My favorite books of 2019

This post took way too long to write. I spent far more time than I should have dithering about this list because I read a ton of really good books this year.

These books didn’t necessarily come out this year. None of them did. But I did read all of them this year. I didn’t include any of the books that I read every year or anything that I’d read before. They are across several different genres, fiction, and nonfiction.

Without further rambling, here are the best books I read in 2019.

10. Troublemaker by Leah Remini.

This is a memoir about Leah’s days in the church of Scientology. For those of you who don’t know, I’m a little bit obsessed with anything about that creepy cult. So, of course, I read this book as soon as I could get my hands on it. It did not disappoint. It’s about her life from childhood until when she realized she wanted to leave the church. And it is riveting.

9. Broke Millennial, by Erin Lowry.

2019 was my year to read a ton of nonfiction. And I can’t suggest this book enough if you need to get your finances in order. I learned so much, and I’m slowly using what I learned to get my credit score in order and make better money choices. And it wasn’t dry!

8. The Pug List, by Alison Hodgson.

First off, the pug lives. I wasn’t willing to even touch this one until I found out that not only does the pug live, but his name is Oliver and he has his own Instagram. 

That being said, this family goes through hell and back. Their house is set on fire by an arsonist, and it burns to the ground. They have to rebuild their life from there. 

7. The Bullet Journal Method, by Ryder Carroll.

I don’t think I’ve anticipated a book as much as I did this one. I got it for Christmas last year, and I got to read part of it during a three-day vacation in Pittsburgh. And let me tell you, I was a Bullet Journal fan girl before. This book changed how I do Bullet Journaling for the better. If you haven’t read this book yet, do it now.

6. Girl, Wash Your Face, by Rachel Hollis.

This was an inspirational book from someone who manages to be supportive and verbally kicks your ass at the same time. I love how honest and funny she is. No punches were pulled, and it made me feel better about my whole life.

5. Muse of Nightmares, by Laini Taylor.

I’m not going to go into too much detail here, because I did a review of this book, as well as the first book, Strange The Dreamer. Suffice to say that this two-book series is one of the best modern fantasy books I’ve ever read. It’s creative, immersive and just a treat to read.

4. Limetown.

Alright, I’ve spent a lot of time talking about this series recently, so again I’m not going to spend a lot of time on this. If you love the podcast, you’ll love this prequel. I can’t suggest it enough.

 

3. The Outsider, by Stephen King.

This novel was one that reached right through the pages, grabbed me by the throat and did not let me go. I mean to tell you, I cannot describe how deep this book went. I loved every page. And I can’t believe it’s being turned into a mini-series on HBO next year. Next month, actually.

I haven’t done a review of this book yet, so here’s a quick overview. A small town is shaken to its knees when a popular coach is accused of raping and killing a young man. The only problem is, he couldn’t have done it, even though people saw him at the scene. 

The ending was rather predictable. That didn’t stop me from enjoying every page.

2. Doctor Sleep, by Stephen King.

You had to know I was going to have a few King books on here. Dr. Sleep is a followup to The Shining, and I have to say I liked it better. Better enough that I squeed when I saw the first trailer for the movie. (Haven’t seen it yet.) 

If you don’t know about this one, here’s the premise. Davey isn’t the only person who has the Shining. There’s a whole lot of them around, mostly kids. Some people prey upon those with The Shining, who feed on them.

Again, the ending was predictable. But it was a great ride, all the same. 

1. An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, by Hank Green.

Again, this is a book I did a review on and just gushed about. It’s hitting number one on my list this year because it is the most creative and unique novel I have ever read. I cannot wait for the next one.

So that’s it. What do you think? What were the best books you read this year? Let us know in the comments below.