Goodreads has announced the best books of 2018, chosen by readers on goodreads.com. JMRL has all of these winning titles available for you to check out:
Fiction: Still Me by Jojo Moyes – Louisa Clark arrives in New York to start a new life and a long-distance relationship while working a job that introduces her to New York high society and a secretive man who reminds her of her own past.
Mystery & Thriller: The Outsider by Stephen King – When a young boy’s body is found in the town park, Detective Ralph Anderson finds the evidence and the witnesses all pointing to one of the city’s most popular citizens.
Historical Fiction: The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah – When her father impulsively moves the family to mid-1970s Alaska, Leni and her mother are forced to confront the dangers of their lack of preparedness in the wake of a dangerous winter season.
Fantasy: Circe by Madeline Miller – Follows the banished witch daughter of Helios as she hones her powers and interacts with famous mythological beings before a conflict forces her to choose between the worlds of the gods and mortals.
Romance: The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang – A 30-year-old math whiz with Asperger’s tries to make her love life as rich as her career by hiring an escort to help her with her lack of knowledge and experience in the dating department.
Science Fiction: Vengeful by V.E. Schwab – After her brush with death, Marcella Riggins targets the city of Merit using her new-found power while manipulating Victor Vale and Eli Ever into a battle against one another.
Humor: The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish – The comedian and actress presents essays that reflect on her disadvantaged youth as a foster child, her discovery of her talent for comedy, and her struggles within the entertainment industry.
Nonfiction: I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara – An account of the unsolved Golden State Killer case traces the rapes and murders of dozens of victims and the author’s determined efforts to help identify the killer and bring him to justice.
Memoir & Autobiography: Educated by Tara Westover – Traces the author’s experiences as a child born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, describing her family’s paranoid stockpiling activities and her resolve to educate herself well enough to earn an acceptance into a prestigious university and the unfamiliar world beyond.
History & Biography: The Good Neighbor: The Life & Work of Fred Rogers by Maxwell King – Drawing on original interviews, oral histories and archival documents, the author traces the iconic children’s program host’s personal, professional, and artistic life through decades of work.
Science & Technology: The Rise & Fall of the Dinosaurs by Steve Brusatte – A narrative scientific history of the dinosaur eras examines their origins, habitats, extinction, and living legacy, chronicling their evolution from small shadow dwellers through the emergence of prehistoric ancestors that became more than 10,000 modern bird species.
Food & Cookbooks: Cravings: Hungry for More by Chrissy Teigen – Presents a collection of healthy, quick, and family-friendly recipes featuring multi-purpose sauces and condiments, comfort foods, and maximum flavor.
Graphic Novels & Comics: Herding Cats by Sarah Andersen – In a humorous collection of comics, the author, an introvert, shares her experiences, which are at times weird, awkward and embarrassing, as she tries adulting on a daily basis.
Poetry: The Witch Doesn’t Burn in This One by Amanda Lovelace – A collection of evocative, relatable poems draws inspiration from the power, independence and resilience of the feminist witch archetype to encourage and embolden women.
Debut Author: Children of Blood & Bone by Tomi Adeyemi – 17-year-old Zâelie, her older brother Tzain, and rogue princess Amari fight to restore magic to the land and activate a new generation of magi, but they are ruthlessly pursued by the crown prince.
Young Adult Fiction: Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli – With prom and graduation around the corner, senior Leah Burke struggles when her group of friends start fighting.
Young Adult Fantasy: Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas – A conclusion to the best-selling series that includes Crown of Midnight reveals the end of infamous assassin Aelin Galathynius’ story in the aftermath of the shocking twist in Tower of Dawn.
Middle Grade & Children’s: The Trials of Apollo: The Burning Maze by Rick Riordan – The Greek god Apollo, cast down to earth as the human teenager Lester Papadopoulos, and his demigod friends must go through the Labyrinth to find the third emperor (and an Oracle who speaks in word puzzles) somewhere in the American Southwest.
Picture Books: I Am Enough by Grace Byers – A lyrical ode to self-confidence and kindness for girls from every background that touches on themes of diversity, respecting others and loving oneself.