Peace In The Margins

With this post, I join the ranks of many a bookish blogger by posting my favorite reads of 2019. I am limiting it to my top 5 favorites. They are not in any specific order.

Beartown by Fredrik Backman – Backman is a author I’ve only recently added to my list of favorites, and this story is not his normal style, but oh what a story it is! I reviewed this novel back in June – you can read it here. This was one of those rare tales that gave me a true reader’s book hangover. Character depth coupled with a gripping plot thrown into a community setting. I have the anticipated sequel sitting in my TBR pile and plan to make it a 2020 priority.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman – I know the reviews are all over the place concerning this debut novel – you can read my review from back in March here.. I feel as if that can be attributed to a misunderstanding of the story. This is not a funny quirky book – Eleanor is definitely a quirky character whose often times out of the normal comments make the reader giggle, but this cannot be tossed into the light-hearted, funny story pile nor can it be categorized as a romance. Eleanor’s tale is dark and morose to say the least, but somehow Honeyman is able to take you into that darkness without the normal heavy feeling. It is a beautiful, and highly character driven, story of acceptance, loss, addiction, coping, love, and ultimately redemption. Definitely worth the read.

Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield – While this is not a new release, it is the first time I’ve read Setterfield – you can read my July review of this book here. I am a sucker for a gothic story told with delicious prose. I wasn’t certain the story would keep my interest as I found it compared to Jane Austin over and over. For those who don’t know me, Austin isn’t my favorite read. But as a story within a story…within a story – it was captivating! One of the few “could not put down stayed up late went exhausted to work” kind of novels.

Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern – I was immediately drawn to this book both by its beautiful cover (yes, it is okay to pick a book for its cover) and because of multiple podcast reviews of this story – my August review is here. The a bonus fell in my lap when I realized it is Morgenstern’s NaNoWriMo debut novel! #squeal And it did not disappoint. I love a good love story embedded in a magical world, and the battle Royale was simply a bonus. Lyrical and imaginative, the description and character development will draw you into a world where you will forget the technical aspect of the written word.

Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal – Alright, the only book on this list I’ve not published a review for yet – it is coming, trust me. This novel has it all! Cultural awareness meets modern female empowerment with a little bit of a love story and a mystery sprinkled with some really hot – sometimes humorous – erotic literature. This is not erotica – this is not a sex book – Fabio is not on the cover because this is no bodice ripper. Instead, this is a story of the importance of culture and the institutional knowledge our elders bring – it is a story of feminine empowerment and the vital role women bring to society – it is a story of redemption and friendship – of family and religion. This was the most surprising novel I read this year – I loved it!

So, what’s on my reading list for 2020? Stay tuned — more to come!

Until Next Time,

Alicia