “Most Gorgeous Cover” tournament are on this list, but believe it or not, the covers are not dictating this list. I also left out any books that I had read before 2018, which actually helped quite a bit in narrowing it down! I went with my gut this year and here is the result.
***And these are in no particular order, because that really is undoable!***
His Fair Assassin Series by Robin LaFevers
I loved the setting, the story, and the characters in this series. It was unique and fascinating!
Unwind Series by Neal Shusterman
I cannot say enough good about this series. I’ve never read anything like it and Shusterman, per usual, philosophized the hell out of my brain without sacrificing plot or characters.
We Sold Our Souls by Grady Hendrix
Dark, interesting, and engaging. It pulled me into the pages and didn’t let go!
Gunslinger Girl by Lyndsay Ely
A badass heroine in a western setting. Perfection! Ok, and the cover is easily my favorite of the year!
Time’s Convert by Deborah Harkness
A continuation of a saga I’ve been in love with for years! So wonderful to be able to read more about the characters that I’ve come to see as friends!
This Darkness Mine by Mindy McGinnis
Crazy mind games in a dark and twisted world; all in the expert way the way that only McGinnis can portray.
Resistance by Jennifer Nielsen
My favorite WW2 fiction, easily. A usually untold perspective of strength and fighting back.
Willa of the Wood by Robert Beatty
Another beautiful character in a gorgeous and surreal setting. When a book actually makes me think about going camping, you know it’s good!
Jagged Mind by Taylor Saville
I would talk about this book . . . but I’d probably just start crying all over again! This book stuck in my brain for longer than any other book has and brought out all the feelings!
Alone by Cyn Balog:
Insane, psychological plot twists and surprises and super creepy; I loved it!
What were your top reads on 2018? What are you looking forward to for 2019?
Jessica’s Top 10 of 2018
Wow, another year has flown by, goodbye 2018! It is crazy how much quicker the years are passing by now. But here is my top 10 of 2018! (I kept track of my 5 star reads as the year progressed to make this post easier to do!) Here are my picks in order:
10. I Give You My Heart by SarahJane Ford
I read this one as part of a blog tour and it deeply touched me. Organ donation is very important, and when you know someone who is still alive because of it, you can’t say thank you enough to the donor and their family!
9. The Underachieving Ovary by JT Lawrence
I was sent the Audible version by the author, but I already had on my kindle to read at some point. JT Lawrence is becoming one of my favorite authors and this is her semi-autobiographical novel dealing with infertility. As I listened to it I realized how much my friends who have had fertility issues have actually gone through.
8. The Last Wish of Sasha Cade by Cheyenne Young
This is a touching one that was read that you can’t help but tear up during, whether throughout the book or just the epilogue! It shows the true friendship these two girls have: even beyond death.
7. Dear Martin by Nic Stone
A young African American teen boy who did everything right, but deals with racism. I enjoyed the male point of view and the novel takes place in Georgia as well! I also was fortunate to meet Nic Stone in October: she is great!
6. Warcross by Marie Lu
Yes, I borrowed Kim’s picture for this post. Her review had me wanting to read it and I am NOT a gamer! This novel is about so much more than about gaming!
5. How to Walk Away by Katherine Center
What more can I say: WOW! I wondered why there was an airplane on the cover…And then I read the novel! What a journey. This was my first novel by Center and it will NOT be my last!
4. The Sun is also a Star by Nicola Yoon
This one was my first five star read of 2018 and the books that I read afterward had a lot to live up to: In fact, only three beat this one out: I love how this one is different from other YA novels, where the girl is the skeptic about love and there is a realistic ending.
3. Year One by Nora Roberts
Wait a minute: Nora Roberts writes more than romance?!?!?! She writes post-apocalyptic as well?!?!?! This intrigued me so I wanted to check it out! There is a bit of a fantastical element thrown in this novel and fantasy is far from what I read, but I really enjoyed this one! The sequel is out now, I need to read it!
2. The One by John Marrs
I really enjoy suspense/thrillers and The One is everything I enjoy in a book! I won my signed copy via Goodreads giveaway. It will be a series on Netflix at some point and I can not wait to watch it! This would have been my number one read of the year if it were not for the series that ultimately blew me away and took the number one spot…..
What is my number one read of 2018??????
1. Scythe and Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman
The reason there are two books in my number one spot is because they are part of a series and were equal for me! I could not separate these two books. Kim’s review of Scythe piqued my curiosity and I am so glad I read these two books. Neal Shusterman is a freaking genius and I need to read more of his books. The final book ( I think) in this series will be called The Toll and is supposed to come out in 2019. If you have not read this series yet, I suggest you wait until The Toll is published so you won’t be in high anticipation as you are left needing more of this series!
Have you read any of these books, and if so what did you think of them? Kim’s Top 10 of 2018 will post tomorrow. She decided on her top 10 a little differently from they way I chose mine. Stay tuned to see what books she loved!
[Top]
Life After Death
Title: Life After Death: An American Family Book Two
Author: Jackson Baer
Narrator: Dan Carroll
Published: November 5, 2018
Audiobook
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: December 15-19, 2018
Jessica’s Rating: 3 stars
Book Description:
The Childs family faced the unthinkable… now they have a second chance.
The Childs family has endured a terrible tragedy, but the FBI’s shocking discovery has turned their lives upside down.
His kids have all moved on from the death of their mother, as has Isaac from the loss of his wife, but now that the FBI has finally solved the case, the Childs family must face the loss of Ramie all over again.
Each has their own relationships and their own lives, but all are upended due to unforeseen circumstances. As they maneuver these new lives, they must deal with love, heartache, and jealousy as a family, and the choices they face will not be easy.
Their decisions bring out the best in some… and the worst in others.
Jessica’s Review:
Life After Death is the second and final book in An American Family series that follows the Childs family. I reviewed An American Family here. Life After Death picks up shortly after An American Family ends. I would recommend having both books to read sequentially, as An American Family ends a bit abruptly and I was ready for more story with the Childs’ family.
Life After Death deals with Isaac again and also more with his kids Olivia and Carter. As mentioned previously, all of these characters have many flaws and they have to deal with the aftermath of a terrible situation. If they had been perfect before, they would have been far from it after the fact!
This is a series where you cannot say much in the review without giving spoilers away, but it is just an average read for me. Yes, every family has some kind of tragedy, but for the Childs family the tragedies kept coming and became more extreme: This makes it less believable and also predictable as it became a “yep, this is going to happen next” kind of read for me.
Though predictable, I did enjoy the read. The psychology of the family experiences and how they coped kept me intrigued.
The narrator, Dan Carroll’s voice sounded similar to John Goodman to me.
Many thanks to the author Jackson Baer who sent an audible copy in exchange for a review.
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK