The first month of 2019 is over. But before you abandon your new year’s book list, there is still plenty of time to dive into some recent book releases. Here are the must-reads that should be on your list this year.
Fiction
Chloe Benjamin (Penguin Publishing Group, May 2019)
The Immortalists follows the lives of the four Gold siblings who have their fate told to them by a psychic. What follows is each person’s journey through life and the choices one makes after finding out the date one’s life would end. The Immortalists puts a spotlight on family, the power of thoughts, and one’s willingness to choose life over fear no matter what.
Delia Owens (Penguin Publishing Group, Aug. 2018)
Kya Clark, also known as “Marsh Girl,” lives an isolated life on Barkley Cove. Her family has abandoned her, the locals look down their noses at her, and Kya’s only companions are the small few who show her compassion and the wilderness that surrounds her. When she is suspected of murder, the town turns on her and she faces struggles unlike those from her childhood. Where the Crawdads Sing is a story of survival, loneliness, friendship and human nature that will leave a lasting impression long after the last page is read.
Historical Fiction
Kristin Hannah (St. Martin’s Press, April 2017)
The Nightingale tells the story of two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle Mauriac, who are living their own very different lives in Nazi-occupied France during World War II. The story uniquely shines a spotlight on the lives of women during the war and their determination and fighting spirits that push them ever closer to freedom.
Diane Setterfield (Atria/Emily Bestler Books, Dec. 2018)
A young girl is dead. Yet, hours later, she breathes life. Suddenly, a small town is determined to discover the background of the deaf and mute girl who has returned from the dead. With three families trying to claim her as their own and no answers in sight, Once Upon a River is a masterful story of folklore, mystery, and magic that intrigues readers from beginning to end.
Nonfiction
Chrissy Teigen (Potter/Ten Speed/Harmony/Rodale, Sept. 2018)
Chrissy Teigen may be known for her successful modeling career, blunt social media posts and famous husband, but following the success of her first “Cravings” cookbook, Cravings: Hungry for More dives deeper into her life as cook, mother, wife, and friend. The book provides beautifully styled photos, delicious recipes for any taste, and an inside look at one of Hollywood’s most down-to-earth celebrities.
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear
Elizabeth Gilbert (Penguin Publishing Group, Sept. 2016)
Elizabeth Gilbert has crafted a book for the creators and dreamers of the world. Big Magic gives in-depth insight on how to embrace what you love, find inspiration in every day and face fear head on.
Fantasy
Madeline Miller (Little, Brown and Company, April 2018)
To read Circe is to step into the mind of the goddess herself. Born to Helios, the god of the Sun, Circe is different from the rest of her Titan family. After discovering her ability to perform witchcraft, Circe is sentenced to an eternity in exile on a distant island. There, she perfects her witchcraft and morphs into the goddess most have read about in other stories. However, Circe is so much more than the stories told of her and this often heart-wrenching and raw tale of her life reveals a women who is stuck between fulfilling her natural role as a goddess and her desires for mortal life.
Charlie N. Holmberg (Brilliance Audio, Feb. 2019)
Sandi is tired of being a weapon for her master who uses her ability to act as a vessel for demons whenever he chooses. So she runs. Her master does not give up looking for her and has the strength to search for as long as it takes. Meanwhile, as a for-hire thief harnessing the power to turn immortal for one minute a day, Rone is an unlikely accomplice to Sandi’s escape. Sandi and Rone must join forces to escape the grasps of Sandi’s master who has summoned both men and monsters to find her.
Romance
Diane Gabaldon (Random House Publishing Group, June 1992)
Outlander brilliantly combines romance, fantasy and history to create a love story that stands the test of time. Combat nurse Claire Randall and her husband escape to Scotland to celebrate their honeymoon in 1945. Their trip abruptly ends when Claire, unbeknownst to her husband, is suddenly thrust into 1743 Scotland. Claire navigates the world of clans, war, and danger while on her quest to return to her time. However, there is one thing she may want more than returning to 1945, and that is Jamie Fraser.
Jenna Evans Welch (Simon Pulse, May 2017)
A charming, light-hearted read perfect for the romantic lover of travel, Love & Gelato is the story of 17-year-old Lina’s transformative trip to Tuscany, where she apprehensively tries to fulfill her late mother’s wish of Lina building a relationship with her unknown father. However, Lina discovers more about herself than she has expected as she walks her mother’s footsteps. Love & Gelato has its fair share of romance, wanderlust, grief, self-discovery and of course, gelato.
Thriller/Horror
Colleen Hoover (Amazon Digital Services LLC – Kdp Print Us, Dec. 2018)
Best-selling author Verity Crawford has been in a terrible and life-altering accident. In order to finish the three books left in her book series, her husband Jeremy Crawford hires unknown author Lowen Ashleigh to complete them. Lowen travels to the Crawford’s home in order to dig through Verity’s notes, however,a disturbing autobiography written by Verity lands in Lowen’s hands, making her question everything the injured author stands for. A series of horrible revelations and unexplainable events cause Lowen to not only question her own sanity but also, the lives of the couple whose home she occupies.
Caroline Kepnes (Atria/Emily Bestler Books, June 2015)
While You debuted in 2014, its recent remake into a Netflix series makes this book a must-read. Guinevere Beck is an average New York woman, living her life and sharing it with the world all over social media. She doesn’t know that she has given Joe Goldberg, a bookstore employee and her new stalker, fuel for his obsession. You are told from Goldberg’s perspective, leaving readers uncomfortable and questioning their own action in a world where anyone can gain access to the personal lives of others with the click of a mouse.
Sports
Julian Edelman (Hachette Books, Sept. 2018)
New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman gives readers an inside look into the grit, grind, and hard work necessary to make it to the NFL. Following his life from childhood to his most recent Super Bowl win, Edelman details the struggles, mistakes and accomplishments that have shaped him into the man and professional he is today.
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