My Top 6 Favorite Reads of the First Half of 2018

My Top 6 Favorite Reads of the First Half of 2018

• 05 July 2018

I like to think of my reading in terms of March Madness brackets. I'm always trying to keep track of which books I enjoyed and stacking them up against each other until one emerges victorious.

If you're hoping to improve your reading life during the second half of 2018 then I highly recommend you check out one of the books below!

1st Quarter

11/22/63 by Stephen King - 

When you see the name Stephen King you probably conjure up images of terrifying tales. Some of us run to such books and others run as fast as possible in the opposite direction. For the record, I'm in that second group. This book is not a typical King book.

If you like historical fiction or have ever wanted to time travel then I promise you that you will devour this book. It's a long book, but one that I flew through in about a week. It's that good. I would even go so far as to say that this might actually be one of my favorite books of all time.

Still Me by Jojo Moyes  (Via NetGalley) -

Me Before You gave me a serious book hangover. I fell in love with Louisa and her bumblebee-striped tights. I was felt so invested in both her and Will's lives and I wanted more. I was so disappointed with After You, because it didn't feel like the right ending.

When I discovered that there was going to be a third book I was thrilled. I couldn't wait to see where Louisa would go. Still Me is a great addition to the series and now that I'm finished I suddenly understand why After You have had to happen.

If you two enjoyed Me Before You then you really need to finish the journey. It's so worth it.

Lucky Broken Girl by Ruth Behar -

My four-year-old and I have begun to venture into the world of chapter books and this was one of our first. It's a memoir of sorts about a girl who gets in a terrible car accident and has to have her lower body in a cast for many months. Despite her situation she manages to blossom and grow. It's an inspiring tale that will leave you feeling all the more grateful for the ordinary in your life.

2nd Quarter

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman -

I've decided that if people want to get to know me, then they should read this book. I came into this world an Ove, essentially a grumpy old man, and if someone can't see the humor among these pages then they likely won't enjoy my company.

This book is not action packed, but is more a character and a community study, namely what happens when a community is thrust upon a man who has had none. 

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng -

It's official. Celeste Ng has solidified her spot on my "I Would Read Even a Cereal Box if it was Authored by this Person" list. This book is just so, so good and explores so many things that I think many of us deal with and can relate to. It's such a complex novel that will make you think about your own life, as all the best books do. If you are among the few who have read this book, then please change that this year!

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James (Via Netgalley) -

This book was not at all what I had imagine it would be. It was SO. MUCH. BETTER! If you are looking for a book that will creep you out, keep you guessing, and flipping pages then look no further. I now plan on reading all of Simone St. James' backlist and everything she publishes in the future. It was that good.

Linking up with Steph and Jana for Show Us Your Books.