Books I have loved in 2018

Hello again!

There’ll be another hello almost immediately, when I post the last blog of the year with news and photos my recent book tour with Judy Horacek for our new book: Bonnie and Ben Rhyme Again.

But I thought I’d take this quiet Sunday-night-moment to list the (adult) books I have adored this year, so you can have the same pleasure. I’ve read 49 so far.

Needless to say, not all the books I read grabbed me and held my attention. Some should never have seen the light of day, in my opinionated opinion. But many provided untold delight: they took me to places I’d never go in my ordinary life; they made me laugh; and also made me weep—often in public, on planes, at the hairdresser, waiting for the dentist, and so on; and their use of language set me on fire. I know I’ve raved about some of these before, but in case you’re about to go Christmas shopping, here’s a list, in order of my year-long reading, of those I found most pleasing. ie. they are in the four-star category, my highest honour.

Force of Nature by Jane Harper

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

The Shepherd’s Hut by Tim Winton

Lullaby by Leila Slimani

The Trauma Cleaner by Sarah Krasnostein

Brother by David Chariandry

You Deserve Nothing by Alexander Maksik

Look What You’ve Done by Sarah Schmidt

Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton

One Hundred Years of Dirt by Rick Morton

So Much Life Left Over by Louis de Bernieres

The Nowhere Child by Christian White

The Girl on the Page by John Purcell

Normal People by Sally Rooney

Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney

Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak

Any Ordinary Day by Leigh Sales

The Yellow House by Emily O’Grady

There we have it: 18 marvellous novels out of 49 books—and so many of them are Australian! May they keep you happy.

Cheers!

Mem xxx