Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week is my favorite post of the year. I get to talk about all the books I loved. So much positivity in one place! I’m not going to include rereads, and I’m not going to rank my favorites because that’s too hard. Also, I’m not limiting myself to ten, so welcome to Top Fourteen Tuesday. Let’s do this.
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*This post contains affiliate links. I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
The Best Books I Read In 2019
Best Adult Books
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
A Thousand Splendid Suns is a breathtaking story set against the volatile events of
Afghanistan's last thirty years—from the Soviet invasion to the reign of the
Taliban to post-Taliban rebuilding—that puts the violence, fear, hope, and
faith of this country in intimate, human terms. It is a tale of two generations
of characters brought jarringly together by the tragic sweep of war, where
personal lives—the struggle to survive, raise a family, find happiness—are
inextricable from the history playing out around them.
Why I Love It: I quickly
fell in love with the fierce female characters. The plot is vivid, harrowing, believable,
unpredictable, fast-paced. Bonus points for teaching the reader about
Afghanistan’s history.
Stay With Me by Ayobami
Adebayo
Yejide and
Akin have been married since they met and fell in love at university. Though
many expected Akin to take several wives, he and Yejide have always agreed:
polygamy is not for them. But four years into their marriage—after consulting
fertility doctors and healers, trying strange teas and unlikely cures—Yejide is
still not pregnant. She assumes she still has time—until her family arrives on
her doorstep with a young woman they introduce as Akin's second wife. Furious,
shocked, and livid with jealousy, Yejide knows the only way to save her
marriage is to get pregnant, which, finally, she does—but at a cost far greater
than she could have dared to imagine.
Why I Love It: I never
thought I’d be riveted by a super-depressing story about marriage and the
pressure that society puts on couples to have children, but here we are. The
characters are morally gray and unpredictable. Every time I thought I knew what
was going to happen, the plot took off in a new direction.
Three Things About
Elsie by Joanna Cannon
There are three
things you should know about Elsie. The first thing is that she’s my best
friend. The second is that she always knows what to say to make me feel better.
And the third thing might take a bit more explaining.
Eighty-four-year-old Florence has fallen in her flat at Cherry Tree Home for the Elderly. As she waits to be rescued, she wonders if a terrible secret from her past is about to come to light. If the charming new resident is who he claims to be, why does he look exactly like a man who died sixty years ago?
Why I Love It: The mystery! The compassionate characters!
The cover looks like cake! Florence has dementia, and most people in her life
just shrug off the weird things she says, but her two friends actually listen
to her and help her solve a (very compelling) mystery. I didn’t want to put
this book down.
Born A Crime: Stories From A South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
One of the
comedy world's brightest new voices, Trevor Noah is a light-footed but
sharp-minded observer of the absurdities of politics, race and identity,
sharing jokes and insights drawn from the wealth of experience acquired in his
relatively young life. As host of the US hit show The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, he provides viewers around the
globe with their nightly dose of biting satire, but here Noah turns his focus
inward, giving readers a deeply personal, heartfelt and humorous look at the
world that shaped him.
Noah was born a crime, son of a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother, at a time when such a union was punishable by five years in prison. Living proof of his parents' indiscretion, Trevor was kept mostly indoors for the first years of his life, bound by the extreme and often absurd measures his mother took to hide him from a government that could, at any moment, take him away.
A collection of eighteen personal stories, Born a Crime tells the story of a mischievous young boy growing into a restless young man as he struggles to find his place in a world where he was never supposed to exist. Born a Crime is equally the story of that young man's fearless, rebellious and fervently religious mother—a woman determined to save her son from the cycle of poverty, violence and abuse that ultimately threatens her own life.
Noah was born a crime, son of a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother, at a time when such a union was punishable by five years in prison. Living proof of his parents' indiscretion, Trevor was kept mostly indoors for the first years of his life, bound by the extreme and often absurd measures his mother took to hide him from a government that could, at any moment, take him away.
A collection of eighteen personal stories, Born a Crime tells the story of a mischievous young boy growing into a restless young man as he struggles to find his place in a world where he was never supposed to exist. Born a Crime is equally the story of that young man's fearless, rebellious and fervently religious mother—a woman determined to save her son from the cycle of poverty, violence and abuse that ultimately threatens her own life.
Why I Love It: Even if
you’ve never seen Trevor Noah’s comedy shows, you should read his memoir. I
promise you’ll be entertained while learning about South Africa’s culture,
history, and flawed legal system. The book is accessible and insightful,
hilarious and heartbreaking.
Best Young Adult Books
Eliza And Her Monsters by Francesca
Zappia
In the real world,
Eliza Mirk is shy, weird, and friendless. Online, she’s LadyConstellation, the
anonymous creator of the wildly popular webcomic Monstrous Sea. Eliza can’t
imagine enjoying the real world as much as she loves the online one, and she
has no desire to try.
Then Wallace Warland, Monstrous Sea’s biggest fanfiction writer, transfers to her school. Wallace thinks Eliza is just another fan, and as he draws her out of her shell, she begins to wonder if a life offline might be worthwhile.
But when Eliza’s secret is accidentally shared with the world, everything she’s built—her story, her relationship with Wallace, and even her sanity—begins to fall apart.
Then Wallace Warland, Monstrous Sea’s biggest fanfiction writer, transfers to her school. Wallace thinks Eliza is just another fan, and as he draws her out of her shell, she begins to wonder if a life offline might be worthwhile.
But when Eliza’s secret is accidentally shared with the world, everything she’s built—her story, her relationship with Wallace, and even her sanity—begins to fall apart.
Why I Love It: This book kept me awake until
2 in the morning because I couldn’t sleep until I found out how it ended.
Eliza’s struggle to find balance is relatable. It’s a thoroughly modern novel
about what happens when your online life and your “real” life collide. I love
the message that online life is real
life.
The Arsonist by
Stephanie Oakes
Molly Mavity is not
a normal teenage girl. For one thing, she doesn’t believe that her mother
killed herself three years ago. And since her father is about to be executed
for his crimes, Molly is convinced that her mother will return to her soon.
Finally, the hole in her heart will stop hurting.
Pepper Al-Yusef is not your average teenage boy. A Kuwaiti immigrant with serious girl problems and the most embarrassing seizure dog in existence, he has to write a series of essays over the summer . . . or fail out of school.
And Ava Dreyman—the brave and beautiful East German resistance fighter whose murder at seventeen led to the destruction of the Berlin Wall—is unlike anyone you’ve met before.
When Molly and Pepper are tasked with finding Ava’s murderer, they realize there’s more to her life—and death—than meets the eye. Someone is lying to them. And someone out there is guiding them along, desperate for answers.
Why I Love It: The synopsis sounds serious,
but the book is actually pretty fun. Usually I don’t have the attention span to
read nonstop for hours, but I didn’t notice the time passing while I was
absorbed in this mystery. It’s full of plot twists and quirky characters.
Sadie by Courtney Summers
Sadie
hasn't had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she's been raising her sister
Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and
keep their heads above water.
But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie's entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister's killer to justice and hits the road following a few meager clues to find him.
When West McCray—a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America—overhears Sadie's story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie's journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it's too late.
But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie's entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister's killer to justice and hits the road following a few meager clues to find him.
When West McCray—a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America—overhears Sadie's story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie's journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it's too late.
Why I Love It: This is what I want crime fiction to be! It
takes the focus off the murderers and the detectives and puts it on the
victims. The murderer barely makes an appearance on the page. Sadie and Mattie
are not props in his story. This is their story.
Daughter Of Smoke
& Bone by Laini Taylor
Daughter Of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor
Around the world,
black hand prints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers
who have crept through a slit in the sky.
In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grows dangerously low.
And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.
Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages—not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.
When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?
Why I Love It: The worldbuilding. The fantasy
world in this book is stunning. I was completely caught up in all the bizarre
little details. The author kept me shocked and creeped out with the monstrous
plot twists. Karou is a badass. I badly wanted her to succeed at everything she
did.
Best Middlegrade Books
The Miscalculations Of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty
Lucy
Callahan was struck by lightning. She doesn't remember it, but it changed her
life forever. The zap gave her genius-level math skills, and ever since, Lucy
has been homeschooled. Now, at 12 years old, she's technically ready for
college. She just has to pass 1 more test—middle school!
Lucy's grandma insists: Go to middle school for 1 year. Make 1 friend. Join 1 activity. And read 1 book (that's not a math textbook!). Lucy's not sure what a girl who does calculus homework for fun can possibly learn in 7th grade. She has everything she needs at home, where nobody can make fun of her rigid routines or her superpowered brain. The equation of Lucy's life has already been solved. Unless there's been a miscalculation?
Lucy's grandma insists: Go to middle school for 1 year. Make 1 friend. Join 1 activity. And read 1 book (that's not a math textbook!). Lucy's not sure what a girl who does calculus homework for fun can possibly learn in 7th grade. She has everything she needs at home, where nobody can make fun of her rigid routines or her superpowered brain. The equation of Lucy's life has already been solved. Unless there's been a miscalculation?
Why I Love It: Even kids who don’t have OCD or a math obsession can find something
relatable in this novel. It’s a story about the desire to make friends and what
happens when a friend betrays you. It’s about secrets, bullying, accepting
differences, community service, and how even geniuses need help sometimes. A
sweet, thoughtful novel.
After Zero by
Christina Collins
Elise carries a
notebook full of tallies, each page marking a day spent at her new public
school, each stroke of her pencil marking a word spoken. A word that can't be
taken back. Five tally marks isn't so bad. Two is pretty good. But zero? Zero
is perfect. Zero means no wrong answers called out in class, no secrets
accidentally spilled, no conversations to agonize over at night when sleep is
far away.
But now months have passed, and Elise isn't sure she could speak even if she wanted to―not to keep her only friend, Mel, from drifting further away―or to ask if anyone else has seen her English teacher's stuffed raven come to life. Then, the discovery of a shocking family secret helps Elise realize that her silence might just be the key to unlocking everything she's ever hoped for.
Why I Love It: It’s well-researched,
beautifully written, and full of vivid imagery. The magical realism/fantasy
elements make After Zero stand out
from other contemporary middlegrade novels. This is the type of book that needs
to be required reading in schools because it promotes empathy and patience. The
world needs more of those things.
The Science Of
Breakable Things by Tae Keller
How do you grow a
miracle?
For the record, this is not the question Mr. Neely is looking for when he says everyone in class must answer an important question using the scientific method. But Natalie's botanist mother is suffering from depression, so this is The Question that's important to Natalie. When Mr. Neely suggests that she enter an egg drop competition, Natalie has hope.
Eggs are breakable. Hope is not.
Natalie has a
secret plan for the prize money. She's going to fly her mother to see the
Cobalt Blue Orchids—flowers that survive against impossible odds. The magical
flowers are sure to inspire her mother to love life again. Because when parents
are breakable, it's up to kids to save them, right?
Why I Love It: I laughed. Twig is probably my
favorite fictional person of 2019. I love her energy and lack of impulse
control. The author gets an A+ for creating charismatic, realistic
twelve-year-old characters. I would have wanted to be friends with these kids
when I was twelve.
When You Reach Me by
Rebecca Stead
Miranda is an
ordinary sixth grader, until she starts receiving mysterious messages from
somebody who knows all about her, including things that have not even happened
yet. Each message brings her closer to believing that only she can prevent a
tragic death. Until the final note makes her think she’s too late.
Why I Love It: It’s so clever! At the end,
the whole mystery snaps together like a puzzle. Short, innovative, and
surprising. I badly want to reread it to see what foreshadowing I missed. One
of the best time-travel books I’ve encountered.
Best Picture Books
Sheep In A Jeep by Nancy Shaw
& Margot Apple
A flock of
hapless sheep drive through the country in this rhyming picture book.
Why I Love It: It made me smile. Charming illustrations and a
fun rhyme scheme. It also contains an important life lesson: Never loan your
Jeep to a sheep.
All The World by Liz Garton Scanlon &
Marla Frazee
Following a
circle of family and friends through the course of a day from morning till
night, this book affirms the importance of all things great and small in our
world, from the tiniest shell on the beach, to warm family connections, to the
widest sunset sky.
Why I Love It: The illustrations are gorgeous. I don’t know where this story is set,
but I want to live there. Everything about this book is cozy. Even the rhythm of the sentences is soothing.
What’s
the best book you read in 2019?
Eliza and Her Monsters has been on my TBR for so long. Seeing it on your best of the year list just put it back on my radar. Off to see if my library has it.
ReplyDeleteI loved A Thousand Splendid Suns and Sadie too. Eliza and Her Monsters and Daughter of Smoke and Bone are ones I've wanted to read for a while now so I'm happy to see them both on your Best Of list.
ReplyDeleteI keep meaning to read Born A Crime, and I keep forgetting! Putting a hold on it NOW so I won't forget anymore lol. I've been meaning to read A Thousand Splendid Suns, too. Glad you enjoyed it so much! I really need to read the Smoke & Bone series, too. Looks like you had a good reading year!
ReplyDeleteHere's my TTT post.
Born a Crime is one of my favorite books! Trevor Noah is so talented - this book is poignant and funny at the same time. Thanks for sharing your list and happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteThanks for reminding me to read more Hosseini. :) And that "Stay with Me" book sounds interesting!
ReplyDeleteI re-read DoSaB this year and the second book, I haven't read them since before I started blogging my reads. I love that trilogy so much and I wish I had more. I highly recommend the novella Night of Cake and Puppets, it takes place kind of along side the second book (you don't need to read that book first). It's about Zuz and Mik's first date. It's super cute.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a great New Year!
My TTT: Marie @ Pages to Explore
I don't know but I had always thought 'Sadie' was a horror book, I guess I should have read the synopsis.
ReplyDeleteI had like the tagline for 'Daughter of Smoke & Bones' which I can't remember but something about when a devil met an angel or something but it got me interested but sadly I couldn't get into the first book.
I didn't read enough to even have any favorite books but I did just finished 'West' by Edith Pattou and that was pretty good.
Have a great new year.
Stay With Me sounds super interesting, and Sadie was one I really wanted to read. Never got to it, even though I liked a couple of her previous books. Maybe in 2020 I'll get to that one.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!!!
Daughter of Smoke and Bone is just soooo good!
ReplyDeleteGreat YA picks, but I probably loved your middle grades picks even more. Lightning Girl just owned me. What a fantastic book. I loved everything about it. I remember really enjoying When You Reach Me, back when I read it, and TSoBT and After Zero were also hits for me.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you read a lot of books that had heavy topics but were really good. That does sound great how Sadie doesn't focus on the murderer. I really want to read the Smoke and Bone series, so I'm glad to see it on your list!
ReplyDeleteBorn a Crime is so good! I love Trevor Noah. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteNice variety of titles! I love that you included MG, children, and YA! Great literature can be enjoyed by all ages! Born a Crime is on my winter TBR!
ReplyDeleteI haven't read any of these but there's quite a few that I really want to. Happy New Year! :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't read any of the books on your list, but The Arsonist sounds like my kind of story and I love that cover! Sheep in a Jeep is one I'm adding too, because I'm always looking for a fun story to read to my grand kids. Rhyming ones are usually a hit. Have a lovely New Years Eve and holiday! :)
ReplyDeleteI love Laini Taylor's series. I need more from her. :)
ReplyDeleteA wonderful list, thanks for sharing your favourites!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a great list -- especially Sadie. I didn't put it on my best of list at the end of the year bc it had been on every other best of list i did during the year lol
ReplyDeleteThere are some fantastic books on your list! I am really intrigued about Born a Crime! It sounds like a fascinating read that will open my eyes. Happy New Year! :)
ReplyDeleteA Dance With Dragons was right up there as one of my few five star reads and it was my first book of the year! I'm hoping for a better standard of books this year as last year had a lot of books that didn't live up to expectations!
ReplyDeleteGreat list! Daughter of Smoke and Bone is one of my all-time favourite books! I hope you will enjoy the rest of the trilogy too. I also loved A Thousand Splendid Suns, it's a beautiful book.
ReplyDeleteI really hope to get to Three Things About Elsie and also Sadie this year so great to hear you enjoyed them so much.
ReplyDeleteI hope 2020 is full of many wonderful books for you!
I actually haven't read any of these, but yay for having a fantastic reading year! Happy reading in 2020!
ReplyDeleteI loved A Thousand Splendid Suns and Born a Crime. Sheep in a Jeep was one of my kids' favorites!
ReplyDeleteGreat list! I loved A Thousand Splendid Suns this year, and I really enjoyed Stay With Me. Sadie is one I really want to try, I don't think I've seen a bad review of it yet. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteAmazing list!! Sadie is still on my TBR. I'm hoping to get to that one soon!
ReplyDeleteI haven't read any of these books yet, AJ. I have had the audiobook of Born a Crime for a long time so I just need to make time for it. I also would like to read Eliza and Her Monsters and Sadie. Great list!
ReplyDeleteI read Sadie a while ago, and while it wasn't my favorite book, I appreciated the suspense and the urgency of the story. Although I'm not as familiar with the other books on your list, Born a Crime is a book I've been hoping to read for a while, and I'm glad you enjoyed it! Happy new year! :)
ReplyDeleteclaire @ clairefy
Oh man, I still need to get round to reading the last book of that Laini Taylor trilogy. I never seem to want to go ahead and have it be over, because it is so good!
ReplyDeleteI love your eclectic reading taste and all your reasons why- adding 3 Things to my tbr.
ReplyDeleteI love that you have books from various genres and age levels! Sadie is one that I'll FINALLY be reading soon for my book club. I want to read Born a Crime and Eliza & Her Monsters as well.
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
Sadie was a really good read. Definitely one I won't forget for a while. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteI've been wanting to read Eliza & Her Monsters! It really s ounds great.
ReplyDeleteDaughter of smoke and bone is one of my favorite books of all time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAwesome list AJ! I loved Eliza and Her Monsters a lot, and I actually was debating adding After Zero to my tbr!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great list, AJ! I loved The Kite Runner and it's made me hesitate to read A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS, even though I know I will likely love it too. I just don't want to be disappointed. STAY WITH ME is new to me, but it does sound really good. I'm adding it to my wish list. I love the cover of ELIZA AND HER MONSTERS. DAUGHTER OF SMOKE & BONE has been on my TBR pile for a long time. One of these days . . .
ReplyDeleteI loved Stay With Me!! And thanks for the reminder to add A Thousand Spelendid Suns to my list.
ReplyDeleteSadie and Eliza And Her Monsters have been on my TBR for ages! I should really get to them :) Three Things About Elsie sounds so good! Definitely adding that too
ReplyDeleteI still need to read the Trevor Noah book and After Zero. 📚
ReplyDeleteI loved When You Reach Me. 💟💟💟
What a great list! I'll have to add a bunch of these to my To-Be-Read. 😁
ReplyDeleteSo happy to see A Thousand Splendid Suns on this list, and Born a Crime too! I really enjoyed those ones. For me, Sadie was just okay but I know a lot of people loved it and I am glad you could. I so need to read Eliza and her Monsters, The Arsonist and I even own Stay with Me so you have me all the more excited!
ReplyDelete