Books from 2019

One more post before I go back to work, because I know after that, they will be few and far between, although I am going to try to get a little better about that this year. 

One of my goals for 2019 was to read 10 books. I specifically set this goal, as I enjoy reading, but had been reading really long books for the last few years and I wanted to make sure I could get some more volume in to catch up on the long list of books I want to read. I enjoy reading reviews of others so hope that some of you enjoy reading these reviews and find a book or two you want to add to your list. 

In order, here are the 19 books I read in 2019, with a short comment about each of them: 

1. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows - a good quick read about a small town during WW2. I can't remember the full plot now, but it was an enjoyable if not memorable read. 
2. Hamilton by Ron Chernow - This is one of the long books I started in 2018 and I worked my way through all 750+ pages. It was such an interesting portrait into the early founding of the US. I especially enjoyed reading about Hamilton's personal life, but also found that the politics of the time seem to have been just about as divisive as ours are now. 
3. The Summer Wives by Beatriz Williams - a good beach read (although I read it long before beach season) with a few twists and turn. Some of it seemed quite predictable, but just when I thought I'd figured it out, there was some new information. It kept me interested until the end. 
4. Into the Light by Aletha Romig - this one was loaned to me by a coworker, and it was excellent. It is a suspense story and I totally thought I had it figured out. When I learned on the last page of the book that I was totally wrong, I had to immediately tear into the sequel, 
5. Away from the Dark by Aletha Romig - Wow, great sequel to the book above. You never quite knew how things were going to go and it kept you guessing right to the last page. If you decide to read these two, make sure you get them at the same time so that you can go right from one to the other! 
6. Room by Emma Donoghue - I found this under my bedside table when I was cleaning in the spring and finally read this book that my mom probably loaned me 3 years ago! It was a somber read, but a very good one. I still need to find a night to watch the movie that was made about it. 
7. The Second Mrs. Hockaday - Recommended by another blogger I follow, this one followed a woman left at home alone during the Civil War. It was a good story, but something about it just didn't work as well for me. I can't quite remember if it was the sequence of the chapters or the style of writing, but this one was an okay book, but certainly not the top of my list for the year. 
8. Light a Penny Candle by Maeve Binchy - Also found in the bedside table cleaning, I gobbled this one up - I've read quite a few of her books and this one doesn't disappoint. It was a nice coming-of-age story of two friends during WW2 that followed them to their early adult years. If you like her writing, you'd like this one too. 
9. The Almost Sisters by Joshilyn Jackson - A young, unmarried, pregnant woman goes home to care for her grandmother in a small town in the south. She is working hard to hide her pregnancy so she doesn't become the talk of the town, all while helping her grandmother who is going through stages of dementia. It was a lovely story of a granddaughter/grandmother relationship, and also a good portrait into decisions women make for themselves and others. 
10. One Plus One by Jojo Moyes - This was my third or fourth Jojo Moyes book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It follows a similar formula as her other novels, and is a really good read. If you haven't read any Jojo Moyes, this would be a good one to start with. 
11. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah - I know I am late to the party of this one, but so glad I read it. It was a dark, inspiring, twisty, and loving story of two women in France during WW2. I can see why it was such a big hit when it came out. 
12. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein - Maybe because I read this WW2 story right after The Nightingale, it wasn't as strong of a book for me. In the end, I liked the story, but it really took me a while to get into it. I was probably more than halfway through the book before I knew I had to finish it. 
13. Letters from Skye by Jessica Brockmole - I read this one while in Ireland in September and really enjoyed reading a book set so close to where I was. This one was a WW1 book and I really liked the style of writing and the switch between two time periods. It was a lovely and fairly quick read. 
14. On a Summer Tide by Suzanne Woods Fisher - This was a good book about a family - dad and three sisters - who were working together to rebuild an island off the coast of Maine as a tourist destination. It was a good story, similar to so many other stories that happen on islands off the East Coast. If you want a good mindless book, it is worth a read - fairly predictable, but also fairly enjoyable. 
15. I Was Here by Gayle Forman - the narrator of this book is working to figure out why her best friend died by suicide. They had gone separate ways after graduating high school and started to fall away from each other when it happened. It was a good portrait into friendship and how it changes over time, the things we choose not to see in those who we love, and how to deal with loss. 
16. The River by Peter Heller - one of my favorites of the year, the story of two friends on a canoe trip. I don't want to give too much away for this one, but after finding a woman by herself on the river, there are lots of twists and turns. I didn't want to put this book down! It was one of the best suspense books I've read. 
17. The Discovery of Insulin by Michael Bliss - I work for the company that commercialized insulin, but didn't know much about the discovery of the drug. I was given this book a few years ago by one of the VPs at work and grabbed it one night when I didn't have anything else to read (I am not much of a non-fiction reader). I read it between the other books - a chapter here and there. It was quite dry, but very interesting to learn about the scientists who worked to discover, test, and then manufacture this drug that really was (and is) a lifesaver for people with diabetes. I also appreciated learning a little about my company history and how we got involved to manufacture the medicine. 
18. The Aftermath by Rhidian Brook - Another WW2 book, but this one a different take, as it followed a family who came to Germany to be with their dad/husband who was supporting reconstruction efforts after the war. I really enjoyed this different type of war story. 
19. Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate - this story of children stolen from their homes and put into the Mississippi adoption process was a really good read of a horrible situation. A few of the characters are real, but the story is fiction. The narrator of the story flexed between one of the children who was old enough to realize what was going on and a woman in present day who was trying to unravel the mystery of her family's involvement. 

It is hard to pick a favorite for the year, but I think the suspense books were at the top - Into the Light and Away from the Dark and The River. They were quickly followed by The Nightingale, Before We Were Yours, Room, and Hamilton. 

I am already off and reading for 2020, and finished my first book today! Hope you found something you might enjoy from this list and please let me know if you read a great book in 2019 that I should add to my list! 

Comments

Kate said…
Sounds like a pretty varied book diet for last year. Hope you find some gems this year.
Jennifer, thank you for sharing the books you read. I am going to add several to my ever expanding list.
Carol said…
I've only read six of your 19, so I'll definitely read about the others, Jennifer. Maeve Binchy was always a favorite of my mom's so I read most of hers, too. They are such pleasant reads. I really need to start writing down the titles and a bit about those I have read, too!

Hope 2020 brings more good books into your life.
I have only read the last one. What a sad event in US history this was. I actually read the follow up first that was the story from the POV of the adoptees who had no idea that there were missing siblings when they were growing up.