My Favorite Reads of 2018 (So Far)

Some excellent #beachreads for your consideration

I'm always game for a good #shelfie

Reading roundups have become one of my favorite perennial posts, and for good reason. I'm an avid reader and started tracking the books I read on Goodreads a few years ago to have a better way to remember my thoughts about everything I was reading. After faithfully logging 100+ books read annually for a few years in a row, I wanted to share some of the highlights with the world - after all, what's the point of reading so much if you don't have a way to engage with each text? What's been especially interesting is tracking how my tastes in books have changed over time. This is a much "fluffier" list of books than I might have read in the past, but all of them are books that have genuinely thrilled me and that I think anyone can enjoy and benefit from reading. All opinions are my own and reflect books I've read in the calendar year 2018, so there will be items that were not published this year but are still awesome. Take a look at my choices and let me know - what are some of your recent favorites? And to see everything I read, follow the books tab here on Compendium, or click here to follow me on Goodreads.

Best Book of 2018: Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal

I realize this headline might be slightly hyperbolic, but I just finished this book and can't relinquish my excitement. Rarely have I read something so truly original, and this delighted me from cover to cover. I have quickly learned to always listen to Reese Witherspoon's book recommendations (much like we do with Ms. Oprah), and I don't think I could have found this book on my own without her. This book has everything - it's super sexy, funny, winsome, has a murder mystery, is modern, ageless, and truly, totally unique. It's begging to be made into a movie (which will hopefully happen soon - this was optioned by Ridley Scott's Scott Free Productions and Film4, a British TV channel) and I cannot wait to go back and read Jaswal's earlier books. The characters in Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows (isn't the title alone just so delightful?!) are so well rounded and it really reminded me how little we think of "women of a certain age." Despite the fact that this reads like stereotypical chick lit, it actually has a lot of really thoughtful things to say about race, ageism, immigration, cultural differences, traditional values vs. modernity, and so much more, and it says them in a way that never feels forced or heavy-handed. I was absolutely delighted with this rich novel and couldn't put it down (I actually had to pace myself as I read to savor every word). This is truly a perfect summer read, make sure you pick it up! 

Best Nonfiction: So You Want to Talk About Race? by Ijeoma Oluo

If there is one book that everyone needs to read *right now,* it's this one. Oluo has a beautiful, approachable yet frank writing style that perfectly handles the difficult subject of race. I've heard from so many people, especially white people, that they don't know how to sensitively and intelligently talk about racial issues; this book beautifully does all of the heavy lifting for you. Oluo breaks down some of the FAQs of fraught racial conversations like "Why can't I say the N word?" "Why do we need affirmative action?" and "What is white privilege?" in a way that anyone can understand and connect to. She heads off tangential arguments, speaks to both sides, and begins each chapter with her own lived experience, humanizing each issue in a way that sets you at ease and gets you seeing the world through her eyes. Racial equality is a work in progress, one I work on every day and I constantly fail at, but I keep trying - because it's so very important. I've never seen a better definition of why we have to try, how to do so, and how to pick yourself up after making a mistake than this book. I genuinely wish I could afford to buy 1,000 copies of this and just hand them out on the streets to people. If you're struggling with how to cross divides, understand racism in America (especially in its more subtle contemporary forms), or finding the words to explain exactly why certain things are worse for some and not all of us, read this book. It will put things elegantly and plainly to help you navigate this and find inclusive solutions to the problem. 

Best YA Fiction: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

I've seen people raving about this book for months and I can now understand why. Like the work of J.K. Rowling or John Green, The Hate U Give is a great example of how YA fiction is increasingly complex, thoughtful, and empowering and for way more readers than just children. There are so many serious themes, particularly about the effects of poverty and police brutality on communities of color, that are not trivialized or simplified here; instead, Angie Thomas trusts that the teenagers she writes for can not only handle the truth but use it to make the world a better place. I was captivated for the full 450 pages of this book and easily could have read more if Thomas wanted to write it. Though this was technically written for teens I think adults can really benefit from reading and enjoying The Hate U Give. And if you're not the reading type, you're in luck - the film version, starring Amandla Stenberg, just released the trailer and will come out in October 2018.

Best Family Drama: Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

This is another Reese Witherspoon recommendation that I couldn't put down. Little Fires Everywhere is not a book I would have picked up on my own but I was riveted from start to finish. I literally devoured this whole book in one sitting - the same way I did watching Big Little Lies last year, another narrative that I would have said I didn't like if I judged it based on a blurb. Little Fires Everywhere is engaging, intriguing, poignant, and has such a pull of mystery throughout every page.  I am beyond thrilled that Reese and Kerry Washington are co-producing (and starring in) a TV series adaptation of this and I cannot wait to see it. If you like thrillers, mysteries, family dramas, outsider stories, etc. then you will enjoy this, but I'd encourage anyone to pick it up even if they think it sounds boring and watch themselves be pleasantly surprised.

Best Fantasy Series: The Broken Earth by N.K. Jemisin

I'd seen oodles of glowing reviews of The Broken Earth series and finally had to read it for myself. I immediately dove into the first book and finished it in less than a day. This is an accomplishment because a) the book was nearly 500 pages and b) I hadn't read a book that long that quickly since high school, I think. This pattern quickly followed suit with the final two books, leading me to read almost 2,000 pages in less than three days. Jemisin really is such an original writer; you can't help but be captivated by the detailed, totally new worlds she constructs. I like to think everyone would love this series, but I think this is an especially great fit for fans of dystopian books, fantasy, sci-fi, magic, mysteries, inter-generational narratives, and totally original stories. There are shades of all the great fantasy writers here - Octavia Butler, Ursula Le Guin, Tolkein, Rowling, even a little George R.R. Martin. N.K. Jemisin has jumped near the top of my long list of women of color who are absolutely killing it in the literary game these days - between she and Nnedi Okorafor, I think I've been spoiled forever to really great science fiction. If you're feeling a little lackluster about your reading list (or just the news in general these days) and want to escape to a beautifully described, totally engrossing fictional story, look no further - this series has it all!

Best Sci-fi Series: Binti by Nnedi Okorafor

For the sci-fi genre the Binti books are quite short, but don't let that fool you into thinking they are simplistic. I love all of Okorafor's books but this is now second only to the Akata series - Binti is so unique and a really rich saga that belies its length. Interestingly, I like the sequels even better than Binti #1, as they beautifully connect Binti's new and old worlds. I love the way that Okorafor seamlessly connects ancient African tribes to hyper futuristic and alien worlds. There is a lot of Ursula LeGuin in the Binti books, but in a fresher, newer, more Star Trekkian way that I really enjoy. This story is extremely cinematic and I can imagine a vivid, velvety shooting that is part Dune, part Issa Rae. I'd love to see Janelle Monae option this and make it into a film or TV series as she'd be a perfect shepherd of the narrative. Binti is a must-read for sci-fi fans.

Most Meditative Book: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

I'd seen this highly recommended by several people I know and finally threw it on my to-read shelf. What a joy this book was! It is beautifully written and very meditative. I found myself savoring every page and almost feeling as if I was having a spiritual experience while I read. The tone is part memoir, part scientific, part devotional, and I really engaged with every essay. I was lucky enough to grow up in a rural small town and vividly remember being raised in woods similar to the ones Kimmerer describes. Every sentence brought me back to the delicious smell of pines and oaks and loamy soil and my youthful obsession with identifying plants and flowers. I connected so readily with her poetic writing and scientific mind, and I learned so many things about botany, about the Northwoods, about Native American cultures and languages and history - the list goes on and on. I read this at the same time as the Sioux Chef's cookbook and it was a perfect pairing, with Kimmerer's deeper insight into the ecological and historical perspective paired with Sherman's culinary histories. I'd recommend this book for anyone who loves nature, history, learning about different cultures, celebrating Native Americans, beautiful writing, poetry, ecology and botany, and more. 

Best Book That Will Break Your Heart: An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

What is it lately with exciting writers putting out amazing books that totally shatter you? This wandered my way (I suspect like most other people) because of Oprah's book club, and I decided to check it out. Turns out I pretty much read it straight through in a single sitting and couldn't put it down; the writing is so rich and compelling. I love how Jones switches the chapters between perspectives of each major character; often it feels messy when writers do this, but her writing is so tight that it works flawlessly and really helps make the story fully well rounded so that you never totally align with any one character. I will caution that if you prefer happy stories, you'll definitely be getting teary by the end of this one. It's still absolutely worth reading, and it completely broke my heart. I could pretty much sum this book up by saying "Oprah is never wrong" and leave it at that - this is a beautifully written book and it's a perfect beach read for the summer. I've also made it a goal to support more small publishers and this is a stunner out of new-to-me Algonquin; if you click the link in the header you'll go to their website, which is more than worth a perusal for some unique literary gems from diverse voices that you're sure to love. 

Best Graphic Novel: Baddawi by Leila Abdelrazaq

Palestine was a recent stop in my Around the World book club and this was the perfect choice. After some dry, difficult translated books it was nice to have a graphic novel to enjoy, and this one manages to pack so much substance into a short amount of space. Telling the story of the conflict in Palestine through the eyes of a child, Baddawi really hits home how much the Palestinian people have suffered over the last 80 years. To be stateless, without a passport or country recognized by other nations, is quite an unfathomable hardship - you are never a legal resident anywhere, you can't travel, and there are so many things blocking you from fulfilling basic needs and safety. It was impossible not to think of the Arab of the Future books or Persepolis while reading this - Baddawi fits comfortably into that niche. I actually wished this was longer and could have included more detail as the story is beautifully told and impactful. Baddawi is an important, accessible read for anyone looking to understand the conflicts surrounding Israel in the Middle East. I highly encourage you to pick it up.