That’s an ambitious title. And maybe a more honest one would be The First (Maybe?) Annual Karissa Reads Books Awards of Some Books I Read This Year. But that doesn’t sound so impressive.
This idea is blatantly inspired by FictionFan’s Annual (really) Awards that are far more organized than mine (so you should check them out). But as I was looking at my list of Books I Read in 2018 and thinking about the best ones I felt the desire to do something more exciting.
My Award Category are my own invention and will be as follows:
Best Short Story Collection
Best Young Reader Book
Best Book from a New-To-Me Author
Best Book From an Author I’ve Read Before
Best Book Written by Someone I’ve Met in Real Life
Best Book From a Canadian Author
Best Book Published in 2018
Best Non-Fiction Book
Best Fiction Book
The books will be chosen from what I read in 2018. I’ll share my complete 2018 Reading List at the end of December but for greater ease, eligible books are ones I read from January 2018 to November 2018. The prize will be the warm feeling the author is sure to experience, knowing I enjoyed their book.
Up first: Best Short Story Collection
This year I read 5 short story collections.
Honourable Mention:
A Mariner’s Guide to Self-Sabotage by Bill Gaston (Douglas & McIntyre, 2017)
The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher –Hilary Mantel (Harper Collins Publisher, 2014)
And The Winner:
The Dubliners – James Joyce (Penguin Books, 1979)
I’ve read Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and made two attempts at Ulysses so I wasn’t expecting to be drawn in so completely by Joyce’s story collection. But it was a pocketbook and I needed a small book to take on a camping trip and so I was sucked in. Joyce’s stories are funny and sad and surprising and capture human nature so beautifully and tragically. Dubliners made very clear to me why Joyce is so highly regarded in the English canon. I might even have to attempt Ulysses again in 2019…
Next Award: Best Young Reader Book
Karissa Reads Books 
Hurrah! I love awards, so I’m glad you’re doing them too! And thanks for the mention. 😀
Surprisingly, since I’m not a big reader of short stories (other than horror), I’ve read two of these collections – the Mantel and the Joyce. Like you, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Dubliners, never having had any success with Ulysses or Finnegan’s Wake. I never got past page 11 of either. Looking forward to the rest of your winners!
It’s a really fun idea! So thank you for that!
Oh, James Joyce! I haven’t even attempted Finnegan’s Wake…
I love this idea! And I know FF is suitably chuffed as well, she basically started a book meme without intending too LOL
Thanks! It’s been fun to put together!
I haven’t read anything by James Joyce – I will have to remedy that!
My choice for this one would by Peninsula Sinking by David Huebert (in case you’re interested!). 🙂
I haven’t heard of that one but I’m always looking for more short stories! Thanks for the recommendation!
[…] my year in reading and assigning arbitrary awards. You can check out last year’s opening post here. (Again, this idea is blatantly ripped-off from FictionFan who is currently presenting her 2019 […]