Fireside Favorites – Best Reads of 2018

 

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Today’s prompt for Bookending Winter is Fireside Favorites, Best Reads of 2018 from Lauren over at Northern Plunder, check out her post, she has lots of great reads in it! If you don’t know what Bookending Winter is… what are you doing? No seriously, click here and find out. It’s an amazing way to boost your stats or just participate in some festive fun this December.

Fireside Favorites

Best Reads of 2018

I had SO many reads that I wanted to share with you. But I decided that I would share all of my 5 star reads of the year and then some of my notable 4 star reads. This year has been amazing. I discovered a new favorite author (Laini Taylor), I read a bunch of mysteries, my blog took off and I have read a bunch of amazing fantasy novels.

5 Star Reads

The Black Witch – An intricate fantasy world with some of the best character development and character arc that I have ever seen.

Strange the Dreamer – Laini Taylor’s creative mind brings to life my favorite love story in a richly imagined world.

Muse of Nightmares – The sequel of Strange the Dreamer returns to the beautiful fantasy world I love and made me grow to love a character that I had previously despised.

The Cruel Prince – Holly Black brings faeries, deception and sisters who betray each other.

The Wicked King – The sequel of The Cruel Prince out shined the first book. An amazing sequel that left me hungry for the third book.

Sadie – The best YA thriller of the year. If you haven’t read this book you have been missing out. It will break your heart and show you the true meaning of unconditional love.

Flawed – If you want a book to open your eyes, this is the one I would recommend. A dystopian that feels allegorical to society today.

Graceling – Kristin Cashore brings adventure in this story with amazing characters. A story of survival.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone – This is the book that started my love of Laini Taylor. This fantasy obviously comes from the mind of a creative genius.

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea – Beautiful gothic prose and some characters that will remain in my heart forever. This book is on my favorites list and is a hidden gem.

 

Deadly Sweet – This is a wonderful series that I have discovered that combines magic with baking.

Ace of Shades – Amanda Foody crafts this dark fantasy with a criminal feel. The world in this book is one of my favorites.

The Dream Daughter – Diane Chamberlain created a tale that should be talked about more than The Time Traveler’s Wife. This would be a perfect book club pick.

Believe Me – A psychological thriller that you will whip right through. When reading I never knew who to believe.

Fawkes – Nadine Brandes may have woven fantasy into a historical novel, but somehow keeps the historical accuracy in this novel about Guy Fawkes.

Mirage – A novel full of culture with a villain that you love to hate.

Another Faust – If you are looking for something different, this is it right here. I have to return to this series soon, because it was unlike anything I had ever read.

One of Us is Lying – I loved reading this one. I felt like a detective the whole way through. It felt like The Breakfast Club met Clue, a very fun read.

Illusionarium – This novel by Heather Dixon stretched my imagination. I am excited to return to her writing with The Enchanted Sonata.

The Kiss of Deception – Another series that I am hoping to return to soon. This novel shocked me with the twist.

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Let’s Chat!

What were your favorite reads of the year? Have you read the books I listed? Is there anything that you read this year that is a hidden gem? Based on the books I listed are there any books you would recommend?

 

 

 

 

 

50 thoughts on “Fireside Favorites – Best Reads of 2018”

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  6. Great list- and I love all those artsy bookstagram pics on your post ❤ they're amazing!! I really need to pick up Sadie as well, everybody's been talking about it. Early Christmas present I think!

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      1. I have just finished a book I really enjoyed but would be pretty niche really. It’s about a family with an autistic child and how it changed there lives and all they do for him etc
        It’s called A Real Boy 🙂
        I loved that it was written from the dads prospective 🙂

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  8. Aaaah right so I’m writing this comment as I’m going along with reading this post, Flawed…I HAVE HAD THIS BOOK ON MY SHELF IN MY ROOM FOR THE PAST 4 YEARS NOW…MAYBE 5….AND I HAVE NOT READ IT

    so I think I will read it next year for sure…it’s time to finally read it. I really want to read Ace of Shades it’s been on my radar for the whole year really, like it’s there in the back of my mind along with some others hehe.

    Daughter of Smoke and Bone I LOVED the world building so good! Loved this post and I’m glad you’re enjoying the event! ❤

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    1. You really should read Flawed. I just picked it up really randomly and LOVED It.

      I want to read more books like Ace of Shades, the world is probably one of my favorites.

      DoSaB is probably one of my all time favorites. I did this really long challenge and at the end they give out personalized recommendations and this is the book that they chose. It was PERFECT for me. You have to read the book to do it again, I should really do it again.

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      1. I just second guessed myself whether you were referring to the sequel of Flawed by putting Perfect in all caps but then I was like.. no it’s just you being weird cause that’s what you’d do xD

        I should, I picked it randomly at ASDA cause the cover and synopsis appealed…then it’s been on my shelf ever since xD

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      5. Only if they’re physical. I got two from my library group a while back. I have review requests again if they’re physical so erm yeah I just narrow the pool right down 😅

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      6. I get TONS of review requests from authors, a lot of physical copies too. I am on a list, I think it is called indie directory or something, as soon as I got approved to be on there all the sudden I am getting like 3 review requests a day, it’s insane! A lot of them are willing to send hard copies, you should check it out. If you’re interested I can find the link.

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      8. OOkkayyy so.. here is The Indie VIEW (sign up as a reviewer via this link here: http://www.theindieview.com/add-me-to-the-indie-reviewers-list/ )

        ANNDD MY FAVORITE LINK IN THE WHOLE WORLD FOR PHYSICAL ARCS ( https://www.shelf-awareness.com/xs/register ) sign up for THE PRO NEWSLETTER, it comes Monday through Friday, I check it religiously. It has little “ads” to enter “sweepstakes” for review copies for a lot of AMAZING titles. I got Crown of Feathers and The Deceivers this week alone. Not many people must enter because I win ALL the time. They don’t ever let you know if you win, books just show up. So I’m always checking the mail and whenever a white envelope shows up I get super excited because you don’t know what’s inside. If you already know about this, great, but if you don’t it seems to be one of the best hidden secrets of the reviewing world.

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  14. Pingback: 25 of the Best Book Covers of 2018 – Devouring Books

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