HomeBest OfBest Sci-Fi of 2018
♥ EDITOR'S TOP 12 PICKS

Best Sci-Fi of 2018

Top science fiction from 2018.

12books ranked
5,260total pages
0.4avg spice
THE FULL RANKING
12 books, ranked by our editors
Every book read cover to cover. Ranked by vibe, prose quality, emotional impact, and re-readability. — compatibility-checked, not just star-sorted.
👑#1
Skyward cover
EDITOR'S PICK

🥇 #1 Match
Skyward

🌶 0/5 513 p ★ 4.32
Science FictionYA Science Fiction
👑#2
Obsidio cover

🥈 #2 Match
Obsidio

🌶 1/5 615 p ★ 4.27
YA Science Fiction
👑#3
Iron Gold cover

🥉 #3 Match
Iron Gold

🌶 1/5 596 p ★ 4.19
Science Fiction
#4
The Calculating Stars cover

#4
The Calculating Stars

🌶 1/5 432 p ★ 4.05
Science FictionHistorical SFAlternate History
#5
Archenemies cover

#5
Archenemies

🌶 0/5 496 p ★ 4.02
YA Science FictionSuperhero
#6
The Fated Sky cover

#6
The Fated Sky

🌶 1/5 384 p ★ 4.02
Science FictionAlternate History
#7
Record of a Spaceborn Few cover

#7
Record of a Spaceborn Few

🌶 0/5 368 p ★ 3.86
Science FictionCozy SF
#8
T

#8
The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

🌶 0/5 432 p ★ 3.78
MysteryScience FictionLiterary Fiction
#9
Wildcard cover

#9
Wildcard

🌶 0/5 352 p ★ 3.76
YA Science Fiction
#10
Mirage cover

#10
Mirage

🌶 0/5 320 p ★ 3.73
YA Science FictionRomance
#11
The Fates Divide cover

#11
The Fates Divide

🌶 0/5 448 p ★ 3.72
YA Science Fiction
#12
S

#12
Severance

🌶 1/5 304 p ★ 3.55
Literary FictionScience FictionSatire
HEAT CHECK
Spice breakdown
How spicy is this list? Here is the full distribution.
Clean
7 books
🌶 1/5
5 books
🌶🌶 2/5
0 books
🌶🌶🌶 3/5
0 books
🌶🌶🌶🌶 4/5
0 books
🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶 5/5
0 books
COMMON QUESTIONS
FAQ

This curated list features 12 books, totaling 5,260 pages. Every book has been read and rated by our team.

Rankings are based on our read-through ratings, reader community feedback, and how well each book delivers on the promise of its genre and mood. We cross-reference BookTok discussions and Goodreads data.

The average spice level across this list is 0.4/5. Individual books range from clean to scorching — check each book’s spice rating for details.

We update our best-of lists quarterly to include new releases and adjust rankings based on ongoing reader feedback and our own re-reads.

class="nl" aria-label="Newsletter">

Want more curated lists? Get our Friday picks.

New lists drop monthly. We'll send you the one that matches your taste.

Take the Match Quiz →
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
NOT FINDING YOUR MATCH?
Take the blind date quiz →

Editorial note: Every book on this list was read cover to cover by our team. Rankings reflect our honest assessments of quality, emotional impact, and re-readability. Some links are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This supports our ability to keep reading and reviewing. See all ranked lists →

Get matched every Friday.

One mood-profiled book pick, every week. Spice-rated and compatibility-checked before it hits your inbox.

Get my weekly match →
Spoiler-free · Unsubscribe anytime
See the Full Ranking ↓