Hi all!

The end of the year is here and it’s time to spill the tea! I read a total of 100 books in 2019. I’m so impressed with myself. Today I am going to share which novels made my  top 10 best and worst list. I’m not going to tell you what they are about, I’m simply going to express why they made my list. Without further ado, let’s get into it!

Disclaimer: If I mention a book that you loved (in my worst section), please don’t get offended. It’s just a personal opinion. It does not mean the book is bad or you are wrong for liking it. 

THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF 2019

10.) The Valentine Trilogy by Jodi McAlister

This is cheating, but I’m going to name an entire trilogy. This year, I devoured Valentine, Ironheart and Misrule by Jodi McAlister. I had zero expectations going into the series. In fact, I only picked up the first book because it came in a subscription box. I ended up loving every freaking second. The best part is, these novels were written by an Australian author! The plot is dark, eerie, full of action, steamy romance and shocking twists. I needed to lie down after finishing them. Give them a go. You won’t be disappointed.

9.) Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky 

In 1999, Stephen Chbosky, wrote a book called ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’, which has since become a classic and was adapted into a film. It had been his only book, until this year. His second novel, ‘Imaginary Friend’, is the complete opposite to his first. It is a 700+ page horror! Many a reviewer said it was too long and dragged out. I couldn’t disagree more. This is, without a doubt, the scariest book I’ve ever read. It freaked me out in the best way possible. I was captivated by the beautiful writing and intriguing storyline, which has many religious undertones. I loved it. It’s honestly a masterpiece and worth the long wait from Stephen. 

8.) Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid 

I wrote a whole review of Daisy Jones and the Six, which you can read here. In 2018, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo was my favourite read, so I knew I would love Taylor’s latest novel. It’s not as good as Evelyn Hugo (in my opinion) but not far behind it. I loved how it read as a music documentary and the way it touched my heart. The characters were so troubled, you just wanted to give them a hug. The ending had a nice little twist. Not to mention, the band felt so real, I Googled them afterward to check. Please read this book if you haven’t already. 

7.) The Seven 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

At Blackheath Manor, Evelyn Hardcastle is shot and killed. The next night and the night after that, she is shot and killed again. Aiden, a guest at the party, is forced to relive the same day over, until he can solve the mystery behind her murder – but there’s a catch. Each day, he wakes up in the body of a different guest; experiencing the events through their perspective, until midnight, when he moves into the next body. Can he catch the killer before it finds him too? Time is running out!

I had to rehash the plot for this particular book, because it was the concept that drew me in in the first place. If you’re a fan of Agatha Christie (like myself) you will adore this book. It was one big mystery from start to finish. The final reveal was very satisfying. I was completely hooked and felt the author did a brilliant job, tying everything together. A book like this would’ve been very difficult to write so I commend Stuart. It was so enjoyable. 

Update: In 2025, I was given the opportunity to interview Stuart. You can check that out here.

6.) Darkdawn by Jay Kristoff

Darkdawn is the third and final novel in the Nevernight Trilogy. The first book made it to my top 5 of 2017, so it’s no surprise this one did too. I can’t say much without spoiling anything, so I’ll just note that the conclusion was phenomenal. Everything came together in the best way possible. I had a serious hangover after this series came to a close. It was an intense journey. 10’s, 10’s, 10’s across the board! 

5.) Bad Romance by Heather Demetrios

I never would’ve picked this up, if it wasn’t for a passionate reviewer I follow online. I went into it not expecting much, but holy moly, what a story! The writing was flawless. Never has an emotionally abusive relationship been captured so perfectly. Heather wrote in a way that made me, as the reader, feel manipulated by Gavin. Even though I knew he was bad news, I felt myself getting caught up by his charm. That is top notch writing. It was so real, raw and full of despair. I really liked the way it ended and the messages strewn throughout. There are triggers warnings for rape, OCD, physical abuse, emotional abuse and stalking. The pacing was excellent. It starts out like a fairytale, and then piece by piece, he slowly pulls her apart. It’s almost subtle the way it happens. I also love the way it was formatted. She is addressing Gavin the entire time, so he’s referred to as ‘you.’ It’s such a powerful point of view. 

4.) The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

For my best friend’s 30th, she told me to buy her a book that meant something to me – so I bought her this one. Written in verse, The Poet X tells the story of a girl fighting to be heard. It really is as incredible as everyone says. Even my best friend fell in love with it. It’s full of heart, fire and passion. A great read for anybody, but particularly, women. 

3.) The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

The Hating Game is everything you could ever want or need in a book. If you are down, or in a slump, read this. You’ll fly through it. It’s saucy, steamy and so damn good. It is being adapted into a film, which I CANNOT wait for! It blew me away. It has one of my favourite tropes: enemies to lovers. Hot, Hot, Hot!

2.) Radio Silence by Alice Oseman

This book took my breath away. I read it in January and knew straight away, it would be one of my favourite reads of the entire year. It is more of a character-driven story, than a plot-driven one. It’s the characters that give it all the heart and depth. There is fantastic representation and many moments that will bring a tear to your eye. I just love it so so much. 

1.) IT by Stephen King

My number 1 read of 2019 (also my actual favourite book of all time) was IT by Stephen King. You can check out why this novel means so much to me here. This book is a journey. I annotated my entire copy, which made the whole experience so much more enjoyable. I love the film adaptations (both past and present) and I adore the story.

THE TEN WORST BOOKS OF 2019 

10.) A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

This book was so disappointing. I’m a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes, so I figured I would love this YA series. Nope! I can see why others liked it, but personally, I found the pacing way too fast. Everything was rushed from beginning to end. Furthermore, the characters themselves, whilst interesting, were less descendants of Holmes and Watson and more mirror images of them. I just didn’t enjoy the story and don’t wish to read the rest of the series. Sorry!

9.) The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

The stunning cover is the book’s one redeeming feature. Ouch! This book was beautifully written, with a very unique story BUT – I was so bored! It was such a chore to finish. The pacing was beyond slow, with a lot of unnecessary filler. I felt zero connection to any of the characters. I just didn’t enjoy it at all. 

8.) Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel

I’m sad about this one, because I thought it would be in my top ten best, not worst. The concept was interesting, but it was executed poorly. I was confused, bored and not interested in any of the characters. It all fell so flat for me. I can appreciate the author’s beautiful writing, but I was not invested in the story.

7.) Release by Patrick Ness 

This book had the potential to be fantastic. Unfortunately, Patrick Ness ruined it by adding in random chapters, with confusing magical realism. The contemporary story was interesting but the crossover sections were strange and pointless. It was a big no from me. 

6.) Frogkisser by Garth Nix 

I received this book in a subscription box, otherwise, I never would’ve picked it up. It’s a middle-grade retelling of The Frog Prince. I just didn’t like it. The ending was rushed and the rest was blah. It wasn’t memorable for me. Others may like it, but it’s not to my personal taste. 

5.) Descendant of the Crane by Joan He

This was our May Books With Friends pick. I had such a headache after reading this book, because I was so confused and unsatisfied by it. I thought I knew where the plot was going and it went in a completely different, odd direction. Even when a main character died, the writing was so strange, I wasn’t sure it really happened. I struggled to get through it. It wasn’t good. 

4.) Frankly in Love by David Yoon

SPOILERS AHEAD: 

I thought I was going to love this book! It committed so many cardinal book sins!

Firstly, there is never any excuse for cheating. I hate that Frank cheats on Brit. It’s never okay, but it’s even worse when the person really doesn’t deserve it. He feels bad for like a second, before moving on with Joy.
Secondly, the book promised to be about fake dating, but it only happens for a couple of chapters, before becoming something else entirely.
Thirdly, Q doesn’t reveal he is gay until the last couple of pages. This should’ve been explored earlier and not as a: ‘oh by the way, I’m gay and I’ve had a crush on my best friend for years’. Fourthly, and this is the biggest offender: Frank’s parents disown their daughter for being in a relationship with a black man. It isn’t until the father is on his deathbed, that he basically apologises. NO NO NO! It should not take cancer for a parent to re-accept his child. If he hadn’t gotten sick, they still would’ve ignored her. It’s so so wrong and I’m really mad.

3.) Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak

If you compare this novel to The Book Thief and The Messenger (two of my favourites), you’re going to have a bad time. This was nothing like them. It was boring as hell. I’m not interested in gambling or horse-racing, so I felt my eyes glazing over a lot of the time. The family dynamics were confusing and I’m still unsure what this book was even about. It was super disappointing; especially because it was written by the talented Markus Zusak.

2.) We All Looked Up by Tommy Wallach

I hated this book. Hated! It got 1 star from me. Tommy’s other novel: Thanks for the Trouble, was one of the best books I read in 2017. How could his other novel be one of the worst? I hate when that happens! What a hot piece of misogynistic garbage! There was so much slut shaming in this book and even a transphobic comment. Plot points were introduced and never touched on again. It was all over the place, taking such a strange turn I did not enjoy in the slightest. I couldn’t find a single positive thing to say about it. Sorry to be harsh!

1.) The Secret Science of Magic by Melissa Keil

My biggest disappointment of 2019 was The Secret Science of Magic. I met Melissa Keil in 2017 at the Melbourne Writer’s Festival. She even signed my copy for me. I adore the cover and that’s where the positivity ends. I just didn’t like this book at all. There was no plot. It was all over the place. The characters felt like cheap knock-offs. The parents were not present at all and the side characters were barely touched on. The biggest thumbs down. 

I hope you enjoyed this post! Tell me some of your best and worst reads of 2019. Thanks for reading! I wish you all a safe and happy New Year! 

Peace & Love xoxo