I consistently make lists of various books that I want to read, but my favourite lists to make are the ones that tell me what I actually read in a year.
If you know me, you’ll know that I love to read. In fact, when I was younger I read so much that now I don’t even know what books I read. To prevent this from happening I began to write lists of the books I read in order each year so that I can always go back to find the title of a book. This year I thought I would share that list with you!
1. Leopard at the Door – This novel set in 1950’s Kenya is both captivating and heartbreaking. Though it got off on a bit of slow start once I started to get into the book I couldn’t put it down. This book contained both a historical element and a female empowerment element that I loved.
2-6. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – I don’t know how I went this long without reading the Harry Potter series, but I am so glad that I started it, these books (if you’re one of the few that still hasn’t read them, as I was) are filled with just about everything you need to keep a book interesting. Their only downside was sometimes I just couldn’t put them down!
7. Dear Mrs. Bird – This book took place during WWII and tells the story of a young girl trying to follow her dreams of being a war correspondent. During the process she pretends to be someone else in an advice column, helping women all over London. This book was sweet, funny and sometimes tugged on my heartstrings. I personally as of lately have begun loving reading books that take place during WWII so if that’s you as well I would recommend this one!
8 – 10. Crazy Rich Asians, China Rich Girlfriend, Rich People Problems – I didn’t really have many expectations when going into this book but I always like reading books before movies and I kept hearing about the movie so I knew I needed to start the book. I was honestly shocked by how interesting I found these books. By the time I was done with the three of them I was left wishing that there was more! These stories are filled with family drama and insight into the world of the richest people in Asia.
11. Miss You – When I picked this book up a few months back I was so excited about it, the premise that two young teenagers met in Italy at ate 18 and never forget about each other than later rekindle in life sounds like the dream book for me, however, I was unfortunately disappointed by it and found it really slow to get into. I eventually got through the book but it took a long time and it didn’t stand out to me as a favourite of mine.
12. Why Not Me – Mindy Kaling’s books are laugh out loud funny and I seriously flew through it. It included many references to things I knew from watching her shows and she is just an all-around very interesting person. I definitely plan on reading her other book now!
13. A Man Called Ove – This was one of the most wonderfully written books I have read in a long time. Though the story was written about a grumpy old man who has lost nearly everything in life that he cares about, he learns to find new things to care about. It is the first book I have read in a long time that has both made me laugh out loud (on a number of occasions) and have tears rolling down my face. I thought that the beginning of this book was quite slow and difficult to get into but I urge you to keep reading because the story as a whole really is quite wonderful.
14. The Paris Architect – Y’all this book. It has been a couple of months since I read a book that I just couldn’t stop reading and this did that for me. This book tells the story of a young architect during WWII who faces a situation where he must put himself in danger and go against his morals in order to survive the roughening times. This story shows how big of a difference one person can make when they think about something bigger than themselves. I would highly recommend this book to anyone, especially if you have any interest in history.
15. Yes Please – I was personally a big fan of Parks & Rec and reading this book by Amy Poehler was such a great read. Not only did she (not surprisingly) have a number of great stories which she told in the best of ways, I also loved that there were parts of the book written by important people in her life, including the rest of the cast of Parks & Rec. The world of Comedy isn’t one that I am all that familiar with which made it a very interesting and enjoyable read.
16. Educated – This book truly amazed me. I generally don’t read to many non-fiction books and this was a game-changer for me. In this book, Tara Westover tells the story of her childhood growing up without Doctors, traditional medicine and education. It was incredibly inspiring to see how far she got in life, especially considering the extreme circumstances she faced. It particularly reminded me how much I take for granted in life and how grateful we should all be.
17. The Simplicity of Cider – If you are looking for a hallmark movie in a book with ALL the fall vibes this book is for you. It was the perfect cozy read and I read it so quickly!
18. Meet Me at Wisteria Cottage – I thought this book had a really sweet & charming storyline – it followed a classic hallmark plot but I thought it was decently well written. I wouldn’t recommend anyone go out of their way to read it, however, it is a charming & easy read if that is something that you are looking for.
19. Catcher – While dystopian style novels are general not what I go towards when selecting a new book I have been a huge fan of Kalyn Nicholson for years now and knew I needed to get my hands on this. Let me tell you I couldn’t be happier that I did. I absolutely cannot wait for the sequel now and am now considering trying out more Dystopian reads!
20. The Room on Rue Amelie – Taking place in France in 1939, this book tells a wonderful story that really pulls at one’s heartstrings. For anyone who enjoys books taking place during WW2, I would highly recommend adding this one to your list. I couldn’t put it down!
21. One Day in December – This winter this book was coming up absolutely everywhere for me. After hearing it being compared to Love Actually I knew I had to get my hands on it. I loved that this book took place over so many years, and that it was told from different perspectives. Although being a rom-com in a book, I found that it was a little less predictable than your average story line & made for a very enjoyable read!
22. Girl Wash Your Face – I started this book at the beginning of 2019, and despite loving the beginning of the book it got put on the back burner and was eventually forgotten about. With only a week of 2019 left I knew I wanted to get this book in this year and girlfriend I cant’ tell you how happy I am that I did. Rachel Hollis is an incredible author who has been through so much in life yet still has the best attitude. After reading this it definitley got my booty in gear and I am SO ready to take 2020 on.
This was a really fun blog post for me to write, and I loved reading all these books this year. If you have any questions about any of the books this year feel free to reach out, I would love to chat about it. I would also love to know which books you read this year!
Expect these yearly from now on!
XO Cassidy Hannah
Cassidy Hannah 