Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that was created and hosted by The Broke and the Bookish but is now managed by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s topic:
Top Ten Books I’ve Read So Far in 2018
Here are the best books I’ve read in the first half of the year. I’ll start at January and work my way up. Rereads are not included.
Nightlights by Lorena Alvarez Gomez (illus.)
★★★★☆
Summary: A sweet illustrated children’s graphic novel about a girl who works past her fears to continue creating the whimsical drawings she loves.
Why I like it: It’s a simple but great story about overcoming one’s insecurities to pursue one’s artistic interests, and I love Gomez’s illustrations. They are vibrant and colorful and pop off the pages.
The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey, narr. by Finty Williams
★★★★★
Summary: A dystopian horror novel set in the future where there are zombies. This story is about a special girl named Melanie who reveres her teacher Miss Justineau.
Why I like it: I enjoyed the story and love Finty Williams’s narration of it. So far, it’s the only audio book I’ve able to listen and pay attention to without first having read the physical copy. It has a slow build up, but I was hooked and I can tell that I would have loved the writing if I’d read the physical book.
Kintu by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
★★★★★
Summary: A historical novel set in Uganda that begins in 1750 and ends in 2004 and is about how a curse affects a family for generations.
Why I like it: Oh man! This was such a great read. I love the writing and the way the story is told and how easy it was to get swept up in it and that the story comes full circle by its end. I highly recommend it.
Audubon: On the Wings of the World by Fabien Grolleau, illus. by Jérémie Royer, trans. by Etienne Gilfillan
★★★★☆ 1/2
Summary: A biographical graphic novel about famed ornithologist and painter John James Audubon, who was born born Jean-Jacques Audubon in Haiti.
Why I like it: I learned a lot about Audubon from this book and a bit about birds of America 😉 back in the 1800s.
Here by Richard McGuire (illus.)
★★★★★
Summary: A graphic novel about a room and how it changes over time.
Why I like it: This was such a unique graphic novel. I totally didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. I love how it’s structured because panels of the room at different times in history are placed next to each other so that it seems as if people in the past are interacting with the present and the future. It’s quite interesting and makes me think of how we interact with spaces and what we leave behind.
The Golden Fool by Robin Hobb
★★★★★
Summary: The second novel in the Tawney Man trilogy in which Fitz and the Fool pair up for another adventure.
Why I like it: Oh many, many reasons that I can’t list here because of spoilers but, gosh, this was such a good read! I enjoyed every page of it.
Dread Nation by Justina Ireland
★★★★☆ 1/2
Summary: A YA alt-historical novel with zombies set shortly after the U.S. Civil War.
Why I like it: Because the protagonist is Black and is a fiesty bad-ass. Oh and I also like that the story calls to issues in our present society as well. It’s a very entertaining read.
Providence by Caroline Kepnes
★★★★★
Summary: A mystery novel with a hint of paranormal about a boy who is kidnapped but when he returns home, he believes he has gained powers that hurt those around him. The story is about how this affects his relationship with those he loves.
Why I like it: Because Kepnes wrote it. 😀 But also because I love how she tells a story and the topics she discusses in them, like social media, how we use it and how it affects people. I was hooked the entire time I read it though the premise made me think I wouldn’t like it.
Fool’s Fate by Robin Hobb
★★★★☆
Summary: The last book in the Tawney Man trilogy.
Why I like it: Oh man! All the stuff that happened to wrap up the story had me anxious and excited the entire time I read. When I completed the book, I immediately missed the characters and wanted to reread the books again.
The Shape of Water by Guillermo del Toro and Daniel Kraus
★★★★★
Summary: A historical romance novel about a mute woman who falls in love with an amphibious man, who’s held captive at a government facility.
Why I like it: I love it for the writing and the depth given to the characters. I love the story too and had seen the movie before reading the book. It’s the writing that I love the most.
Zezee with Books 
Nightlights looks adorable, I totally can’t wait to check that out! -Sarah
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It is!! I hope you enjoy it too.
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Zezee, you’re KILLING ME with those spoiler-free write-ups on the Robin Hobb books. XD But I know better than to skip books in interconnected series. Hopefully I’ll get to the other two Farseer books later this year….
If I had to choose, my two favorite reads so far this year are Circe by Madeline Miller (a gorgeously written reimagining of the life of the sorceress from The Odyssey) and Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson (seriously, why have I not read his books sooner?!?!). That’s all I can say without going on and on for forever! *lol*
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Lol! Yea, you totally need to hop back on the Robin Hobb bandwagon.
I really want to read Circe too and Sanderson’s books. I really enjoy his writing podcast as well.
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I’ve never heard of Kintu! It looks like my cup of tea. Dread Nation is also on my TBR. I’ve been contemplating listening to the audiobook.
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Oh yes. Def try Kintu. It’d be great if it gained more notice. It’s such a good story.
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I liked Dread Nation. Kintu is on my TBR list. I love the cover and synopsis.
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Dread Nation was decent. I loved it because I like zombie stories and it was really good.
Glad to hear Kintu is on your tbr. It’s worth the read.
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I’m glad to know the book of The SHape of Water is worth reading! I’ve never read any Robin Hobbs — where to start? I’ve seen Dread Nation on a few lists this week — sounds like something I need to read. Great list!
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All those are worth the read and are great from the first page onward. The Shape of Water gives more depth to the characters, especially the antagonist, and I loved that about it as well as the writing. I recommend it for character development and the prose. Hobb’s books are great, epic stories and I recommend them for how that fantasy world unfolds and becomes more intriguing the more you read. If interested, start with the Farseer books, Assassin’s Apprentice is the first. And Dread Nation was such an entertaining read. I recommend it for its plucky protagonist and also the zombies…if you like those (I do).
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What a great list – a mix of books that I absolutely want to read and also books that I now must go and look up with a view to expanding my tbr.
thanks
Lynn 😀
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Yep! Yep! Def pick some up! 😀
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Great list, I’m dying to read The Shape of Water, and I’m very curious about Home😁
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Thanks! Both are great reads and worth it!
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Aww Nightlights looks cute. And I love the Fitz and Fool books!
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It is! The illustrations are great. Def check it out.
Same. I can’t wait to get to the last books in the Elderlings series.
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I loved The Girl With All the Gifts! I need to read more by that author. I have The Boy on the Bridge but haven’t started it yet.
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I want to read Boy on the Bridge too. I listened to the audio book of Girl With All the Gifts, but I have a feeling that I’ll end up loving the way Carey writes.
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So many of these books are on my TBR! I am most excited about Shape of Water. Haven’t seen the movie but have heard amazing things about the book!
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Oh it’s a good story. I recommend both the movie and book. They are worth it.
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