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Saturday, 4 May 2019

Best Books of 2019... So Far! #1

If you follow me on Twitter or Goodreads, you might be aware that I am attempting to read 24 books this year, as part of the Goodreads Reading Challenge. And I'm doing well, even if I do say so myself. In a way to keep track of my reading, I'm sharing every book I read on my Twitter feed, and I thought I'd compile a list of the best books I've read throughout the year on here. So, I'm dividing the year into three parts - January-April, May-August, and September-December - and I'll run you through the five best books I've read so far and give you a short review for each. Hope you enjoy!



The first book I finished this year was One Perfect Christmas & Other Stories by Paige Toon. I love Paige Toon's writing, so when I heard that she was releasing a collection of short stories revisiting some of our favourite characters from her full-length novels, I was sold. I loved getting to revisit the characters from novels I've fallen in love with in the past, and get to learn a bit more about their story. It was no doubt going to be a 5 star read for me this year, and it did not disappoint. Now, I just want to reread all of Paige Toon's novels!


Soon after, I dipped into my first mystery/thriller of the year - A Stranger In The House by Shari Lapena. Mystery/thrillers are one of my favourite genres, it has to be said. I love diving into a book, and be uncovering a mystery as I read. They're always a page turner and I can count on them to keep up my reading pace while I'm working and have slightly less time to read. I'd heard so many good things about Shari Lapena, and I was not disappointed! We follow Karen, who gets involved in a car accident and has no memory of what happened prior - or so we're lead to believe. It then turns out that she was suspiciously close to the scene of a murder, and the mystery spins from there. I was hooked from the get-go, and there were plenty of twists and turns to keep you on your feet. Even at the end, I was gasping with shock! 100% a 5 star read, no question.


Oh, look, another mystery/thriller! I picked up An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen as part of Beth's Book Club, run by the lovely Bethany Sandland. I was buzzing to join an online book club, being able to discuss a book with other people from around the world, who have also read it - what a great idea! This was such a good first pick for the book club. Talk about a book you cannot put down. This is a dual-narrative novel, following Jessica and Dr Shields. Jessica gets involved in Dr Shields' psychological study by not the most honest of ways, and things get tense! You're faced with not one, but two unreliable narrators - I spent the majority of the book not knowing which narrator to trust, if either of them. I still think about this, months later, it's that good! I really want to pick up Hendricks and Pekkanen's last book too to see if I love that one as much.


Something a bit different now, Shtum by Jem Lester. This tells the story of Jonah, a ten-year-old boy with autism, who is also a selective mute, and his parents who fight for him to get a much-needed place in a Special Educational Needs school. Being a teacher, I found this so insightful and really relatable, thinking about the school system. It was absolutely heartbreaking at times, as you follow dad Ben learn to care for Jonah single-handedly, while readdressing the relationship he has with his own father. What really pulled at my heartstrings though was the relationship between Jonah and his grandfather, and the bond they develop. It's an emotional read for sure, and I can't believe that it has lived on my bookshelf for so long. I'd thoroughly recommend picking it up - such a hard-hitting, emotional book.


One of my most recent reads, and one of the quickest reads so far this year, was Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott. This is one of the first young adult novels I've read this year, and I loved it. I really want to see the film, but I'm a big believer of read the book first, so it had to come home with me. This one could be comparable to The Fault In Our Stars by John Green, which admittedly I've not read (yet - I plan to soon). You follow the story of Stella and Will, two teenagers with Cystic Fibrosis, who fall in love, despite their illness meaning they can't come within six feet of each other without the risk of contaminating one another. Their love story was absolutely adorable, but the latter half of the book just hits you right in the feels. It took my breath away and had me on the verge of tears - the sign of a phenomenal read.


So, they are the five best books I've read so far this year. I'm really happy with everything I've read in 2019, and can't wait to see what other fantastic (hopefully) books I read.

What are some of your favourite reads so far this year?

Love Lexie
xo

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