Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Best of the Best 2019

Hope everyone is having an amazing week and is planning on doing something fun tonight to celebrate a new year, a new decade and new beginnings! 

I debated on doing a best of the best this year because I have a tab where I keep track of all my favorite reads for the year but, I decided those amazing books, stories, and authors deserve a shout out so here I am making a post at the last minute.

Blogging has been a challenge for me this year with my life and my families being so much more active, on the go, and just busy and sometimes stressful but, I've stuck with it (sort of) and even though some days I think it would just be better to stop blogging all together, I still do love it and the community and it's mostly thanks to you guys!

Thanks so much for sticking with me and still commenting and visiting. You guys really do make it all worth it!!

Okay, enough mush and on to some of my most favorite reads this year!





I was so nervous when I saw that this author was rebooting this series because let's be honest, most times it just doesn't work but happily I can report not only did this work but I loved it. So excited for more! 





I really do adore this series. It isn't big on romance or even nice supernaturals like most books in this genre are and yet, it is so entertaining, fun, and always a page turner. I love it and I always look forward to each new release. While I love all the towns we have visited in this series continuation so far, this one is my favorite and I hope we get another book set in this town with these characters. 




This series might be labeled as YA but don't let that stop you from picking it up because it is amazing and I adore it! It just keeps getting better. It's hard to explain but it has quickly become my favorite series from this author. So well written and I love all the lore and the setting. Truly amazing.




All of Esteps series are fun but I love love this one! Filled with murder and mayhem and magic, it is so good and if you love fantasy, you need to try it. 




I don't always love retellings even though I love to read them but this one held it's own so nicely. It was dark and mysterious and rich in detail. This was the author's debut novel and it was gorgeous! 




Love love that not only does this author do something we don't see a lot in it's main characters but I always love how diverse the characters are, in almost every way they could be. I loved her book last year and this one was just as good. I can't wait for this author to write more. Her writing is just stunning and I never fail to connect with the characters on levels I didn't even think I could.




Mysteries have always been one of my most favorite genres and there is just something about this quirky town full of even quirkier residents that I adore and can't get enough of. 





I love a good story that will make me think and completely mess with my head and this book did all of that and then some! If you haven't read it, I can't recommend it enough. 





This was a new series for me that I took a chance on. It's self published and I don't always do well with those but this is so well written and so much fun. I've devoured all of them and look forward to the newest book that comes out this week! It is so much fun and again, I can't recommend it enough. 




Cecy always amazes me with her writing in whatever genre she writes in but I really loved this new series. It was different and fun and very addicting. I can't wait for more! This is one author that never lets me down! 




It was so sad saying good bye to this series, this world and these amazing characters but I couldn't of asked for a better conclusion and wrap up. Caine did an amazing job with this whole series. One of my absolute favorites and one that will always be in my top 10. 




I adore this series and I am so glad it is still going strong. I can't wait for the next book and it really is one I look forward to each year, plus her spin off series from this one that coincides with these books, Alpha and Omega, is pretty amazing as well. 




If you love a good dose of humor and romance and a whole lot of feels, this is an author you need to try. Her books never fail to bring out all the emotions in me and I always connect and feel for her characters. She is an amazing writer and knows what she is doing. 




Not going to lie, I went into this expecting noting and came out on the other side not only fascinated but absolutely enthralled with it. It was so good! 




This author writes some of the best historical mysteries I have even read and this series is one of my favorites. It just keeps getting better and better. 




If you love this era as much as I do, then you need to pick this up. So eye opening and heart warming and so well done. 




Such a great story! I don't even know what else to say about it other than READ IT.





I am not one for self help, self discovery types of reads, they just usually aren't for me but this book was definitely an eye opener and I loved all the messages in it about self love and not being judgmental about ourselves or others. It was really good and if I could, I think I would make everyone read it. 




I don't read a lot in this genre anymore but there are a few authors I still make exceptions for and this is one of them! Her writing is so good and her stories are some of the best out there. I loved this and resonated with it a lot for whatever reason.

Plus, this same author wrote and new fantasy series below, that I couldn't get enough of as well so check that one out as well!


My absolute favorite Beauty and the Beast with a twist retelling ever! 


23 comments:

  1. If I did a top ten or more some of yours would have made me list but I did an audio top ten and only like 5 physical books. I just wanted different this year. 2019 was crazy, difficult personally but exciting professionally. I am hoping 2020 brings more balance. Hugs and Happy New Year!!

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    1. I hope it does as well Kim, I could use a bit more balance for sure.

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  2. You have read some amazing books this year. I loved Protect the Prince and Unearthed. You have quite a few that I'd love to get my hands on. Happy New Year!

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  3. I think Helen Hoang will win an automatic space on my best of list, because her books are really wonderful and special. I am too excited to get Kwan's book. I also adore Kemmerer. All her contemporaries are among my faves.

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    1. I'm so excited to read his book too! I saw that it got pushed back to 2021 and I am so sad!

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  4. I sometimes battle with the decision to blog or not to blog. Like you I'm so busy, so it's really hard to keep up sometimes. Glad you're hanging in there! I do love connecting with the book blog community, because no one else gets it like we do! That's the reason I can't give it up.

    I loved several on your list! We have Watcher in the Woods and Storm Cursed in common, but I almost put A Dangerous Collaboration and Life and Other Inconveniences on mine too. They were definitely close runners up. It's so hard to narrow down to 10, right? Have a lovely holiday! :)

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  5. It is hard to blog sometimes with everything else going on in life, but glad you're sticking around! And hope you had a great New Year's!

    Watcher in the Woods- love that series. :)

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    1. It really can be and thank you, that means a lot!!

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  6. The Bride Test. I want to read it.
    www.rsrue.blogspot.com

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  7. I haven't read any of those but I plan to broaden my book reads this year hopefully. I'm glad to have met you and I love reading your blog. Hopefully life will slow down a little and you will have more blogging time this year.

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    1. Thanks Mary, I'm so glad I meet you as well!! And broadening your genre is always a good thing. I had fun reading stuff I don't normally and hope to do more of it this year as well.

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  8. Yay some great books there and I really enjoyed the ones I did try too

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  9. I also loved Bride Test (can't wait for Kwan's story!), A Curse So Dark and Lonely too! I going to the library to grab the new Estep series. I thought of trying her Elemental Assassin series but it's way too many books. I am also happy that I started on the Veronica Speedwell series in 2019. Happy New Year!

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    1. Yay! So glad you have loved some of these as well! I really like her Elemental Assassin series but it isn't my favorite from her. In fact, weirdly my favs are probably all her YA series.

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  10. Love visiting your blog so I'm glad you kept going, but I do not think badly if someone needs to move on.

    Yay, I see several I enjoyed, too. I need more Others world, too. Veronica and Stoker are a favorite historical mystery team. And, some day I will read that Helen Hoang series.

    Wishing you some great reading gems in 2020!

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    1. Thanks so much Sophia and I'm so glad I've gotten to know you!!

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  11. Happy New Year! I love that you read a nice mix of books in 2019. I really want to read The Silent Patient. It sounds like a good one for me. And I understand wondering if you should quit blogging, but I'm glad you're still here and posting when you can. :)

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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    1. I'm hoping to check out "The Silent Patient" as well. It's one of the books I picked up last year.

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