Top Ten Tuesday | The best books of 2019 (so far!)

Posted on by Jess @ Jessticulates Posted in Top Ten TuesdayTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted at That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week you compile a list of ten books which coincide with that week’s theme. You can find everything you need to know about joining in here!

This week’s theme is all about our childhood favourites, but I have a feeling this is a topic I’ve done once or twice before and I don’t think my answers would be any different, so today I’m talking about the best books I’ve read in 2019 so far!

2019 has been a really good reading year so far, I already feel like I’m having a much better reading year than last year, which in turn was much better than 2017, so I feel like I’m starting to get back on track with my reading. In the order that I read them, here are my favourites from the first half of 2019 (prepare for a lot of retellings!):

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Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett: This was my very first read of the year, so it clearly set me off on the right note. I’m glad I waited so long to pick this up now that the second book, Shorefall, has been pushed from August this year to the beginning of 2020 – I need it now!

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland: This wasn’t a perfect book by any means, but it was so much fun (something I’ve been seeking from a lot of my books this year while the world burns around us) and it made me realise that zombies are actually something I really like in books. Why I’m so surprised when Mira Grant’s Feed is one of my favourite books of all time, I don’t know, but I’m very fond of this book for helping me realising that about myself.

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik: This is my book of the year so far, and it’ll be interesting to see if anything knocks it off its pedestal. I put off reading this book for so long because I saw quite a lot of negative reviews, but I adored it! This novel has everything I love in it and I’m going to yell about if for years to come.

Circe by Madeline Miller: Another one I waited a while to read because I was so nervous I wouldn’t love it, but of course I did. Miller’s writing is so sumptuous and dreamy and I’m hoping we don’t have to wait another seven years for her next novel!

Entreat Me by Grace Draven: I’ve been exploring the Romance genre a lot more over the past few months and discovered Romantasy author, Grace Draven, whose other work I can’t wait to read after I read and loved this Beauty and the Beast retelling. Louvaen is such a brilliant heroine, I love her to bits.

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Miranda in Milan by Katharine Duckett: Duckett packs so much into this debut novella which acts as a sequel to Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and I loved it. It has magic, motherhood, the Milanese court and queer women, so I was never not going to love it.

In the Labyrinth of Drakes by Marie Brennan (narrated by Kate Reading): I finished this series this year and I’m still pretty devastated it’s over, to be honest! I loved this fourth book so much, I love Isabella’s growth from book to book, and I can’t wait to go back and listen to these audiobooks from the beginning all over again.

The Wicked King by Holly Black: This series has taken me completely by surprise this year! I wasn’t sure whether I enjoyed The Cruel Prince or The Wicked King more, but I loved how much of a punch to the gut the ending of The Wicked King was so it has to be that one. I’m so excited for The Queen of Nothing!

Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier: This novel is gorgeous. (It’s also the first in a six-part series, but if you’ve seen my review of Son of the Shadows you’ll know I recommend treating this book as a standalone.) It’s very traditional fantasy, set in medieval Ireland, and the way it’s told is so beautiful. Considering it’s over 600 pages, I couldn’t put this book down!

The Raven and the Reindeer by T. Kingfisher: We’re ending on another fun one! This LGBT+ retelling of The Snow Queen was everything I didn’t know I needed when I picked it up. I gobbled it up, almost in one sitting if I hadn’t been so tired, and I can’t wait to read more from Kingfisher.

Which books made your list this week?

 

46 thoughts on “Top Ten Tuesday | The best books of 2019 (so far!)”

  6. Reply
    pennma05 says:

    Awesome list! I loved The Wicked King! I can’t wait for The Queen of Nothing and so glad it will be released in November this year instead of January. I still need to read Circe and Spinning Silver. I loved Uprooted so I have high hopes for Spinning Silver.

    Liked by 1 person

  9. Reply
    foreverlostinlit says:

    Ooh, I agree with so many of these! I absolutely loved Circe and Spinning Silver. I’ve been really wanting to check out Miranda in Milan and The Raven and the Reindeer, so I’m really excited to see them on here. I hope the rest of your year has more great reads like these! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  10. Reply
    Rissi says:

    YAY for a good reading year. That’s something to celebrate, and makes reading all the more fun! Glad your year is shaping up well with new reads, and hope the read of 2019 is equally as memorable. 🙂

    …never read a book by Holly Black, but she seems to have TONS of hype, so who knows! Maybe someday I will. Thanks so much for visiting Finding Wonderland, Jess.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Reply
      Jess @ Jessticulates says:

      Thanks Rissi!

      I actually struggled with Holly Black’s work until I read The Cruel Prince – for whatever reason this series really works for me, so I recommend it if you’re ever in the mood for a fae book. 🙂

      Like

  13. Reply
    Greg says:

    I’ve read some amazing books this year too, this is a great way to switch up the topic! Circe is one I really want to read, I love mythology and I don’t think I’ve heard one bad thing about it yet!

    Liked by 1 person

  14. Reply
    Lisa says:

    Wow, great books! Your 1st four books are high on my to-read-finally list. 🙂 My book group’s book this month is Circe, and I’m just about to start the audiobook. I do want to read Miranda in Milan too. I hope you read just as many amazing books in the 2nd half of 2019!

    Liked by 1 person

  22. Reply
    Marti (Bookish Treats) says:

    I’m looking forward to reading Circe and Spinning Silver. I loved The Wicked King and I’m excited for the conclusion of the series as well!

    Liked by 1 person

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