Okay, time for Part Two of my 2019 year in books. (Part One , Part Three , Part Four ) This year, I set a goal for myself to make the time to read more. It’s been really great. I’ve been able to read, and finish, a lot of books that have been sitting on my to-read list for far too long. I’m breaking up the list into four parts because I have been reading a lot more books this year, and I want to keep a record of them here. Included below are most of the books I read this year in April, May and June. I love getting book recommendations, so I’m sharing mine here, and I’d love to hear some of yours. If you’ve got any great books you want to share, leave them in the comments below.
*a note, I’m only including books here that I recommend, which is most of the books that I read. I tend to not finish books that I don’t like. Also, I get most books from the library, libraries are amazing! I also enjoy listening to audio books when I’m working in the studio, which definitely helps me get through more books.
Kingdom of the Blind by Louise Penny - A few years back, I started listening to Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache mystery series as audio books from the library. I love getting transported into the woods of Québec. I’ve read most of the books in this series and they are fun, I even got Sonia into them on a few road trips!
The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths - I’ve read several of Griffiths’ books in the Ruth Galloway mystery series, so I was intrigued to pick up her new standalone mystery, about a letter writer spooking a small town and school. A fun read, stayed up late reading this one and had a few scary dreams as a result…
The Lost Man by Jane Harper - I loved Jane Harper’s first two books, The Dry and Force of Nature, and while this one is a standalone mystery, I enjoyed it just as much. She writes about rural life in Australia with beauty and detail. Definitely recommend reading any of her books.
The Snakehead by Patrick Radden Keefe - This book was super fascinating. Starting with the shipwreck of the Golden Venture in NYC in 1993, it explores the dense networks of human smuggling in Chinatown and the woman who ran most of it. It took me a while to finish this one, but I really loved reading it, and learned so much about how immigration policies shift over time.
Maid by Stephanie Land - I read this book in two nights, and stayed up so late to finish it. I could not put it down. Everyone should read this book. This powerful memoir by Stephanie Land details her struggle to earn a living and keep her young daughter safe in the Pacific Northwest.
Educated by Tara Westover - This was an intense book to read right after Maid, but I loved it just as much, and as I did with Maid, I stayed up almost all night to finish it. I was so impressed with Westover’s story, struggle and writing.
Huntress by Kate Quinn - An interesting novel about the hunt for a war criminal in post WWII Europe and America. I liked how the book mixed up the narrators to tell all the different stories.
Emotional Currency by Kate Levinson - I really needed this book this year. With some shuffling and reprioritizing of things in my business and life, I’ve really struggled with how I think - and how my family thinks, - about money: not having enough, what is enough, etc. Emotional Currency is an interesting book with lots of women’s stories about their own journey with money. Women should be talking about money more, not less, and this book helps.
Abode by Serena Mitnik-Miller and Mason St. Peter - This beautiful book by the owners of General Store in California features lots of home renovation tips, with some DIY projects thrown in. For those who are not afraid of painting walls white. Reading this makes me want to fix up a house so much!
Normal People by Sally Rooney - I saw this on almost everyone’s list of favorite books this year, so I was excited to finally read it. It’s now on my favorites list too! And I promply added her first book Conversations With Friends to my hold list at the Library.
Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton - Loved this book, as I knew I would. You should probably read this, and listen to Dolly Alderton’s podcast with Pandora Sykes called the High Low. They also always have good book recommendations!
Cruel Acts by Jane Casey - I’ve been reading (and loving) Jane Casey’s Maeve Kerrigan mystery series for a few years now. I eagerly look forward to the next year’s installment.
The Dark Angel + The Stone Circle by Elly Griffiths - After reading Elly Griffiths’ newest book (above), I realized that she had released two new books in her Ruth Galloway mystery series that I hadn’t read yet. If you can call a mystery light, I’d say that these are. They are atmospheric, and always incorporate some interesting historical and archaelogical references. I enjoy reading them and they don’t give me too many nightmares.
Wild Fire by Ann Cleeves - The last book in Ann Cleeves Shetland series, I liked the mystery and how she wrapped up the series. I’m also a huge fan of the tv show made out of this series, called Shetland. I’ve been nagging Sonia to go with me to the Shetland Islands ever since I started reading these books. Hopefully soon!
My Sister The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite - So good! I loved this book, told in the first person by a young nurse in Nigeria, whose life is constantly being derailed by her sister’s murderous ways.
West Cork by Sam Bungey and Jennifer Forde - Technically this is a podcast, available on Audible, but I really enjoyed it, so I’m including it here. The authors investigate a cold case in West Cork, Ireland, and struggle to find new answers in the murder of a French woman many years earlier.
Death At Whitewater Church by Andrea Carter - Set in a small coastal town in Ireland, this mystery features a moody solicitor called Ben, who can’t stop herself from solving local crimes. There are three more books in this series, which I’m looking forward to reading.
To be continued…
Read 2019 In Books Part One , 2019 In Books, Part Three , 2019 in Books, Part Four