Review: 2018 on Goodreads

2018 on Goodreads by Various
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

STATS
Books read: 130
Total pages: 47, 628
Average pages: 366
My average rating: 3.4 stars

BEST BOOKS I READ IN 2018 (Excluding re-reads)
1. The Three Secret Cities by Matthew Reilly Review Here
2. Graevale by Lynette Noni Review Here
3. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas Review Here
4. Daring Greatly by Brene Brown Review Here
5. A Thousand Perfect Notes by CG Drews Review Here
6. Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse Review Here
7. Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth Review Here

These books all scored the elusive 5 stars from me so GO READ NOW

2018 Re-reads
Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling Review for Deathly Hallows Here (includes links to reviews for previous books in the series)
Three Musketeers Series by Alexandre Dumas Review for The Three Musketeers Here
Contest by Matthew Reilly Review Here

My most popular reviews

1. The Lost Man by Jane Harper: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
2. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
3. The Three Secret Cities by Matthew Reilly: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
4. Cedar Valley by Holly Throsby: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
5. Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J Maas: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Worst books of the year
1 star:
Rise Sister Rise by Rebecca Campbell
French Kissing by Catherine Sanderson

2 stars:
Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver
Path of the Lost by Beau Kondos
Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory
The Island by MA Bennett
Harry Potter: The Prequel by JK Rowling
A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J Maas

General Overview

My original reading challenge was 80 books, but when I was smashing through them I upped it to 100 and still managed to far exceed my goal, so pretty proud of that. Coincidentally, I watched a lot less TV this year!

I got easily distracted by new books this year, and was rarely reading fewer than four at a time. (I'm STILL slogging away with The Sword of Shannara, which has been on my bedside table for something like 2 years, now. I wonder if 2019 will be the year I finally finish it?!) Surprise surprise, it looks like I bought more books than I read. Sorry, TBR Pile.

Thanks to our brilliant Aussie Readers group, I scored a lot of ARCs, and I also signed on as a reviewer for Pan Macmillan so I've had a lot of fun reading new releases this year and am looking forward to some more sneak peeks next year! So grateful to have these opportunities, and have the publishers to thank for some pleasant surprises I otherwise probably wouldn't have read: Cedar Valley by Holly Throsby, The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton, The Lost Man by Jane Harper. I'm also so incredibly grateful to have had early access to books I knew I'd love: The Three Secret Cities by Matthew Reilly and Two Dark Reigns by Kendare Blake. I've got a bit of a backlog of freebies atm so January will be a busy month for all of these brilliant new releases!

My personal challenge at the start of the year was to read 15 spiritual/self-development type books which I tragically failed, but I did manage 8 so pretty happy with that! I am a zen hen. I also had a fair crack at some group challenges and I'm pretty sure that's what I have to thank for the increase in books read this year!

My Reading Highlight of the Year was (re)reading my favourite book of all time, The Three Musketeers, IN FRANCE. What an incredible experience. I was able to wander the streets of Paris, sussing out where some of the action took place, and my trip to Belle Ile was one of the most memorable experiences of my life, and I have this series to thank for that. Absolute definition of a DREAM COME TRUE <3

I've made hundreds of Goodreads friends this year and it's been so fantastic interacting with fellow booklovers! I wish the newsfeed was more consistent with showing me everyone's updates but I promise I am perusing what I can! I've read some great books simply because I've read a great review that's put me onto it, so I'm forever grateful for how much reading inspiration my GR friends provide!

Overall, 2018 has been a fantastic reading year for me so I feel very lucky! Also very impressed that I only gave 2 1-star ratings - I must be getting soft!

THANK YOU 2018!!!

View all my reviews