Typically at this time of year, I make a definitive list of every single book I read like I did in 2017, followed by a list of my favorites for the year. Because I read so many books (150 to be exact!), I don’t think I’ll list them all here. Instead, I’m going to provide highlights of my favorites. But you can find a list of all the books I’ve read over on my Goodreads account! And follow me for more reviews in the year to come.
Life and Personal Goals
In my personal life, this year was a lot of trying to decide what to do after not getting into doctoral programs; I applied for a lot of jobs and nothing seemed to pan out. After applying to various youth librarian jobs (and not getting them), I finally decided that getting an MLIS degree will best help me to achieve this goal. So! Starting in January, I will be taking online classes in order to get my second Master’s degree with the end goal of eventually being a youth librarian.
Despite things not panning out the way that I wanted them to, I did achieve a lot in 2018 regarding my blog and online book presence. I’ve started requesting ARCs from publishers (and even got a few responses), and have even started having authors contacting me to review their books. I’m hoping to keep up this momentum in 2019, specifically working on building my blog viewership and Etsy shop. Utilizing bullet journaling (which I started last year and really enjoyed), I think I can stay organized enough to get everything done.
But anyway, enough about me; you want to know what I read this year! Or my favorites from what I read this year. I’ll sort of split it up into genres; but if you know me, you know the majority of what I read is young adult fiction.
Best Books of 2018
Because I read them the most, I think I’m going to make separate lists between young adult and graphic novels. I didn’t read much outside of those two genres (oops?), it should encompass most of what I’ve read this year. They’re included in no particular order; I had a hard enough time narrowing down ten books.
Graphic Novels
Superior Spider-Man by Dan Slott
During Doc Ock’s dying moments, he switches bodies with Peter Parker meaning that he is now Spider-Man! I thoroughly enjoyed how this series makes you think about villains versus heroes; plus, it gives us unique insight into Doc Ock as a villain.
Watchmen by Alan Moore
A classic for anyone who’s into graphic novels. Superheroes are being hunted down and killed, and no one can figure out why. Much like Superior Spider-Man, this book analyzes what it means to be a hero, and what’s really behind those masked figures that we all know and love.
March by John Lewis
A nonfiction graphic novel (one of the four I read this year!) that recounts John Lewis’s part in the Civil Rights Movement. It presents information that we all learn in American History in a new way, and it’s connections to the present day show that maybe this fight for freedom isn’t quite finished yet.
Thornhill by Pam Smy
Half graphic novel and half narrative, this tells the story of two girls connected by Thornhill orphanage; one from the past and one from the present. The images juxtapositioned with the text create a creepy atmosphere that makes you question the fact that this is considered a children’s book.
Speak: The Graphic Novel by Laurie Halse Anderson
A retelling of the YA classic, the images here are effective at communicating the ideas behind Anderson’s original story. The graphic novel brings the story to life, and perfectly fits the love for art that the main character has.
Amazing Spider-Man: Spider-Verse by Dan Slott
One of the more recent events in the Spider-Man universe, Spider powered beings from across the multiverse have to come together in order to fight an ancient evil. Partly the inspiration for the new movie, Into the Spider-Verse, it was fun seeing all the different iterations of Spider-Man–and very creative!
And the Ocean Was Our Sky by Patrick Ness
A retelling of Moby Dick–from the whale’s point of view. Honestly, I think only Patrick Ness could come up with such an unusual concept. While not my favorite book from him, the art creates a masterpiece here that I’m sure I’ll want to visit it again.
Saga Volume 9 by Brian K. Vaughn
The latest (and last for a while) volume for Saga is absolutely heartbreaking, though not really until the end. Vaughn makes you think that all the main characters are going to be okay as they go on hiatus, but guess again! And we’re left with quite the hanger until they come back from their break.
Superior Foes of Spider-Man by Nick Spencer
A spin-off of Superior Spider-Man, Boomerang and the Sinister Six are trying to figure out what to do now that Doc Ock is out of the picture. They can lead the Sinister Six on their own, right? This is just a fun spin-off event that places the villains at the forefront–which I think should be done more often.
Captain Marvel by Kelly Sue DeConnick
Inspiration for the movie coming out this coming spring, Carol Danvers is the new Captain Marvel! Captain Marvel is definitely going to a breath of fresh air when the movie is released this March. I mean, it’s about time Marvel made a female-led movie. Getting her background will make the movie even better!
Young Adult Books
The Dangerous Art of Blending In by Angelo Surmelis
Not only is the cover of this book absolutely stunning, Angelo Surmelis has accurately captured what it feels like to be a teen that doesn’t feel like he fits in anywhere. His family doesn’t accept him, he gets bullied at school, his only realm of safety is a little getaway at a monastery in town. The prose itself is lyrical; everything about this book is beautiful.
Sadie by Courtney Summers
Told in partial podcast form, Sadie is determined to find the man who killed her sister. West McCray picks up the story for his True Crime podcast. This is a story that seems like it could have been ripped out of the headlines; and eventually, I hope to listen to the audiobook. It’s supposed to be amazing!
The Boneless Mercies by April Genevieve Tucholke
This is a re-telling of the classic story Beowulf, but from a female point of view. Frey is a Boneless Mercy, destined to take the lives of people desperate and alone. But she wants something more for her and her other Mercies, so they decide to hunt the monster in the north. As someone who has studied Beowulf multiple times, this is a refreshing retelling filled with female power.
A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi
Shirin is a Muslim American living in a post 9/11 world; when she falls for the star basketball player at school, he has no idea the difficulties that can come with their relationship. Full of romance and break-dancing, Tahereh Mafi has tapped into something severely underrepresented in young adult literature.
Summer Bird Blue by Akemi Dawn Bowman
After Rumi’s sister Lea dies in a car accident, she’s not really sure where her life is going to go. All she wanted to do was write music with her sister; now, she’s sent to Hawaii to work through her own grief. Bowman’s prose matches the lyrics that Rumi writes throughout the story. This book touched my heart in more ways than one (and there’s an asexual main character!).
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
I listened to this on audiobook, and I think this is the only way people should consume this story. Elizabeth Acevedo, an award winning slam poet, narrates her own book, and the story is even more touching that way.
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
This is probably in reference to the entire series (is that cheating?), but I was late to the Throne of Glass party. I’m kind of glad I was, though, because it left me with no cliff hangers. I did that with a lot of series this year, so I’m going to count myself lucky.
Dear Martin by Nic Stone
Along the vein of The Hate U Give, Justyce McAllister is at the top of his class, ready for Ivy League, but he finds that that doesn’t matter to the cops that pulled him over. It sparks him to write letters to Martin Luther King Jr., trying to figure out what to do about the people who don’t seem him as an equal.
The Strange Fascinations of Noah Hypnotik by David Arnold
Noah Oakman suddenly gets hypnotized as a party he was dragged to by his best friends–and suddenly, he sees everything in a different. Nothing was as it was before. But maybe this is just what Noah needed in order to accept the changes coming in his future. This is my favorite of David Arnold’s books so far–and I think he has a new one coming out next year! I can’t wait.
The Apocalypse of Elena Mendoza by Shaun David Hutchinson
Elena Mendoza heals someone at a Starbucks which starts a chain of events that could lead to the apocalypse if she isn’t careful. Much like Hutchinson’s other books, the supernatural is mixed with reality making us question what’s real and what isn’t. Again, probably my favorite book from Shaun David Hutchinson; and as always, it’s fun to see how he ties in his other books.
Check out my reviews and my Goodreads for all the other fantastic books I read this year, and stay tuned for other great reads in the new year! Until then, happy reading!