My Top 5 Reads of 2018

Happy New Year’s Eve! This year, I did not reach my reading goal of 60 books, but I got oh so close. I read approximately 50 books, so I still think that was a decent attempt. I’ve reflected on and decided on my top 5 favorite books I read this year. Here they are:

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1. Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
2. The Woman in the Window by A. J. Finn
3. Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
4. I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara
5. The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay

What do these 5 books have in common? They are all by authors I’d never read before. They all stood out to me, even months after reading, as memorable and unique. Most are fiction, but one is non-fiction. They encompass my favorite genres to read: literary fiction, psychological/domestic thrillers, historical fiction, true crime non-fiction, and horror/post-apocalyptic fiction.

The writing was beyond superb in all of these books, and kept me engaged and interested. They made me think about life, especially about the seedier and sketchier elements of humanity. These books taught me ways the human mind attempts to cope when put in impossible situation. I would read all of these books again in the future, to enjoy the experience of reading them again, but also to analyze the plot and characters in more detail.

I look forward to reading more amazing books in 2019 and discovering more new authors!