Though you’ll see a few romances on my list, I mostly read mystery, sci-fi, fantasy, and literary fiction. Much of that has to do with my headspace this year. With the political climate and upheaval in my personal life, I really needed an escape. Mostly, I devoured series fiction.

No matter what genre you prefer, I guarantee my favorite reads will take you to far off worlds or make you think for days. Some of these writers I wanted to marry, that’s how great their writing was. Keep in mind, not all of these were published in 2018.

Something worth mentioning: this year I suffered a layoff, and since I didn’t release a book this year, my book budget was wafer thin. Of course, the price of traditionally published books skyrocketed. As a book addict, nothing pisses me off more than paying 15 bucks for an ebook. I read at least 2-4 books a week. That’s close to $300 bucks a month. Come on, publishers, don’t be so damn greedy! And since I don’t have the space for print books in my house, I had to read almost all of these these books from my local library, on the Libby app.

By the way, if your library doesn’t carry my books, ask your librarian to order them. Mine are all available on overdrive.

Without further ado, here are my favs, in no particular order.

Tana French

This woman’s writing blew me away. It’s so crisp and perfect. I want to be her. I ate up her Dublin Murder Squad series. I’ve not yet had a chance to read her latest, because I’m on a long waiting list. If you enjoy strong characters, complex plots, interesting settings, and snappy dialogue, these’ll be right up your alley. #mystery #awardwinner #2018

Sarah J. Maas

Oh boy, did I love this lady’s two series. I avoided life for a good two weeks to read them all. #Youngadultfantasy #awardwinner #2018

Tayari Jones

Guys, I cannot stop thinking about this book. It was so powerful, so elegantly written, and so worth a re-read. #Literaryfiction #Multiracialfiction #awardwinner #2018

Noah Hawley

This author is also responsible for the Fargo series on Fox. The plot is in media res, so you need to stick with it for a bit, but the characters are amazing. #Mystery #awardwinner #2018

A.J. Finn

I read this yesterday and was blown away. Told by an unreliable first person narrator, it’s reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock’s works and film noir. In fact, the author’s love of old movies inspired this book. Get it. You won’t regret it. #mystery #awardwinner #2018

Victor LaValle

Another thoughtful read that stuck with me for days. Part fairytale, racial commentary, and new parent chronology, this delight will keep you immersed in the magical forrest of NYC.  His writing is like delectable little bites of a rich dessert. #fairytale #fantasy #multiracial #parenting #literaryfiction

Pierce Brown

Holy shit this guy’s books were amazing! The series isn’t complete, but I tore through it like a mad jackal. (That metaphor will make sense if you read the books.) It’s dystopian sci-fi, and like many series builders, the first book takes some time to develop an appetite, but once you get into it, you won’t stop reading. Bonus, the author is hot! #scifi #dystopian #awardwiner

J.R. Ward

I’m probably the only idiot left on the planet who hadn’t read J.R.’s vampire series. Well, check that off my list. I read all 18 of those suckers. Admittedly, the series jumped the shark a bit around the 11th, so I sped through the last few books, and I mean sped through, like skipped several boring storylines. But the first few are tons of fun. #paranormalromance #2018

Jewel E. Anne

I fell in love with this author’s work . I haven’t had a chance to read her other books, but I have no doubt they are amazing. #contemporaryromance

Holly Black

Bully elf romance. I know that sounds insane, but dammit, this book was good. A must read for lovers of #fantasyfiction