The year is coming to an end. It’s hard to look at bestseller lists that have between fifty and two-hundred titles on the list. That’s why I’ve compiled a list of just five popular novels from 2018. Whether you’re into fiction or nonfiction, there is something on this list for you. This is far from a complete list of bestsellers, however I tried to pick the most interesting off of various bestseller lists for your enjoyment. Not all of the books were published in 2018 but were popular anyway, while others were actually published this year. There is a distinct lack of Stephen King – and horror in general – on this list, but fear not, I’ll get back to him and his genre soon enough. In the meantime, check out the five books below.
Becoming, by Michelle Obama:
An intimate, powerful, and inspiring memoir by the former First Lady of the United States
In a life filled with meaning and accomplishment, Michelle Obama has emerged as one of the most iconic and compelling women of our era. As First Lady of the United States of America—the first African American to serve in that role—she helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history, while also establishing herself as a powerful advocate for women and girls in the U.S. and around the world, dramatically changing the ways that families pursue healthier and more active lives, and standing with her husband as he led America through some of its most harrowing moments. Along the way, she showed us a few dance moves, crushed Carpool Karaoke, and raised two down-to-earth daughters under an unforgiving media glare.
In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her—from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it—in her own words and on her own terms. Warm, wise, and revelatory, Becoming is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations—and whose story inspires us to do the same.
Get it on Amazon here:
Kindle: $14.99
Hardcover: $19.50
Paperback: $20.70
Also available on Audible.
Note: All prices as of 12/22/2018
Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are so You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be, by Rachel Hollis:
Do you ever suspect that everyone else has life figured out and you don’t have a clue? If so, Rachel Hollis has something to tell you: that’s a lie.
As the founder of the lifestyle website TheChicSite.com and CEO of her own media company, Rachel Hollis developed an immense online community by sharing tips for better living while fearlessly revealing the messiness of her own life. Now, in this challenging and inspiring new book, Rachel exposes the twenty lies and misconceptions that too often hold us back from living joyfully and productively, lies we’ve told ourselves so often we don’t even hear them anymore.
With painful honesty and fearless humor, Rachel unpacks and examines the falsehoods that once left her feeling overwhelmed and unworthy, and reveals the specific practical strategies that helped her move past them. In the process, she encourages, entertains, and even kicks a little butt, all to convince you to do whatever it takes to get real and become the joyous, confident woman you were meant to be.
With unflinching faith and rock-hard tenacity, Girl, Wash Your Face shows you how to live with passion and hustle–and how to give yourself grace without giving up.
Get it on Amazon here:
Kindle: $12.99
Hardcover: $13.79
Also available on Audible.
Note: All prices as of 12/22/2018
The Hate U Give, by Angie Thomas
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.
But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.
And don’t miss On the Come Up, Angie Thomas’s powerful follow-up to The Hate U Give.
This book was published in 2017 and made into a popular movie in 2018. Check the movie out as well if you like mixing up your media. To avoid disappointment, perhaps see the movie first. We all know movies are never as good as the books.
Get the book on Amazon here:
Kindle: $11.99
Paperback: $11.65
Hardcover: $10.44
Also available on Audible.
Note: All prices as of 12/22/2018
The President Is Missing, by Bill Clinton and James Patterson:
The President Is Missing confronts a threat so huge that it jeopardizes not just Pennsylvania Avenue and Wall Street, but all of America. Uncertainty and fear grip the nation. There are whispers of cyberterror and espionage and a traitor in the Cabinet. Even the President himself becomes a suspect, and then he disappears from public view . . .
Set over the course of three days, The President Is Missing sheds a stunning light upon the inner workings and vulnerabilities of our nation. Filled with information that only a former Commander-in-Chief could know, this is the most authentic, terrifying novel to come along in many years.
I’m not a fan of James Patterson. His writing is okay, but his endless television commercials are not. I get sick of seeing him pushing his books on TV. He’s the only author who stoops that low. Still, co-writing a novel with a former US president is not an average experience for an author. I’m curious how this book is.
Get it on Amazon here:
Also available on Audible.
Note: Prices as of 12/22/2018
Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline:
Now, this book was published in 2012, but it has skyrocketed back into the limelight thanks to it being made into a movie. Again, I recommend seeing the movie before you read the book to avoid disappointment.
In the year 2045, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he’s jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade’s devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world’s digital confines—puzzles that are based on their creator’s obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them.
But when Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade’s going to survive, he’ll have to win—and confront the real world he’s always been so desperate to escape
Get it on Amazon here:
Kindle: $9.99
Paperback: $12.77
Hardcover: $20.19
Also available:
- A movie tie-in version
- Original on Audible
Note: All prices as of 12/22/2018
There you have it. Five of 2018’s most popular novels, two of which were turned into movies that may or may not be a huge disappointment, one of which is a memoir of one of the most beloved First Ladies, and one of which was co-written by a former U.S. president.
Get reading, dearest. Don’t stop til the sun comes up.
– Justine
After Midnight Book Reviews 