The Most Brilliant Books of 2018
The year is out, but the results are in! After much deliberation, our booksellers have compiled a selection of titles that we consider the Most Brilliant Books of 2018. They are ranked alphabetically by author, and not by merit, as all are equally Brilliant. Each one brought something unique to the literary landscape of 2018. Which ones have you read?
"A satirical fantasy for young people with amazing black and white illustrations. Elves and goblins from war torn kingdoms are brought together on an epic adventure as they sort out their collective histories. Super smart, funny and enjoyable for all ages." —Rachel
"What would you do if you knew exactly when you'd die? Live life to the fullest? Try to change your fate? Take matters into your own hands? These are the choices facing the four Gold siblings, and their overlapped and interwoven stories drive the novel forward with a sense of inexorability. It's a story that could easily be simply tragic, but instead is filled with all the love and life and pain and joy the Gold siblings are determined to experience." —Caitlin
"Finally the Regency Era choose-your-own-adventure novel you've been waiting for! You'll laugh, you'll fan yourself, and you might even find yourself behaving in a manner MOST unseemly for a lady." —Anthony
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"A girl is kidnapped from her homeworld and forced to become the body-double for a brutal princess. Steeped in the poetry and traditions of Moroccan culture, this story of friendship, oppression, and subterfuge will be a winner with all audiences." —Anthony
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"A group of animals are forced to come together after a greedy dog swallows up the entire valley of creatures. Deickmann's colorful and detailed drawings of the natural world are just beautiful, while telling an important story of community and togetherness." —Rachel
"I'm not a huge fan of thrillers. I mean, I enjoyed Gone Girl as much as the next person, but I usually find the 'shocking twists' of the plots to be prosaic and predictable. But Sometimes I Lie pulls it off superbly. The twists are unexpected, and even when you think you know what's happening, you don't. I promise." —Caitlin
"One of the year’s bestsellers for good reason. A taut Hitchcockian plot with a narrator trapped in her house by agoraphobia, traumatized from her separation from her husband and young daughter, and probably alcoholic. Ann Fox is a recluse who spends her days watching old moves, spying on the neighbors and drinking wine. One night she sees something shocking and her relationship with the folks across the way become ever more fraught. We’re never sure what’s real, what is imagined, or that anyone is who they say they are. Fans of psychological thrillers (Gillian Flynn, Tana French) should not miss this one." —PeterPeter listened to the audiobook narrated by Ann Marie Lee.Get a free 23 minute excerpt here:
"I’ve read probably everything by Seth Godin, as should anyone who engages in marketing. He is universally understandable and accessible, even to the layman. His approach is ever more relevant with today’s focus on creating an experiential environment over selling a product. Earning the consumers trust though authentic actions and philosophy rather than simple slogans. He presents principles with clear insight and observation, with his trademark examples making this a book that can genuinely make you better at what you do if what you do is connect with people." —Peter
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"This is a great adventure story of two very bright, very brave young women who bike the silk road which takes them through many different countries with their respective languages, cultures and not to mention a bit of danger as they bike over 2000 miles pondering many questions especially with regards to borders themselves and what they mean. It's a great read and I loved it." —Sandi
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"A book about savage love and savage loss when two extremely different worlds collide. Focusing on the often overlooked women of the story, this dark and brooding retelling of the epic poem Beowulf will leave you shivering afraid of the monsters in the dark of the night and the monsters inside your own head." —Anthony
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"Hilarious misunderstandings abound when Horse and Dog meet each other and can't figure out who is who and what is what. Is Horse just a giant dog? Is Dog just a tiny horse? Are they both birds?! Read it and find out!" —Anthony
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"One crumbling old house with a unique past and two families who lived within its walls over 100 years apart. Both families are dealing with the issues of their times and Kingsolver deftly takes the reader back and forth between the two developing great characters and an interesting story. A great read." —Sandi
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"The Great Believers was my favorite novel of the year. Written with empathy and tenderness, this story of the AIDS epidemic, its victims and survivors is full of unforgettable characters and engrossing narrative." —Sharon
"While I would prefer Mr. Martin to be working on finishing the Song of Ice and Fire series, this history of House Targaryen is amazingly deep and fulfilling for a any Game of Thrones fan. Set 300 years before the events of the main series it chronicles the time of dragons and is purported to be volume 1 of 2!" —Jodie
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"Pern fans rejoice! Gigi McCaffrey returns to the legendary world created by her late mother. A great jumping off point for new fans as well, who will later want to seek out the originals." —Jodie
"Arthur Louis Pullman III embarks on a cross-country journey by train to uncover the truth behind his eccentric grandfather, a famous novelist, and the week leading up to his death five years earlier. With the help of unfinished poems and an elusive new friend, Arthur discovers that what he's been told may not be the whole truth, and that there is more to the story than he could even imagine. Mysterious and magical, A Lite Too Bright is a beautiful debut and a must-read. " —Kendall
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"My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Otessa Moshfegh was my favorite tastebreaker of 2018. I both loved and loathed the main character, and haven't laughed harder than at the brutally dark humor that Moshfegh seamlessly delivers." —Kajetan
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"Killing Commendatore helped reinforce my affinity for the surreal world of Haruki Murakami. An artist at loose ends struggles with dislocation, secrets, and spirits in this novel or dreamy mediation and understanding." —Kajetan
"Naomi Novik proves once again that her ability to weave folktales into a wicked good yarn has not changed. An amazing re-visioning of the classic Rumpelstiltskin tale." —Jodie
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"Revolution Francaise is an outstanding work of journalism and very timely for people curious about the protests in France. In addition to her extraordinary access to France's young philosopher-king president, Pedder provides an insightful guide to politics in post-Brexit Europe." —Sharon
"An epic story of nine strangers drawn together to save an old growth forest, this is an ambitious work of activism and beauty." —Rachel
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"R.A. Salvatore returns to his Forgotten Realms home with this his 31st book chronicling the dark elf hero Drizzt Do'Urden. Following two timelines, this book reveals even more of the history of this iconic hero, if that were even possible." —Jodie
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"This was a strange and delightfully fascinating book. I didn't know what to expect, even from moment to moment, but every new twist and turn simply pulled me deeper into the story. Drawing on Indian mythology and folklore, and a bit of neuroscience, the end result is exquisite." —Caitlin
"Finally! Science fiction that's not based in a Euro-centric or American setting. With characters who are both intensely human and also a bit...more, it's a story that pIunges the reader into the deep end in a world that's not quite as familiar as you might hope. I can't wait for more in this series!" —Caitlin
"The last of Tolkien's Great Tales of the First Age, this volume contains two versions of the titular story. Complied by Christopher Tolkien and presented here as a kind of scholarly edition of how his father's stories evolved over time." —Jodie
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"The House of Broken Angels is a beautifully written novel of the immigrant experience as well as family dynamics in general. Urrea writes with intelligence and humor; he deserves to be better known." —Sharon
"Tillie Walden's young adult science fiction LGBTQ high school romance graphic novel was nothing less than stellar. It was a pleasant surprise, beautiful and developed, a quality story from the deepest recesses of space." —Kajetan
"A girl with the amazing ability to pick the perfect book for anyone she meets must stop an evil scientist bent on destroying the world's supply of books with his army of moths." —Anthony