We are officially halfway through 2019 (WHAT!?). I have read 21 books thus far this year, and I am on a roll if I do say so myself. I’ve really enjoyed most of the books I’ve been reading lately, so it was hard to narrow it down to five, but let’s get started! Here are my top 5 books of 2019 so far in no particular order…
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1. The Martian by Andy Weir
I read this book super quickly for book club in January, and I ended up loving it so much more than I anticipated. The Martian is set on Mars and follows Mark Watney as he attempts to survive on Mars alone for over a year. After his mission was botched and the rest of his team has left, Watney is left on Mars to fend for himself. His crewmates thought a freak accident had killed him, but he managed to survive. With only his wits and some extra supplies, Watney has to tackle obstacle after obstacle to ensure his own survival until someone can come to rescue him. This is a story of bravery, persistence, and the ability for the human race to come together in a time of need. I gave this book 5/5 stars. Read my full book review of The Martian.
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2. Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders by Vincent Bugliosi & Curt Gentry
My first true crime book of 2019, and boy was it a good one! I’ve never been particularly interested in learning more about Charles Manson, but Helter Skelter changed me completely. I had no idea how twisted and terrifying Manson was and the impact he had on his followers. I love that this book was written from Bugliosi’s (the prosecutor during the 1970 trial) notes and his experience attempting to convict Manson and his followers of the horrific murders. Bugliosi is thorough without being boring and detailed without being sadistic. If you’re interested in true crime, there is not a better book I could recommend to learn about Charles Manson. I gave this book 5/5 stars.
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3. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Go read this book. I have nothing but good things to say about The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. The book takes place in modern-day New York as Monique writes about the life of 50s movie starlet Evelyn Hugo. Evelyn chronicles her life for Monique, so much of the story actually takes place in the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s. As Evelyn tells Monique about the trials and tribulations she faced as a woman trying to reach stardom, Monique gains a new sense of confidence in her own life because of the stories Evelyn is telling her. Jenkins Reid has a talent with words. She makes what should be a completely unapproachable story one of the most relatable things I have read in such a long time. I gave this book 5/5 stars (but it deserves 10). Read my full book review of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.
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4. Ghosted by Rosie Walsh
I loved Ghosted. I thought I had it entirely figured out, and I was actually a little bored with it, and then everything changed, and it was nothing like I expected it to be. It’s about a woman, Sarah, who is going through a divorce and falls in love with a man, Eddie, in one week. They spend every day together, and she knows this is more than just a fling, but when Eddie doesn’t call her when she leaves town, Sarah knows something is wrong. Her friends think she’s crazy, but she knows better. Sarah goes to extreme lengths to find out what happened to Eddie, and even though she finds out the truth, she never would have expected it. I gave this book 5/5 stars. Look out for a book review coming soon.
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5. Verity by Colleen Hoover
A Bad on Paper recommendation that gave me the complete creeps and still leaves me wondering what the truth actually is… Verity is about an author of a best-selling series who has lost two daughters to tragic accidents. She herself is comatose after a car accident, and therefore, her husband, Jeremy, has gone about hiring a ghost-writer to finish her book series. The lucky ghost-writer just so happens to be Lowen, the woman Jeremy gave his shirt off his back to after they both witnessed a man get run over by a truck in New York minutes before they were supposed to be meeting. Jeremy and Lowen immediately have chemistry, and that is only heightened when Lowen has to spend a few days at his house looking through Verity’s notes to continue her books. But strange things are happening in the house. Lowen swears Verity keeps staring at her, and can’t seem to figure out why the TV keeps turning itself off when she knows the nurse looking after Verity said she left it on. The book is eerie and creepy, and I recommend reading it during daylight hours. I gave this book 5/5 stars. Look out for a book review coming soon.
What have been some of your favorite books of 2019? Let me know in the comments below.
Happy reading,
Kimberly
