18 Favorite Books of 2018

[@retiredbooknerd]

I am not a romance reader, but you have convinced me to try “Princess in Theory.” This was a great list! I actually found several books I want to read! Thanks for sharing!

[@rose_and_thorns]

I'm so so happy that Circe got your very rare 5-star rating! It was definitely my favorite of the year - I was just blown away by what a phenomenal accomplishment this book is. What she did with all the bits and pieces of mythology, weaving them together in such a cohesive and beautiful novel, was just incredible. I also really loved The Astonishing Color of After...if Circe hadn't come out this year, that one would probably have taken the top spot for me. The Poet X was terrific too, I wasn't sure about a book in verse but it worked so well with the story she was telling. And of course I adored Becoming, even though it made me want to scream into the void when I thought about what we had versus what we have. I read To the Bright Edge of the World a couple years ago and adored it, too, and was really happy about that. I absolutely loved The Snow Child, so having the follow-up also be wonderful was great. Can't wait to see what she does next!

[@thebugbear]

When Breath Becomes Air, Circe, and The Feather Thief are the ones I've read off this list and they were all amazing. I was able to hear Paul Kalanithi's wife talk about grief at a book festival last year and it was an amazing experience too.

[@Imaginetheday1967]

I read The Poet X, My Sister, the Serial Killer, and The Best We Could Do based on your recommendations and I loved them. They all made my favorites list. Another one of my favorites was News of the World, by Paulette Jiles. It takes place in post-Civil War Texas and I live in Texas, so that was a draw for me. I ended up listening to it as I drove through Texas and ended up passing through locations as they were mentioned in the book (completely unplanned). It really added to my enjoyment of the book.

[@Michelle777-l2w]

Rincey; just when I think there's nothing interesting to watch on YT, you post a video. Thanks for being here and always posting fun content! I recommend "Ragged Company" by Richard Wagamese if you can get your hands on a copy - its amazing. Please seek it out because I would love to hear what you think of it! Merry christmas and Happy new year!

[@glendarobinson3249]

Your 19 reviews were absolutely thorough and well stated. Thank you for this varied list of topics, subjects, and extraordinary characters!

[@SavidgeReads]

Oh I love it when these videos start to appear in my feed (well I love your videos anyway) and everyone's favourites appear. An American Marriage arrived on Christmas eve from the publisher, so I am very much looking forward (if that is the right term for a book with that subject) to getting to it. Circe is fab, I was really nervous of it as I loved The Song Achilles sooooo much and was nervous about the follow up, I shouldn't have been. I am thinking that My Sister, The Serial Killer might be my first read of 2019. Eowyn Ivey is wonderful isn't she? All You Can Ever Know sounds amazing too. What a great list. I made notes... as well as this very long comment.

[@rinceyreads]

I love the long comment :D

[@UKLeonie]

When your fav KZbinrs fan out on each other

[@Roads_in_Autumn]

Great Video! I'm adding Circe, Evicted, and Devotion of Suspect X to my TBR. My Sister the Serial Killer, Princess in Theory and Becoming are already on my TBR.

[@KhamisKay1]

Rincey I love your videos. My tbr is growing the more you read One of my favourites for 2018 was if Beale Street could talk by James baldwin. Just read educated by Tara Westover and loved it so I think memoirs are going to be a new craze for me in 2019 thanks for including a few.

[@mynameismarines]

I loved The Poet X, Bad Blood and When Breath Becomes Air. I'm currently reading Circe and I'm so surprised how quickly it's moving. For some reason, I kind of built it up to myself as heavy and dense. I also have to the Bright Edge of the World out from the library, so I'll put that up my TBR. I really liked Snow Child. This is a really great, varied list. I hope you have a happy holiday and maybe I'll see you again in 2019? :)

[@06BIBOI]

She's soooo damn pretty !!

[@curiouslanguage2032]

Circe became one of my favorite books of all time, glad you to see you gave it five stars, too! I recently discovered your channel, and I'm very happy as you seem to talk about books that most of the other booktubers I watch don't (namely, something OTHER than YA fantasy). I always add books to my "Want to Read" after your videos :)

[@pamelastephens73]

Your video popped up in my Recommendation feed, and I’m so pleased that it did. You have several favorites that have piqued my interest. I look forward to going back through your past videos to see more recommendations. 😊

[@HollyTellingStories]

These are my favorite books I read in 2018 (in no particular order) The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty Accidental Saints by Nadia Bolz-Weber There There by Tommy Orange Wild Embers by Nikita Gill How to be a Normal Person by TJ Klune Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson Frontier Grit by Marianne Monson The Witch Elm by Tana French Dracula by Bram Stoker

[@randim7144]

HollyTellingStories I LOVE The City Of Brass! I was lucky to be able to read an ARC of book two, and it’s even better. ❤️

[@HollyTellingStories]

@@randim7144 I can't wait to read it! I am rereading book 2 now in preparation 💙

[@randim7144]

Now I’m anxiously awaiting book 3! 😭☺️

[@the_book_smith_1888]

"There, There" & "My Sister, The Serial Killer" were two of my favorites of the year too! "There, There" was actually my top pick. "Circe" is on the top of my TBR!

[@lindaharrison3240]

Great wrap up, Rincey. I want to read half of your 18 picks. You have excellent taste.

[@sarahgregory2587]

I’m currently reading a book entitled Inventing Victoria by Tonya Bolden and it is SO good. It’s about a young black girl named Essie who was born in rural Savannah in the late 1800s and she is given the chance to elevate herself in society. But as the book goes on, she wonders if this is the life she truly wants. I love the Victorian Era in general, but I found it so refreshing to hear about the era and the struggles of rising in society from someone we don’t typically get to hear from.

[@victoriahoyle-publichistor6986]

I had to get a pen and paper half way through this video to make notes. 😀 So many amazing sounding books and I particularly appreciate the non-fiction recommendations because I often struggle to find things that sound interesting. I’ve heard you mention Bad Blood so often that I really have to pick it up! Another book going on my wishlist is A Prince in Theory. I read a lot of regency romance but never contemporary and this sounds great. Circe is one of my favourites of the year too.

[@ABlackbirdsBooks]

Wow, this list of books is too incredible! I'll definitely be reading a number of these. It sounds like you had a really good reading year! I also love how varied this list is in genres. Happy New Year, Rincey!

[@lyndsayreads]

I read When Breath Becomes Air in 2017 and loved it! Also, The Poet X was on my favorites of 2018 as well! My Sister the Serial Killer, There There, Bad Blood, and Becoming are all on my immediate 2019 TBR! Great video, Rincey! :)

[@TheShadesofOrange]

So I love your end of the year videos! I totally lurked through your vlogmas (but I'm terrible with commenting.) I have My Sister the Serial Killer on request from my library because of you. I would agree that it didn't get a lot of attention on booktube. I also loved Becoming. It narrowly missed my top ten books of the years list and I'm not even American.

[@robertstanton4635]

I read The Feather Thief after you talked about in in one of your videos and loved it. I think I'm going to look for more non-violent true crime stories in 2019, starting with Bad Blood. I'm also looking forward to finally reading Circe since it was waiting at my door when I got back from Christmas vacation.

[@nikkivenable3700]

I wait all year for this review of yours! LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!

[@seriela]

Saved this video because many selections will be added to my tbr when I get home from vacation. Thanks.

[@mastersal4644]

Really enjoyed this video and the books you had on the list. Added a couple to pick up. Happy holidays!

[@harleendang8115]

I am so glad I came across Eowyn Ivey through you; I love her writing so much!

[@distant_sounds]

Wagamese is wonderful isn't he. So sad he died last year. I read, 'Medicine Walk' and 'Ragged Company' by him this year, both 5 star reads, and both sitting on my best reads of all time shelf. My favourite of the year is a photo finish between: A Tale For the Time Being - Ruth Ozeki Ragged Company - Richard Wagamese Irma Voth - Miriam Toews

[@rinceyreads]

Medicine Walk was the one I was eyeing to be my next read from him :)

[@edelwaugh]

Great video Rincey . Lots more books to add on to my TBR now . Happy New Year lovely 😊

[@josryder7841]

Thank you Rincey! I truly appreciate how you focus on quality and not (like some book tubers) quantity of books....Love your channel and can always find my next read( Bad Blood sounds sooo good!) on your channel. Can't wait to see what's on your list in 2019:-)

[@melodytoolson9069]

Thank you for including Circe in your pics as it is so amazing. As an older reader having learned mythology in secondary school, this well researched and well told story was a pleasure. I think the descriptions and interpretation of the story shows excellence in the craft of storytelling.

[@echock1989]

Just finished the poet x last night. It very nearly made 5 stars but there was a significant story beat near the end for which I didn't buy the resolution presented at all. Definitely the audiobook for that one. No doubt

[@McLeanAmy]

Ooh this is such a good idea for rounding off the year!

[@myreadinglife8816]

This is a fantastic list...so many on here I want to read. I loved Evicted last year and it made my top list then.

[@bohemianbookworm9361]

just picked up Circe this week because of you

[@rinceyreads]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@erikak6728]

Circe and the Astonishing Color of After definitely made my best of 2018 list too!

[@SuperPao]

Circe, The Feather Thief, and Becoming were all in my top 10 for this year, too!

[@HaileyAnnReads]

Evicted sounds really interesting, I'm actually from Milwaukee and can say that the city is extremely segregated. On one block (the one I lived on) we have college homes and well off kids, and then two blocks away you'll have low-income housing and the projects. It's really sad. I also just picked up An American Marriage with my January BOTM box!! I am so excited for it!!!

[@zaram1492]

I was searching “favourite books 2018” and watching random videos that I didn’t like .. Thank God you uploaded lol

[@zaram1492]

Just finished the video. Great recommendations! You definitely sold me on To The Bright Edge of The World. Some of m favourite books this year are To Kill a Mockingbird, The Forty Rules of Love, Station Eleven, Little Fire Everywhere and One of Us Is Lying.

[@jeanettecunningham8186]

You’re back and better than ever!

[@susiq4857]

Nice mix of favorites!

[@vol43]

Such great picks! I loved so many of these as well (There There, The Feather Thief, etc.). :)

[@DeeDeeCatMom]

I'm going to look up the Feather Thief now, but have you heard of Provenance by Laney Salisbury? It's a fascinating read!

[@rinceyreads]

I haven't! I will look it up!

[@tabiree]

Loving your choices!

[@vickisigh2674]

i always love your recs!

[@asmaaria5066]

Favorite video of the year I'm adding all of them to my list

[@lifeworthy2959]

Thank you. I really like your choice of books

[@ourlifeyesterday]

Omg I want to read all these books!

[@stephr2433]

My fav books of the year: Where The Crawdads Sing, Rust & Stardust , The Dream Daughter and Before I Let You Go!!!

[@cindybohn9769]

My favorite book of the year is Code Name Verity. It just floored me.

[@RedCupBookClub]

I live in Milwaukee and work for a non-profit law firm the represent A LOT of eviction clients and I can attest to the HORRIBLE housing system in Milwaukee. This book is a must read...for everyone.

[@1book1review]

You know me, I'm bad with favorites and according to Goodreads the only 3 books that I rewarded with 5* this year are discworld rereads, lol.

[@loubnamassaoudi5126]

You're really cute. I loved your voice, and I loved how mature you're video is . You're speaking with passion. Even though I'm a usually fantasy reader but I WILL defiently try ones of your recommandation. Thank you

[@boncar55]

Did I miss it? What was your 5 star book?

[@kb08tu]

Circe by Madeline Miller

[@boncar55]

Oh thank you. I think I fast forwarded past Circe as I had heard the review previously. Appreciate the answer. Thought the 5 star would be at the end.

[@leahdurham3630]

Man oh man, my to read list just got longer!

[@Juleaf8]

Great video!

[@ljrockstar69]

Loved "Bad Blood," gripping and so scandalous. With so many regulations, especially in the medical tech field and auditing, I'm shocked that this company was getting away with so many unethical/illegal practices.

[@vagingo]

I was disappointed in Circe. I enjoyed Miller's prose but bored and annoyed with Circe as a character - a girl with daddy issues and a weakness for sailors.