Favorite Books of 2018

I'm doing things a little different for my favorite books post today. I found this "Mid-Year Freakout Tag" on Emily's blog, who says it is a BookTube thing. I decided to make it into a full year "freakout." In her words:

The Mid-Year Freakout Tag is an annual tradition in the "BookTube" world where people make videos to do a mid-year summary of what they've read so far. Basically, ending with everyone freaking out realizing that the year is half over and no one has read all of the books they intended to so far.

Best book you’ve read this year?

Nope... can't pick just one! 

Simon vs. The Homo Sapien's Agenda- Becky Albertalli

Elineanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine- Gail Honeyman

Little Fires Everywhere- Celeste Ng

The Grownup- Gillian Flynn

The Woman in the Window- A.J. Finn

The Roanoke Girls- Amy Engel

One Of Us Is Lying- Karen McManus

Best sequel you've read so far this year?

Puddin' by Julie Murphy was the only sequel I read this year, but I enjoyed it more than Dumplin'! 

New release you haven't read yet, but want to?

I actually already have a copy of this sitting in my Kindle but I needed a break from thrillers for some light, fluffy holiday reads right now. 

Most anticipated release for the second half of the year?

I was on the wait list for the e-book at the library since July 31st and I just got it in time for holiday break! 

Biggest disappointment?

I wanted to like this so much more than I actually did. It had a strong premise- an intimate (fictional) account of Eleanor Roosevelt's relationship with "first friend" Lorena Hickok. While some parts were really interesting, there was too much backstory about Hick's childhood and I got bored fairly quickly.

Biggest surprise?

I picked this up due to the title alone because I thought it was cute. I thought it would be a YA romance type book, but it touched on a lot of very serious subjects. I just loved the quirky characters, their completely unlikely friendship, and the ending tugged at my heartstrings. 

 

Favorite new author (debut or new to you)?

Becky Albertalli. Hands down. I want to read everything by her now! 

Newest fictional crush?

Dean Holder from Hopeless! So brooding, so passionate. I want to read his side of the story in Losing Hope next.

Newest favorite character?

Ruby from The Darkest Minds. I admired her strength as she grew in the camps, even with guards abusing them at every turn, and her eventual escape when all felt lost. She has both terrible and wonderful traits, and is written to show all the different aspects that make up a person...one of the best, multi-faceted characters I've read in a while.

Book that made you cry?
Books don't tend to make me cry, but this one broke my heart into a million little pieces.

Favorite book-to-film adaptation you saw this year?
I actually read quite a few book to film/TV adaptions this year- You, The Haunting of Hill House, The Darkest Minds, A Wrinkle in Time, Dumplin',... but Love, Simon takes the cake! 

Most beautiful book you've bought/received read?

Definitely Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi! 

      

What were yours favorite reads of the year?
Linking up with Steph and Jana!