Top Five Books of 2019

1
Where the Crawdads Sing
by Delia Owens
14,443 members
623 reviews
4.1
12 Members
dara85, kristenl, Micheller7, raidergirl3, chgstrom, Leida, vwinsloe, gypsysmom, This-n-That, wandaly, SSLMoody, njdcva
2
Becoming
by Michelle Obama
8,578 members
345 reviews
½ 4.4
10 Members
lauralkeet, terran, bjappleg8, chgstrom, njinthesun, Wassilissa, gypsysmom, julesnstu, SSLMoody, njdcva
3
The Dutch House
by Ann Patchett
4,628 members
276 reviews
4.1
10 Members
Micheller7, LDVoorberg, N1na, bolero, Leida, edparks, rozymary, dianeham, Eyriu, njdcva
4
The Overstory
by Richard Powers
5,431 members
248 reviews
4.1
8 Members
plaugher, LDVoorberg, blackhornet, EllsieFind, susannah65, kayanelson, Boand, njdcva
Explanations
Boand: By far and away the most original book I have read this year. It is also totally engaging, full of wondrous and shocking information. It made me cry in places but also smile at the wonders of trees. This book has stayed in my consciousness and remains one of my all time favourite reads, not just this year or decade but my entire life.
5
The Great Believers
by Rebecca Makkai
1,999 members
110 reviews
½ 4.3
7 Members
lauralkeet, kristenl, zhejw, karenmarie, njinthesun, BLBera, kayanelson
6
Olive, Again
by Elizabeth Strout
2,086 members
132 reviews
4.2
7 Members
lauralkeet, raidergirl3, shaunie, Copperskye, brenzi, edparks, KatyBee
7
Milkman
by Anna Burns
2,384 members
116 reviews
½ 3.7
5 Members
zhejw, thorold, raidergirl3, jeanned, susannah65
8
The Lost Man
by Jane Harper
1,793 members
118 reviews
4.1
6 Members
rosalita, Bookmarque, rhian_of_oz, tina1969, gypsysmom, ahef1963
9
The Library Book
by Susan Orlean
4,952 members
285 reviews
4.1
5 Members
SeasideBookClub, bjappleg8, chgstrom, Capybara_99, susannah65
10
Gideon the Ninth
by Tamsyn Muir
4,556 members
185 reviews
4.1
4 Members
Aquila, ablachly, bolero, KatyBee
11
Girl, Woman, Other
by Bernardine Evaristo
3,234 members
135 reviews
4.2
4 Members
mooingzelda, zhejw, Travelgem, 123Bush
12
The Raven Tower
by Ann Leckie
1,518 members
87 reviews
4
4 Members
Euryale, rarm, revbean, souloftherose
13
My Year of Rest and Relaxation
by Ottessa Moshfegh
3,105 members
137 reviews
½ 3.6
4 Members
Capybara_99, sturlington, VW_Williams, Eyriu
14
The Remains of the Day
by Kazuo Ishiguro
16,452 members
478 reviews
4.2
4 Members
Edward, cbl_tn, gypsysmom, FranButt
15
The Name of the Wind
by Patrick Rothfuss
20,582 members
794 reviews
½ 4.4
3 Members
ksd2, jeanned, mairzy
16
The Road
by Cormac McCarthy
34,582 members
1,407 reviews
4.1
3 Members
NoPlanetB, kara.shamy, 123Bush
17
Unsheltered
by Barbara Kingsolver
2,177 members
115 reviews
½ 3.6
3 Members
JenMDB, EllsieFind, FranButt
18
Circe
by Madeline Miller
12,541 members
481 reviews
½ 4.3
3 Members
KatyBee, vwinsloe, LyndaInOregon
19
The Nickel Boys
by Colson Whitehead
4,093 members
218 reviews
4.2
3 Members
KatyBee, kayanelson, kissk0960
20
Warlight
by Michael Ondaatje
2,060 members
104 reviews
½ 3.7
3 Members
mdexter, gypsysmom, FranButt
21
The Secret Commonwealth
by Philip Pullman
1,958 members
63 reviews
4
3 Members
mooingzelda, shaunie, ManWithAnAgenda
22
Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk
by Kathleen Rooney
1,204 members
85 reviews
3.9
3 Members
Minthe, SeasideBookClub, Copperskye
23
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine
by Gail Honeyman
8,933 members
535 reviews
4.1
3 Members
lauralkeet, jeanned, 123Bush
24
Normal People
by Sally Rooney
6,983 members
277 reviews
½ 3.7
3 Members
N1na, susannah65, kissk0960
25
A Place for Us
by Fatima Farheen Mirza
1,048 members
72 reviews
4
3 Members
kristenl, njinthesun, Laura1124
26
How Long 'Til Black Future Month?
by N. K. Jemisin
1,456 members
50 reviews
½ 4.3
3 Members
Euryale, gypsysmom, ManWithAnAgenda
27
The Bookish Life of Nina Hill
by Abbi Waxman
1,586 members
124 reviews
3.8
3 Members
bearette24, terran, LyndaInOregon
28
Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo"
by Zora Neale Hurston
1,675 members
65 reviews
4
3 Members
oregonobsessionz, karenmarie, Charon07
29
The Book Thief
by Markus Zusak
45,153 members
2,128 reviews
½ 4.4
3 Members
lottpoet, gypsysmom, 123Bush
30
Iza's Ballad
by Magda Szabó
330 members
14 reviews
½ 4.3
2 Members
Dilara86, kissk0960
31
The Testaments
by Margaret Atwood
6,241 members
225 reviews
4.1
3 Members
shaunie, gypsysmom, 123Bush
32
The Hours
by Michael Cunningham
12,753 members
232 reviews
3.9
3 Members
plaugher, gypsysmom, 123Bush
33
Beartown
by Fredrik Backman
4,240 members
235 reviews
4.2
3 Members
gypsysmom, JenMDB, SSLMoody
34
Ask Again, Yes
by Mary Beth Keane
2,012 members
91 reviews
3.9
2 Members
Micheller7, wandaly
35
Ducks, Newburyport
by Lucy Ellmann
841 members
29 reviews
4
2 Members
Capybara_99, blackhornet
36
A Thousand Splendid Suns
by Khaled Hosseini
30,448 members
896 reviews
½ 4.3
3 Members
gypsysmom, EllsieFind, 123Bush
37
Spinning Silver
by Naomi Novik
3,907 members
203 reviews
4.2
2 Members
rhian_of_oz, briarhills
38
Fall; or, Dodge in Hell
by Neal Stephenson
1,505 members
62 reviews
½ 3.4
2 Members
jsburbidge, dhm
39
Between Worlds: Folktales of Britain and Ireland
by Kevin Crossley-Holland
121 members
19 reviews
4
2 Members
aethercowboy, Eyriu
Explanations
aethercowboy: I am a folklore junkie, and I love Crossley-Holland's book on Norse Mythology. Picking this one was a no-brainer.
40
A Gentleman in Moscow
by Amor Towles
9,250 members
522 reviews
½ 4.4
2 Members
rhian_of_oz, chgstrom
41
A Darker Shade of Magic
by V. E. Schwab
7,518 members
326 reviews
3.9
2 Members
ablachly, mairzy
42
Money: A Suicide Note
by Martin Amis
3,307 members
56 reviews
½ 3.6
2 Members
ibinu, kissk0960
43
East of Eden
by John Steinbeck
23,520 members
425 reviews
½ 4.4
2 Members
chwiggy, 123Bush
44
The Bees
by Laline Paull
1,735 members
128 reviews
3.8
2 Members
bookwoman84, 123Bush
45
To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper Lee
78,876 members
1,434 reviews
½ 4.4
2 Members
anglemark, ibinu
46
The Priory of the Orange Tree
by Samantha Shannon
6,124 members
103 reviews
4
2 Members
Aquila, tardis
47
My Sister, the Serial Killer
by Oyinkan Braithwaite
3,439 members
251 reviews
3.8
2 Members
norabelle414, souloftherose
48
Children of Time
by Adrian Tchaikovsky
3,666 members
151 reviews
4.1
2 Members
souloftherose, EllsieFind
49
Olive Kitteridge
by Elizabeth Strout
9,955 members
623 reviews
3.9
2 Members
Dilara86, gypsysmom
50
A Memory Called Empire
by Arkady Martine
2,842 members
120 reviews
4.1
2 Members
Aquila, tardis
51
The Silence of the Girls
by Pat Barker
2,421 members
104 reviews
3.9
2 Members
RBeffa, Leida
52
The Grammarians
by Cathleen Schine
473 members
31 reviews
½ 3.7
2 Members
rosalita, mdexter
53
Rough Magic: Riding the World's Loneliest Horse Race
by Lara Prior-Palmer
207 members
13 reviews
½ 3.5
2 Members
terran, vwinsloe
54
Henry, Himself
by Stewart O'Nan
195 members
14 reviews
4
2 Members
Copperskye, edparks
55
Black Death at the Golden Gate: The Race to Save America from the Bubonic Plague
by David K. Randall
169 members
11 reviews
3.9
2 Members
oregonobsessionz, Eyriu
56
Recursion
by Blake Crouch
3,313 members
203 reviews
4
2 Members
terran, wandaly
57
Parable of the Sower
by Octavia E. Butler
8,189 members
239 reviews
4.1
2 Members
anglemark, gypsysmom
58
Killing Commendatore
by Haruki Murakami
1,874 members
54 reviews
3.8
2 Members
dianeham, kissk0960
59
Another Roadside Attraction
by Tom Robbins
3,643 members
39 reviews
3.9
2 Members
gypsysmom, LyndaInOregon
60
Magic for Liars
by Sarah Gailey
1,398 members
70 reviews
½ 3.7
2 Members
tardis, ablachly
61
Middle England
by Jonathan Coe
657 members
27 reviews
3.9
2 Members
Parker51, JenMDB
62
The Topeka School
by Ben Lerner
1,084 members
48 reviews
½ 3.6
2 Members
Parker51, Capybara_99
63
Washington Black
by Esi Edugyan
2,301 members
135 reviews
3.9
2 Members
gypsysmom, kayanelson
64
Spill Simmer Falter Wither
by Sara Baume
460 members
33 reviews
3.9
2 Members
LDVoorberg, gypsysmom
Explanations
LDVoorberg: So unexpected and interesting! Great nature descriptions and slow unveiling of the protagonist's tale of woe. A story in four parts, as indicated by the title.
65
The Light Brigade
by Kameron Hurley
671 members
32 reviews
3.9
2 Members
Aquila, gypsysmom
66
The Nightingale
by Kristin Hannah
9,943 members
470 reviews
½ 4.3
2 Members
tina1969, gypsysmom
67
Lab Girl
by Hope Jahren
2,652 members
158 reviews
4.1
2 Members
gypsysmom, EllsieFind
68
Fleishman Is in Trouble
by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
1,293 members
75 reviews
½ 3.5
2 Members
ablachly, gypsysmom
69
The Martian Chronicles
by Ray Bradbury
16,716 members
325 reviews
4
2 Members
gypsysmom, ahef1963
70
Good Omens
by Terry Pratchett
34,936 members
794 reviews
½ 4.3
2 Members
greeneyed_ives, gypsysmom
71
Big Sky
by Kate Atkinson
1,386 members
79 reviews
3.9
2 Members
Copperskye, gypsysmom
72
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek
by Kim Michele Richardson
2,752 members
187 reviews
4
2 Members
shomchick, gypsysmom
73
How to Be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals
by Sy Montgomery
619 members
35 reviews
4
2 Members
gypsysmom, wandaly
74
Never Let Me Go
by Kazuo Ishiguro
23,012 members
941 reviews
3.8
Member
Edward
75
Dubliners
by James Joyce
19,788 members
227 reviews
3.9
Member
Mirabelle
76
Wolf Hall
by Hilary Mantel
13,588 members
653 reviews
4
Member
VW_Williams
77
The Complete Maus
by Art Spiegelman
8,773 members
257 reviews
½ 4.5
Member
Minthe
78
The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism
by Naomi Klein
5,406 members
130 reviews
4.2
Member
FAMeulstee
79
Lord of Light
by Roger Zelazny
5,187 members
115 reviews
4
Member
SFF1928-1973
80
Winter of the World
by Ken Follett
4,995 members
159 reviews
4
Member
Wassilissa
81
Sing, Unburied, Sing
by Jesmyn Ward
3,987 members
196 reviews
4.1
Member
Charon07
82
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous
by Ocean Vuong
3,863 members
134 reviews
3.9
Member
ManWithAnAgenda
83
Falling Angels
by Tracy Chevalier
3,614 members
85 reviews
½ 3.5
Member
Bookmarque
84
A House for Mr Biswas
by V. S. Naipaul
3,461 members
69 reviews
3.8
Member
ahef1963
85
Brothers in Arms
by Lois McMaster Bujold
2,559 members
48 reviews
4.1
Member
soraki
86
Old Filth
by Jane Gardam
2,334 members
142 reviews
4
Member
Laura1124
87
Nothing to See Here
by Kevin Wilson
2,185 members
134 reviews
4
Member
mdexter
88
The Flatshare
by Beth O'Leary
2,121 members
113 reviews
4.1
Member
foggidawn
89
In the Dream House: A Memoir
by Carmen Maria Machado
1,741 members
65 reviews
½ 4.4
Member
sturlington
90
Middlegame
by Seanan McGuire
1,491 members
70 reviews
4
Member
tardis
91
Pavane
by Keith Roberts
1,405 members
44 reviews
½ 3.7
Member
RBeffa
92
No Exit
by Taylor Adams
1,374 members
79 reviews
3.9
Member
tina1969
93
Machines Like Me
by Ian McEwan
1,301 members
57 reviews
½ 3.6
Member
kayanelson
94
Pumpkinheads
by Rainbow Rowell
1,253 members
99 reviews
4
Member
bearette24
95
The Seagull
by Anton Tschechow
1,129 members
20 reviews
3.9
Member
ibinu
96
Assassin's Fate
by Robin Hobb
1,127 members
54 reviews
½ 4.6
Member
mooingzelda
97
Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love
by Dani Shapiro
957 members
56 reviews
3.9
Member
Micheller7
98
A Slip of the Keyboard: Collected Nonfiction
by Terry Pratchett
850 members
46 reviews
4
Member
Cynfelyn
Explanations
Cynfelyn: I could so easily choose five Terry Pratchett books as my five favourite books of this year, or of any year, but I really oughtn't. So I'll take this collection of non-fiction to my desert island.
99
Maps of meaning: the architecture of belief
by Jordan B. Peterson
756 members
5 reviews
3.8
Member
aethercowboy
Explanations
aethercowboy: As a fan of Jordan Peterson's rational take on things, I had to read his magnum opus. It is like reading 12 Rules for Life with the training wheels off.
100
James Tiptree Jr: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon
by Julie Phillips
745 members
33 reviews
½ 4.4
Member
anglemark