My Year in Books | 2018

In 2018 I rated 6 books with 5 stars, which makes up 14% of all my 2018 reads. My first 5 stars read of last year was in January and it was Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft, fascinating fantasy novel. Next, I listen to audiobook What Happened by Hillary Rodham Clinton. It was read by the author herself, which made the whole experience quite special. April brought us third and final instalment of The Illuminae Files, and I  simultaneously read and listened to Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff. I’m sad that the series ended, but I’m excited about next release from the authors. In June I read and loved bizarre YA fantasy novel – The Call by Peadar Ó Guilín. Last two 5 star reads of 2018 come to me in August, when I read Polish mystery novel Żmijwisko by Wojciech Chmielarz and novel about nurse accused of a serious crime – Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult.

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Roundup of my favorite ‘Best of 2018’ lists

Do you love lists? I love, love lists. And end of the year is perfect for us, list lovers because we are bombarded with posts listing all of the best and worst things of the year. Best of 2018 lists are especially great for me this time, because they help me to catch up with all of the books I missed on because of my absence in book community in last few months. I need to find out what I missed!

Here’s a list of my favorite Best of 2018 lists:

2018’S BEST BOOKS ABOUT BODIES by Bitch Media

The topic is close to my hear, so I love seeing a list of all the books that tackle body image topics.

On my TBR:

• HEAVY: AN AMERICAN MEMOIR by Kiese Laymon
• GROSS ANATOMY: DISPATCHES FROM THE FRONT (AND BACK) by Mara Altman
• YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN FAT by Virgie Tovar
• THE BODY IS NOT AN APOLOGY: THE POWER OF RADICAL SELF-LOVE by Sonya Renee Taylor 

THE BEST FEMINIST BOOKS TO GIFT THIS CHRISTMAS by Elle.com + 11 FEMINIST BOOKS TO GIFT YOUR BESTIE WHO’S BUSY SMASHING THE PATRIARCHY by HelloGiggles

Combined those two list make a comprehensive list of great feminist books that 2018 brought us.

Highlights from Elle list:

• THE SURFACE BREAKS by Louise O’Neill
• BLOODY BRILLIANT WOMEN: THE PIONEERS, REVOLUTIONARIES AND GENIUSES YOUR HISTORY TEACHER FORGOT TO MENTION by Cathy Newman
• FED UP: EMOTIONAL LABOR, WOMEN, AND THE WAY FORWARD by Gemma Hartley
• FEMINISTS DON’T WEAR PINK (AND OTHER LIES): AMAZING WOMEN ON WHAT THE F-WORD MEANS TO THEM by Scarlett Curtis

Highlights from HelloGiggles list:

• BEYONCÉ IN FORMATION: REMIXING BLACK FEMINISM by Omise’eke Tinsley
• CAN WE ALL BE FEMINISTS? by June Eric-Udorie
• PERIOD POWER: A MANIFESTO FOR THE MENSTRUAL MOVEMENT by Nadya Okamoto
• FEMINASTY: THE COMPLICATED WOMAN’S GUIDE TO SURVIVING THE PATRIARCHY WITHOUT DRINKING HERSELF TO DEATH by Erin Gibson

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

Title: The Hating Game

Author: Sally Thorne

Pub Date: 2016

My Rating: ★★★★☆

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Synopsis from Goodreads:

Nemesis (n.)

1) An opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome;

2) A person’s undoing;

3) Joshua Templeman.

Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman hate each other. Not dislike. Not begrudgingly tolerate. Hate. And they have no problem displaying their feelings through a series of ritualistic passive aggressive maneuvers as they sit across from each other, executive assistants to co-CEOs of a publishing company. Lucy can’t understand Joshua’s joyless, uptight, meticulous approach to his job. Joshua is clearly baffled by Lucy’s overly bright clothes, quirkiness, and Pollyanna attitude.

Now up for the same promotion, their battle of wills has come to a head and Lucy refuses to back down when their latest game could cost her her dream job…But the tension between Lucy and Joshua has also reached its boiling point, and Lucy is discovering that maybe she doesn’t hate Joshua. And maybe, he doesn’t hate her either. Or maybe this is just another game.

The Witch Elm by Tana French

Title: The Witch Elm

Author: Tana French

Pub Date: October 2018

My Rating: ★★☆☆☆

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Synopsis from Goodreads:

Toby is a happy-go-lucky charmer who’s dodged a scrape at work and is celebrating with friends when the night takes a turn that will change his life – he surprises two burglars who beat him and leave him for dead. Struggling to recover from his injuries, beginning to understand that he might never be the same man again, he takes refuge at his family’s ancestral home to care for his dying uncle Hugo. Then a skull is found in the trunk of an elm tree in the garden – and as detectives close in, Toby is forced to face the possibility that his past may not be what he has always believed.

A spellbinding standalone from one of the best suspense writers working today, The Witch Elm asks what we become, and what we’re capable of, when we no longer know who we are.

Unknown books I read – the recommended list

Looking at my read shelf on Goodreads, I ventured to the settings and added ‘Number of ratings’ to my list to see how many people rated the books I read. There is quite a number of books I read, that beside me were rated on Goodreads by less than 200 people. And there are cases where I just cannot believe that those books weren’t rated by more people!

You haven’t heard about them but they’re good!

Tears in the Grass by Lynda A. Archer 

My Rating: ★★★★★ | Goodreads rating: 4.07 | 123 ratings

This is such a beautiful story. I absolutely loved it. The writing is amazing, descriptions of nature were mystical and brilliant. Among other subjects, it’s about the lives of Native people in 70s, how non-Native people were treating them and destroying their spirits and culture. If you are not sure on which side you stand when it comes to rights of minorities, read this book. It will give you something to think about.

Damsel by Elana K. Arnold

Title: Damsel

Author: Elana K. Arnold

Pub Date: October 2018

My Rating: ★★★★☆

View on Goodreads

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Synopsis from Goodreads:

The rite has existed for as long as anyone can remember: when the prince-who-will-be-king comes of age, he must venture out into the gray lands, slay a fierce dragon, and rescue a damsel to be his bride. This is the way things have always been.

When Ama wakes in the arms of Prince Emory, however, she knows none of this. She has no memory of what came before she was captured by the dragon, or what horrors she has faced in its lair. She knows only this handsome prince, the story he tells of her rescue, and her destiny to sit on the throne beside him. Ama comes with Emory back to the kingdom of Harding, hailed as the new princess, welcomed to the court.

However, as soon as her first night falls, she begins to realize that not all is as it seems, that there is more to the legends of the dragons and the damsels than anyone knows–and that the greatest threats to her life may not be behind her, but here, in front of her.

Unknown books I read – the not recommended list

Looking at my read shelf on Goodreads, I ventured to the settings and added ‘Number of ratings’ to my list to see how many people rated the books I read. There is quite a number of books I read, that beside me were rated on Goodreads by less than 200 people. And in most cases, I’m happy to see such a low number of ratings…

I read those, but you don’t have to make the same mistake

Never Marry a Politician by Sarah Waights

My Rating: ★★☆☆☆ | Goodreads rating: 3.57 | 53 ratings

Typical rom-com with one-dimensional characters, where well known romantic set up is dumped in a political world. It is a light read, and sure, you could read it, but why? There are better romantic books out there that will actually make you feel something, and stay with you. I do not remember anything about this particular book, I’m writing this opinion only thanks to my old-self leaving a short review on Goodreads.