The Best Books I Read in 2019 - love always, audrey

This post is about 2 months late, but better late than never! If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll know that I read a LOT. And while I read a lot of books last year, I thought I’d share the ones that I gave 5 stars to (you know, so you can prioritize).

The below books are in the order I read them in, from most recently back to the beginning of 2019. Without further comment… the best books I read in 2019!

A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum

I absolutely loved this book. I couldn’t put it down from the moment I picked it up! It tells the story behind generations of Palestinian women and the struggles they go through just being female in a male-dominated culture. The story is heartbreaking, the writing is lovely, and the book is important.

The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes

Jojo Moyes, the author of Me Before You, hit it out of the park again. This Roosevelt-era story is about an English woman who marries an American man and moves to rural Kentucky. From there, she joins a traveling library where she rides horseback to bring books to rural families. My book club absolutely loved this book as well!

Three Women by Lisa Taddeo

This book got a ton of hype this year, and I completely see why. The author thoughtfully interviewed three women over the course of EIGHT years about their sex lives and desires. Their stories are unique, heartbreaking, and I think every woman can see a bit of their lives in their own stories as well.

Becoming by Michelle Obama

I mean… is there anyone who didn’t love this book? Michelle Obama is an absolute force to be reckoned with. The story of her life is incredible, and she is truly such an inspiration and role model. I absolutely adored this book and didn’t want it to end! And now I wish she would run for President.

The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo

I. loved. this. book. It was so eloquently written and was very descriptive–I felt like I was in the story with all five of my senses. This book is about a dysfunctional family living in the Chicago suburbs… that’s pretty much all I can say without giving it away. Trigger warning for a graphic stillborn scene.

Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

This book deserved every bit of hype it got! Daisy Jones & The Six follows a young girl who joins a popular band as a singer in the late 60’s. It’s told in a unique format: the narrator is a journalist interviewing the bandmates years later. I love everything Taylor Jenkins Reid writes, and this was no exception.

Verity by Colleen Hoover

This book was insane. It’s the best thriller I’ve read in a very, very long time. The ending is something you would never, ever see coming, and there are even Facebook groups with hundreds of members singly dedicated to discussing this book–and for good reason! I couldn’t stop thinking about it for weeks. If you love thrillers, you can’t miss this one.

Verity is about a struggling writer who accepts a contract job to finish a famous author’s books, as the original author is permanently injured and cannot finish her books herself. Lowen, the writer, moves into the author’s house to complete the books, and discovers a harrowing secret that makes this book one of the best thrillers I’ve read since Gone Girl.

There There by Tommy Orange

This fictional story about modern-day Native Americans might as well have been true. Deeply haunting, this book is also very important and sheds a lot of light on the lives on Native Americans in the U.S. today. It’s told from multiple perspectives, and the character development is amazing. Warning: this is not a happy-go-lucky book with a positive ending.