As this year is coming to an end, I really wanted to document this. I'm cutting it close because I had a couple re-reads to do first. So, here's the thing: I read somewhere in the vicinity of 235(ish) books this year; but we didn't actually start this blog/bookstagram adventure until the year was almost over. So several of these books don't have full reviews out yet, but they will be coming here and there throughout the first quarter of 2020.
That being said, I would like to present you with my 10 favourite reads of 2019!! Other than being separated into Top 3, then rounding out the remainder, the books are in no particular order. There was legitimate internal battle, just choosing 10 out of over 200. I couldn't narrow it down, with ranks, more than that. Yes, I realize that technically, there are 14 books on this list. But when whole series' are being released within a calendar year, how am I supposed to choose ONE book out of a series or duet? (Give a girl a break). So I counted completed stories, as one, for the purposes of maintaining some semblance of sanity, while compiling this gem of literary recommendation. And one more thing: I am ACHING to see what these authors (and soooo many more) bring us in the new year!! Now without any further adieu...
Top 3:
Enemies - Tijan
Tijan hit it out of the park this year. Landing two of her 2019 writes in my top 10. Dusty and Stone made the top 3, though. This story, and the characters in it moved me. His stony (pun intended) exterior, and her determined strength. Once, childhood friends (that aspect in a plot always gets me) turned enemies. But just like a football game itself, after just enough back and forth, this story makes it into the end zone and does a victory dance. It may, very well be, Tijan's best yet.
Our full review can be found here.
Trust - Kylie Scott
Thrown together through an unlikely (yet could happen to anyone) series of events, Edie and John were unexpected. Bound together by a shared experience that few others could possibly understand. To me, their story is one of fate, using terrible circumstances to knit together lives that need to intersect, but also need a desperate push. It's a remarkable journey of healing and hope, realization and connection. This book left me doused in "well shit, that could actually happen," and a healthy dose of gratitude, that these improbable friends were able to lean on each other and heal in their own ways.
Our full review coming soon. ❤️
Add Trust to your TBR or start reading now!
I legitimately adore Luna and Knight. It sounds odd outside my head, but I sorta hope my little girl grows up with a friendship like theirs. That she finds a Knight to her Luna. I love stories about childhood best friends, to my core, but this one is so much more. And while the relationships themselves are important, LJ Shen also flawlessly depicted the effects of tragedy and trauma, through this story.
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(Under a Different Sky & Waiting for the Sun)
Lindsey strung me up like a tug-of-war rope with this duet. She was a new author to me this year (and I've since read all of her books). Nick and Hannah's story is saturated in tragedy. But it's also so full of hope and humour, that it strikes a balance. With a conflicted, passionate hero and a witty, self-assured heroine? This one was 100% worth the emotional roller coaster.
Add the Hand Over My Heart duet to your TBR or start reading from the beginning now!
Fierce heroine. Bad step-brother. Secrets. Angst. Teenage debauchery. And a puppy. How could BB Reid possibly go wrong with this one?? She weaves a journey that took me by surprise. Ever and Four have a magnetic pull, and they try hard to fight it. But we know better than to trifle with the fates.. Doing so just leaves one frustrated. Trust is tested. Lines may be crossed. But in the end, this pair was written in the stars. I mean, their ship name is FourEver, for crying out loud...
Our full review coming soon. ❤️
In The Unlikely Event - LJ Shen
LJ Shen stepped outside her norm for this one, but she nailed it. A chance encounter, a continental divide, a twist of fate. The story of Mal and Rory is one that urges us to take chances. To follow our heart, because our head isn't always right. Jumping back and forth between past and present, rounds out the both heartbreaking and hilarious tale. So much of their story popped out at me unexpectedly, but I think that's the best part about it.
Our full review can be found here.
(The Boys of Brayshaw, Trouble at Brayshaw, Reign of Brayshaw)
Oh, those Brayshaws.. Meagan Brandy was also a new-to-me author this year. Her heroines are strong and her supporting cast is relentlessly vivid. Raven, the girl who legitimately gives zero f**ks. Maddoc, the strong, brooding pack leader. Captain, the thoughtful caretaker. Royce, the quietly broken funny man. Yet, with so many deeply rooted personalities, the story never gets overshadowed. I did a re-read with each book that released in this series, and I found myself more and more drawn in with each new cover I cracked. I can't wait to read more about this world (in Captain and Royce's books) later this year.
Our full review can be found here.
Add The Boys of Brayshaw to your TBR or start reading from the beginning now!
I solemnly believe that Charlie and Reece will hold a spot on my yearly reads for a very long time. Their story is one filled with wit and quirkiness, but also of startling reality. The level at which they understand each other is what real life fairy tales are made of. And the journey they take together through these pages makes my heart both ache with compassion and swell with triumph. So much truth rests within these pages. From the notion of taking interest in someone because of an obscure personality trait, to the earth shattering realization that stupidly tragic things happen all the time, even to the young and in love.
Our full review coming soon. ❤️
Add Teardrop Shot to your TBR or start reading now!
(Interference & Stealing Home)
Brayden and Ashley were written in the stars. Stamped on Fate's "to do" list, underlined, and in bold. Brayden has known it most of his life, but convincing Ashley may be a bigger challenge. Not only does this duet cover so many tropes (childhood friends, brothers best friend, sports, first love, second chance... though technically some of those overlap), but its pages guided me through so many emotions. I laughed, I cried, I yelled.. But what really brought me to my knees with this one, was their spark and the poignancy with which their story was portrayed.
Our full review can be found here.
Add the St. Michaels Duet to your TBR and start reading from the beginning now!
The heart wants what it wants, even though sometimes we wish we could drop that want like a bad habit (see what I did there? But actually, I didn't.. Charleigh Rose did). Asher is brooding and Briar is naive. He knows both of those facts, but she's in denial about her identifier and confused about why his is true. Their story played out unexpectedly to me, it honestly caught me a little off-guard. But their hearts were so deeply embedded in the ink and their pull was undeniable. These beautifully written minds coaxed my own, inviting it into their world. A calm surrender, into a story that is anything but.
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