18 Books I Read In 2018

I honestly never planned to write this post. In fact, I never even planned to read 18 books in 2018. As with most hobbies in life, when you love something you tend to do a lot of it. So here I am just a few weeks out from 2018 being done and I’ve already read 18 books!

I have always been a reader. I’m not a fast reader, but I read A LOT and I’m usually reading a couple books at once oftentimes on a variety of subjects. I tend to reach for fiction novels and memoirs but I don’t discount anything. If it’s intriguing or something I want to learn about, I’m reading it.

To be honest, I haven’t talked much about reading and just books in general here on THM but I have dabbled in it over the years. I used to be a part of a digital book club that I would share about on the blog once a month (anyone remember that?!). I even started the THM Book Club but after a few rounds and a lot of no-shows I decided it maybe wasn’t the best idea and/or maybe wasn’t the right time. So instead I thought I’d drop in and share some of the books I loved this year. If they can inspire you to read more or dive into a good book for the first time in a while, I’m happy! So with that here are 18 books I read in 2018.

FICTION

1. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

This was actually the first book I read this year although technically I finished it on January 1st. It tells the story of a young woman from Nigeria who moves to America and her experience as an African woman navigating African American society….and so much more. Such a good read!

2. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

If you’re looking for a gripping fiction book with mystery but not quite Gillian Flynn terror (I’m looking at you Gone Girl…) this book is for you. Read it in a couple of days and honestly couldn’t put it down.

3. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

This should be on everybody’s reading list. It’s a YA novel but it applies to adults and teens alike. It tells the story of Starr Carter who witnesses her friend murdered by a police officer for no reason. It’s obviously poignant to our times and as a White American gave me a perspective I don’t see.

4. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

An easy and light read but not total chick-lit. The name pretty much tells you the premise of the book, though the story does not disappoint and takes many unexpected turns.

5. The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin

Finished this recently and it was a great fiction novel about how 4 siblings lives can take 4 totally different directions. As one of four, I can relate to this but it was also just a solid story that was easy to follow along.

6. Call Me by Your Name by Andre Aciman

I’ll be honest, not my favorite book. Some people loved it, but I found it slowwwwww. I was relieved when it was done. I’m told I might like the movie though so I’m adding it to my watchlist.

7. Rich People Problems by Kevin Kwan

This is the third of the Crazy Rich Asians series. I technically started it in 2017 but finished it in January so it counts! If you want a REALLY easy read which requires little to no brain capacity, this series is for you.

NON-FICTION/MEMOIRS

8. Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover

Probably my favorite book of the year. I love a good memoir and this one was hard to put down. It is the story of Tara who grew up in a mormon survivalist family in Idaho. It is gripping, moving, heartbreaking and full of redemption. Highly recommend!

9. Season of the Witch by David Talbot

It’s hard to categorize this book as 100% historically accurate but it also isn’t quite historical fiction. It tells the story of San Francisco from the early 1960s through the early 1980s and the figures who shaped it. If you live in the Bay Area and want to learn more about it, this one is for you.

10. Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark by Paul Clark Newell Jr.

I’ll be honest, I bought this on a whim late one night in Minnesota. I had just finished another book and was looking for something to read when this popped up on my Amazon recommended list. It was actually quite fascinating. It tells the story of Huguette Clark, the heiress of a mining fortune and the story of her life over the past 100 years.

11. What Made Maddy Run by Kate Fagan

The only book I read this year that is not on kindle because my friend Kait Hurley sent it to me. I couldn’t put it down and read it in two days. For anyone who struggled in college and lives with perfectionism, this book is a must-read!

12. I’ll be There For You by Kelsey Miller

This is Kelsey Miller’s latest book and a total departure from her previous one. I LOVED it. It tells the story of everyone’s favorite 90s show, Friends, and the cultural implications of it. If you’re a friends-lover, or even if you aren’t this is a great read.

SELF-DEVELOPMENT/EDUCATIONAL

13. You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero

I actually re-read this book this year. I read it a few years ago but thought it would be a good refresher and a great book to kickoff the THM Book Club (RIP) so I read it again. It’s always a great kick in the butt if you’ve been telling yourself all kinds of stories that no longer serve you.

14. The ONE Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan

THM book club #2…and maybe the book that killed it lol. This is a great read if you’re looking to help hone in on your interests and prioritize how to spend your time. I’ll be honest, I didn’t find all the advice in it to be practical in reality but I did learn a thing or two from the authors.

15. The Untethered Soul by Michael A Singer

Another re-read. I turn to this book whenever I need it and I needed it a lot this year. If you’re looking for a book that aligning and helps you to disassociate from your thoughts in a positive way, this book is for you.

16. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by Sri Swami Satchidananda 

We technically had to read this for yoga teacher training and while I’m not sure it would have made it onto my list before, I’m so happy it is now. TBH I don’t know how it would be reading this without the guidance of a yoga instructor, but each sutra definitely leaves you with plenty of thoughts and sage wisdom whether you’re a practicing yogi or not. We also had to read The Living Gita but figured I wouldn’t take up two of the books from my list with YTT mandatory reading 😉

17. Chakra Healing: A Beginners Guide by Margarita Alcantara

This book was not my initial choice when it came to learning more about chakras but the book recommended to me wasn’t available on kindle so I ended up with this one. It did feel somewhat repetitive at times, but when it comes to learning more about chakras and the holistic ways to support them (yoga, essential oils, meditation etc..) this is a great intro guide.

18. Medical Medium by Anthony William

I’ll be honest, I avoided this book for a long time because the skeptic in me just didn’t want to give in to the trend. For reference: Medical Medium is about Anthony William, a medium who channels the word of god when it comes to western medicine. Is it as over the top as it seems? Yes. I don’t feel it should be taken at face value, nor do I think celery juice is the answer to all of your problems BUT I did find it interesting and thought the same of the information on herbal supplements was useful. I incorporated some of his suggestions when I got shingles…I still took my antivirals but it certainly didn’t hurt to have a few extra supplements for support.

I’ll be honest, I did read a few other random books about everything from essential oils to tarot, but I figured 18 would be a good (and lucky!) number to end at. Definitely let me know if you enjoy learning about what I’m reading and if that’s something I should continue to incorporate into The Healthy Maven next year.

What was your favorite book this year? Feel free to drop recommendations below for what I should read in 2019!