I’m super excited to sit down and put together my favorite reads from 2019 for you! Before we get into it, there’s a few things you should know about this list:
- My plan is to keep updating this post throughout the year. I’ll be adding new books as I read them and keep you up to date on what I’m currently reading!
- Books will be the order that I read them, so the most recent reads at the top and books from the beginning of the year at the bottom.
- If it’s on this list, I recommend picking it up. I didn’t include any books that I didn’t like or didn’t finish.
- Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
I was super tempted to cheat and put on some of my other favorite books from previous years, but decided to keep it just to this year! …But if I could sneak just one of those on, the entire Crazy Rich Asians series deserves that spot. Not just because I read it at the end of last year, but the entire series was impossible to put down.
Anyway, let’s get to it!
Christmas Shopaholic
After reading three dark thriller books, I wanted to end the year with something light and funny. I saw that there was a new book in this series and had to pick up the Christmas Shopaholic right away! I have to admit, I’ve read every single book of the Shopaholic series, all the way back to Confessions of a Shopaholic. I was addicted to these books in high school and college, and still love them today. They’re funny, endearing, and the perfect escape from everyday life.
I Found You
After reading Then She Was Gone, I knew I had to get another Lisa Jewell book… and I loved this one even more! I will admit, the first 75ish pages were a little slow, but once it picked up, I could not put this book down. The overall plot of this book is less dark than Then She Was Gone, but it definitely still has the dark, mystery/thriller vibe.
Then She Was Gone
Alright, as soon as I read this one, I loved it as much as the Silent Patient. It’s such a page turner and if you like one of these books, I bet you’ll love the other too.
The Silent Patient
Hands down, this was the best book I’ve read this year. Before this one, Where the Crawdads Sing was holding the spot for my favorite book this year, but The Silent Patient blew me away. It took me two days to read, and that was me trying to read it slowly to savor every word. Austin isn’t super into reading novels, but I got Audible just so we could listen to this as an audiobook. It’s THAT good. I saw this book in the top charts for a while, but the title/cover didn’t spark my interest… but trust me. It’s SO GOOD!
The Matchmaker
Loooved this one! It was another easy summer read, where it’s easy to follow along and get lost in. I felt like this book flew by, but at the same time I got really invested in the main character, Dabney. I also found out that Elin Hilderbrand has a ton of well known books, a lot of which are based on Nantucket Island! I already ordered The Rumor, so I’ll keep you posted when I read that one!
The Heart’s Invisible Furies
A coworker told me this was the BEST book she had ever read. I should also mention the person that said this reads 50+ books a year (no exaggeration), so I knew this would be good. At almost 600 pages, it’s definitely a marathon of a book to read and unlike a lot of books I read. Normally, I race through a book to get to some type of aha moment at the end, but this book was truly about the journey. Each section was it’s own story and in the end, it all came together in a beautiful, melancholy sort of way.
The Night Tiger
If you want to try something different, pick this book up. It won’t disappoint you. It’s unique, mysterious, and keeps you wondering how it will all come together. I loved it so much, I went ahead and ordered the Ghost Bride, which is an earlier book by the same author!
The Cactus
I picked this up because it was the pick for Reese Witherspoon’s book club! The main character reminded me just a tiny bit of Eleanor Oliphant from one of my earlier reads this year. This one is just an overall good book that ends exactly how you hope it will. It’s perfect for a mindless read to take on a vacation!
The Overdue Life of Amy Byler
I took this book on our trip to South Carolina and it was PERFECT for a vacation. This book was an easy, breezy read. It wasn’t too deep or heavy, it’s just a really fun book to breeze through at your own pace.
Educated
WOW. Let me start by saying I don’t think I’ve ever read a memoir before. I saw the author, Tara Westover, on Ellen and was immediately intrigued. I ordered this book right away and fell in love. It read as easily as a novel and was completely captivating. Tara grew up in the mountains of Idaho under very unique circumstances… I’ll let you read it and see for yourself. This one is an eye opener.
Where the Crawdads Sing
Truly, this book blew me away. The main character lives in the marsh, so I thought it would be a survivalist type of story but it’s not. It’s about love and life and a bit of mystery. I thought it wouldn’t be my taste, but I LOVED it. I can’t say enough good things about it… Take the plunge and you’ll be glued to this book until you finish it!
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
I’ll be honest with you – this one isn’t a page turner like many of the others on the list. But what I will say is that if you give it a chance, it’s pretty amazing. I went back and forth on this book and took my time reading a chapter here and there. When I got to the last 50-75 pages, that’s when it all came together and I completely fell in love with Eleanor and her story. If you need a read that you can take your time with, this just might be the one!
How to Walk Away
This was the perfect book to start my year with. i literally couldn’t put it down. At first I thought it’d be a typical love story, but it broke all the molds of a cliche rom-com style book. It was so deep, so meaningful, so perfect. I think I finished it in a weekend because I just couldn’t get enough.
What are your favorites?
That’s it for now! I’ll keep this post updated with new books as I finish them. If you have any recommendations, leave a comment so I can add them to my list to read next!