Tuesday 14 January 2020

My Top 5 Books Of 2019

It's finally time to pick my top 5 books of 2019! After going a long, long time without even picking up a book, in 2018 I started to fall back in love with reading and then last year I decided to set myself a challenge and see just how much I could read in 12 months. I aimed for 30 books which for me is high, but I actually managed 102 books. I'm still not sure how I got to that number and not every single one of them was out of this world amazing, but the majority were actually pretty incredible. I read such a variety and the ones I gave 5 stars to were all so different that it's only made it even harder to whittle down such a long list to only 5. I've managed it though. So, here are my top 5 books of 2019, let me know if you've read any of them too!
collage - Dear Evan Hansen, The Tattooist Of Auschwitz, Sleep, The Lido, Because She Loves Me

1. Dear Evan Hansen by Val Emmich

At the number 1 spot is Dear Evan Hansen by Val Emmich. After loving the soundtrack to the musical for such a long time, I am so happy that the book lived up to expectations. Dear Evan Hansen, as I've said before isn't the most uplifting story you'll ever read, it's actually pretty tough at times given it touches on subjects such as suicide, grief and anxiety, but it does also have a message of hope. It shows that no matter how bad things get, they can and will get better. I found Evan to be such a relatable character and at times throughout the book I felt like I was reading about myself. I found it a huge comfort and like I wasn't quite so alone in feeling the way I do sometimes. Dear Evan Hansen is an incredibly powerful and compelling story that I'd urge everyone to read, especially if you suffer with anxiety/depression. I'm 100% going to be reading this again and now I just can't wait to see the musical in a few months time.
Dear Evan Hansen by Val Emmich

2. The Tattooist Of Auschwitz by Heather Morris

This was number 1 for the majority of 2019 but it was just pipped to the post. I've said it before and I'll say it again I'm hugely interested in anything to do with Auschwitz so when Heather Morris released the true story of Lale Sokolov, one of the actual tattooists of Auschwitz, I was desperate to read it. Once I got it, I ended up finishing it in a matter of hours as I just couldn't put it down. The story has been sensitively told yet there was still so much tension and it was easy to become invested in Lale and Gita's love story. Heather has managed to convey a story of love, hope and friendship even in the darkest of times. It's an absolutely beautiful book.
The Tattooist Of Auschwtiz by Heather Morris

3. Sleep by C.L. Taylor

There had to be a book by C.L. Taylor in my top 5. I read 3 books of hers in 2019 and a short story, and since then she has quickly become one of my favourite thriller authors. She knows how to write a book that's going to keep you on your toes! Sleep is the book that impressed me the most from her though because from the very first chapter I felt like I was in the story with the main characters. Sleep is set in a remote B&B in Scotland and straight away it was eerie and creepy. I could feel the tension. The suspense just grew and grew throughout this and everyone became a suspect which made the reveal at the end even better. Just brilliant.
Sleep by C.L. Taylor

4. The Lido by Libby Page

When I first set out to read The Lido, I thought it would be an enjoyable read after seeing so many great reviews of it but I never expected to fall for it like I did. It's not really in any of the niches I'd usually reach for when it comes to books so I didn't really know if it would grip me that much but everything about it was just perfect. So many characters I grew to love and genuinely cared for by the end, a beautiful story about community and people pulling together, yet some harder subjects touched upon too which made it all the more relatable. It's one of those books that makes me smile when I think about it as it's just incredibly heartwarming and completely took me by surprise last year.
The Lido by Libby Page

5. Because She Loves Me by Mark Edwards

Finally, we have Because She Loves Me by Mark Edwards. Mark is another author like C.L. Taylor who just gets it so right when it comes to thrillers. I've read a few books of his now and none have been disappointing. There were so many twists and turns in this book but it never felt like too much. Sometimes authors throw one thing in after the other and it can be overwhelming but everything was relevant in this book and just led to an even better ending. It was fast paced, full of suspense and had some really intriguing characters. When I finished this, I had to sit and think for a bit as it was just crazy!
Because She Loves Me by Mark Edwards
Getting down from 102 books to just 5 was difficult but I really do think these are some of the best books I've ever read, not just in 2019. I really pushed myself to try and read a good variety of different books last year and whilst there were still many thrillers taking the lead, I did discover some really fantastic authors from many genres. Whilst these are the 5 books that have made this list, there are a few others that I think are worth mentioning. Both The Cake Shop In The Garden and the sequel Christmas Cakes & Mistletoe Nights by Carole Matthews are absolutely stunning reads. Incredibly normal which is just what you need sometimes but with characters you just can't help but root for. The Mother In Law by Sally Hepworth which is a twisty whodunnit. Unfollow Me by Charlotte Duckworth which has seriously made me re-think how much I share on social media. Truth Hurts by Rebecca Reid which has a shocker of an ending which still sticks with me. Billy and Me by Giovanna Fletcher which is the romance we all need in our lives sometimes. And, finally The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, a book that will just make you beam throughout.

Have you read any of the books I've mentioned? What was your favourite book of 2019?

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13 comments

Heather Nixon said...

I haven't read any of these - I need to x

Sophie said...

I read nowhere near the number of books you did last year and I think I'd still struggle to narrow down to a top 5! I haven't read any of these but I added The Lido to my TBR after reading your review. Because She Loves Me sounds like something Id enjoy! x

Sophie
www.glowsteady.co.uk

Anonymous said...

102?! Hats off to you. I haven't read any of your top 5 but I did read Christmas Cakes & Mistletoe Nights and loved it. A really nice festive read.

Louisa

Tiffany Timms said...

They're all brilliant x

Tiffany Timms said...

I think you'd love both The Lido and Because She Loves Me. Very, very different to one another but both amazing books! x

Tiffany Timms said...

I agree, it was the perfect book to read in the run up to Christmas! x

jennyinneverland said...

I definitely have to read Dear Evan Hanson! x

Jenny
http://www.jennyinneverland.com

Daisy said...

I read the first two books last year and I couldn't get into them which made me gutted! However, I might give them another go this year and see if I can like them! xD

Daisy xoxo | TheDeeWhoLived

Lady Writes said...

I've seen a lot of these recommend by others too - some great picks here x

Tiffany Timms said...

You really do Jenny! It's honestly amazing x

Tiffany Timms said...

Ahh they're not for everyone! I find if I'm not enjoying a book it's best to leave it and move onto something else rather than forcing it xx

Tiffany Timms said...

Thank you x

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