Let's take a look at the books I've read for 2018:
https://www.goodreads.com/user_challenges/10897132
As you see I mainly read scifi and fantasy; not necesarrily new releases.
From these books, here's a bunch I recommend:
- Red Rising Trilogy by Pierce Brown: It is really excellent. It may feel like an ordinary young adult novel, however, especiall after during the 2nd book (and through the duration of the 3rd one) it really hooks you up with its story and characters; it feels like a Game Of Thrones in sci-fi; totally recommended.
- Every dead thing by John Connoly: An excellent crime/serial killer story. It has some grotesque descriptions so don't read it if you don't have the stomach for such things; beyond that it's really good.
- The Expanse series by James SA Corey: I have read almost everything in this series. I like it very much; some books are better than the others however I recommend starting with Leviathan awakes (the 1st one) and if you like the characters and story continue with the others; if not don't bother.
- The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch. A great fantasy novel; very interesting story and characters. I liked it very much. The second one (red seas under red skies) was not as good as the first one though.
- The power of the Dog by Don Winslow: A great crime/mob/narcotics story about the drug war in Mexico which is based on real facts and characters. It is a little long however I read it with great insterest.
And a couple I didn't like:
- The broker by John Grisham: Probably the worst Grisham novel I've ever read. Felt more like a travel guide to Italy than a real Grisham novel. I was very dissapointed by this novel because I've like almost all other Grisham novels I've read.
- Time by Stephen Baxter: I'd head good things about this but it is just a couple of nice scientific ideas. It doesn't have any real plot and feels very boring after a little.
- Daemon by Daniel Suarez: This was a mediocre book. The writer must be a Software/Computer ENgineer and definitely knows his stuff (you can even learn a couple of things from him); this was the good part. The bad part was that the plot did not made much sense and the power of the Daemon/AI started to feel like a Deus ex Machina and became too boring to follow.
- Winter moon by Dean Koontz: A not very good horror story. I didn't like its plot at all.