Your Complete 2018 Reading List

I had the surprising good fortune to read the most phenomenal books of my life throughout 2017. Never before have my emotions been so hinged on the novel in my hands at the time. After reading books this good it wouldn’t be fair to keep them to myself, so the following is my list of books you NEED to read over 2018 and why.

In Cold Blood– Truman Capote

In Cold Blood documents the true story of the Clutter family murder in Holcomb, Kansas in 1959. After the murder, it follows the lives of the murderers, Dick Hickock and Perry Smith, and documents what kind of people they truly are. This was the novel assigned for our ISU in Grade 12 English. I never thought I would enjoy a school assigned book so much. Capote gives readers a look into American violence and the human psyche while still creating a chilling and gripping novel. Also, Capote put a lot of effort into this novel: he spent six years interviewing the killers and everyone involved in the case! I have no doubt that this novel will satisfy any reader.

The Girls- Emma Cline

This book is set in 1969 Northern California. It is a fictional story based on the events of The Manson family cult. It follows Evie Boyd and her navigation through her formative teen years. This book deals with not only historical contexts but also things like friendship, family, and fitting in. I found this novel chilling, interesting, and definitely page turning.

Leaving Berlin– Joseph Kanon

This novel takes place in post WWII Berlin (1948). Alex Meier, a young Jewish writer, fled the Nazis for America before the war. He is now faced with deportation and the loss of his family so he makes a desperate bargain with the CIA to earn his way back to America: he will act as their agent in his native Berlin. Things go fatally wrong as he discovers his real assignment is spying on his one and only love, the woman he left behind. This book was fantastic. The characters are great and the plot is intricately weaved. Honestly, the storyline can be a bit confusing simply because of the plot but nothing that takes away from the novel. I think this book offers a view into the post war politics of Germany that we don’t often get.

Girl in the Blue Coat– Monica Hesse

I will read just about any war time novel out there- I love them whether they’re fact or fiction. This one is fiction and it takes place in Amsterdam, 1943. Hanneke sells goods from the black market to those in need. One day one of her clients, Mrs. Janssen, asks her for a favour: to find a person. Mrs. Janssen has been hiding a Jewish girl in a secret room who has now mysteriously vanished. Hanneke agrees to help. You should read this book for the same reason you read any other war time book: it shows the horrors of what happened and how people lived during this time. This book in particular keeps you on your toes throughout with its mysterious plot.  

Flowers for Algernon– Daniel Keyes

This was a novel that really resonated with me. It follows the story of Charlie, a mentally disabled man, who undergoes an operation to increase his intelligence until it eventually surpasses the doctors’ who operated on him. I can’t give much more information without spoiling the end but I promise it’s a page turner. I got very emotionally involved with this book and I cried at the end! I experienced the highs and lows alongside the characters; this novel is written masterfully.  

The Hate U Give– Angie Thomas

After her best friend is murdered by police, Starr Carter is thrown into a whirlwind of riots, friendships, and much more. She is pulled between the ghetto neighbourhood she lives in and the fancy prep school she attends. Another fantastic read; this novel pledges truth and gives readers a point of view that isn’t offered enough. This novel is a breath of fresh air among mainstream novels.

Letters to the Lost– Iona Grey

This was my final read of 2017 and I’ll be honest: it was, in my opinion, the best (It’s going to be hard to keep this short!). The story is set in 1942-43 London, England. Stella Thorne is stuck in a loveless marriage with her husband Reverend Charles Thorne. After a night out with her best friend Nancy, Stella meets Dan; a U.S. airman. They fall in love. The rest of the book follows their story trying to navigate a husband, a war, and the distance between them. What’s unique about this book is that it flashes back and forth from 1940s and 2011 London and tells two stories simultaneously. The juxtaposition between time periods is genius. THIS BOOK IS AMAZING!! I know it sounds like a typical gushy love story but I promise it’s not. Stella and Dan’s story kept me turning pages for hours on end. I couldn’t put it down. I wouldn’t say this book is for all audiences because it is generally a love story but I still highly recommend it. If you read any of the books on the list make it this one.

There it is, your complete 2018 reading list. Let’s make 2018 the year of great books!

• 2018
• books
• list
• reading