I know, this is insane, but I have written and posted my Favorite Books of the Year posts since 2012, and I couldn’t have a two-year gap. It was really hard to remember a lot of details – that’s for sure. Fortunately, Goodreads helped me with my ratings, and then I pulled the books from my shelves to narrow down my favorites of the 5 stars. I often flag pages or highlight passages when reading. And I always write my thoughts inside the covers of my books- especially favorites. This helped me cobble this together.
In 2018 I read/listened to 113 books. It was a good year for reading. What helped me achieve that number was a big west coast summer road trip, and in the latter half of that year, I only worked part time. I consumed 52 audio books and 61 real books (42 hardbacks and 19 paperbacks). Fiction and nonfiction were split almost down the middle: I read 54-four novels and 59 nonfiction books. My top three genres were Memoir (18 books), Women’s Fiction (17) and Self-help books (14). I have a weird thing for self-help. Sixty-eight of the books were published in 2018. The oldest book I read was Holidays On Ice by David Sedaris, which was first published in 1997.
I awarded twenty-five 5-star ratings (the lowest ever for me), sixty-one 4-stars, twenty-four 3-stars, and an unheard of three 2-stars. I’m usually reluctant to give a 2-star rating, because I really do find the whole rating process subjective. If I loved a book, obviously 5-stars. If I really liked a book, but it wasn’t one I tried to force on everyone, usually 4-stars. If I just like a book, it gets three. Traditionally, if I really disliked or hated a book, I simply wouldn’t rate it. This year I didn’t do that. Reviewing my three 2-star ratings, I stand by them and one still makes me a bit angry. Maybe it should have been a 1-star, ha-ha. The book I read with the highest average Goodreads rating, 4.55, was Becoming by Michelle Obama (I gave it a four). The lowest rated book (3.09) was Pick Three by Randi Zuckerberg (I gave it a 3).
I read 65 new authors (to me), and 24 of those were first books for the writer. I am loyal to my favorites, though. My most read author for 2018 was Gabby Bernstein (self-help!). I read three books each by Kristen Woodson Harvey (southern fiction) and Ann Patchett, (literary GODDESS😊). I read two books each by the following authors: Anne Bogel, Jamie Brenner, Elin Hilderbrand, Sophie Kinsella and Davis Sedaris.
More random facts:
- I consumed the most books in June (road trip). The least in November and December (4 each). Holidays!
- The longest book I read was Michelle Obama’s, 599 pages.
- The shortest book I read was Lauren Graham’s, In conclusion, Don’t Worry About It (59).
- For the 5th (?) year in a row, New York was the number one setting for books I read (11), followed by Europe (9) and Los Angeles (8).
- Writer was the top profession for the main character of my 2018 books.
- I read 7 books about a member(s) of the Kennedy family – this is huge, even for me😊!
- I read 7 political nonfiction books (and this doesn’t include the Kennedy titles!).
Without further ado, here are my favorites. There’s more than ten, but that’s typical for me. Some of these I read well over two years ago, and well, and although I certain I loved them, the details are fading. So, I’m not particularly clever in some of my descriptions. Fair warning.
Fiction
Between Me and You by Allison Winn Scotch
What I remember about this one is being blown away by the way the author told the story. One character’s storyline went from past to present, while the other’s was shared present to past. It was really cool!
Digging In by Loretta Nyan. This book was a bit of a sleeper. I don’t recall how I ending up reading it, but I do remember being enchanted by Paige, the heroine of this tale about grief. Paige was married to her high school sweetheart and he died. She spent years “sleepwalking” through life. One day she starts digging (in her backyard) and doesn’t stop. Soon the healing properties of the soil have an effect on her, and she starts to wake up and start over.
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman. This book was riveting. So sad, yet hopeful, and absolutely hilarious. I thought Eleanor was delightful, despite all that she’d been through.
Little Fires Everywhere by Celest Ng. Wow, wow, wow! Loved this one, and you all know the story. I also loved the show on Hulu. A must see (after you read the book!).
My Oxford Year by Julia Whalen. Julia Whalen is my favorite audiobook narrator. When I discovered she wrote a book, I had to read it – although this one I listened to, on the Dallas to Atlanta stretch of my summer road trip, because Whalen narrates it and she’s awesome. This is a tragic love story, and I can’t give too much away. But I do urge you to read it because it’s beautiful and the dialogue is spot on. Actually, it’s a great listen, because I love an English accent.
Rules of Civility by Amor Towels. I l purchased this book years ago because I loved the cover. Yet, for some reason, it kept slipping down in the to-read pile. However, Anne Bogel of Modern Mrs. Darcy kept mentioning it on her podcast, and she highly recommended it. I finally picked it up and loved it. Set in the 1930s, it’s kind of an ode to The Great Gatsby. I also loved the idea that a chance encounter can change your life forever.
That Month in Tuscany by Inglath Cooper. A romance between a middle-aged woman and a rock star, set in Italy. Need I say more? I devoured this one in a day!
The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer. I try hard not to like Wolitzer books because I don’t like what she says about other female authors. But I usually fail. Of all her books that I’ve read, this was my favorite. It’s a big read. Totally engrossing.
The Life Lucy Knew by Karma Brown. This is another story about a woman waking up from an accident with amnesia, and having to figure out who she is and whom she loves. I don’t know why I am a sucker for this story-line, which is perhaps used a little too often as a plot twist. But I am! In Karma Brown’s hands, it was an emotionally complex and compelling tale. I loved it!
The Light We Lost by Jill Santapolo, I believe this was the first Reese Witherspoon book pick that I read and it’s a tear-jerker. Oh my goodness, did I cry! And I don’t like to cry, but the characters and the love story hooked me and I couldn’t put it down. And the ending, oy it was a bit of a cliffhanger, and I worried about Lucy for a long time after I finished this book.
Nonfiction
Calypso by David Sedaris. This was my first Sedaris book and it was hilarious. I get it now and have since read a few of his other books. He is just so funny, sarcastic and his descriptions of family dynamics are very relatable. Interesting tidbit, I didn’t know his sister was Amy Sedaris. Hmmm.
Chasing Hillary by Amy Chozick. This is a memoir by a New York Times journalist who worked the Clinton beat for both her Presidential runs. It was fascinating. Chozick couldn’t seem to make up her mind whether or not she liked Clinton, but she certainly respected her. Her on-the-road with the Clinton campaign tidbits were juicy. Clinton’s notorious dislike of the media made a reporter’s job very frustrating, especially for those who actually wanted her to win. Great read!
Dead People Suck by Laurie Kilmartin. I’m actually not sure how to describe this one, so I will include the Goodreads’ blurb about it. Despite the subject, I found it to be a funny take on grief.
Death is not for the faint of heart, and sometimes the best way to cope is through humor. No one knows this better than comedian Laurie Kilmartin. She made headlines by live-tweeting her father’s time in hospice and her grieving process after he passed, and channeled her experience into a comedy special, 45 Jokes About My Dead Dad. Dead People Suck is her hilarious guide to surviving (sometimes) death, dying, and grief without losing your mind.
I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron, If you are a woman of a certain age, and you feel as though no one “gets” you or what you’re experiencing at mid-life – well, Nora gets you. This book is awesome! Relatable, funny, poignant. It’ll give you all the feels, and then you’ll want to read it again.
I’ve Been Thinking by Maria Shiver. This is one of my most favorite inspirational reads ever. Maria Shiver is the bomb. She’s surprisingly open in this book, about being a mother and a Kennedy daughter and sister. She even touches on the end of her marriage. She shares wisdom and lessons learned and reflects on the passage of time and her regrets, but also inspires the reader to hope and to never stop learning and growing. It’s never to late embrace your true self. She shares her favorite quotes and prayers. Guys, it’s so good! I gave this book to many special people in my life. I hope they enjoyed it as much as I did. This book has a permanent place on my bedside table and I reread it a few times a year.
My Bookstore by Ronald Rice. This book is a compilation of essays written by authors about their favorite bookstore. How lovely is that? Each one is a joy to read, and I have a list of bookstores I must-visit (and in fact have check a few off my list!). Bibliophiles will love this book.
Own the Day, Own Your Life by Aubrey Marcus. Again, I’m a sucker for self-help books and this one was out of my comfort zone (a bit). I knew nothing about this man, and don’t even recall what lead me to purchase this book, but I devoured it. He has solid and practical advice, delivered in a no-nonsense manner. I totally bought in, for a while that is, until the next guru had me pointed another way, haha. But this one, I smile when I remember reading it on my road trip. We were in Montana when I read it, and he inspired me to do the cold shower thing to energize yourself every morning. It sucked, but it worked. Typing this, I think I may pick this one up again. Oh, he also has a cool podcast that I recommend, about fitness and business.
Tell Me More by Kelly Corrigan. This book is an absolute delight. Gosh, I adore Kelly Corrigan’s writing. In this collection of essays, each one is about a phrase she is learning to say, like “no,” “I don’t know,” and “I’m sorry.” Each essay is full of wisdom and aha moments. Some will make you cry and others will make you laugh. I saw myself in many of them, as she writes about losing a parent, health scares, and learning to let go as her children grow up. My favorite essay, “Tell Me More,” is about a conversation she had with a facialist about aging and believing she looks old. I don’t want to give the punch line away, but the facialist knew exactly what advice to give and it was genius!
Honorable Mentions
Biography – Jackie, Janet & Lee: The Secret Lives of Janet Auchincloss and Her Daughters by J. Randy Taraborrelli
Chick Lit – The Identicals by Elin Hilderbrand
Historical Fiction – The Summer Wives by Beatriz Williams
Literary Fiction – Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
Romance – The Wedding Date by Jasmine Gilroy
Southern Fiction – The Secret to Southern Charm by Kristen Woodson Harvey
Memoir – Jackie’s Girl: My Life with the Kennedy Family by Kathy McKeon and Becoming by Michelle Obama
Political – Everything Trump Touches Dies by Rick Wilson
Superlatives:
Favorite Character: Paige from Digging In
Character Crush: Ren Sawyer from That Month In Tuscany
Most Disliked Character: Donald Trump (sorry – read three books about his White House and UGH!)
Book that made me weep: My Oxford Year and The Light We Lost
Book that made me laugh: I Feel Bad About my Neck and Dead People Suck
Book I don’t remember reading: The Music Shop (I got nothing!)
Best Title: Woman Last Seen in Her Thirties by Camille Pagan
Worst Title: How to Stop Feeling Like Sh*t
Book I gave the most as a gift: I’ve Been Thinking by Maria Shiver (I purchased a dozen copies!)
Most Shocking Revelation: Jackie O’s mother used a turkey baster (supposedly) to impregnate herself with the children she had with her second husband, Hugh Auchincloss.
Book That Made Me Squirm: White Houses by Amy Bloom (about Eleanor Roosevelt and her very close friend…sorry, but it did)
Book that made me ANGRY: All the Trump books, but also The Summer I Met Jack. The portrayal of Jackie (who even though I’m obsessed with, I believe was no saint. I’ve read at least 2 dozen books about her, so my opinion is fairly educated) was just not right. The author made her way too cold and calculating in my opinion. I also felt the author totally, again imo, misrepresented Jackie’s marriage to JFK in order to favorably characterize her character as a victim. A woman I’d like to point out, whom we have no evidence even had the relationship that was depicted in the book. That being said, the author did state in the acknowledgments that her story was based on a hypothesis.
Best Cover:
I just want to be on that porch!
Favorite Passages:
Reading is everything. Reading makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something, learned something, become a better person. Reading makes me smarter. Reading gives me something to talk about later on. Reading is the unbelievably healthy way my attention deficit disorder medicates itself. Reading is escape, and the opposite of escape; it’s a way to make contact with reality after a day of making things up, and it’s a way of making contact with someone else’s imagination after a day that’s all too real. Reading is grist. Reading is bliss.
Oh, how I regret not having worn a bikini for the entire year I was twenty-six. If anyone young is reading this, go, right this minute, put on a bikini, and don’t take it off until you’re thirty-four.
I can make a case that I regret nothing. After all, most of my mistakes turned out to be things I survived, or turned into funny stories, or, on occasion, even made money from.
All of these gems are from Norah Ephron’s I Feel Bad About My Neck. God, I love her!
According to my mother, the cornerstone of a proper apology is taking responsibility, and the capstone is naming the transgression. Contrition must be felt and conveyed. Finally, apologies are better served plain, hold the rationalizations. In other words, I’m sorry should be followed by a pause or period, not by but and never by you.
Kelly Corrigan, Tell Me More
That’s it for 2018! 2019 is coming soon, and I already stared my 2020 spreadsheet, so hopefully I will not fall so far behind again. Yikes!
