Looking for your next great read? Here are my favorite books from 2019! From engaging fiction to inspirational true stories, impactful and moving to light-hearted and fun, this list has it all!
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I read 75 books in 2019.
A few of those were chapter books I read to the kids (I’ll share our favorites at the end of this post), although I only counted the ones I deemed worthy of recording.
And I left a (somewhat embarrassing) trail of Christian romances in the first few months after Annabel was born by downloading them on my phone and reading during her feedings/when I was rocking her to sleep. (As she was a very fussy baby, this amounted to MANY hours of reading!)
But I also had a significant number of truly great reads. I tried some new authors, reread some of my past favorites, and checked quite a few off my ever-expanding to-read list.
All in all, it was a great year of reading!
Here were some of my favorites books from 2019.
My Favorite Books From 2019
Happier at Home — Gretchen Rubin
Surprisingly, this was my first Gretchen Rubin book, and it was a great introduction! The premise of learning how to be happier at home sounded right up my alley, and while it was essentially a memoir of her own journey, she skillfully told it in such a way that it was inspiring to my own.
The Tuscan Child — Rhys Bowen
This engaging read had history, intrigue, and romance written in a beautifully compelling way. What more could you ask for in a favorite fiction?
The Number of Love — Roseanna M. White
I became a raving Roseanna M. White fan a year and a half ago. Since then, I’ve binge-read all of her books, and I think she gets better and better with every book she writes.
The Number of Love came out in 2019 as the premier book in her new series, The Codebreakers. I enjoyed every minute of it and thought it was one of her best.
You can read more about the book and why I loved it here!
The Cranky Mom Fix — Becky Kopitzke
What mom doesn’t need help being less cranky from time to time?? Becky Kopitzke offers practical strategies for “slaying the momster” in a way that is both relatable and inspiring. This one is a must-read for moms.
Discipline That Connects to Your Child’s Heart — Jim & Lynne Jackson
This book wins the award for my favorite parenting book of all time (and I’ve read a lot of them!). It radically changed the way I look at my kids’ behavior and approach my discipline. I HIGHLY recommend this book to all parents.
Talking to Strangers — Malcolm Gladwell
I’m a HUGE Malcolm Gladwell fan, so of course I had to get his latest book as soon as it came out. It did not disappoint! While it’s not my favorite of his (that would either be Outliers or The Tipping Point, I can never decide), it was fascinating, with all the page-turning intrigue we Gladwell-ites expect and love.
The Boys in the Boat — Daniel James Brown
I love a good narrative non-fiction, and this one was my favorite from 2019. The story of the 1936 Olympic men’s crew team was captivating, and I was inspired by their perseverance through adversity. For lovers of history and/or underdog stories, this is a must-read!
The Printed Letter Bookshop — Katherine Reay
This book was a pure joy to read. It was heart-warming and fun, but with depth and insight that moved me. The characters were realistic and relatable, and I found myself cheering for them as they developed throughout the book. When I finished, it felt as though I was saying good-bye to a group of friends.
This book is classified as Christian Fiction, but the religious aspect is slight and subtle.
The Gifted School — Bruce Holsinger
I list this last one with a caveat: there is a lot of language, including the f-word. I debated whether to even include it, but it truly was one of my favorite reads from last year. If it didn’t have so much language, I would readily promote it as one all parents should read. Because though the story is fiction, it could easily be true, and it exposes very real and prevalent issues of parenting and meritocracy.
Honorable Mentions:
Stretched Too Thin — Jessica Turner (a must-read for working moms!)
Outcasts United: The Story of a Refugee Soccer Team That Changed a Town — Warren St. John (there is a YA version, too)
Station Eleven — Emily St. John Mandel
Smarter Faster Better — Charles Duhigg
Growing Up Social: Raising Relational Kids in a Screen-Driven World — Arlene Pellicane & Gary Chapman
Circle of Spies (Culper Ring #3) — Roseanna M. White
The Painter’s Daughter — Julie Klassen (which led to a Julie Klassen binge)
A Lasting Impression — Tamera Alexander (which led to several more Tamera Alexander books, all of which I loved)
Educated — Tara Westover
Where the Crawdads Sing — Delia Owens
Our Favorite Read-Aloud books from 2019
Included in my “75 books” are several chapter books I read to the kids (mostly Aidan), and our hands-down favorites were the books in the Growly Trilogy Series.
These books were full of adventure and heroic examples of bravery, loyalty, and friendship told via a heart-warming story arc spanning the trilogy. And the sophisticated writing made them ideal candidates for our read-alouds.
Though Aidan was in preschool at the time, these books would be well-received by kids of all ages.
You can find more of of our favorite read-aloud chapter books here.
Those are my favorite books from 2019. Tell me — what were some of your best reads from the last year?
More of my favorite books…
My Top 10+ Favorite Books From 2018
My Top 10 Favorite Books of 2017
My Favorite Recent Reads for Winter
My 2018 Ultimate Gift Guide: Favorite Books for Kids!
My fav on your list is The Printed Letter Bookshop for sure, just loved it and it has stuck with me! I Love Christian Lit, this one was perfect, subtle just like you said but you knew it was there! I am reading one similar called Choices bu Jacquelyn Lynn and you would like it as you clearly liked Bookshop!
Oooh, I’ll have to add that one to my list! Thanks!