18 in 2018
Reading has been a huge part of my life since as long as I can remember. My parents were (and are) the absolute best about teaching us the importance of reading and how it's a lifelong skill to take with you wherever you go. There's a lot of power in a good book.
Back in January, I made a resolution to keep track of the books I read all year long. I've never done this before, and I wish I started doing it sooner.
I sincerely believe that all these books helped me in some way, although it's very clear to me which one's were more impactful than others.
With all of that said, here is my 18 in 2018: all the books I read this year.
I hope you can take away at least one new book for your upcoming list!
*(english class book)
1*: The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Honestly, I don't remember loving this book, but it is one of those that you are glad you read once you're done. Also this was my first time reading anything by Oscar Wilde, who is a very prominent playwright in history.
2: Make Your Bed by William H. McRaven
I read this one for a book club at school, and I do think it was a good read. It's super short, and you could probably read it in an hour or two. You'll definitely want to make your bed afterwards.
3: Love, Hate, and Other Filters by Samira Ahmed
I LOVED this and I remember being so caught up in it when I was reading it. It's a great story with many different themes (love, terrorism, following your own path) that blend together seamlessly.
4: Turtles all the Way Down by John Green
I distinctly remember what was going on when I read this book, and what this got me through. I will always have a soft spot for this one because of that, but the book itself is unexpected and lovely.
5*: Macbeth by William Shakespeare
I mean, would I have read this if I didn't have to for school? Probably not.
6: Love and Other Train Wrecks by Leah Konen
I'm a sucker for a good love story, and this was that. It was sweet, touching, and wasn't overly cheesy (which is kinda hard to find in love stories).
7: Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
This was another one for book club, and it was SO EMOTIONAL. I'm not a huge history gal, but the story lines in here are so intriguing and I was left in tears.
8*: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brönte
This was one of my FAVORITE books of the year!
I wasn't too excited to read this, but I was beyond pleasantly surprised. I can tell why it's such a classic, and I felt such a sense of sisterhood with Jane when reading. I can't recommend this enough.
9: Quiet by Susan Cain
If you are an introvert, you need to read this. If you are an extrovert, you need to read this even more. This is the most fascinating book I've ever read, and as an introvert myself, I felt every word she wrote.
10: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
This was for a book club at the library, and it's another one I wasn't looking forward to. I know literally nothing about video games, but this book went past that in many ways. I'd say it was good, not great. But if you like the movie, you'll like the book even more.
11: What I Leave Behind by Alison McGhee
The author of this book visited my school, and she fascinated me. She told us about her new book that wasn't released yet, and I knew I had to get it the second it came out. When I read it, I remembered all the details she talked about and that made it even more special. This is a very short book, maybe a one or two hour read. I loved this one and would recommend if you want a short, but very good and insightful book.
12: Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
This book is a classic, and I now know why. This was my main summer read and it took me forever to finish, but I'm glad I did. Janie goes through so much, and her story about life and love is quite the rollercoaster. I LOVED Zora Neale Hurston's writing.
13: They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
I bought this book at a beautiful book store in Victoria, British Columbia and I read it on the boat back to Seattle. I will always think of those good memories when I think of this one, but the book itself was not as amazing as I thought. I definitely enjoyed it, it just wasn't my favorite book of the year.
14: Friendship Bread by Darien Gee
This was a cabin read, and it was so sweet and lighthearted. It was a great ode to new friends and overcoming grief. Also, it made me want to make friendship bread very badly afterwards.
15*: The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver
My mom read and loved this book, and I did too. It had many themes, but my favorite part was the friendship between Taylor and Lou Ann.
16: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
SO GOOD. Somebody tell me why I didn't read this sooner. I love the love story (as I always do), her story of being an introvert in college, and her journey with writing. I felt I related with her in so many different ways. Also, where's my Levi?
17*: Hamlet by William Shakespeare
Yeah, honestly not my favorite read.
18: One Day in December by Josie Silver
I CANNOT CONTROL THE CAPS LOCK OVER HERE. This book was my favorite book of the year for SO many reasons. I just read and finished this one in the last week and I couldn't put it down. It had been so long since I've read a book that I wanted to read all the time; it was like the characters were seeping into my thoughts when I would be doing anything else so I knew I had to go back and finish it. It's quite the love story, and I think the fact that it takes place over the course of 10 years is what makes it so special. It's very unexpected, so what you think is going to happen rarely does. I loved Laurie as a main character, and by the end I felt like we were great friends. All of that said, go read this!!!
Back in January, I made a resolution to keep track of the books I read all year long. I've never done this before, and I wish I started doing it sooner.
I sincerely believe that all these books helped me in some way, although it's very clear to me which one's were more impactful than others.
With all of that said, here is my 18 in 2018: all the books I read this year.
I hope you can take away at least one new book for your upcoming list!
*(english class book)
1*: The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Honestly, I don't remember loving this book, but it is one of those that you are glad you read once you're done. Also this was my first time reading anything by Oscar Wilde, who is a very prominent playwright in history.
2: Make Your Bed by William H. McRaven
I read this one for a book club at school, and I do think it was a good read. It's super short, and you could probably read it in an hour or two. You'll definitely want to make your bed afterwards.
3: Love, Hate, and Other Filters by Samira Ahmed
I LOVED this and I remember being so caught up in it when I was reading it. It's a great story with many different themes (love, terrorism, following your own path) that blend together seamlessly.
4: Turtles all the Way Down by John Green
I distinctly remember what was going on when I read this book, and what this got me through. I will always have a soft spot for this one because of that, but the book itself is unexpected and lovely.
5*: Macbeth by William Shakespeare
I mean, would I have read this if I didn't have to for school? Probably not.
6: Love and Other Train Wrecks by Leah Konen
I'm a sucker for a good love story, and this was that. It was sweet, touching, and wasn't overly cheesy (which is kinda hard to find in love stories).
7: Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
This was another one for book club, and it was SO EMOTIONAL. I'm not a huge history gal, but the story lines in here are so intriguing and I was left in tears.
8*: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brönte
This was one of my FAVORITE books of the year!
I wasn't too excited to read this, but I was beyond pleasantly surprised. I can tell why it's such a classic, and I felt such a sense of sisterhood with Jane when reading. I can't recommend this enough.
9: Quiet by Susan Cain
If you are an introvert, you need to read this. If you are an extrovert, you need to read this even more. This is the most fascinating book I've ever read, and as an introvert myself, I felt every word she wrote.
10: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
This was for a book club at the library, and it's another one I wasn't looking forward to. I know literally nothing about video games, but this book went past that in many ways. I'd say it was good, not great. But if you like the movie, you'll like the book even more.
11: What I Leave Behind by Alison McGhee
The author of this book visited my school, and she fascinated me. She told us about her new book that wasn't released yet, and I knew I had to get it the second it came out. When I read it, I remembered all the details she talked about and that made it even more special. This is a very short book, maybe a one or two hour read. I loved this one and would recommend if you want a short, but very good and insightful book.
12: Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
This book is a classic, and I now know why. This was my main summer read and it took me forever to finish, but I'm glad I did. Janie goes through so much, and her story about life and love is quite the rollercoaster. I LOVED Zora Neale Hurston's writing.
13: They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
I bought this book at a beautiful book store in Victoria, British Columbia and I read it on the boat back to Seattle. I will always think of those good memories when I think of this one, but the book itself was not as amazing as I thought. I definitely enjoyed it, it just wasn't my favorite book of the year.
14: Friendship Bread by Darien Gee
This was a cabin read, and it was so sweet and lighthearted. It was a great ode to new friends and overcoming grief. Also, it made me want to make friendship bread very badly afterwards.
15*: The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver
My mom read and loved this book, and I did too. It had many themes, but my favorite part was the friendship between Taylor and Lou Ann.
16: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
SO GOOD. Somebody tell me why I didn't read this sooner. I love the love story (as I always do), her story of being an introvert in college, and her journey with writing. I felt I related with her in so many different ways. Also, where's my Levi?
17*: Hamlet by William Shakespeare
Yeah, honestly not my favorite read.
18: One Day in December by Josie Silver
I CANNOT CONTROL THE CAPS LOCK OVER HERE. This book was my favorite book of the year for SO many reasons. I just read and finished this one in the last week and I couldn't put it down. It had been so long since I've read a book that I wanted to read all the time; it was like the characters were seeping into my thoughts when I would be doing anything else so I knew I had to go back and finish it. It's quite the love story, and I think the fact that it takes place over the course of 10 years is what makes it so special. It's very unexpected, so what you think is going to happen rarely does. I loved Laurie as a main character, and by the end I felt like we were great friends. All of that said, go read this!!!
So, that is it for my 18 in 2018! I felt like I got back into reading more this year and I'm so glad for that. You will never regret reading a good book.
I hope this inspires you to pick up a new read for the new year!
xx, gracie
a peek at 19 in 2019:
these books I'm either reading right now or are on my up-next list for January!
- The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
-White as Silence Red as Song by Alessandro D'Avenia
-Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler
-All American Boys by Brendan Kiely and Jason Reynolds
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