This is less of a post and more a collection: all the books I read (in full) during the last year, most of which I'd like to recommend to you readers. Feel free to browse by section and check out some of the entirely subjective notes. Maybe you'll find something new for your 2018 library!
Novels
by Anthony Horowitz
Notes: Horowitz is one of those rare authors capable of writing for all variety of ages and his YA books prove as thrilling as his adult novels. Be sure to give this series a chance.
by Christopher Golden
Notes: First Buffy novel I've tried and it proved to be a quick, enjoyable read. Perfect for those early season 1 feels.
by Terry Pratchett
Notes: Not nearly as enjoyable as I thought it was going to be. Then again, I found out later not to use this book as your entrance into Discworld. Whoops.
by Ray Bradbury
Notes: Your English teacher told you to read this for a reason!
by Joanna Russ
Notes: Do yourself a favor and keep a piece of scratch paper handy to help you differentiate between protagonists...
by Stephen King
Notes: The lack of Stephen King in my life lately is a true tragedy. This first book in a trilogy is worth picking up sometime.
by Margaret Atwood
Notes: Yes, it's easier to just watch the mini-series, but give the book a try too.
by J. R. R. Tolkien
Notes: I don't actually have to say anything here, right?
by Isaac Asimov
The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure
by William Goldman
Notes: Whatever you think you got out of the film, you get even MORE of it here.
by Maggie Stiefvater
Notes: Hands down one of the best fantasy series I've read in years.
by Teri Brown
Notes: Don't read. There's plenty of better written YA out there that doesn't send awful messages about the Deaf community.
by Steve Leadley
Notes: See my review
The Sufferings of Young Werther
Notes: Don't try this at home, kids (Warning: discussion of suicide in link)
by Brian Selznick
Notes: Now there's also a movie!
Manga/Comics
by Ryo Maruya and Mamenosuke Fujimaru
Notes: A pretty adorable retelling of Baum's classic. Definitely pick up if you enjoy shojo re-imaginings
The Flash, Vol. 1: Move Forward
by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato
by Hiromu Arakawa
Notes: A classic. If you haven't read FMA yet what are you doing with yourself?
The Long Way Home (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 8, Vol. 1)
by Joss Whedon
Notes: Only worth pursuing if you're that desperate for more Buffy material. Giles went seriously downhill in the later seasons, but the comics ruined him irrevocably for me.
One Piece by Eiichiro Oda
Notes: Staggeringly long, but so far WELL worth the read.
by Naoko Takeuchi
Notes: Another classic!
Non-Fiction
by Terrence R. Wandtke
by J. Dudley Andrew
Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide
by Henry Jenkins
Cybertypes: Race, Ethnicity, and Identity on the Internet
by Lisa Nakamura
The Essential Science Fiction Television Reader
by J.P. Telotte
The Fanfiction Reader: Folk Tales for the Digital Age
by Francesca Coppa
Notes: This is actually a collection of fic rather than a secondary source on fanfiction. Good introductory stories for those who might not be very familiar with the form.
by Karen Hellekson and Kristina Busse
Fan Phenomena: Sherlock Holmes
by Tom Ue and Jonathan Cranfield
Half-Real: Video Games between Real Rules and Fictional Worlds
by Jesper Juul
Having a Good Cry: Effeminate Feelings and Pop-Culture Forms
by Robyn Warhol
Heroines of Film and Television: Portrayals in Popular Culture
by Norma Jones
Notes: A solid collection all around. Covers a wide variety of texts and heroine types.
by Ethan Thompson and Jason Mittell
by Clara Fernández-Vara
by Limor Shifman
Notes: A great exploration of defining memes and other forms of viral content. Easily accessible to non-scholars.
Millennial Fandom: Television Audiences in the Transmedia Age
by Louisa Ellen Stein
New Narratives: Stories and Storytelling in the Digital Age
by Ruth Page
The Poetics of Science Fiction
by Peter Stockwell
Show Sold Separately: Promos, Spoilers, and Other Media Paratexts
by Jonathan Gray
Notes: One of the most useful television/media texts I've come across in a while.
Storytelling in Film and Television
by Kristin Thompson
Television: Technology and Cultural Form
by Raymound Williams
Two Aspirins and a Comedy: How Television Can Enhance Health and Society
by Metta Spencer
Notes: Excellent thesis; doesn't always follow through with the execution though.
Understanding Video Games: The Essential Introduction
by Simon Egenfeldt-Nielson, Jonas Heide Smith, and Susana Pajares Tosca
When a Fan Hits the Shit: The Rise and Fall of a Phony Charity
by Jeanine Renne
Notes: Love fandom wank? This insanity is for you then. In terms of WTF-ness it's right up there with Cassandra Claire and Ms. Scribe