Monday, December 16, 2019

Wrapping Up! 2019's Five Star Books and Reading Challenge

Now that the year is coming to a close, it's time to put a bow on the box of great reads of 2019. Back in August, I posted about my favorite books of the summer, and now let's pick up where we left off. Here are my five star reads from mid-August until mid-December:  


THE WHISPER MAN by Alex North – forget whispering, I am shouting about how much I loved this book. Billed as a mystery/suspense/thriller, it is all of those things but to me, it's also got elements of horror. Certain scenes will continue to creep up on you long after you put the book down. 

*****


NINTH HOUSE (Alex Stern #1) by Leigh Bardugo – fantasy is not my usual genre, but this sounded so intriguing and Ms. Bardugo is a hugely popular author, I thought I'd give it a whirl. The result? Loved. It. Dark, gritty and mesmerizing. 

*****


THE FAMILY UPSTAIRS by Lisa Jewell – sometimes Ms. Jewell's books are hit or miss for me. This one? A definite grand slam out of the ballpark hit. The ending was one of my favorite parts. 

*****


DARLING ROSE GOLD by Stephanie Wrobel – I received this as an ARC through a giveaway on Goodreads and it doesn't come out until March 2020, but you might want it on your radar now. I loved absolutely every minute of this warped and wild ride. 

*****

I surpassed my 2019 Reading Challenge goal of 80 books, and I'm excited to set a new one for next year and to get my greedy little hands on some more amazing reads. Here are a handful of books – and this is just in the first half of 2020!– I'm looking forward to:

WHEN YOU SEE ME (#11) by Lisa Gardner (1/20)
DEAD TO HER by Sarah Pinborough (2/20)
BE NOT FAR FROM ME (YA) by Mindy McGinnis (3/20)
EIGHT PERFECT MURDERS by Peter Swanson (3/20)
HE STARTED IT by Samantha Downing (4/20)
IF IT BLEEDS by Stephen King (5/20)
THE DILEMMA by B. A. Paris (6/20}
THE SUICIDE HOUSE by Charlie Donlea (7/20)

*****

Have you read any of my five star faves? Plan on adding them to your TBR list? Did you read anything that blew your mind? Any upcoming titles in 2020 you're excited about? If you had a reading goal for 2019, how did it go? Plan on setting one for 2020? And if we're not already Friends over on Goodreads - and you'd like to be! - please join me over there. 

14 comments:

  1. Finding four great books in a batch is always a winner.

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    1. I also thoroughly enjoyed lots of four star books, but there's no way I can do a post about all of those - it would be miles long! :)

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  2. I don't read enough anymore and I love to do it. I made the resolution last year and failed. I think I read about ten books all year- maybe 15 if you count beta reads.

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    1. Ten books is good! Could you work more reading in somehow, like reading shorter works or trying audio books? I struggle with audiobooks - my mind wanders! - but lots of people really enjoy them.

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  3. Seems like almost everything I read this year was four or five stars...but then, I did set a few books aside after ten pages or so and deleted them from my want to read list. I did read The Whisper Man on your recommendation and was suitably creeped out (and kept on turning the pages to see what happened next). Thanks!

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    1. I hear you about putting books aside. I think I'm getting pickier about the books I'm choosing in the first place and the books I'm choosing to keep reading/finish.

      Yeh for THE WHISPER MAN! I can't wait to read more from the author. :)

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  4. Man, I haven't read nearly as much as I've wanted to. It seems my creative and my consumer side are often at war with each other. If I'm consuming, I typically stop creating. I also have issues with regulating myself, so I don't stop reading until I'm done, even if I know I have to finish writing my next chapter. *sigh*

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    1. You probably read more than you realize. Besides, there's always next year to up your reading game, but only if you want to. It's not like you have to - we're not in school, we won't be tested. :)

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  5. I just added The Whisper Man to my TBR/wishlist. Thanks for the recommendations!

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    1. You're welcome, Shannon! I really think you'll enjoy The Whisper Man.

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  6. Congrats on exceeding your reading goal! Mine is considerably more modest - I shoot for two books a month. Two FULL books, that is. I find myself increasingly bailing when the story doesn't engage me in the first 30-40 pages. My favorite book of 2019 was A Gentleman in Moscow.

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    1. Two books a month is a great goal! I'm with you on bailing after so many pages, but I tend to give it even less, like 20 pages. And I've heard good things about A Gentleman in Moscow.

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  7. Sarah Pinbourough is going to be at StokerCon. Hoping I'll get to meet her!

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