I had a great reading year. I didn’t keep track but I know I read well over fifty books. This was in part thanks to many months of breastfeeding, my husband being the primary driver on road trips, book club, and a few audiobooks. Please note that not all of the books I chose were published this year, they are just my favorites that I read this year. Below I’ve selected my top twelve book reads of 2019, one for every month! I hope you find a book recommendation that you can’t wait to read.

   

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This Is How It Always Is

Published Date: June 2018

Genre: Fiction

A fantastic book about how a family (originally from Madison, WI!) handles having a young transgender daughter.   This Is How It Always Is covers some really hard topics surrounding gender identity but in the context of a family trying to do what’s best for their child.  But in the end, parenting is often just guessing and trying your best hoping that everything will turn out okay.  Everyday tasks that you never even think of have to be addressed when having a transgender child.  Where should the child use the bathroom?  How do you handle getting in pajamas at a sleepover?  I absolutely loved this book, highly recommend!

   

Educated

Published Date: February 2018

Genre: Autobiography

Educated: A Memoir is a wonderful and fascinating memoir by a woman my own age.   This book makes me feel very unintelligent as the author has accomplished so much despite such a traumatic upbringing.   Tara Westover grew up on an Idaho mountain with a Mormon father who believed the end of days was coming soon.  Convinced the government was out to get them the family refused to seek any type of medical treatment besides the mother’s midwifery knowledge.   Half of the children never attend school and instead work for their father in the family’s junkyard.  Tara describes her journey including educating herself to getting into college and studying abroad.  A truly powerful story of overcoming abuse and hardship (and a crazy family) to becoming incredibly successful. I can’t recommend this book more!

   

In Pieces

Published Date: September 2018

Genre: Autobiography

I could not put Sally Field’s memoir down.  I loved it. In Pieces focuses on Sally Field’s childhood and how she got into show business plus the early years in her career. Relationships with her mother, brother, dad, step-dad, and half-sister are deeply entwined throughout the book. What you shouldn’t expect are any details from her Steel Magnolias through Forest Gump years. Honestly, it didn’t bother me at all that those years were glossed over.

I didn’t know much about her personal life until I read this book. Sally Field always seemed like such a confident actress to me but that is far from the case despite how incredibly talented she is.    Unlike so many “Hollywood” memoirs I’ve read, Sally Field’s doesn’t name drop for the sake of name dropping.  The memoir doesn’t include information that shouldn’t be there.  I was never bored.

   

Daisy Jones & the Six

Published Date: March 2019

Genre: Historical Fiction

I truly enjoyed reading Daisy Jones and the Six.  The whole book is written as an interview with all the members of a rock band from the 70s. Each member of the band reflects individually on events that occurred during their time together.

The story takes the reader from the start of the band to its ending. Included are explanations of what each person is up to in the present time.  I can’t wait to see the movie! 

   

This Tender Land

Published Date: September 2019

Genre: Historical Fiction

The author of this book is becoming one of my favorites. I become emotional and attached to the characters when reading his novels. For instance, I would read this book at night and have so much anxiety about what was going to happen to the characters next I couldn’t fall asleep.

This Tender Land tells the story of two orphaned brothers. After their father dies the two end up at a school for Native American children even though they themselves are white. The school is run by a horrible woman and the children living there suffer from many atrocities.

The brothers get the opportunity to escape. They have to keep a very low profile as the school has accused them of kidnapping a young girl. Along their journey, they meet a number of people who will play a big part in whether they succeed in reaching St. Louis where their aunt lives.

Let’s just say anything this author writes next I am definitely reading.

   

Miracle Creek

Published Date: April 2019

Genre: Mystery

Miracle Creek should be your next book selection. It’s interesting, easy to follow, and your opinion of what you think really happened may change over the course of reading the story.

There is a murder trial in a small town after two are killed and others injured in an explosion. The explosion occurred during HBOT treatments when a cigarette was purposefully lit around the oxygen.

The mother of the autistic boy who died is being accused of murder but as the story progresses it seems the case is not as cut and dry as people once believed. Many secrets from the night are revealed throughout the trial. The story takes you back to a year ago and walks the reader through the day of the explosion through multiple characters’ points of view.

   

The Sea of Tranquility

Published Date: November 2012

Genre: Young Adult

I absolutely loved how The Sea of Tranquility is written. While reading you gradually find out more and more about the characters as the story continues. A teen is moving in with her aunt to have a fresh start at a new school. The catch is she doesn’t speak and has started dressing in all black with super high heels. Despite attempts to fade into the background, she befriends two guys who bring her into their worlds – one a manwhore and the other an emancipated teen living on his own.

You learn what happened to make her stop talking and why she believes she is ruined forever. Even though the characters are in high school I was truly engrossed with this book. I think it would make an excellent book club pick.

   

The Golden Hour

Published Date: July 2019

Genre: Historical Fiction

One of my favorite authors hits gold (haha) again. This book takes place during WWII in Switzerland, Germany, the Bahamas, and Scotland. The story spans a few generations of a family and its dramatics involving postpartum depression, adultery, and love.

The Golden Hour features a reporter who dishes tidbits on the Duke and Duchess of Windsor (the former king) while living in the Bahamas. A murder takes place with a man falsely accused.

The book flips back and forth between generations but is surprisingly easy to follow. I found the story interesting especially since some characters are based on real people and the book includes many actual historical events. It’s a great novel with a few twists and turns the reader doesn’t see coming.

   

The Almost Sisters

Published Date: July 2017

Genre: Fiction

I liked this book right from the start and all the way to the end (which is rare!).  The Almost Sisters features a superstar in the comic world who’s life is about to get a little messy.  With a grandma going off the deep end and a surprise pregnancy by “Batman,” her plate is a little full.  To make matters worse, her perfect sister is having a crisis and family secrets start coming out of the woodwork.

This book is funny with slight undercurrents of race and class issues in the deep south. The comic the main character writes and illustrates is described in detail which I personally don’t care for but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment. In fact, the comic helped wrap everything up in the end.

   

For Better and Worse

Published Date: December 2018

Genre: Thriller

I enjoyed For Better and Worse. In this book, a husband and wife have grown apart when they learn of an upsetting situation that could impact their family.  The whole town is gossiping about alleged sexual abuse by the principal of their son’s school.  Both of the parents are lawyers and are torn on how to let the situation play out. Will they let the law handle it or are they too jaded by their careers to trust that justice will be served?

I liked how the book is written from different points of view (the husband’s and the wife’s). Plus, I think the reader can relate to how the characters must be feeling throughout the story.

   

Necessary People

Published Date: May 2019

Genre: Fiction

I’m usually not a big fan of thrillers or suspense but Necessary People included just enough for the story to seem more realistic than most.

Two college roommates become best friends despite their different upbringings. While the wealthy friend frolics abroad after graduation, the other becomes a hard-working intern at a cable news station. Everything is going great until the rich friend returns and starts treading on her friend’s territory.

Backstabbing, jealousy, and connections all play a huge role in the events that take place in this book. 

   

That’s What Frenemies Are For

Published Date: July 2019

Genre: Fiction

That’s What Frenemies Are For is about a middle-aged woman who decides to make a young spin instructor her new pet project (to also benefit herself). But things backfire. On top of that, her husband is having problems at work. Close friends are exhibiting mean girl behavior. What seems to be a terrible year might lead to a change of heart about what is truly important in life.

At times I wanted to strangle the main character and her desperate need to be on top of the social ladder among the upper east side private school moms. Other times I really sympathized with her and the situations she finds herself in.

   

Want to know what books made the top reads list last year? Check out my Top Reads of 2018 post.