The Best of 2019 in Books

Well, hello there. As my year in reading wraps up, I'm taking some time today to share the forty best books I read this year. I divided the books I read in 2019 into four quadrants of 50 each and picked the best ten from each. Below you'll find one sentence about each of these amazing reads, and that is linked to my full review, so you can be persuaded even more to read all of these books, or at least the ones that sound like they'd be your jam!!

The Night Before: A twisty thriller around online dating told in the night before and after.

No Fixed Address: A middle grade novel about Felix who is navigating homelessness, as well as his selection for a televised quiz show.

The Nightingale: An incredible and emotionally captivating story of two sisters in World War II. 

Brave, Not Perfect: All about the joy and learning to be found our imperfect journeys.

The Unwinding of the Miracle: Faced with a terminal diagnosis, this posthumous memoir focuses on all the emotions and the true beauty there is in really living.

Rules for Visiting: A fiction read about intentional re-investing in friendship through visits.

Pretty in Punxsutawney: A cheesily wonderful YA romcom that's a mash-up of Pretty in Pink and Groundhog Day.

The Hot Zone: All about Ebola and the absolute scariest book I've read

The Day the World Came to Town: The best of the human spirit in the midst of the worst of tragedies after 9/11 in a small Canadian town.

Sounds Like Titanic: A fascinating memoir about a violinist travelling the world knowing living a lie as her group simply plays along to a recording.

The Loneliest Girl in the Universe: A mysterious YA thriller about a girl stuck alone a spaceship who reconnects, but all is not what it seems to be.

Educated: The nearly unbelievable memoir of a woman who does not connect with formal education until 17 and achieves incredible feats amidst the odds.

Opposite of Always: Jack and Kate get the chance to begin their love story over and over again, but each time and choice is not without consequence.

The Bookshop of Yesterdays: The complexities of relationships and secrets discovered through inheriting a bookstore.

No Happy Endings: The realest of memoirs about the realities of grief and finding a totally unexpected new normal. 

Becoming: A wonderful, honest and thought-provoking memoir.

The Next Great Paulie Fink: A group of middle schoolers hold a reality TV inspired contest to replace a kid who has moved away.

The Scent Keeper: An increidbly beautiful coming of age story that crosses the fantasy world and "real world" as a girl unlocks her past and decides her future.

Twenty-One Truths About Love: This is a captivating story about a man navigating his family, his business and life in general told entirely in lists.

Beeline: A deep dive into the world of the Scripps National Speeling Bee.

The Humiliations of Pipi McGee: An authentic look at the want to fit in, how childhood embarrassing moments can stick with us, and opportunities for redemption.

Evvie Drake Stars Over: A delightful romcom involving a widow managing her secrets and a baseball player with a case of the yips.

The More or Less Definitive Guide to Self-Care: A wonderful index covering all things self-care from (literally) A to Z.

Born A Crime: Trevor Noah's memoir about growing up in apartheid South Africa.

Stay Sexy and Don't Get Murdered: Karen and Georgia's honest and real memoir with a side of reflection on self-care.

The Dinner List: A thirtieth birthday is the manifestation of the "Who are the five people you'd like to have dinner with?" question.

A Good Neighborhood: The dramatic story of the dynamics and interactions of neighbors influenced by identities.

No Hard Feelings: A case for the importance and power of emotions in the workplace.

The Babysitters Coven: A witchy YA read with throwback BSC vibes.

Saving Jemima: A love letter to blue jays.

Pumpkinheads: A graphic YA love story that oozes fall.

The Importance of Being Ernie (and Bert): An ode to one of the best friendships there is.

The Testaments: A dystopian sequel that continues the story of Gilead.

Unfollow: A memoir about transformation through leaving, letting go and finding life after.

Would Like to Meet: A delightful romcom built around intentional meet-cute moments.

Followers: A girl finds out about her past via an exploration of why and how the government came to run the internet in 2055.

The Gifted School: All the privilege and all the lies take over when a new school for gifted kids comes to town.

The God Game: A game built around AI starts to take over its teen players' real lives.

The Best Yes: The importance of keeping power and purpose in our yes.

Know My Name: Giving incredible voice to stories that need it and reclaiming space to share her story in her way.