I promised I’d post this by January 31, so I’m here just in the nick of time to share my favorite books from 2019. Apparently I’ve gained the reputation as the friend to ask what to read next or what I’m reading lately, which makes me smile. I couldn’t have said that a few years ago, despite being an English teacher. (Sad, right?) Hopefully this list will help get anyone who has set a reading goal for 2020 or is looking for something new.
I’m grateful to say that 2019 was a great year of reading for me! Even if I didn’t meet my goal of 100 books (sigh), I genuinely loved most of the books I read and I’m proud of the progress I made — I read 56 books in 2018, and 77 books in 2019!
Below you’ll find 8 fiction and 8 non-fiction (in my case, non-fiction typically means memoir) reads that I genuinely loved in 2019. Most of these were not actually published last year, though some were; instead, they are books I read over the course of the year, listed in no particular order.
I’ve included a quick blurb about them, but you can find a more thorough snapshot of my thoughts in the monthly posts throughout the year (just look for the posts with the title you’re searching for in the featured photo).
Thanks for a year of great reads, 2019!
Fiction
- Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes — a sweet story of a woman learning to trust herself and process her past
- A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles — great for those who love historical and literary fiction
- Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens — this was on everyone’s top read lists for a reason!
- Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate — heartbreaking but so good, also historical fiction
- American Royals by Katharine McGee — a fun, alternate version of America following the royal family (would be a perfect TV series!)
- The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman — the perfect book to cuddle up with on a cold Saturday
- The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan — another book-related read (shocker!) perfect for bookworms
- The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Schaffer — another historical read with a bit of romance, set in post-WWII
Non-Fiction
- She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey — probably my top read of the year; I was fascinated the whole way through!
- Becoming by Michelle Obama — I didn’t know I could fall more in love with the Obamas, but this did it for me
- When Less Becomes More: Making Space for Slow, Simple, and Good by Emily Ley — a loving reminder of the life I hope to lead, just when I needed it
- Miracles and Other Reasonable Things: A Story of Unlearning and Relearning God by Sarah Bessey — is there such a thing as a bad Sarah Bessey book? nope
- In Pieces by Sally Field — this memoir ripped my heart into a million pieces but I’m so grateful that Sally shared her story with the world
- Leaving Church: A Memoir of Faith by Barbara Brown Taylor — one that has been recommended to me a million times, and now I know why
- Glory Happening: Finding the Divine in Everyday Places by Kaitlin Curtice — like a sister to Ann Voskamp’s 1000 Gifts, written in shorter vignettes and poetry
- Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I’ve Loved by Kate Bowler — a relatable, touching memoir about how struggle isn’t as easy as clichés make it out to be
So, that’s a wrap on 2019! What were your favorite books you read last year? What are you looking forward to reading this year? I can’t wait to hear!
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