Hey everyone and welcome back to my blog! I'm Genni, and instead of doing a mega-post of all my favorite books I read this year, I wanted to splice it up into four different categories. You'll see the best fiction, best non-fiction, best 2019 releases, and best romance books I've read this year, and there won't be any overlap/repeats!
Without further ado, here are my favorite fiction reads of this year, in no particular order! Keep in mind, not all of these are 2019 releases, but rather the books I read in 2019.
ADULT
Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman
If you want a book that is just full of energy and an all-around good time, then look no further than The Bookish Life of Nina Hill! Nina Hill just realized that she has a slew of family members when her biological father, who she has never known, passes away and leaves her as a beneficiary in his will. Cue a burgeoning romance, and you've got a lovely book!
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
Such a Fun Age is my favorite book of the year! I sincerely can't recommend it enough, but if you need more incentive, you can read my review that was featured on the January 2020 Indie Next List.
Red, White, & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
Red, White, and Royal Blue was everywhere this past summer, and for damn good reason. Who doesn't want to transport themselves into a world where a divorced mother of two Latinx teenagers wins the 2016 presidential election? The plot follows the dynamic, compelling relationship between the First Son of the US, Alex, and His Royal Highness, Henry. Cue the laughs, swoons, tears, and all.
Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren
I read this all the way in the beginning of 2019, and Love and Other Words stayed with me the whole entire time. It's heartfelt, bittersweet, and sometimes painful. I might have read this book in the beginning of the year, but I picked this up time and time again. I hope you do, too.
KIDS and YOUNG ADULT
Maybe Tomorrow? by Charlotte Agell
I didn't know how wonderful kids' books could be until I read Maybe Tomorrow? The picture book is one of the best portrayals of grief I've ever read, and it moved me, and the two coworkers I was reading this with, to tears. A must read for kids and adults alike.
Dear Sweet Pea by Julie Murphy
If I had to pick the best middle grade novel of the year, it would be Dear Sweet Pea. I laughed out loud, I cried, and most of all, I felt accepted. I wish I read this body positive and heartfelt middle grade when I was Sweet Pea's age, but I'm so glad I got the chance to read it at 20 years old.
Tweet Cute by Emma Lord
Tweet Cute is one of the best YA contemporary novels I've read in a really long time. It's an ode to the rom-com classic, You've Got Mail, but also has its own 2020 twist, with the two high-school leads battling it out on Twitter. The YA novel is laugh out loud funny, but also perfectly captures the anxiety of unrequited crushes, applying to colleges, and strained familial relationships.
Neverworld Wake by Marisha Pessl
I'll be honest, I was not expecting Neverworld Wake to make this list, simply because I had no definitive plans to read the novel in 2019. Well, thank goodness by mood reading kicked in! I picked up Neverworld Wake on a whim, and I was immediately drawn into it. It's best not knowing much about the plot, but here are some key words/phrases: death, Groundhog Day (the movie, not the quasi-holiday), grief, mystery. Neverworld Wake is the most original novel I've read this year, and I'm eager for more to discover its compelling narrative.
The Last Hope by Krista & Becca Ritchie
Here's a question: why is nobody talking about Krista & Becca Ritchie's character-driven, soulful, queer, galactic fantasy duology? The Last Hope was the finale to the Ritchie's two part series, and it was beyond fantastic.
There's Something About Sweetie by Sandhya Menon
Much like Dear Sweet Pea, There's Something About Sweetie struck a personal chord with me. So rarely do I find characters who look similarly to me (read: plus-sized, curvy, fat, whatever word that works for you) and aren't ashamed of it. Sweetie is one of those characters, and I'm so grateful for Sandhya Menon for making me feel seen, and reminding myself that I, too, deserve a great love story, even if mainstream media tells me differently.
Girls With Sharp Sticks by Suzanne Young
Girls With Sharp Sticks is another YA novel that flew under many readers' radars. The novel takes place at a sinister all-girls boarding school, following a cast of diverse teen girls who slowly begin to think for themselves, become empowered, and fight against their misogynistic keepers (read: prisoners). Ending with a twist I can happily say I did not see coming (and that's rare!), I'm eager to read the next book in the series, due out this year.
So those were my favorite fiction books I've read this year! Have you read any my picks? What did you think of them?
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As always, thank you so much for taking your time and stopping by!
Happy Reading!
Genni @ Ready, Set, Read!
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