Happy New Year! I was planning to post this last week, but just had too much fun relaxing and doing nothing! Such a treat. So, a little late, but I am SO excited about today’s post. In the first few months of the blog starting, I mentioned a book here and there that I liked. I found that you guys enjoy books as much as I do, and these book reviews started to become a regular thing! My goal is to do the same this year!

In 2018, I read and reviewed 36 books! That is a ton, and I’m not quite sure how I managed that! Ha! I am sucker for chick lit books, suspenseful books, and I have discovered that I also like some deep and powerful works of literature thrown into the mix. In the past few weeks, I have talked with several of you that plan to read more in 2019. That is such a great New Years Resolution! Check out this list and grab yourself a copy of a book or two for the new year!

Here is a list of all of the amazing books I read this year! I have linked each book to my original book review so that you can check out my thoughts. I would say that I really enjoyed most of these. I can only think of two off of the top of my head that I truly struggled with.

March
Unstuffed by Ruth Soukus

April
Girl Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis

May
The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine
Know That You Mention It by Kristan Higgins

July
My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan
The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
Lie To Me by J.T. Ellison
Everyday Holy by Melanie Shankle

August
How to Walk Away by Katherine Center
Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
Origins by Dan Brown

September
Crazy Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan
Rich People Problems by Kevin Kwan
When Life Gives you Lululemons by Lauren Weisberger
The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory
Tear Me Apart by J.T. Ellison
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

October
On Second Thought by Kristan Higgins
The Breakdown by B.A. Paris
The Best Man by Kristan Higgins
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
Cancel the Wedding by Carolyn T. Dingman
Winter Street by Erin Hildebrand
Winter Stroll by Elin Hildebrand
Winter Storms by Elin Hildebrand
Winter Solstice by Elin Hildebrand
The Perfect Match by Kristan Higgins

November
A Stranger in the House by Shari Lapena
Good Luck With That by Kristan Higgins
Waiting on You by Kristan Higgins
Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
What We Find by Robyn Carr

December
Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris
In Your Dreams by Kristan Higgins
Anything For You by Kristan Higgins
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

In looking back over this list, I will say that several have stuck with me over the course of the year. I am going to eliminate What Alice Forgot from being able to be a favorite just because I have blogged about my life long obsession with that book. You can read about that here, if you’d like.

Favorite Series

I am separating this category this year because it will come to ZERO surprise that I am obsessed with the Blue Heron series by Kristan Higgins. I read three separate series this year (Blue Heron, Crazy Rich Asians, and the Winter Series by Elin Hildebrand), and while all of them were enjoyable, Kristan Higgins just blows them all away! The main characters are all lovable (even when they don’t start off that way), the town is charming and precious, and the story lines are so cute. Like I have said before, basically Hallmark movies in book forms. Cute, cute, cute. I am on the search for another series like this if any of you have any recommendations.

Favorite Suspenseful Book

I read several suspenseful thrillers over the past year, and I have to say that my favorite was The Last Mrs. Parrish. I read a handful of books after this one that had eerily similar plot lines. But, The Last Mrs. Parrish was by far the best. There are so many twists and turns throughout the book, and it will definitely keep you on your toes. I don’t like to feel anxious throughout a book or scared to fall asleep, and this one does neither of these things. It just serves up a GREAT story that will have you confused and asking “what the heck?” several times. Really great book!

Top THREE Favorite Books of 2018

Out of ALL of the books that I read this year, I would say that there are THREE that I continue to think back on even weeks/months after reading. I highly recommend all three of these books. Go read these, and then let me know what you think! ASAP!!!!

Cancel the Wedding by Carolyn T. Dingman

This book had been sitting on my bookshelf for over a year, and I never got around to picking it up. I AM SO GLAD THAT I FINALLY DID! This is a chick-lit book with a ton of family drama and depth. Olivia and Georgia’s mother dies, and they are left with no other family and strange instructions as to what to do with their mother’s ashes.  Olivia embarks on this journey to carry out her mother’s wishes, to learn who her mother was before marrying their father, and maybe to learn a little bit about herself in the process.  This was a quick read and a very sweet story. It is such a great example of not judging a book by its cover, and how you truly never know what is going on in someone’s life. And, of course, there is some good old fashioned love, fun friendships, and teenage goofiness.  I really, REALLY enjoyed this book.

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

This will probably be in my lifelong top 5 books that I ever read. You know that I love chick lit and suspenseful thrillers, so I surprised even myself when I chose this powerful piece of literature to read. I felt like I was a little bit back in high school reading a book with more meaning than the average Sweet Valley High books. Did any of you ever read those in high school? I was just talking about those yesterday. Loved those cute twins. Anyway . . . so, The Great Alone. This story follows Leni Allbright and her parents into the Alaskan wilderness as they search for a better way of life.  Leni’s father, Ernt, is an army veteran that inherited 40 acres and a cabin in Alaska, and the family feels that this is the best way to start over.  The Great Alone begins in 1974, and the story spans decades as we follow Leni’s life and adventures of becoming her own woman.  Y’all, I was glued to every page.  It was beautiful, heartbreaking, inspiring, and I still can’t stop thinking about it.  I was on my way to an appointment, and actually sat outside of the building crying my way through a part of the book. Just so powerful. Kristin Hannah writes about Alaska in a way that will make you (1) want to visit, and (2) realize that those families living full time in the Alaskan wilderness are a different level of tough! Please read this book.  It is just amazing! Read it, we can chat about it, and then I will (try to) stop talking about it!

My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan

Over Christmas, I jokingly told my sister-in-law that I am basically a library. I LOVE loaning out my favorite books to friends, and it has been so fun to hear the view points of others. So, I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH, and I have let SO many people borrow it, that I have lost track of where it is! Ha! If you have it, I don’t care, keep enjoying and pass it on! This story is based in Europe, mostly at Oxford.  It is about an American woman that attends Oxford for a year after earning the Rhodes Scholarship.  It definitely has that chick lit feel, but has a layer of more depth to it.  It made me laugh out loud, made my heart skip a beat from time to time, and even had me shedding a couple of tears.  I think that I will be thinking about this book for years to come.  It is that good.  And obviously a super quick read! Do yourself a favor and read this book!

So, that’s it! My favorite books of 2018! It was such a fun discovery to learn that you guys love reading these book reviews as much as I love writing them! I will definitely be carrying that into this new year! If you have any recommendations, please let me know! I will say that there are two books that I currently have on my night stand that I am not super pumped about, but am working to power through them. So, recommendations would be awesome! Happy New Year!!