Wouldn’t it be great to live in a world where there was time to read all of the books? I’d even settle for time to read all of the books that came out in a given year. Unfortunately, that’s not reality, so I could only read a limited number of 2019 releases. Below are my favorite releases of 2019.
The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary
A romance about two people who share flat to save money. The catch? They never see each other because they work opposite hours! A romance where the couple gets to know each other through notes, personal possessions, and small living habits. This is easily the most well-written romance I’ve ever read. The excellent writing style and the well developed characters (including side characters) makes this a standout and easily one of the best releases in 2019.
Girls on the Verge by Sharon Biggs Waller
If you told me how heartwarming and endearing a book about abortion would be, I don’t know that I’d believe you. This book somehow balances poignancy with charm in order to create a story that is absolutely captivating. A road trip story about female friendship, reproductive rights, and overcoming adversity, this was a surprising page turner that is well worth a read.
The Institute by Stephen King
This was my first Stephen King book, and I have to say – wow is the man good. This is a story about capturing kids with exceptional abilities and locking them in an institute (hence the name). The subtlety of this story and the parallels with current events are striking – much more haunting than something explicitly “scary.”
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
The setting in Ninth House is incredibly rich and too good for this book to not make the best of 2019. Leigh Bardugo captures a melancholy, spooky Yale campus where occult magic runs rampant in secret societies. We follow Alex who is part of the house that polices the other secret societies. I absolutely loved reading the different kinds of magic in this book and digging into this universe.
City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert
Spoiler alert, but this might be my favorite book of 2019. If you read this, you’ll be lucky enough to spend 470 pages in 1920s New York hanging out with showgirls in a lowbrow playhouse. What else could you ask for? The setting is one of the most lively and lush that I’ve ever read. The narrative structure is loopy and magnificent and the characters are flawed and delightful and everything comes together to be exactly as it should.
Recursion by Blake Crouch
Blake Crouch’s science fiction thriller hybrids are some of my favorite to read, and his 2019 release held up to the standard that I’ve come to expect from him. People begin having false memories that drive them to suicide, and we follow our main characters who have to figure out why this is happening. Emotional, thrilling, and thought-provoking.
The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman
If you’re a bookworm, you must read this book, and I suspect you’ll relate to Nina Hill more than pretty much any character. This book was filled with charm and surprising depth. Nina Hill loves her quiet, bookish, and predictable life, when she discovers that the father she never met has passed away and left her something sizable in his will. This book was timely and endearing and brought me major amounts of joy.
Lock Every Door Riley Sager
Riley Sager writes some of the best tension I’ve ever read – in terms of both setting and character. A twenty-something female down on her luck accepts on opportunity to apartment sit in the most iconic hotel in New York, but things aren’t as good as they seem… This book was a modern gothic that is firing on all cylinders.