Holiday Book Guide 2019
Well folks, we've made it one more trip around the sun. I don't know about you, but I feel like this was a pretty darn good reading year for me. I didn't read quite as many books as I hoped, but the ones I did read were fantastic, eye-opening, challenging, fun, and amazing (well, not all of them but you catch my drift). Per my book nerd tradition, it's time for me to lay out some of my favorite reads from the year, as well as some that come highly recommended from my fellow bookish friends. Down below I've listed all the categories for this year--you can either click on an ornament to be taken straight to that section, or take a leisurely stroll through the list. I hope you find just the right story for a loved one on your list, or maybe even a special treat for yourself.
Enjoy, My Bookish Friends!
Love, Jenny
Fantasy/
Speculative Fiction
FICTION
While all these are excellent reads, some definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone. Here's to being brave readers!
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The Editor: From the bestselling author of Lily and the Octopus comes a funny, poignant, and highly original novel about an author whose relationship with his very famous book editor will change him forever--both as a writer and a son.
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On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous: Poet Ocean Vuong's debut novel is a shattering portrait of a family, a first love, and the redemptive power of storytelling.
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Red at the Bone: Moving forward and backward in time, Jacqueline Woodson's taut and powerful new novel uncovers the role that history and community have played in the experiences, decisions, and relationships of these families, and in the life of the new child.
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Lost and Wanted: A searing novel from one of America's most exciting writers about the knottiness of female friendship, the forces which fuse us together and those which drive us apart.
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Nothing to See Here: A moving and uproarious novel about a woman who finds meaning in her life when she begins caring for two children with remarkable and disturbing abilities
HISTORICAL
FICTION
I feel like it's a fine line between what is deemed "Realistic" Fiction and Historical Fiction. All you really need to know is that these are terrific stories that also happen to take place in a different time period, whether that means 5 or 50 years ago.
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The Dutch House: Set over the course of five decades, The Dutch House is a dark fairy tale about two siblings trying to overcome their past.
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American Spy: One woman struggles to choose between her honor and her heart in this enthralling espionage drama set against an unforgettable historical backdrop.
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Bowlaway: A sweeping and enchanting new novel about three generations of an unconventional New England family who own and operate a candlepin bowling alley.
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The Water Dancer: An expansive adventure story about organizing and traversing the Underground Railroad through a series of supernatural search-and-rescue missions.
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Daisy Jones and The Six: The story of how one of the most iconic (but sadly fictional) rock bands of the ‘70s came together – and how it mysteriously fell apart. (Soon to be a Reese Witherspoon produced TV show for Amazon).
NON-FICTION
There is nothing better than a true story that reads like fiction--entertaining AND you end up that much smarter!
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Catch and Kill: In a dramatic account of violence and espionage, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter Ronan Farrow exposes serial abusers and a cabal of powerful interests hellbent on covering up the truth, at any cost.
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Midnight in Chernobyl: The definitive, dramatic untold story of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster, based on original reporting and new archival research. (The HBO miniseries is excellent as well).
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Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: From a New York Times best-selling author, psychotherapist, and national advice columnist, a hilarious, thought-provoking, and surprising new book that takes us behind the scenes of a therapist's world--where her patients are looking for answers (and so is she).
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The Furious Hours: The stunning story of an Alabama serial killer and the true-crime book that Harper Lee worked on obsessively in the years after To Kill a Mockingbird.
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Say Nothing: A stunning, intricate narrative about a notorious killing in Northern Ireland and its devastating repercussions.
MYSTERY
There are few delights in life as wonderful as finding the perfect mystery. Find your cozy spot and enjoy!
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Conviction: A true-crime podcast sets a housewife's present life on a collision course with her secret past.
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Lady in the Lake: A novel set in 1960s Baltimore that combines modern psychological insights with elements of classic noir, about a middle-aged housewife turned aspiring reporter who pursues the murder of a forgotten young woman.
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The Whisper Man: In this dark, suspenseful thriller, Alex North weaves a multi-generational tale of a father and son caught in the crosshairs of an investigation to catch a serial killer preying on a small town.
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Miracle Creek: A quick-paced murder mystery that plumbs the power and perils of community as it carefully pieces together the tense atmosphere of a courtroom drama and the complexities of life as an immigrant family.
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The Lost Man: Two brothers meet at the border of their vast cattle properties under the unrelenting sun of outback Queensland, in this stunning new standalone novel from New York Times bestseller Jane Harper.
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Yep, that's right, I added a new category for this year. Modern romance books are nothing like the Harlequin novels of my youth-nowadays they are delightful and funny while still super sexy.
ROMANCE
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Red, White & Royal Blue: What happens when America's First Son falls in love with the Prince of Wales? Can love save the world after all? True love isn't always diplomatic.
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The Bride Test: From the bestselling author of The Kiss Quotient comes a romantic novel about love that crosses international borders and all boundaries of the heart.
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Evvie Drake Starts Over: When Dean moves into an apartment at the back of Evvie's house, the two make a deal: Dean won't ask about Evvie's late husband, and Evvie won't ask about Dean's baseball career. Rules, though, have a funny way of being broken--and what starts as an unexpected friendship soon turns into something more.
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Ayesha at Last: A modern-day Muslim Pride and Prejudice for a new generation of love.
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Bringing Back the Duke: A stunning debut for author Evie Dunmore and her Oxford Rebels, in which a fiercely independent vicar's daughter takes on a duke in a fiery love story that threatens to upend the British social order.
A little sci-fi, some magic, and lots of imagination--a perfect way to escape the real world.
FANTASY/
SPECULATIVE FICTION
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The Starless Sea: From the New York Times bestselling author of The Night Circus, a timeless love story set in a secret underground world--a place of pirates, painters, lovers, liars, and ships that sail upon a starless sea.
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Black Leopard, Red Wolf: In the first novel in Marlon James's Dark Star trilogy, myth, fantasy, and history come together to explore what happens when a mercenary is hired to find a missing child.
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How To Lose the Time War: What’s better than a love story between two-time ninjas on opposite sides of an epic, genocidal time war? Nothing, that’s what. Unless that love story played out largely via secret messages each leaves for the other on the alien battlefields they have inhabited.
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Ninth House: Secret societies, mysterious benefactors, a multi-layered murder mystery, oh and some occult magic, of course.
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The Ten Thousand Doors of January: In the early 1900s, a young woman embarks on a fantastical journey of self-discovery after finding a mysterious book in this captivating and lyrical debut.
AROUND THE WORLD
A chance to experience eye-opening global perspectives (all while being entertained)
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Normal People: Set in Ireland, Sally Rooney brings her brilliant psychological acuity and perfectly spare prose to a story that explores the subtleties of class, the electricity of first love, and the complex entanglements of family and friendship.
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The Night Tiger: A sweeping historical novel about a dancehall girl and an orphan boy whose fates entangle over an old Chinese superstition about men who turn into tigers.
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Disappearing Earth: The kidnapping of two small girls on a remote peninsula in Russia sets in motion an evocative, moving, searingly original debut novel by a dazzling young writer.
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The Shadow King: A gripping novel set during Mussolini’s 1935 invasion of Ethiopia, The Shadow King takes us back to the first real conflict of World War II, casting light on the women soldiers who were left out of the historical record.
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The Stationary Shop: A novel set in 1953 Tehran against the backdrop of the Iranian Coup about a young couple in love who are separated on the eve of their marriage, and who are reunited sixty years later.
MISCELLANOUS
A catch-all spot (or, "The books I wanted to include but didn't have the perfect category)".
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The Field Guide To Dumb Birds of North America: For those who have a disdain for birds, or bird lovers with a sense of humor, this snarky, illustrated handbook is equal parts profane, funny, and—let's face it—true.
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Death Wins a Goldfish: In this humorous and heartfelt book from beloved illustrator Brian Rea, readers take a peek at Death's journal entries as he documents his mandatory sabbatical in the world of the living. From sky diving to online dating, Death is determined to try it all!
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Just Like Beverly: This tale follows the life of beloved children's author Beverly Cleary from her early years in Oregon to her career as a successful writer who wrote stories, including the wildly popular Ramona and Henry Huggins series, for kids just like her.
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Most Marshmallows: Most marshmallows are born into marshmallow families, play with marshmallow friends, and go to marshmallow school where they learn to be squishy. But, this book isn't about most marshmallows, is it? No.
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In Waves: A tale of love, heartbreak, and surfing from an important new voice in comics. In Waves is Craig Thompson's Blankets meets Barbarian Days.
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That's it, Folks! I hope you enjoyed your time spent with this year's guide. As always, I'd love to hear what your favorite books were this year. Feel free to add your comments on suggestions over on the blog.
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May you have a wonderful holiday season and a very Happy New Year