I have been asked many times “What was your favorite book of the 52?” This is an impossibly hard question for me to answer. I really loved most of the books that I read in 2018 and to pick just one would mean leaving others out that left a lasting impression on me. Having said that, I thought a recap of some sort was necessary to close the year out.

So, here is my “Favorite 10” list in no particular order. These might not make everyone’s favorite book list but for one reason or another these 10 made me sit and think, cry, laugh out loud or sink into end of book depression after the last page. Would love to know if you have read any of these, what your thoughts are, if you had a “favorite” of 2018 or if you have suggestions of a book I should add to my must-read list.

“We Were the Lucky Ones” by Georgia Hunter

Where to begin! WWII is on the verge of breaking out and members of the Kurc family living in Poland and France start to experience the cruelty and horror of what it meant to be Jewish during that time. “We Were the Lucky Ones” is inspired by the true events of the author’s grandfather and his immediate family. Each chapter is from a different character’s POV and spans almost an entire decade. Georgia Hunter weaves together her family’s story who are torn apart and scattered across the globe while trying to survive the Holocaust. Knowing this was a true story made the details of what these characters went through all the more gripping. I am not usually one to read the author’s notes at the end of a book but you must read this one cover to cover. Click here to purchase.

“A Man Called Ove” by Fredrik Backman

Ove is, for lack of a better word, a grump. Even though in the book he has aged fifty-nine years, I pictured him to look more like the little old man from the movie UP. Ove hates everything and everyone and doesn’t understand why people just can’t figure things out for themselves these days. He is busybody, a rule follower and likes things done a certain way. It isn’t Ove’s recent widower status that makes him this way, he has always been like this. Except for when he was with her. She was all the colors. Now Ove is left to figure out his way without her, something he isn’t sure he wants to do. Many times Ove’s antics made me smile and the last chapter had me in tears. You will definitely fall in love with Ove…and Ove would have hated that. Click here to purchase.

“The Dry” by Jane Harper

Talk about a page turner. “The Dry” follows Officer Aaron Falk as he returns to his hometown for Luke’s funeral, his childhood best friend. Circumstances around his friend’s death couldn’t be more horrific and Aaron’s countdown until he can leave Kiewarra begins the minute he steps foot in the town. He has a complicated history there and ghosts he would rather not run into. Luke’s parents don’t believe what the city police said happened inside Luke’s home the night he and his family died. Gerry and Barb beg Aaron to stay in town to see if he can help uncover the truth. Set in a small Australian farming town during a severe drought the residents of Kiewarra are a powder keg of emotions waiting to go off. The author gives the reader just enough information to keep you guessing as to what really happened to the Hadler family. I’m usually able to figure out the ending of “who-done-its” fairly early on but Jane Harper did a great job not giving it away. Her smooth transitions between chapters keeps the story flowing and keeps the reader wanting more. Click here to purchase.

“Lilac Girls” by Martha Hall Kelly

“Lilac Girls” is a beautifully written debut novel by a New England native. The story begins in 1939 and follows three women for twenty years during WWII. What I didn’t realize until reading the author’s notes at the back is that this is based on a true events. Caroline, a former actress turned consulate worker, lives in the United States and does all she can to support the people of France as Hitler invades the country. Kasia is living in Poland working for the underground when she is arrested and imprisoned at Ravensbrook, the only all female concentration camp. Herta, a German doctor, finds her beliefs being drastically numbed at the camp she is assigned to work until she is completely swept up in the experimental atrocities spearheaded by Dr. Karl Gebhardt. While Kasia’s character is based off a fictional experience at Ravensbrook, Caroline and Herta were in fact real people. The author used letters and journals these women kept to add in much of their own voices to the story. Some chapters end in significant cliff hangers that made me want to skip ahead to see what happened next. Click here to purchase.

“Little Fires Everywhere” by Celeste Ng

A nomadic mother and daughter, Mia & Pearl, pull into the picture perfect town of Shaker Heights with the intention of finally putting down some roots. It is there where they meet the Richardson family. Elena Richardson, the matriarch of the family, is a perfectionistic journalist whose need to dig for the real story behind the new tenants in her rental house causes her own life to go up in flames. The book has a running theme that makes the reader consider, “What makes someone a mother? Is it biology or was it love?” Does simply being related by blood give you the right to raise a child? “Little Fires Everywhere” is a title off Reese Witherspoon’s book club list and she is also in the process of producing the book for a TV mini-series, can’t wait for that! Click here to purchase.

“Dark Matter” by Blake Crouch

Jason Dessen was a brilliant scientist on the verge of a major breakthrough in his career, his wife was an up and coming artist – then Daniela got pregnant and they gave up on their careers to start a family together. Neither of them regretting the choice they made even as their former colleagues gain notoriety that was destined to be theirs once upon a time. One night, Jason gets abducted on his way home. When he awakes he finds himself in an unfamiliar place. Everyone seems to know who he is and they are celebrating his “return”. Is this just a side-effect of being hit on the head by his attacker or is this all really happening? Jason discovers that in this “world” he and his wife never married, his son never born but professionally he accomplished everything he ever imagined. Something he only dream of. “Dark Matter” explores the theory of mutli-universes and what life would have been like if you had chosen a different path? What if you had chosen a different college, accepted another job, married a different person? This book explores how much each decision we make shapes us and those we love. Jason Dessen wants nothing more than to get his life back…no matter what the cost. Blake Crouch has written an absolute page turner. I read this book in a day because I just couldn’t put it down. Crouch is also currently working on the screenplay for this book. Can’t wait to see what they do with the movie version of this. Click here to purchase.

“The Story of Arthur Truluv” by Elizabeth Berg

Every day at noon 85 year old Arthur Moses can be found in the same place – eating his lunch at his wife Nola’s grave. Arthur wouldn’t miss his daily visits to her for anything. He fills her in on his day to day happenings since she passed six months ago. Arthur misses Nola so very much. Maddy is a girl on the verge of adulthood whose home life is less than miserable and is on her way out of an unhealthy relationship. Maddy can’t wait to escape the hell that is High School. She has no friends, can’t go a day without someone tossing a disparaging comment her way and finds her only peace among the trees at the cemetery during her lunch breaks. This is where the unlikely duo meet for the first time, on one of their daily lunch trips. Arthur’s neighbor, Lucille, is a retired school teacher and is equally lonely. She keeps Arthur’s cookie jar full with her homemade baking. The three of them become an unlikely trio that prove that sometimes its the family that you create for yourself that ends up being the greatest blessing. Berg has written an absolutely heartwarming book. Some compare Arthur to Ove from Fredrick Backman’s book “A Man Called Ove” but I found Arthur to be much more of a genuinely caring soul right from the start. Nothing had to be chipped away for the reader to fall in love with his heart of gold. Click here to purchase.

“One Day in December” by Josie Silver

On her way home from work on a particularly miserable December day, Laurie is staring out of the window of her overly crowded bus when she locks eyes with a handsome stranger waiting on the bench at the bus stop. All at once she is overwhelmed with a sudden urge to rush off the bus and meet him. Clearly feeling the same she sees him get up and rush towards the bus as it begins to pull away. He is left standing on the side of the road and Laurie left wondering if she will ever see “bus boy” again. Over the next year Laurie and her best friend Sarah keep their eyes peeled for the mystery man anytime they are out with no luck. Sarah however has managed to snag a new dreamy boyfriend that she has fallen head over heels for. She can’t wait to introduce him to Laurie at their annual Christmas party, only Laurie has already seen him before. Sarah’s new boyfriend is none other than “bus boy” who’s name turns out to be Jack. Neither Jack or Laurie decide to tell Sarah about their previous meeting leaving an unsettled chemistry between the three. “One Day in December” follows the trio over a decade and changes perspective between Jack and Laurie. This is a quick, lovely story was the perfect escape from the holiday crazies. I really didn’t want it to end and actually shut the book with a smile on my face. Click here to purchase.

“A Simple Favor” by Darcey Bell

Mommy-blogger Stephanie was desperate for a friend after the loss of her husband and half-brother in a tragic accident. When Emily walks into her life it’s like her prayers have been answered. Meeting by chance one rainy day while picking up their sons at school the four quickly become inseparable. Emily asks Stephanie for a simplefavor – does she mind picking up Nicky from school and keeping him until she can get there later that evening. Having done this countless times before, Stephanie thinks nothing of it. When hours turn into days without Emily returning for Nicky, Stephanie begins to panic. She contacts Emily’s husband on his business trip in London who upon his return decides it’s time to call the police. Where is Emily? Did something happen to her or has she willingly walked away from her family? Without giving too much away I’ll say this…no one needs a friend like Emily. First time author, Darcey Bell has given readers a deliciously twisty story to contemplate long after the last page. Her novel will have you second guessing how much of your life you should share with those around you. I cannot wait to see the movie! I had a hard time picturing Anna Kendrick in the role of Stephanie after reading Bell’s description of her but Blake Lively seems perfectly cast – like Emily was written for her. Click here to purchase.

“The Last Mrs. Parrish” by Liv Constantine

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer… “The Last Mrs. Parrish” was quiet the page turner. This thriller about a woman who conceives a plot to work her way into the life of a married couple is told in two parts from two different characters POV. As the book opens, Amber is putting her master plan into play. She is manipulative, calculated and really quiet despicable but you find yourself sucked into her storyline and in a twisted way almost pulling for her. Part II is from Daphne’s perspective. The twist the author lays out for her character is unsettling and disturbing. Amber & Daphne remind you that not everyone’s relationships are always what they seem to be on the exterior. I can see why this book made it on to Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club list. Fun Fact: Liv Constantine is actually the pen name of two sisters who collaborated together over Facetime and email to write “Mrs. Parrish” despite living three states apart! Click here to purchase.

HONORABLE MENTION: “Salt to the Sea” by Ruta Sepetys

I have yet to review this book on The Booked Mama’s Instagram as it has been out on loan and I haven’t been able to take my picture of this beautiful cover. This historical fiction book is written from four different characters POV in Germany during World War II. Joana, Florian and Emilia are attempting to evacuate Germany ahead of the Red Army’s invasion and Alfred is a loyal member of Hilter’s Kriegsmarine. The four characters storyline’s intersect when they come upon their ultimate destination, the ship, the Wilhelm Gustloff. I have read a lot of historical fiction books about this time period and never came across one quiet like this. The author doesn’t hold back and the story at times is quiet painful but the characters bravery and desire to survive keeps you wanting more. Although this story is fiction you find it easy to imagine that this could easily be a story built on someone’s truth from that time. Click here to purchase.

HONORABLE MENTION: “The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper” by Phaedra Patrick

69 year old Arthur Pepper decides it’s time to clean out his wife’s belongings on the one year anniversary of her death. He comes across a charm bracelet hidden in a boot that he has no knowledge of. As he begins to figure out the meaning behind each of the charms, Arthur learns more and more he didn’t know about his wife of more than 40 years. I could just picture the little old man from the movie “Up” as I read about Arthur and his adventures to discover what secrets Miriam had hidden from her past. This was such a lovely, easy read about appreciating your loved ones during life and not missing out on experiences while you still have the time to enjoy them. Click here to purchase.

HONORABLE MENTION: “Victoria” by Daisy Goodwin

For those of you who have not yet discovered “Victoria” on PBS, get to a TV right now. This has easily become one of the shows I most look forward to watching every week. The author of this book is the head writer for the PBS show. “Victoria” is meant to accompany season one of the show. If you haven’t seen the show, no worries, the book is definitely still worth the read if you like slightly fictionalized history. Obviously the events surrounding the Queen’s life during this time period are historically factual but Daisy Goodwin’s imaginative take on what transpired is so colorful and romantic you sometimes forget these conversations likely didn’t actually happen. “Victoria” Season 3 will premier Sunday, January 13…not that I’m counting the days or anything. Click here to purchase.