My Favourite Books in 2018 & My Must-Read List for 2019

Last year, I got reacquainted with my love for reading. Maybe it was because I finally found the time while at airports or on airplanes, or perhaps it was just because I finally found some fun fast reads. Either way, reading has once again become something I look forward to and actually put time aside for. Because of this, I’m excited to share my favourite books in 2018, as well as audiobooks I enjoyed, and books that are on my radar to read this year.

By the end of 2018, I ended up finishing 11 books by either reading them or listening to an audio version on Audible. Personally, I am more drawn to business, spiritual or self-motivation books for the audio version, and more fiction or biographies when reading.

This year, one of my new year’s resolutions or goals is to finish 12 books this year, if not more! That equals out to be one per month, which seems manageable, but then again, I’ve definitely been that person who sits on a book for three months before finishing it. I know a lot of people set reading goals for the New Year, which is why I put my favourite books list together. I thought it would be a fun easy resource for people looking for some new book ideas, or who hadn’t thought to use audiobooks.

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My Favourite Books in 2018

• The House in the Sky, by Amanda Lindhout. – A true story about a Canadian journalist who goes to Somalia, and got captured and then held captive for ransom, for two years. This book is about her experience. It can be slow at times, but an incredible read for all travellers out there.
• You are a Badass, by Jen Sincero. –A quirky self-help book, that is both empowering and motivational.
• #GirlBoss, by Sophia Amoruso – The success story of how a high school drop out climbed her way to the top and created Nasty Girl – a multi-million dollar online clothing store.
• Design Your Life, by Dave Evans & Bill Burnett. – For anyone who isn’t happy in their career, and is looking for a change in their life, this book is for you. This formula could help improve the job you are in or point you in the right direction!
• Memory Man, by David Baldacci. – Memory man is the first book in a series. Anyone who loves FBI murder thrillers will love these books! I literally couldn’t put the book down and managed to finish this book in just a couple of days. I am now onto the second book and am already hooked!

The Best Audiobooks I Listen to in 2018

A few years ago when I discovered audiobooks, I became instantly hooked. I’ve always loved reading, but honestly, in this day and age I find it hard to (a) not get distracted by my phone or (b) sit that long without feeling guilty that I have a million other things to do. But with audiobooks you can listen to them on the go, either while getting ready, doing chores, driving, travelling or walking.

It is amazing how fast you can get through a book on a road trip! In fact, I’ve gotten Ben into audiobooks, and now we to listen to them together on our road trips. It’s our very own dorky book club – I highly recommend it!

• The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, by Mark Mason. – A new age book, every millennial can relate to. Lots of great quotes, life lessons, and honest advice.
• The Success Principles, by Jack Canfield, – Very long, but incredibly valuable. A lot of these principles are about how to achieve your goals and live out a successful life.
• The Five Love Languages, by Gary Chapman. – A great one to listen to with your romantic partner. Although cheesy at parts, the universal languages are something that Ben and I relate to and use in our relationship daily.
• The Four Agreements, by don Miguel Ruiz.
• The Law of Attraction: The Basics, by Ester & Jerry Hicks. – The original resource to learn about the Law of Attraction. If you loved “The Secret”, this is what that book/movie was based on.

*Tip: if you don’t want to pay for Audible, check your local library. I found some great audiobooks at the Vancouver public library, and taken them out for free!

My Must-Read List for 2019

• Last Memory, by David Baldacci. – The sequel to Memory Man.
• Crazy Rich Asians, by Kevin Kwan.– The new book series everyone is raving about and has recently been turned into a movie! I don’t know about you, but I always love reading a book and then watching it as a movie.
• Jog On, by Bella Mackie. – A perfectionist that hits a rock bottom, and then finds running cures her anxiety.
• You are a Badass at Making Money, by Jen Sincero. – A sequel to “You are a Badass”, but focusing on how to attract more abundance into your life.
• The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle. – I feel like the last person on earth who has read this book.A guide to spiritual enlightenment and living in the moment.
• The Untethered Soul, by Michael A. Singer. – I have just started this one and already love it. It challenges the idea that we are not our thoughts, and how we can disconnect from them.
• The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho.
• Manage Your Day-to-Day: Build Your Routine, Find Your Focus, and Sharpen Your Creative Mind, by Scott Belsky.

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Two Tips for People with Reading Goals

If you are like me, and also have reading goals to complete a certain number of books this year, try using these two tips to reach your goal!

1. Set time aside every day to read or listen to a book. For me, I love reading before bed instead of looking on my phone. Not only is this a signal for my brain that it’s time to sleep, but I avoid the blue light emitted on our phone screens right before bedtime, which ultimately gives me a night of better sleep. As for audiobooks, every time I drive, I always put on my audiobook – even if it is just for 15-30 minutes.
2. Take the total number of pages in your book and divide it by the number of days you want to complete the book in. For example, if you are reading a 400-page book, and you want to complete it in one month (30 days), you need to read 14 pages per day. When you break it down that way, it doesn’t seem that hard, right?

Hope these tips help, and you enjoyed my list of favourite books in 2018! Happy reading. 🙂

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Are there any books (or audiobooks) I need to add to my must read list for 2019? Or are there any books on my list that you read and also loved? Let me know in the comments below!