1. "The Sun Does Shine" by Anthony Ray Hinton

This is a memoir by and about the author's personal story of being wrongly convicted for something he did not do and being put on death row. He was there for 27 years and it was extremely sorrowful and awful at first, but he decided that he would make the most of it and changed the attitude of not only himself but all of his cellmates as well.

After a long hard battle, he gets out of the prison system and writes this novel. This stunning novel talks about the hot topics of the justice system and racial bias. Like the title, the book provokes a sense of hope in knowing that everything works out in the end.

2. "An American Marriage" by Tayari Jones

There once was a happy couple that had the perfect life until-BOOM! The husband gets thrown in jail for 12 years for committing a crime that he and his wife know he didn't do. She is left alone and becomes a little too close with her husband's best man at their wedding.

Once she is in love with this other man, her actual husband is released from jail seven years early. What will happen to them?

Will their marriage fall apart?

I can't tell you because it is a must-read for 2018!

3. "Behold the Dreamers" by Imbolo Mbue

This is a tale of an immigrant moving to America with their family to finally have a better life and live the American dream. He gets a job that pays well with a senior executive of a company.

The senior executive and his wife like him so much that they offer jobs to their child. The business falls apart and so does the immigrants family as they are trying everything they can to keep their jobs.

What will happen to these characters?

Read the book and you will find out!

4. "Love Warrior" by Glennon Melton

As you would guess from the title, this one is a romance. The story is about a couple that has been married for several years, but the husband has been hiding secrets from the wife in this marriage.

Once the secret is revealed they have to figure out what their love means and how to fall back in love. This book explores gender roles like what masculinity is and what femininity is while giving you an incredible love story that you will never forget.

5. "The Underground Railroad" by Colson Whitehead

I worked at my public library for a while and this book was all the rage there. This book was certified by Oprah because of its brutally honest depiction of the Underground Railroad.

This is an Incredible story that leaves you with an impression of the twisted treatment of slaves during that specific time period.