2018 was filled with some true gems which will be part of my list of my favorite books ever and there were also a few that were real duds where I literally threw the book in the trash!

Here are my top 9 favorites in no particular order that you should add to your 2019 TBR list!

The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine

This book made me discover my love for domestic thrillers. The duplicity, affairs, toxic relationships are gripping! I definitely liked this one over The Wife Between Us. This thriller has a special place on my book cart along with in my heart.

The Sun Is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon

This young adult contemporary novel is surprisingly deep. The author tackles serious topics of immigration, race, family, and scientific vs. artistic mindsets in such a beautiful way with an array of diverse characters.

Mr. And Mrs. American Pie by Juliet McDaniel

If you’re looking for a feel good lighthearted novel that isn’t too romantic, look no further! This contemporary novel dives into beauty pageants, family, finding your identity, and the American Dream.

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

This steamy heartfelt read will give you all the reads. I love that author uses Asian main characters and also brings awareness to Asperger’s in a sensitive way as well. This book also won GoodRead’s best romance novel of the year.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

This was the first book I read from TJR that quickly made her one of my favorite authors. This historical fiction novel oozes fame, money, and sex set in the Hollywood glamour era. I loved the vulnerability of the characters and how unapologetic the female characters are while getting what they want.

The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager

This dark compulsive thriller almost gave me nightmares! The book explores themes of mean girls, revenge, and summer camp. If you loved Riley Sanger’s Final Girls, then you’ll love this one even more!

No Exit by Taylor Adams

This insanely twisted thriller kept me on my toes the whole time. The storyline gripes you from page 1 and you don’t see any of the twists and turns coming. I have to admit that it makes me think twice about stopping at rest stop in the middle of nowhere now.

Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Jones

This beautifully written novel explores love, survival, nature, heartbreak, and loneliness. I loved that this book combined elements of historical fiction and mystery. Some of the quotes will resonate with you long after you are finished reading.

Wonder by R.J. Palacios

The main message in this book is to be kind. I think every child and parent should be required to read this book. You never know what another person is going through and a little bit of kindness goes a long way. This is one of those books that will resonate with you and give you deeper insight into human connections.

Here are the top 9 worst books I read in 2018 in no particular order that I recommend skipping at all costs.

Look For Me by Lisa Gardner

This crime novel covers topics about family, troubled pasts, abuse, and survivors. I was disappointed in how dull this book was with the unnecessary repetition and lack of character depth considering it had an intriguing premise.

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

Unpopular opinion alert! I was in the minority who didn’t like this novel at all. I found the writing to be mediocre and the characters were all so unlikable that I found myself struggling to finish.

Match Made in Manhattan by Amanda Stauffer

I was really looking forward to reading this one since it’s a contemporary novel that explores online dating in NYC. Though the premise was interesting, the writing style was pretty choppy filled with heavy mundane dialogue. I found myself skipping sections to see if it would get better and let me tell you that it does not!

When You Disappeared by John Marrs

This thriller ended up being a dud. At some point the twists ended up being predictable and the writing wasn’t as strong as the author had in other books. This novel explores toxic relationships, abandonment, and deception.

The Favorite Sister by Jessica Knoll

Fame, feminism, gossip, and sisterhood are some of the themes found in this novel. It barely qualifies as a thriller. The writing style was mediocre, however, all the characters ended up being so irritating which made it difficult to finish.

The Sisters Chase by Sarah Healy

This has got to be one of the dumbest thrillers I have ever read. It shouldn’t even classify as a thriller as all the drama was so predictable and boring. All the characters lacked depth and the storyline ended up being so bland.

Sister of Mine by Laurie Petrou

This novel is supposed to be a thriller, but ended up being melodramatic and boring. Guilt, toxic relationships, and resentment are some topics that can be found in this novel. The writing style was so boring and the twists ended up being predictable able a quarter of the way into the book.

Sunburn by Laura Lippman

Small town, lust, betrayal, and troubled pasts are some of the themes across this thriller. The characters were pretty dense and the storyline ended up being a drag. Skip at all costs.

The Spite Game by Anna Snoekstra

This is basically a terrible wanna be thriller version of mean girls. The plot sounded promising, but the story was terribly executed. The alternating between present day and various years flashbacks were confusing and sometimes made no sense at all.