Best of 2018 lists are popping up all over the internet. Whether or not we agree with everything on those lists, we’re sure those lists missed a few of the best (and not so best) things that went on in the book industry this year. Here are our list of nominees for the Bookmarked Awesome Awards in various categories. We’ll be announcing our winners early in the new year, as voted on by our esteemed Patreon patrons and our WWAC Team. Publishing’s Biggest ‘WTF’ Moment The publishing industry has had its share of drama this year. From authors behaving badly, to social media website blunders and some … unexpected surprises in a YA subscription box. Out of all the moments, these were the ones that drew us in, dominated our Slack conversations and left us shaking our heads. Suicide Bomber Sits in the Library Tomi Adeyemi Accuses The Nora Roberts of Title Theft Goodreads Deletes Publications for Marginalized Writers Midwestern Writers Workshop Gets Called Out for Fatphobia Dick in a YA Book Box Best Book with More than Three Speaking Queer Characters One queer character is great, two is even better but three or more (speaking) queer characters really gets us excited. We want representation but we especially want the kind the leads to complex relationships and a more diverse portrayal of the queer community. The following books did exactly that and we hope for even more examples in 2019. Revenant Gun by Yoon Ha Lee The Ladies Guide to Petticoats and Pirates by Mackenzi Lee A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente Best Book Cover There were so many amazing books covers this year but the following really caught our eye while we were busy browsing bookstores. Pride by Ibi Zoboi Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi How to Be Safe by Tom McAllister Witchmark by C.L. Polk The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton The Tangled Lands by Paolo Bacigalupi Best Book with a Map in It Here at Bookmarked, we know there’s just something about opening up a new book and finding a beautifully illustrated map on the first few pages. You just know you’re about to get lost in a fantastic adventure in a brand new world. And we’re not the only ones who think so—there’s was even an atlas of literary maps released this year to celebrate these works of art. Here are some of our favourite maps found in books released this year. Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce The Cruel Prince by Holly Black Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson The Queen’s Rising by Rebecca Ross The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton Best Book Adapted Into Film Between Hollywood and Netflix the influx of book-to-film adaptations this year kept us busy—especially if you’re the kind of person who likes to read the book before watching the movie. The following are our picks for books adapted in 2018 that we loved in both formats. Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy Best Book That Was Better than Its Film Adaptation But not all book-to-film adaptations are as successful as the ones above. For now, we’ll stick to the print versions of the following. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter Boy Erased by Gerrard Conley Hero/Heroine/Non-Binary Savior You Want As Your New Best Friend Sometimes we want to do more than just read about heroes saving the world. Sometimes we want to be their BFFs too. Here are some characters we would love to spend the day (or longer) with. Murderbot from The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells General Brezan from Revenant Gun by Yoon Ha Lee Mini from Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi Circe from Circe by Madeline Miller Jane McKeene from Dread Nation by Justina Ireland Maggie Hoskie from Trial of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse Best Author to Follow on Social Media Some authors do more than just write amazing books for us to enjoy. Some also spend their time reaching out their readers through social media channels like Twitter and Instagram. Some provide advice, others a glimpse into their writing process and some are just lovely people to interact with. If you’re not following these authors yet than there’s no better time than the present. V.E. Schwab – Twitter / Instagram Roxane Gay – Twitter / Facebook Daniel Jose Older – Twitter Eve Ewing – Twitter / Instagram Victor LaValle – Twitter Alyssa Wong – Twitter Delilah S. Dawson – Twitter / Pintrest Best #OwnVoices YA Novel The publishing industry still has a long way to go when it comes to representation. That being said, there have been some amazing #OwnVoices YA novels this year that deserve recognition and all the praise. Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton A Thousand Beginnings and Endings, edited by Ellen Oh White Rabbit by Caleb Roehrig From Twinkle, With Love by Sandhya Menon Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram