Top 5 Surprising Reads of 2019!

There’s always those books that you go into with low or no expectations and then BAM! You’re suddenly hit with the love of a book that you never expected. This year has been full of books that came out of left field! I probably could have made this list a top 10! I will list my main 5 and then have some honourable mentions at the end 🙂

Top 5 Tuesday is a weekly meme where I explore different topics. If you are interested in participating I would love to have you! Here is a list of my Upcoming topics in December – please remember to ping back a specific post of mine so I get a notification and I will add you to the participants list!

CRAZY RICH ASIANS by Kevin Kwan

This book has been so hyped for the last few years and it’s also a plot that I can’t stand (normally). Rich people being snobby and spoiled….. I can’t think of anything worse to read. BUT – damn it I was wrong! This book was so freaking good! It showed that money isn’t always everything and it can’t replace love and family. I also weirdly liked that it was SO over the top. I’m normally annoyed by stuff like that but this was like watching a car crash in slow motion. I couldn’t look away!

NO EXIT by Taylor Adams

Thrillers and mysteries aren’t my favourite genre…… that’s putting it mildly. I find that they’re very predictable and full of suspense with NO answers. Every question leads to another question. But this book changed things. We find out in the first chapter what happened and who it is. There was a ton of action and suspense and I was gripping the book the whole way through. I think I actually liked knowing who it was and having the suspense focused on escape. I loved this!

WITH THE FIRE ON HIGH by Elizabeth Acevedo

YA contemporary just isn’t something that I normally relate to. Why? I’m old! LOL! I’m 37 and well past the years where I can relate to teenage problems….. unless I apply them to my teenage daughter of course! But this book blew away all of my expectations. The story of a young mother who is torn between focusing on herself or her child. I wasn’t a teenage mother but I did have my first child in my early 20’s. I hadn’t cemented what I wanted to do with my life at that point so it was a struggle for me as well to decide when and who to focus on. This was such a well written book!

THE LIES OF LOCKE LAMORA by Scott Lynch

I knew I was going to love this book – but I didn’t know just HOW MUCH I would love this book! I was told by a few really good friends that this was the book of my dreams. Fantasy, con artists, humour, magic, and badassery. It was all those things and so much more! The characters are some of my favourites of all time and the humour is incomparable!

RED, WHITE, AND ROYAL BLUE by Casey McQuiston

This book……. it’s just too much for my heart to handle! Yet again, I was faced with a book about things I normally hate – politicians and spoiled royalty. Yes, I said it. Those things bother me A LOT in a contemporary setting. But this book showed the many sides of politicians and royalty – more than just what’s at face value. So many emotions and one of my favourite couples in books this year!!

TOP 5 TUESDAY PARTICIPANTS LIST:

Meeghan Reads ——— Anxious Nachos ———My Year Of Reading Dangerously
Much Ado About Books ——— The Book Prescription ——— Realms Of My Mind
The Secret Library ——— The Punk Theory ——— Comfort Reads
Sophril Reads ——— First Line Reader ——— Ace Reader
J.W. Martin (Storeys of Stories) ——— Kristin Kraves Books ——— Kyera’s Library
A Fictional Bookworm ——— Synopses by Sarge ——— Library of March
Bookwitch Reviews ——— Silver Button Books ——— On My Book Shelf
Bookoholic Lizzy ——— Bookishly Rebecca ——— Recipe And A Read
Tay’s Infinite Thoughts ——— Happiest When Reading ——— The Words Gremlin
Elysa Reads It All ——— Zezee With Books ——— Shades Of Paper
Be Frisky ——— CJR The Brit ——— Beware Of The Reader
Books Are 42 ——— Jamsu Dreams

As I mentioned, these are just a few of the books that surprised me this year! There was also these 5 books:

• THE GRACE YEAR by Kim Liggett
• SORCERY OF THORNS by Margaret Rogerson
• TEETH IN THE MIST by Dawn Kurtagich
• TILLY AND THE BOOKWANDERERS by Anna James
• COME TUMBLING DOWN by Seanan McGuire

I don’t think it was fair of me to list Come Tumbling Down as it doesn’t publish until 2020 but I read it this year so I’m mentioning it. It was a surprise because I HATED book 2 in the series. When I learned that this one too focused on Jack and Jill I was terrified. But their story has been redeemed!

What books surprised you this year?

Until next time, happy reading!