I really, really, really had to stop my trend of adding an extra book each year. It was cute in the beginning, but it’s getting rather unwieldy. And certainly can’t continue indefinitely. This feels like the time to stop. In other words, I looked into my time machine, had a vision of “25 for 2025” and OMG “35 for 2035” and balked. Time to end the trend NOW.
Especially since this year’s A+ books were just so awesomely awesome.
This year’s list may seem a bit heavily weighted towards science fiction and fantasy – only because it is. Not only are those my go-to genres, but this year I was part of the committee that selected the Best SF/F books of the year for Library Journal. Working on the committee introduced me to even more great SF/F than I had already found myself! The whole list is at LJ, apologies if it’s behind a paywall.
And not that there weren’t plenty of mysteries and romances in the Grade A category, because there certainly were. But the A+ reviews are rare because they represent, for me at least, the best of the best of year. I did need ONE Grade A to get the total up to 10. Unmasked by the Marquess made the list, even though it wasn’t quite an A+, not only because it was excellent but because it managed several things that have not been done before and managed them excellently well. It’s a Regency romance with a nonbinary protagonist published by a traditional romance publisher. (Say that three times fast!) And it’s marvelous all the way around.
So without further ado, here’s my own very personal list of the Best 2018 Books That I Read in 2018. (Links are to my reviews)
Between You and Me by Susan Wiggs
Blood of the Four by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon
Kingdom of the Blind by Louise Penny
Meet Me at the Museum by Anne Youngson
Planetside by Michael Mammay
The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
The Queens of Innis Lear by Tessa Gratton
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
Unmasked by the Marquess by Cat Sebastian
Why Kill the Innocent by C.S. Harris
I stopped at “Top 15 of 2015.” It was starting to get ridiculous after that. I’m glad you loved all these books! I don’t read as much sci-fi as I used to.
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I’m afraid I continued up to “17 for 2017”. I think last year the number of As and A+s kind of worked out that way – or I just couldn’t resist the impulse. Last December feels like a LONG time ago. LOL
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I haven’t read any of those!
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I’m glad you liked Spinning Silver! I wasn’t a huge fan but I seem to be the minority here.
No you’re not. Spinning Silver was also on that Library Journal Best SF/F Books list. We all loved it!
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