Best Books I Read in 2018 | Top Ten Tuesday

Hosted weekly by That Artsy Reader Girl.

Happy Tuesday!

And happy 2019!

I read over 500 books in 2018, spanning a number of genres and ratings, and I loved so many of them. Narrowing my favorites to a short-ish list took some work, but I did it. 

Without further ado, here are the 18 favorites books I most enjoyed in 2018:

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate

"Based on one of America’s most notorious real-life scandals—in which Georgia Tann, director of a Memphis-based adoption organization, kidnapped and sold poor children to wealthy families all over the country—Lisa Wingate’s riveting, wrenching, and ultimately uplifting tale reminds us how, even though the paths we take can lead to many places, the heart never forgets where we belong."

Goodreads | Amazon

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James
 

"When Fiona discovers that Idlewild Hall is being restored by an anonymous benefactor, she decides to write a story about it. But a shocking discovery during the renovations will link the loss of her sister to secrets that were meant to stay hidden in the past—and a voice that won't be silenced..."

Goodreads | Amazon

The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty 

"Step into The City of Brass, the spellbinding debut from S. A. Chakraborty perfect for fans of The Golem and the Jinni, The Grace of Kings, and Uprooted, in which the future of a magical Middle Eastern kingdom rests in the hands of a clever and defiant young con artist with miraculous healing gifts."

Goodreads | Amazon

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

"Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine is the smart, warm, and uplifting story of an out-of-the-ordinary heroine whose deadpan weirdness and unconscious wit make for an irresistible journey as she realizes. . .

The only way to survive is to open your heart."

Goodreads | Amazon

Falling for You by Becky Wade

"When a decades-old missing persons case finds Corbin and Willow working together, they're forced to confront their past and who they've become--and whether they can risk falling for one another all over again."

Goodreads | Amazon

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

"In this unforgettable portrait of human frailty and resilience, Kristin Hannah reveals the indomitable character of the modern American pioneer and the spirit of a vanishing Alaska―a place of incomparable beauty and danger. The Great Alone is a daring, beautiful, stay-up-all-night story about love and loss, the fight for survival, and the wildness that lives in both man and nature."

Goodreads | Amazon

How to Walk Away by Katherine Center

"How to Walk Away is Katherine Center at her very best: an utterly charming, hopeful, and romantic novel that will capture reader’s hearts with every page."

Goodreads | Amazon

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

"The Lord of the Rings tells of the great quest undertaken by Frodo and the Fellowship of the Ring: Gandalf the Wizard; the hobbits Merry, Pippin, and Sam; Gimli the Dwarf; Legolas the Elf; Boromir of Gondor; and a tall, mysterious stranger called Strider."

Goodreads | Amazon

Mark of the Raven by Morgan L. Busse 

"One path holds glory and power, and will solidify her position as Lady of Ravenwood. The other path holds shame and execution. Which will she choose? And is she willing to pay the price for the path chosen?"

Goodreads | Amazon

My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton & Jodi Meadows

"Prepare for an adventure of Gothic proportions, in which all is not as it seems, a certain gentleman is hiding more than skeletons in his closets, and one orphan Jane Eyre, aspiring author Charlotte Brontë, and supernatural investigator Alexander Blackwood are about to be drawn together on the most epic ghost hunt this side of Wuthering Heights. "

Goodreads | Amazon

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend

"A breathtaking, enchanting new series by debut author Jessica Townsend, about a cursed girl who escapes death and finds herself in a magical world--but is then tested beyond her wildest imagination."

Goodreads | Amazon

No One Ever Asked by Katie Ganshert

"Challenging perceptions of discrimination and prejudice, this emotionally resonant drama for readers of Lisa Wingate and Jodi Picoult explores three different women navigating challenges in a changing school district--and in their lives."

Goodreads | Amazon

Olivia Twist by Lorie Langdon

"Olivia Twist is an innovative reimagining of Charles Dickens’ classic tale Oliver Twist, in which Olivia was forced to live as a boy for her own safety until she was rescued from the streets. Now eighteen, Olivia finds herself at a crossroads: revealed secrets threaten to destroy the 'proper' life she has built for her herself, while newfound feelings for an arrogant young man she shouldn’t like could derail her carefully laid plans for the future"

Goodreads | Amazon

The Only Things Worse Than Me Is You by Lily Anderson

"Stephanie Perkins meets 10 Things I Hate About You in The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You, a fresh, romantic debut from author Lily Anderson inspired by Much Ado About Nothing."

Goodreads | Amazon

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

"Unrivaled storytelling. Unforgettable characters. Rich historical detail. These are the hallmarks of Diana Gabaldon’s work. Her New York Times bestselling Outlander novels have earned the praise of critics and captured the hearts of millions of fans. Here is the story that started it all, introducing two remarkable characters, Claire Beauchamp Randall and Jamie Fraser, in a spellbinding novel of passion and history that combines exhilarating adventure with a love story for the ages."

Goodreads | Amazon

Scythe by Neal Shusterman

"Scythe is the first novel of a thrilling new series by National Book Award–winning author Neal Shusterman in which Citra and Rowan learn that a perfect world comes only with a heavy price."

Goodreads | Amazon

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë

"Using her own experiences with her brother Branwell to depict the cruelty and debauchery from which Helen flees, Anne Brontë wrote her masterpiece to reflect the fragile position of women in society and her belief in universal redemption, but scandalized readers of the time."

Goodreads | Amazon

The Way to Game the Walk of Shame by Jenn P. Nguyen 

"Readers will be ready to sign their own love contract after reading The Way to Game the Walk of Shame, a fun and addicting contemporary YA romance by Jenn P. Nguyen and chosen by readers like you for Macmillan's young adult imprint Swoon Reads."

Goodreads | Amazon

What were your favorite books of 2018?