Well, another wonderful year of reading is in the books (no pun intended ;))!
One of my most favourite things to do is choose my Top 10 most-loved reads from the year, and then rank them. It’s just a great way to wrap up the year! This is much easier said than done, especially this year; I read some truly awe-inspiring, witty, and compelling novels.
Ranking is completely based on how much I loved the book, and how it made me feel. I realize, at times, that it is difficult to compare book genres. Rather than messing with categories, the following list simply comprises my ten most loved reads of the year.
Erica’s Top 10 Books of 2018
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10. The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware
4/5 Stars
Why I Loved It: This mystery is totally reminiscent of Agatha Christie. What would you do if you were poor and suddenly received a letter that your wealthy relative died and left everything to you? The only problem is, you have never heard of this relative in your life… The scene is set, the writing is superb, and the twists are chilling. Ruth Ware knows how to write a page-turner.
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9. In the Woods by Tana French
4/5 Stars
Why I Loved It: This is a slow-burn that unfolds in a sleepy Irish town right outside of Dublin. Years ago, two kids went missing in the woods without a trace, only their friend survived, and he can’t remember a thing. Now, years later, another kid is found dead in these same woods… The writing is brilliant and the double mystery kept me turning the pages as fast as I could.
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8. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
4/5 Stars
Why I Loved It: Magical realism at its finest! The Night Circus felt elegant, mysterious, and romantic. Marco and Celia are raised to duel each other in an epic battle of magic, but rather than stick to the script, they fall in love. This was the perfect fall read. Morgenstern’s next book comes out in 2019 and you best believe I pre-ordered it from Amazon 🙂
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7. No Exit by Taylor Adams
5/5 Stars
Why I Loved It: No Exit was creepy as hell! I couldn’t put this book down. The scene is perfect… blizzard in the Colorado mountains, stuck at a rest stop with 3 strangers, no cell reception, and then you discover a missing child in one of the stranger’s cars? Sold.
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6. One Day in December by Josie Silver
5/5 Stars
Why I Loved It: I couldn’t put this book down. It isn’t just a rom-com, it is truly a coming-of-age story, but unique in that it is centered around the trials and tribulations of one’s 20’s rather than the typical YA coming-of-age I am used to reading. Think Love Actually – the perfect holiday read!
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5. The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
5/5 Stars
Why I Loved It: Kristin Hannah is an auto-read for me, now. She has a way of writing a fantastic story with rich characters and compelling plots, and this novel was no different. The Great Alone explores mental illness and domestic abuse, all while giving the reader a look at the Alaskan wilderness in the 1970s; this was a fantastic read!
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4. The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls
5/5 Stars
Why I Loved It: I’m really late to the game here. This book has been out a while, and I finally got around to reading it – and wow, I should have read it a lot sooner! The Glass Castle is a true story about Jeanette Walls, also written by Walls, who grew up with parents who were so very non-conformists to society, that it often negatively impaired and impacted their children, to put it mildly. The story is absolutely breathtaking and I recommend to anyone and everyone.
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3. The Chronicles of St. Mary’s (9 Books + 14 Novellas) by Jodi Taylor
5/5 Stars
Why I Loved It: I’m cheating here and putting this entire series in the third slot. This series is a sci-fi, time-traveling, historical witty blend of awesomeness. What I liked the most? Jodi Taylor. She is HILARIOUS. Generally, these books are light, and if you like history, the historical descriptions are fun to read. But definitely read these if you want to laugh, too. (PS. Book 10 was just announced and comes out in 2019!!!)
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2. Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley
5/5 Stars
Why I Loved It: I only found out about this book through Bookstagram (thank you, fellow bibliophiles!), and I am so THANKFUL for that. This is a YA contemporary that has a fair amount of life mixed in. It isn’t light, by any means, but it feels light and airy as you read it, if that makes any sense. The writing is breathtaking, the scene is a bookshop, and the love story is endearing and unpredictable.
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1. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
5/5 Stars
Why I Loved It: The Goldfinch is polarizing, people seem to either love it or hate it. I personally found it very worth of its Pulitzer Prize. It is a slow-burn with a lot of backstory, but this is the sort of novel I like to read. I love walking away from a story feeling like I know the characters intimately, and Tartt brought everything to life in this story using her words. That in itself is magical.
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Honorable Mentions: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black & Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell
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Leave a comment and tell me what your most-loved books were in 2018 (so I can read them in 2019!). Happy New Year!
Until next time,
Erica and Epeolatry 
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