In 2018, I read 123 books. Last year I started rereading books more, and I started listening to way more audiobooks. So many final installments in some of my favorite series came out, and I also discovered some new favorites. Here's a list of my top 10 favorite books I read for the first time in 2018.
1. Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas - This is the final installment in the Throne of Glass series. I have mentioned this book a lot on my blog, because the Throne of Glass series is one of my all time favorites (second only to Harry Potter) and I absolutely loved every aspect of this concluding novel. It's a very bittersweet feeling because I loved reading this series but I'm very saddened that this story has come to a close.
2. Queen of Air and Darkness by Cassandra Clare - This is the final installment in The Dark Artificies series. There's going to be a lot of final books on this list, and this is one of them. This book is a massive amalgamation of Clare's Shadowhunter universe, and I loved seeing every single piece from all the other books come together in this installment. I also really love how it set up my anticipation for the upcoming series about Ty and Kit, but also provided conclusion in other aspects. Of Cassandra Clare's three series set in this world, this is by far my favorite.
3. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black - This is the first installment in the Folk of the Air Trilogy. This was one of the first books I read in 2018, but it stuck with me so much. I spent so much time thinking about the twists and turns in this books. Slow burn is my favorite element in writing, and this book is the epitome of the perfect slow burn. I love the dynamic between Jude and Carden and I need the final book in this series to come out already.
4. Vengeful by V.E. Schwab - This is the sequel to Vicious. I have been anticipating the release of this book for years and I'm so satisfied with the result. This book picks up five years after Vicious and I loved witnessing how the world expanded and the new problems the characters faced.
5. Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor - This is the final book in the Strange the Dreamer Duology. Laini Taylor has the ability to create amazing and fantastical worlds, with the most whimsical writing. I love how this book expanded on the elements in Strange the Dreamer and how expertly the world expanded.
6. Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff - This is the final book in the Illuminae Files Trilogy. This is a series that I've been following since the release of the first book, and I'm so happy that I've read the final pages. This installment is action packed and I loved how the action came to a close.
7. Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson - This is the first book in the Dance of Thieves Duology. This book is a spinoff to Pearson's The Remanent Chronicles, which is another of my all time faves, and I love how the two series converged in a way that wasn't vital for new readers to understand, but also allowed returning readers to appreciate. I loved the new characters in this book and I can't wait for the sequel to come out.
8. Immortal Reign by Morgan Rhodes - This is the final book in the Falling Kingdoms series. I enjoyed how every detail accumulated to this book, and it's been a rewarding experience following these characters, Mangus and Cleo are my favorites and I'm happy with the ending they received.
9. Save the Date by Morgan Matson - This is the only contemporary book in this list, as I've gotten older I've read less and less contemporary and although there were several others that I loved (Anger is a Gift and A Very Large Expanse of Sea to name a few), Morgan Matson is my all time favorite contemporary author because she handles coming of age books with expertise. I especially loved and related to the sibling dynamic in this book.
10. To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Cristo - This is a stand alone novel, that was inspired by The Little Mermaid. This is another book that handled slow burn extremely well, and is such an incredible debut. This is a title that I listened to on audio and thoroughly enjoyed.
And those are my all time top 10 books I read last year. I have to give honorable mentions to Furyborn and Between Frost and Fury because I loved both books and I'm torn that I couldn't add them to this list. - Jessica
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