Top Five Books of 2019

1
Where the Crawdads Sing
by Delia Owens
20,662 members
749 reviews
4.1
11 Members
dara85, kristenl, Micheller7, raidergirl3, chgstrom, Leida, vwinsloe, gypsysmom, wandaly, SSLMoody, njdcva
2
Becoming
by Michelle Obama
11,235 members
396 reviews
½ 4.4
10 Members
lauralkeet, terran, bjappleg8, chgstrom, njinthesun, Wassilissa, gypsysmom, julesnstu, SSLMoody, njdcva
3
The Dutch House
by Ann Patchett
6,320 members
327 reviews
4.1
10 Members
Micheller7, LDVoorberg, N1na, bolero, Leida, edparks, rozymary, dianeham, Eyriu, njdcva
4
The Overstory
by Richard Powers
7,530 members
297 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
2,671 members
137 reviews
½ 4.3
7 Members
lauralkeet, kristenl, zhejw, karenmarie, njinthesun, BLBera, kayanelson
6
Olive, Again
by Elizabeth Strout
2,752 members
148 reviews
4.2
7 Members
lauralkeet, raidergirl3, shaunie, Copperskye, brenzi, edparks, KatyBee
7
Milkman
by Anna Burns
3,004 members
145 reviews
½ 3.7
5 Members
zhejw, thorold, raidergirl3, jeanned, susannah65
8
The Lost Man
by Jane Harper
2,323 members
130 reviews
4.1
6 Members
rosalita, Bookmarque, rhian_of_oz, tina1969, gypsysmom, ahef1963
9
The Library Book
by Susan Orlean
6,009 members
313 reviews
4.1
5 Members
SeasideBookClub, bjappleg8, chgstrom, Capybara_99, susannah65
10
Gideon the Ninth
by Tamsyn Muir
7,093 members
246 reviews
4.1
4 Members
Aquila, ablachly, bolero, KatyBee
11
Girl, Woman, Other
by Bernardine Evaristo
4,304 members
166 reviews
4.2
4 Members
mooingzelda, zhejw, Travelgem, 123Bush
12
The Raven Tower
by Ann Leckie
1,858 members
105 reviews
4
4 Members
Euryale, rarm, revbean, souloftherose
13
My Year of Rest and Relaxation
by Ottessa Moshfegh
4,905 members
193 reviews
½ 3.6
4 Members
Capybara_99, sturlington, VW_Williams, Eyriu
14
The Remains of the Day
by Kazuo Ishiguro
19,121 members
522 reviews
4.2
4 Members
Edward, cbl_tn, gypsysmom, FranButt
15
The Name of the Wind
by Patrick Rothfuss
24,118 members
853 reviews
½ 4.4
3 Members
ksd2, jeanned, mairzy
16
The Road
by Cormac McCarthy
38,844 members
1,510 reviews
4.1
3 Members
NoPlanetB, kara.shamy, 123Bush
17
Unsheltered
by Barbara Kingsolver
2,758 members
131 reviews
½ 3.7
3 Members
JenMDB, EllsieFind, FranButt
18
Circe
by Madeline Miller
18,408 members
581 reviews
½ 4.3
3 Members
KatyBee, vwinsloe, LyndaInOregon
19
The Nickel Boys
by Colson Whitehead
5,736 members
257 reviews
4.2
3 Members
KatyBee, kayanelson, kissk0960
20
Warlight
by Michael Ondaatje
2,413 members
116 reviews
½ 3.7
3 Members
mdexter, gypsysmom, FranButt
21
The Book of Dust: The Secret Commonwealth (Book of Dust, Volume 2)
by Philip Pullman
2,605 members
73 reviews
3.9
3 Members
mooingzelda, shaunie, ManWithAnAgenda
22
Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk
by Kathleen Rooney
1,366 members
94 reviews
3.9
3 Members
Minthe, SeasideBookClub, Copperskye
23
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
by Gail Honeyman
11,375 members
605 reviews
4.1
3 Members
lauralkeet, jeanned, 123Bush
24
Normal People
by Sally Rooney
10,695 members
364 reviews
½ 3.7
3 Members
N1na, susannah65, kissk0960
25
A Place for Us
by Fatima Farheen Mirza
1,274 members
79 reviews
4
3 Members
kristenl, njinthesun, Laura1124
26
How Long 'Til Black Future Month?
by N. K. Jemisin
1,829 members
60 reviews
4.2
3 Members
Euryale, gypsysmom, ManWithAnAgenda
27
The Bookish Life of Nina Hill
by Abbi Waxman
1,952 members
145 reviews
3.8
3 Members
bearette24, terran, LyndaInOregon
28
Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo"
by Zora Neale Hurston
2,172 members
80 reviews
4
3 Members
oregonobsessionz, karenmarie, Charon07
29
The Book Thief
by Markus Zusak
52,240 members
2,239 reviews
½ 4.4
3 Members
lottpoet, gypsysmom, 123Bush
30
Iza's Ballad
by Magda Szabó
408 members
16 reviews
½ 4.3
2 Members
Dilara86, kissk0960
31
The Testaments
by Margaret Atwood
8,969 members
277 reviews
4.1
3 Members
shaunie, gypsysmom, 123Bush
32
The Hours
by Michael Cunningham
13,624 members
243 reviews
3.9
3 Members
plaugher, gypsysmom, 123Bush
33
Beartown
by Fredrik Backman
5,989 members
305 reviews
4.2
3 Members
gypsysmom, JenMDB, SSLMoody
34
Ask Again, Yes
by Mary Beth Keane
2,488 members
108 reviews
3.9
2 Members
Micheller7, wandaly
35
Ducks, Newburyport
by Lucy Ellmann
1,134 members
36 reviews
4.1
2 Members
Capybara_99, blackhornet
36
A Thousand Splendid Suns
by Khaled Hosseini
33,997 members
935 reviews
½ 4.3
3 Members
gypsysmom, EllsieFind, 123Bush
37
Spinning Silver
by Naomi Novik
5,100 members
222 reviews
4.2
2 Members
rhian_of_oz, briarhills
38
Fall; or, Dodge in Hell
by Neal Stephenson
1,896 members
70 reviews
½ 3.4
2 Members
jsburbidge, dhm
39
Between Worlds: Folktales of Britain and Ireland
by Kevin Crossley-Holland
140 members
20 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
12,116 members
602 reviews
½ 4.4
2 Members
rhian_of_oz, chgstrom
41
A Darker Shade of Magic
by V. E. Schwab
10,393 members
364 reviews
3.9
2 Members
ablachly, mairzy
42
Money: A Suicide Note
by Martin Amis
3,584 members
59 reviews
½ 3.6
2 Members
ibinu, kissk0960
43
East of Eden
by John Steinbeck
27,316 members
480 reviews
½ 4.4
2 Members
chwiggy, 123Bush
44
The Bees
by Laline Paull
1,959 members
137 reviews
½ 3.7
2 Members
bookwoman84, 123Bush
45
To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper Lee
89,819 members
1,560 reviews
½ 4.4
2 Members
anglemark, ibinu
46
The Priory of the Orange Tree (The Roots of Chaos)
by Samantha Shannon
10,055 members
143 reviews
4
2 Members
Aquila, tardis
47
My Sister, the Serial Killer
by Oyinkan Braithwaite
4,622 members
293 reviews
3.8
2 Members
norabelle414, souloftherose
48
Children of Time
by Adrian Tchaikovsky
5,464 members
212 reviews
4.2
2 Members
souloftherose, EllsieFind
49
Olive Kitteridge
by Elizabeth Strout
11,190 members
654 reviews
3.9
2 Members
Dilara86, gypsysmom
50
A Memory Called Empire
by Arkady Martine
3,932 members
162 reviews
4
2 Members
Aquila, tardis
51
The Silence of the Girls
by Pat Barker
3,235 members
122 reviews
3.9
2 Members
RBeffa, Leida
52
The Grammarians
by Cathleen Schine
545 members
35 reviews
½ 3.6
2 Members
rosalita, mdexter
53
Rough Magic: Riding the World's Loneliest Horse Race
by Lara Prior-Palmer
244 members
13 reviews
½ 3.5
2 Members
terran, vwinsloe
54
Henry, Himself
by Stewart O'Nan
238 members
19 reviews
3.9
2 Members
Copperskye, edparks
55
Black Death at the Golden Gate: The Race to Save America from the Bubonic Plague
by David K. Randall
204 members
12 reviews
3.9
2 Members
oregonobsessionz, Eyriu
56
Recursion
by Blake Crouch
4,685 members
246 reviews
4
2 Members
terran, wandaly
57
Parable of the Sower
by Octavia E. Butler
11,488 members
318 reviews
4.1
2 Members
anglemark, gypsysmom
58
Killing Commendatore
by Haruki Murakami
2,459 members
64 reviews
3.8
2 Members
dianeham, kissk0960
59
Another Roadside Attraction
by Tom Robbins
3,858 members
40 reviews
3.9
2 Members
gypsysmom, LyndaInOregon
60
Magic for Liars
by Sarah Gailey
1,734 members
77 reviews
½ 3.7
2 Members
tardis, ablachly
61
Middle England
by Jonathan Coe
798 members
31 reviews
3.9
2 Members
Parker51, JenMDB
62
The Topeka School
by Ben Lerner
1,362 members
58 reviews
½ 3.6
2 Members
Parker51, Capybara_99
63
Washington Black
by Esi Edugyan
2,812 members
158 reviews
3.9
2 Members
gypsysmom, kayanelson
64
Spill Simmer Falter Wither
by Sara Baume
516 members
37 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
814 members
41 reviews
3.8
2 Members
Aquila, gypsysmom
66
The Nightingale
by Kristin Hannah
15,010 members
543 reviews
½ 4.4
2 Members
tina1969, gypsysmom
67
Lab Girl
by Hope Jahren
3,187 members
175 reviews
4
2 Members
gypsysmom, EllsieFind
68
Fleishman Is in Trouble
by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
1,715 members
87 reviews
½ 3.5
2 Members
ablachly, gypsysmom
69
The Martian Chronicles
by Ray Bradbury
18,595 members
363 reviews
4
2 Members
gypsysmom, ahef1963
70
Good Omens
by Neil Gaiman
38,988 members
875 reviews
4.2
2 Members
greeneyed_ives, gypsysmom
71
Big Sky
by Kate Atkinson
1,709 members
90 reviews
3.9
2 Members
Copperskye, gypsysmom
72
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek
by Kim Michele Richardson
3,733 members
233 reviews
4
2 Members
shomchick, gypsysmom
73
How to Be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals
by Sy Montgomery
776 members
40 reviews
4
2 Members
gypsysmom, wandaly
74
Never Let Me Go
by Kazuo Ishiguro
26,726 members
1,014 reviews
3.8
Member
Edward
75
Dubliners
by James Joyce
22,089 members
264 reviews
3.9
Member
Mirabelle
76
Wolf Hall
by Hilary Mantel
15,475 members
699 reviews
4
Member
VW_Williams
77
The Complete Maus
by Art Spiegelman
10,722 members
286 reviews
½ 4.5
Member
Minthe
78
To Say Nothing of the Dog
by Connie Willis
7,349 members
319 reviews
4.1
Member
Jim.Shine
79
The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism
by Naomi Klein
6,222 members
140 reviews
4.2
Member
FAMeulstee
80
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous
by Ocean Vuong
6,011 members
182 reviews
3.9
Member
ManWithAnAgenda
81
Winter of the World
by Ken Follett
5,889 members
174 reviews
4.1
Member
Wassilissa
82
Lord of Light
by Roger Zelazny
5,711 members
125 reviews
4
Member
SFF1928-1973
83
Sing, Unburied, Sing
by Jesmyn Ward
4,977 members
212 reviews
4.1
Member
Charon07
84
A House for Mr Biswas
by V. S. Naipaul
3,850 members
73 reviews
3.8
Member
ahef1963
85
Falling Angels
by Tracy Chevalier
3,804 members
89 reviews
½ 3.5
Member
Bookmarque
86
Nothing to See Here
by Kevin Wilson
2,905 members
164 reviews
4
Member
mdexter
87
Brothers in Arms
by Lois McMaster Bujold
2,780 members
54 reviews
4.1
Member
soraki
88
The Flatshare
by Beth O'Leary
2,730 members
139 reviews
4
Member
foggidawn
89
Old Filth
by Jane Gardam
2,572 members
150 reviews
4
Member
Laura1124
90
Middlegame
by Seanan McGuire
1,920 members
79 reviews
4
Member
tardis
91
No Exit
by Taylor Adams
1,907 members
96 reviews
3.9
Member
tina1969
92
Machines Like Me
by Ian McEwan
1,653 members
62 reviews
½ 3.6
Member
kayanelson
93
Pumpkinheads
by Rainbow Rowell
1,607 members
115 reviews
4
Member
bearette24
94
Assassin's Fate
by Robin Hobb
1,544 members
63 reviews
½ 4.5
Member
mooingzelda
95
Pavane
by Keith Roberts
1,535 members
47 reviews
½ 3.7
Member
RBeffa
96
The Seagull
by Anton Chekhov
1,345 members
22 reviews
3.9
Member
ibinu
97
Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love
by Dani Shapiro
1,104 members
65 reviews
3.9
Member
Micheller7
98
A Slip of the Keyboard: Collected Nonfiction
by Terry Pratchett
989 members
47 reviews
4.1
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
The Adventure Zone: Murder on the Rockport Limited! (The Adventure Zone, 2)
by Clint McElroy
974 members
14 reviews
½ 4.5
Member
greeneyed_ives
100
Maps of Meaning: The Architecture of Belief
by Jordan B. Peterson
962 members
7 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.