Have a New Year's resolution to read more books in 2019? I know I do! So, we found a bunch of stellar options across a variety of genres.
Recently, Goodreads announced their user-voted best books of 2018. More than 5 million people cast their votes for their favorite stories this past year. Tons of fantastic authors and books were chosen, including some familiar names, like Stephen King and Rick Riordan, as well as newcomers, such as Tara Westover.
Plus, the Goodreads Choice Awards show that 2018 was a big year for women authors. Out of the 22 categories, 17 of the winners are women. Three of those women are celebrities: Chrissy Teigen, Tiffany Haddish and Grace Byers.
Here are some of the best books of 2018 that we've either read or plan on reading in 2019.
Best Fiction Book
- "Still Me" by Jojo Moyes, $10, Amazon
Jojo Moyes won the best fiction award for her third book in the "Me Before You" series. In this book, Louisa Clark travels to New York City to start a new life. This is Moyes' first Goodreads Choice Award.
Best Mystery & Thriller Book
- "The Outsider" by Stephen King, $17, Amazon
Stephen King is no stranger to writing award-winning stories. This is his third win in the Mystery & Thriller category. Read what happens when an 11-year-old boy’s corpse is found in a town park.
Best Fantasy Book
- "Circe" by Madeline Miller, $16, Amazon
In this tale, Madeline Miller reimagines "The Odyssey" with a focus on an interesting woman who is "possessed with power and the blood of the gods."
Best of the Best
- "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas, $14, Amazon
This powerful story follows a 16-year-old girl who finds her voice after her unarmed childhood friend is fatally shot by the police.
Best Romance Book
- "The Kiss Quotient" by Helen Hoang, $10, Amazon
Main character Stella Lane has stolen readers' hearts in the romantic story. This is Helen Hoang’s first book, first nomination and first win in the Goodreads Choice Awards.
Best Horror Book
- "Elevation" by Stephen King, $12, Amazon
Stephen King gets another win with one of his latest horror stories, which is sure to be a page-turner. It has more than 950 reviews on Amazon, with 44 percent of reviewers giving it five stars.
Best Humor Book
- "The Last Black Unicorn" by Tiffany Haddish, $12, Amazon
Comedian Tiffany Haddish not only makes us laugh in movies, but she can do it from the pages of a book as well. "The Last Black Unicorn" is a collection of essays about her life that are sure to have us cracking up. This one is on my 2019 reading list!
Best Nonfiction book
- "I’ll Be Gone in the Dark" by Michelle McNamara, $19, Amazon
This book is Michelle McNamara's nonfiction account of her journey to unmask The Golden State Killer, a murderer who killed people across California in the 1970s and 1980s. Her book created renewed interest in the case and may have helped lead to an arrest.
Best Memoir & Autobiography
- "Educated" by Tara Westover, $17, Amazon
This is Tara Westover's first book and it's clearly a success. The memoir has spent months on the New York Times Best-Sellers list.
Best Food & Cookbooks
- "Cravings: Hungry for More" by Chrissy Teigen, $21, Amazon
Chrissy Teigen won her second Goodreads Choice Award in the Food and Cookbooks category for "Cravings: Hungry for More." The model's follow-up cookbook is full of tried-and-true recipes, as well as some unique takes on classic cuisine.
Best Poetry Book
- "The Witch Doesn’t Burn in This One" by Amanda Lovelace, $9, Amazon
Poet Amanda Lovelace won her second Goodreads Choice Award for the latest book in her "Women are Some Kind of Magic" series. "The Witch Doesn't Burn in This One" is the follow-up to her 2016 Best Poetry winner, The Princess Saves Herself in This One. I personally love this series. It's a quick read that flows beautifully and will definitely make you feel empowered by the time you reach the last poem.