I live in a reading household. At any given point, both John and I are reading anywhere from 3-6 books each. Despite owning a Kindle and a library card (s/o Nashville Public Library!), I still somehow manage to buy approximately 1 million books a year. I used to write blog posts reviewing the books I was reading, but I quit because I became friends with a lot of authors and I was self-conscious about how terrible my reviews are. I hope you were able to keep up with all the verb tenses I used in that sentence. If you loved that, you’ll love my book reviews.

Here are my favorite books from 2018!

Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well

by Douglas Stone

WHEW, great book. Now I see why my therapist has been trying to get me to read it for 2 years. There’s so much here: how to deal with friends who vent all the time, but won’t take advice; how, why and when to make boundaries; how to be a better manger and employee; HOW TO ARGUE. There’s a lot packed into this little paperback book.

Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women's Anger

by Rebecca Traister

Holy shit, this book! I love Rebecca Traister’s voice and eagerly read her articles, but reading her previous book, All the Single Ladies, was a little like reading a text book, so I took my time getting my hands on this new book, Good and Mad. Man, what a mistake. This book is *fire emoji*. I read it in 3 days, unable to put it down. If you’ve been mad since 2016 (or since forever), read this book.

Role Models

by John Waters

Insane and hilarious. Really glad I read it.

No One Tells You This

by Glynnis MacNicol

One of the best books I've ever read. It's rare that I cry at the end of a book, but I cried while finishing this one, partly because I didn't want it to end.

Text Me When You Get Home: The Evolution and Triumph of Modern Female Friendship

by Kayleen Schaefer

Wow! Where has this book been all my life?! *prayer hands emoji*

Difficult Women

by Roxane Gay

One of the best books I’ve ever read. Not for the faint of heart.

Make Trouble: Standing Up, Speaking Out, and Finding the Courage to Lead

by Cecile Richards, Lauren Peterson

This is a great book. I was surprised at how much emotion I felt reading it. There’s more depth to it than you expect.

Calypso

by David Sedaris

If you’ve seen him on tour recently or at a book signing, he’s read from this new book a lot, but I still loved reading it. This collection of essays is more personal, more reflective, but still laugh out loud funny. It’s a sweet, slightly sad, funny book.

Eileen

by Ottessa Moshfegh

This book is weird as shit! But I liked it. And I love Ottessa Moshfegh. I own her other books, but haven’t read them yet.

Meaty

by Samantha Irby

If you don’t devour everything Samantha Irby writes, you’re living your life wrong. I think I laughed my way into an accidental ab work-out.

We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy

by Ta-Nehisi Coates

DAMN.

Tenements, Towers & Trash: An Unconventional Illustrated History of New York City

by Julia Wertz

I loved this book! Julia is the first author who has captured my feelings about NYC. It’s a place I love and will never forget, but it’s also a place that chewed me up and spit me out. I cried and cried reading this beautiful book and remembering what NYC feels like to someone who intimately knows it. Such a fantastic book.

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What are your favorite books from 2018? I’m so back-logged, it can take me a year (or two) to get around to a book everyone is talking about. Also, you know Parnassus brings most of these authors to Nashville, right? I go to more book signings than concerts or movies, true story. Sign up for their newsletter if you want to know before everyone else knows. And please buy these books from either Parnassus or The Bookshop. Shop indie!

P.S. Here are some other books I liked!

P.P.S. Are we friends on Goodreads?