My Top Twenty Books of 2019

They didn't necessarily come out in 2019, but that's when I read them.  

I've only read around 60 rather than my usual 90-ish books this year, because I've had more trips away, the house has been in upheaval, I've published two novels of over 100K words apiece, and begun the next one ... so good, 'getting stuck in' reading time has been limited.  

The twenty that follow are all books to which I have given either 4.5*, 5* or my extra special 5 Gold Stars, and as such recommend most highly.  

The only problem with lists like this, of course, is that it is hard to leave out those that just bubbled under... so I hope you will look at my 4 Star Reviews too! 

Please click the title for my full review, with Amazon/Goodreads links.

Numbers 20-11 are in no particular order:

The Bledbrooke Works by John F Leonard

~ Horror ~

Adventures of a Southern Girl by Linda Sue Walker 

~ Memoir, Humour ~ 

The Morning Star by C W Hawes

~ Post-Apocalyptic ~

Tribe of Daughters by Kate L Mary

~ Post-Apocalyptic ~

Mountain Man: Prequel by Keith C Blackmore

 ~ Zombie Apocalypse ~

 

Severed Knot by Cryssa Bazos
~ 17th Century History ~

By The Feet Of Men by Grant Price
~ Climate Change Post Apocalyptic ~

 

Sisters of Arden by Judith Arnopp

~ 16th Century History ~

Hotel Obscure by Lisette Brodey
~ Short Story Collection: Dark Psychological ~

New York 1609 by Harald Johnson
~ 17th Century History ~

I usually do a top ten countdown, but this year I've found rating them in order of preference impossible ~ therefore, numbers 10-1 are in no particular order either, but they're my top ten favourite books of the year.  Unless I've put two together, as they make a complete story.  So really it's twelve 😉 😁

The Mermaid and the Bear by Ailish Sinclair 
~ 16th Century History, Scotland ~

Storytellers by Bjørn Larssen
~ Early 20th Century History, Iceland ~

An Empty Vessel by JJ Marsh
~ dark psychological drama, early 20th Century ~

Desperate Passage by Ethan Rarick
~ True Life Survival Story, 19th Century, American West ~

Two in one: Shadow of Persephone and No More Time To Dance 
by Gemma Lawrence
~ 16th Century History: The Story of Catherine Howard ~

Entertaining Mr Pepys by Deborah Swift
~ 17th Century History, London ~

Two in one: The Handmaid's Tale and The Testaments by Margaret Atwood 
~ Dystopian America ~

Jungle by Yossi Ginsberg
~ True Live Survival Story, Bolivian Jungle ~

The Worst Journey in the World by John R McKay
~ WW2, Adventure ~

Intrigue and Infamy by Carol Hedges
~ 19th Century History/Mystery, London ~