2018 Book Awards: Me Fangirling Over All Things Bookish From 2018

Hello and happy Monday, you guys! I hope you’ve had a good start into the new week so far. 🙂 For today’s post, I wanted to talk about my favorite books of 2018 without repeating myself a million times (which is what I tend to do) – luckily, Caro saw me struggling with his and suggested I do it this way instead.

I got the questions from Sam’s video that she did to talk about her 2018 favorites, so make sure you check out her video too! 🙂

But before I talk for much longer, let’s just hop right in, shall we?

Best Male Protagonist

As I was writing down these questions and kind of thinking about who/what I’d pick for each of them, I have to say my heart sped up quite a bit for this one because I get to talk about Nikolai and how much I love the guy – again. He was the first character I talked about in this post and he gets first mention here too. But what can I do? My head has basically been occupied by all things Grishaverse all month – especially with those Netflix news.

But I also want to give shout outs to some other awesome male characters I read about (that didn’t get talked about in the just mentioned post): Jem Carstairs who will never not be a fave, whether I read a book that features him or not (but I did, I read Clockwork Prince), Simon Spier, Elias Veturius (my poor, poor Elias. My heart is shattered), Jac (who isn’t even the main character in Ace Of Shades but I have this attachment to him that I can’t quite explain), Peter Kavinsky (mostly the movie version because Noah just destroyed me) and so many more but this list is getting too long already so I’ll stop now.

Best Female Protagonist

As someone who mainly reads about female characters, this was quite difficult to choose, especially since (as with Nikolai) I just shared some awesome female characters in this post too. And while I already talked about them, I still want to give this award to the women of the Throne Of Glass series: Aelin, Manon, Elide, Yrene and Lysandra.

I adored them. I adored the relationships they built between each other. I loved that in the end, it was the women who defeated the big bad in this world. They worked together and they kicked some serious ass. And that one scene at the very end? I cried. It was beautiful, honestly.

But, as I did for the male character, I want to shout out some more female characters here too who deserve some serious love and appreciation: Laia who continues to just be fucking awesome, Angel Rahimi who represented such a big part of me from my fandom days, Leah Burke who was so much like me at times, it scared me, Lada Dracul who never wavered from who she was, Lara Jean Covey who, especially in the last book, reminded me so much of myself just before I graduated and the things I wish I had done.

Best Plot Twist

We’re not talking plot twists, that’s just cruel. I wouldn’t want anyone to go into a book knowing there’s something they should be expecting – in my eyes, it ruins the experience. But also, my memory of books is so bad I couldn’t even tell you about a great plot twist if I wanted to? Well, minus one but that book is so hyped I’m sure you’ve heard that there is one in it.

Favorite Book Cover

I really loved the UK edition of The Astonishing Color Of After – wait, actually, they’re both stunning versions of the book! I love all the pink that’s going on with the US edition! And then for a book I didn’t read but that has a ridiculously beautiful cover: the US version of Muse Of Nightmares!

Best Male Sidekick

Um, I’m not sure I even read a book that had a male sidekick, really? Like, I want to say Kit and Ty but they aren’t really ‘sidekicks’ in my eyes? They’re very much part of the main cast of characters and especially in the last book they’re mainly doing their own thing rather than working with the rest of the Blackthorns.

Best Female Sidekick

My former Ace Of Shades street team self (who was part of the Doves) wants to go with Lola but we don’t really get to know her that well in the first book to really make too much of an opinion but what we got was super fun, plus her and Jac are awesome together (in a platonic way) and I need more.

Best Unique Plot/World

I want to go with Scythe and Thunderhead for this? I don’t think the world is that unique but I loved the plot and where the story went in the first two books so much – even though I was a bit bothered by the unnecessary romance that was there in book one. But yeah, overall, it’s a great book with a fascinating idea and execution!

Favorite Book To Movie Adaptation

Honestly, the only book to movie adaptations I saw in 2018 were Love, Simon and To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before and considering that I’ve seen To All The Boys at least a handful of times since it came out, the answer should be obvious! And we’re getting a sequel so I am stoked!

Favorite New To Me Author

Huh, I thought I hadn’t read too many new-to-me authors in 2018 but apparently, my memory was wrong because there are quite a few: Tomi Adeyemi, Emily X. R. Pan, Akemi Dawn Bowman and Alice Oseman who was a real surprise this year! For Tomi, Emily and Akemi I’ve only read one book but I already know I want to read everything else they’ll either release or have released at this point! As for Alice Oseman, I’ve read every book she published and the first two chapters of Heartstopper. 😀

Favorite Angsty Relationship

Again, you keep expecting me to remember what I actually read this year besides major plot points (if even)?! Sure, I can go with Kaz & Inej (MY GOD that bathroom scene. You know what I’m talking about) or Elias and Laia or Gansey and Blue, but if you know me and the books I love, you would expect these people to show up.

Best Action

My brain immediately went to Kingdom Of Ash. That book is filled with action pretty much from beginning to end (which can get a bit exhausting but it’s the big finale and everything has been leading up to these fights) and it’s action done well, in my opinion so I’m giving it to KOA!

Best Standalone

I really don’t read many standalone novels because I just love me a good long series (at least three books) that gives me the chance to fully fall for the characters and get wrapped up in the story, etc. so this was a bit more difficult but I have to give it to Alice Oseman’s I Was Born For This again.

This book was my introduction to Alice and ended in me reading all her previously published books after too. That’s quite something in and of itself, plus, I just really love this story and everything it reminded me of.

Best Assemble Cast

The only books featuring an actual assemble cast that I read this year were the Throne Of Glass series, The Dark Artifices trilogy and the Six Of Crows duology and you will not make me choose between these people. No way.

Best Finale

Hands down, without a single doubt in my mind: Kingdom Of Ash! I went into this book quite nervous that Sarah would do a repeat of A Court Of Wings And Ruin here but thank god, this was an actual finale with consequences, losses (so many) and some much needed happy scenes and moments. This book was what ACOWAR should’ve been – and what I wish Queen Of Air And Darkness would’ve been too.

You guys, I honestly need to stop underestimating just how much I can talk about the things I love because this post ended up being much longer than I originally expected. xD And my hands are hurting from typing up all of this in one sitting – I’m clearly not used to blogging a lot anymore.

As always, now that I’ve shared my favorites for different categories, I obviously want to hear from you guys too! Who were some of your favorite characters? Your favorite books? Finales? Covers? All of that good stuff, let me know in the comments down below!