I finally finished my 2018 reading challenge, which means it’s time for my one-line book reviews!

If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you might know that once I complete my yearly reading challenge, I then challenge myself to sum up each book in only one line. These reviews are by no means well-written, but they are fun! Plus, it forces me to look back on everything I read throughout the past year, which helps me plan out my next yearly reading challenge.

2018 Goals

Before diving into this year’s reviews, I’d like to quickly reflect on what exactly I challenged myself to read in 2018. My goals were:

• Overall goal: read 45 new books
  • Sub-goal: read 20 books by women
  • Sub-goal: Read 20 books that I owned prior to 2018

How did I do? Well …

• Read 45 new books: COMPLETED
• Read 20 books by women: COMPLETED (27 in total)
• Read 20 books that I owned prior to 2018: HAHA! I read six.

Here’s hoping the goals I set for myself in 2019 are more achievable, and that I don’t get sidetracked by so many new releases, and what everyone else is showing off online.

I’ll be sharing my 2019 reading goals soon, but until then, here’s everything I read (so far) in 2018.

One Line Book Reviews

South of the Border, West of the Sun, by Haruki Murakami

A beautifully written story about a really shitty man.

The Woman in Cabin 10, by Ruth Ware

A disappointing thriller that tales place on a cruise ship that caters specifically to super rich people.

Shrill, by Lindy West

I felt angry and empowered at the same time while reading this book.

Journey to the Centre of the Earth, by Jules Verne

There were absolutely no dinosaurs in this book, which was very upsetting for me.

Bellevue Square, by Michael Redhill

This was hands-down the best book I read all year, and it made me cry so much.

Luke Skywalker Can’t Read, and Other Geeky Truths, by Ryan Britt

Luke Skywalker sucks but being a nerd is rad as hell, and if you grew up watching sci-movies and reading fantasy novels, this collection of essays is for you.

Eleanor & Park, by Rainbow Rowell

An adorable story about a heartwarming high school relationship.

The Bear and the Nightingale, by Katherine Arden

This novel is about a young girl who lives in the woods in Russia, and has a mysterious connection with spirits her nurse tells bedtime stories about.

Fierce Kingdom, by Gin Phillips

This fast-paced story takes place over the span of only a few hours, when a mother and her young child are stuck in a zoo during an active shooting.

Sex Object, by Jessica Valenti

This book evoked a whirlwind of emotion for me, and highlights many (all too common) instances regarding sexism and sexual harassment that women experience.

The Princess Diarist, by Carrie Fischer 

I waited over a year to read this memoir, and it did not disappoint.

The Woman in the Window, by A.J. Finn

I was convinced this book was an obvious thriller, until the last few chapters totally blew my mind!

Midnight at the Electric, by Jodi Lynn Anderson

This novel tells the story of three different women from completely different eras (2065, 1934, and 1919), and beautifully illustrates how they’re all intertwined.

The Perfect Stranger, by Megan Miranda

A former journalist finds herself back in her rural hometown, but then her roommate goes missing, and secrets start to surface . . .

Hot, Wet, and Shaking, by Kaleigh Trace

SEX POSITIVITY!

Red Clocks, by Leni Zumas

This story follows five different women, and takes place in (perhaps a not so distant) America where abortion is illegal and punishable by death, and IVF is soon to be banned.

To Have and Have Not, by Ernest Hemingway

Written in Hemingway’s iconic voice, this story follows a man who finds himself having to bring illegal goods between Florida and Cuba.

The Marrow Thieves, by Cherie Dimaline

In this futuristic version of Ontario, humans have lost the ability to dream, unless they harvest and transplant bone marrow from Indigenous people.

The Perfect Mother, by Aimee Molloy

A new mother has her baby kidnapped, and the mommy group she’s part of tries to figure out who did it.

City of Ghosts, by Victoria Schwab

Queen V could write about anything and I would read it, but this story about a girl who is best friends with a ghost and travels into the veil was particularly wonderful.

How to Spot a Sasquatch, by J. Torres

This is a book for young readers about searching for the elusive Sasquatch while camping.

Her Pretty Face, by Robyn Harding

People aren’t always who they appear to be . . .

This is a Taco!, by Andrew Cangelose

This is an adorable kid’s book about a squirrel who just loves tacos.

Foe, by Iain Reid

This psychological mind-bender will leave you reeling for days (or in my case, months), after finishing it.

The Dinosaur Artist: Obsession, Betrayal, and the Quest for Earth’s Ultimate Trophy, by Paige Williams

Dinosaurs, fossil hunters, black market deals, and one amazing court case all wrapped up into one amazing book!

Space Cat, by Ruthven Todd

A CAT GOES TO THE MOON!

Baby Teeth, by Zoje Stage

This book creeped me out in all the wrong ways.

Buried Beneath the Baobab Tree, by Abaobi Tricia Nwaubani

This heart-wrenching story is based on the 2014 Boko Haram kidnappings in Nigeria, and is a must-read for everyone.

Crazy Rich Asians, by Kevin Kwan

Yes, it lives up to all the hype, and yes, the book is better than the movie.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle, by Shirley Jackson

Merricat Blackwood lives with her sister and uncle in the house where the rest of their family was mysteriously poisoned.

Paper Girls, Volume 1, by Brian K. Vaughan

Badass paper delivery girls find themselves time traveling (maybe?), and coming face to face with some sort of pteranodon.

Paper Girls, Volume 2, by Brian K. Vaughan 

The badass adventure continues, and keeps getting better!

The Woman in Black, by Susan Hill

The descriptions of the book’s settings were creepier than the ghost encounters.

Through the Woods, by Emily Carroll

HORROR COMICS!

Not Her Daughter, by Rea Frey

This thriller, which centers around a kidnapping, looks at what exactly it means to be a mother.

Sharp Objects, by Gillian Flynn 

When a reporter finds herself covering a case in her hometown, she slowly discovers that her family might be involved.

Snotgirl, Volume 1: Green Hair Don’t Care, by Bryan Lee O’Malley

Lottie is a fashion blogger/social media influencer who seems perfect, but when she’s not online, she’s battling her sensitive allergies.

In the House in the Dark of the Woods, by Laird Hunt

I’ll read almost anything that involves witchcraft, which included this eerie horror story that takes place in the woods.

Snotgirl, Volume 2: California Screaming, by Bryan Lee O’Malley

Lottie and her friends travel to a convention, where they maybe take some drugs, have a photo shoot in the desert, and meet a ghost.

Nobody Cares, by Anne T. Donahue

If there’s one thing I truly love to read, it’s a brutally honest essay collection that includes topics from crippling anxiety to youthful memories, childhood celebrity crushes, battling your demons, and everything in between.

Heartbreaker, by Claudia Day

This novel focuses on a missing women, but also tells the story of a mysterious cult that is told through three very different voices.

Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children #1), by Seanan McGuire

This is the first book in an AMAZING series that’s about people who are transported into other worlds, where they can be their truest selves.

Down Among the Sticks and Bones (Wayward Children #2), by Seanan McGuire

The second book focuses on twin sisters, Jack and Jill, who found themselves transported into a world where they serve vampires and a mad scientist.

Beneath the Sugar Sky (Wayward Children #3), by Seanan McGuire

The third book throws in some time travel, and sees many previous characters traveling between different worlds in order to save a family, and the nonsense world of Confection (where everything is made of candy).

Watching You, by Lisa Jewell

People in small towns have nothing better to do than watch each other, which ends up being helpful when someone is found murdered.

If you’re interested in more one-line book reviews, you can check out what I read in 2017, 2016, and 2015.