I wanted to do this list for a long time and honestly this was a fight to the death for me to decide which book got number one. I will explain the best I can for each book. Let’s go!
10.
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
This is probably recency bias, as it was the last book I read this year. However I loved it. The last third had me screaming as I raced through it. It was an epic read and an epic way to end the year.
9.
Tyrant’s Throne by Sebastien De Castel
If I could pick the whole series, I would. However this book defines the series. It shows the cumulation of all the themes. It creates tears, joy, and a unfathomable need to be valorous. This book made the series for me.
8.
Heartless by Melissa Meyer
I loved this retelling of Alice in Wonderland. I had to decide between this and Tyrant’s Throne, and this beat it out because it is a stand alone. If I compared this to The Greatcoats series, it would lose every time. This retelling stole my heart and made me cry for the transformation of the Queen of Hearts.
7.
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Fact, I fully believed this was a retelling of another book. Also fact, it is not. This book was amazing. Obviously, but the humor in it really got me. Fully got me. I loved every moment of it.
6.
The Wicked King by Holly Black
This is where we get into battle territory, as I had to decide which books were my absolute favorite reads of the year. I chose the second book of this series, because I saw the first and third coming, in a way, but the second took me on a joy ride. It’s my favorite of the series, and 100% why I adore this series so much.
5.
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
I went from confusion to adoration for this novel, all too quickly. I loved every moment of this book. The twists were great. The plot and setting were phenomenal. Everything about this book was amazing, but what separates this from the top four are themes, and their importance to me.
4.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
I had to decide where to put this book, as it is the only book that made me sob this year. I loved every moment that this book gave me, in solidarity, and in understanding. This book hit me hard and did not let go. It started my year off, and stays with me through it all, but it was not my favorite read.
3.
Wicked by Gregory Maguire
When I first reread Wicked, I was fully prepared to hate it. Instead I fell into it, and fell into the themes and was spun in the magic. This book had me analyzing the themes of a book in full, for the first time in such a long time. This book has so many quotable lines and everything I could ever hope for in a book.
2.
Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
Why two instead of one? That was a debate I still have. This book reinvigorated my love for reading, single handedly. I love this stand alone so frickin much that I have recommended it to nearly everyone I know has mildly enjoyed fantasy.
1.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
When you give me a new character to love. You win. When you give me themes that strike home. You win. When you give me a new life motto to live by and a resonance in my mind that sticks with me every night. You win, everything. This book was hands down the best book I read this year. Not because it was the best written, or the most important, or the best themed, but because this book fundamentally changed my life.
And that’s what’s important.
I had a LOT of fantasy novels on this list. I didn’t do this list last year, and I kind of wish I did, so I could see the comparison.
What books were your favorite for the year?
MM
Marlena Marie 