Best Books of 2019 Pt. I -- Backlist and 2019 Debuts!

Happy New Year's!
I hope you all had a wonderful New Year's Eve and that your new year is off to a great start. The beginning of a new year still manages to make me anxious, but I know how excited most people are about the prospect of what is often seen as a fresh slate, so I hope it's going great for all of you!

Now that we've got the most disappointing books out of the way, we can finally move onto the best books of 2019! I read a total of 150 books this year, so my favorites lists always tend to get a bit, uh, out of control and I end up having to split them up. 

Today I'm sharing my favorite backlist titles that I read this year as well as 2019 debuts (simply meaning no previous books from these authors) and tomorrow I will be sharing all of my favorite 2019 releases (non-debut)! I decided to highlight a few titles in yellow to indicate they are ones I especially loved this year and would highly recommend. I'll have the rest of my favorites up tomorrow, so in the meantime let's jump into these favorites!

Top 5 Backlist Titles:

1. Vita Nostra by Marina & Sergey Dyachenko: This book was so brilliant and unexpected and unpredictable. It was truly unlike anything I've read and I really want to re-read sometime soon and immerse myself in this weird story that doesn't quite make sense, yet somehow still completely pulls me in. I highly recommend this book if you like things a little on the metaphysical side (even if you don't, it's completely worth it!). (Review)

2. Night Film by Marisha Pessl: I meant to read this when it first came out years and never did, so this year when I finally got around to it I was so frustrated with myself for not reading it before because I was enraptured by this incredible book. The mixed media components added so much and I loved the explorations of darkness and unpredictability of people. This seems to be a really polarizing book for a lot of people, but I fell for it--hard. (Review)

3. Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire: This book was written for me, I think. All of McGuire's Wayward Children books have been great, but this one easily takes the cake for me of the ones I've read. It follows Jack and Jill as they first enter their fairy tale land and it just had the most incredible atmosphere and a plot that I was so engrossed in. (Review)

4. Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing: When I picked up this book, I knew it would be interesting, but I had no idea how much I would actually love it. Ernest Shackleton is incredible (a fitting title!) and this true story of how his entire crew survived lost in the Antarctic for over a year is astounding. I now plan to read everything I can about Shackleton (including his own account of the wreck, which I didn't know existed until after reading this!) and this horrible yet inspiring story of survival. It's really something special and I would encourage anyone to read it.

5. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern: It took me a while, but I finally got around to reading The Night Circus as well. It was almost exactly what I expected in terms of prose and it was beautiful. I love the aesthetic of the circus itself and all of the little tidbits of magic that inhabit it. This book is about the characters, yes, but it's also equally (or more) about the circus and the magic as characters as well. 

Top 2019 Debuts:

1. The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep by H.G. Parry: This book came up on my radar out of nowhere from Orbit and as soon as I saw it I knew I wanted to read it. It was so fun while also being surprisingly deep and full of really interesting themes relating to life, literature, human nature,and so much more. It's incredibly imaginative and I couldn't put it down while I read it. (Review)

2. House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig: 'The perfect dark fairy tale retelling' is the most accurate description of this book that I can think of. I loved the characters, the atmospheric setting, the plot, the twists--truly, I loved everything. This book was a genuine joy to read and I can only hope that Craig continues to write books that grab me as much as this one did. (Review)

3. Nottingham by Nathan Makaryk: This has easily become one of my favorite Robin Hood-inspired tales and I'm so excited by the innovative qualities Makaryk brought to the story. It's a serious story while at the same time it somehow doesn't take itself too seriously and there is plenty of humor and sarcasm and wittiness that makes this not only an interesting book, but also a highly entertaining one. I had a fantastic time reading this and I really can't wait to see what's next. I believe there is a sequel coming out in 2020 and I will absolutely be checking it out! (Review)

4. The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling: This was one of my favorites because of how engrossing and unique it was. I'd never really read any fantasty/sci-fi books centered around a cave diver-especially one cave diving on a different planet. I loved exploring this underground world along with the protagonist while also learning about the safety, steps, and courage needed to undertake this job. There were so many twists and turns in this book and I genuinely enjoyed every second of it. (Review)

Have you read any of these books? What were some of your favorite backlist titles you read this year and/or debuts!?

Best Books I Read in 2018 Pt. I: Ft. 2018 Non-Fantasy Releases & Backlist Titles

Happy New Year's, everyone!

I hope you all had a wonderful New Year's Eve, whether you partied the night away or were in bed by ten. I am not much a party animal myself, so I had a nice quiet night in--just the way I like it. And now that the year is officially (almost) over, I can finally start talking about my year in books! First up is part one of my favorite books. I know it might sound crazy to have multiple parts, but I read over a hundred books this year and so many of them were simply fantastic.

Since I tend to read more fantasy than any other genre, I decided to split up my best of lists into two parts: Part I: non-fantasy 2018 releases & backlist titles; Part II: 2018 fantasy releases (coming Thursday)! I just don't want these lists to be super long, really, but I want to fit them all in. I'll also be tacking on my End of Year Survey/Year in Books post later this week to showcase some fun stats about the books I read this read. Without further ado, let's jump into some of the best books I've read this year!

2018 Releases (non-fantasy):

For clarification: a few of these non-fantasy titles are more in the magical realism realm, but I'm including them here since they tend to pop up in non-fantasy categories elsewhere as well. 

The Rise and Fall of Dinosaurs by Steve Brusatte: Growing up, I went to an elementary and middle school that didn't really teach us anything about dinosaurs, and then by high school it just isn't a subject that's really taught. I've always been interested in dinosaurs, but my lack of dino knowledge has always been so embarrassingly small that I just refrained from looking into it. That all changed with this awesome book that I was so excited to read--and I loved! If you want a nice comprehensive look at the history of dinosaurs, from the beginning to the end, including all the different types of dinos, then you have to read this book. Brusatte is a fantastic narrator and makes this book endlessly fun and engaging to read and not at all dry.
Amazon | Book Depository

The Toymakers by Robert Dinsdale: If you've been on my blog before, then you've probably seen me gush about this book more than enough, but that's because it was so stunning that I knew it would be a favorite from the moment I finished it in early 2018. It's magical, heartbreaking, and all-around a truly wonderful story. There's a toy store, two brothers, the toymaker himself, a young girl seeking a job, and unexpected magical elements sprinkled throughout. REVIEW
Amazon | Book Depository

A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne: Simply put, Boyne is a genius. This is second book I've read by Boyne (the first being The Heart's Invisible Furies, which I loved and was a 2017 favorite book) and it did not disappoint in the slightest. This book is filled with unlikable characters that you can't look away from and a story centered on the inside of publishing life that's equally riveting. REVIEW
Amazon | Book Depository

I Love You Too Much by Alicia Drake: It feels like I read this book years ago, but apparently it was just in January 2018! This book broke my heart in the most devastating and perfect way possible. There is the most beautiful, precious boy in this book that I just wanted to give a hug and tell him everything will be okay. Seriously, this book broke me somehow. I don't even know what else to say.
Amazon | Book Depository

The Wisdom of Wolves by Jim & Jamie Dutcher: This book was everything I wanted it to be and more. Wolves are some of the most beautiful and fascinating animals to me. I grew up with my mom being a huge wolf lover and ambassador, which has in turn made me love and have the utmost respect for these animals. In the wildlife world, the Dutchers are the wolf couple to talk to. They essentially lived alongside wolves for a certain period of time to observe them (without interfering) and better understand how they communicate, how they survive, and how they work together as a family. Their experiences are documented in many places, but this book really showcases the traits that we both share with wolves and can learn from wolves. If there's one book on this list that I think is most important to read, it's this one without a doubt. REVIEW + INTERVIEW
Amazon | Book Depository

Killing Commendatore by Haruki Murakami: Before this book came out in English, I was hearing that it was one of Murakami's best. Then it finally came out in October and I started seeing tons of negative reviews for it, so I was nervous... and I ended up loving it anyway! I think it's one of Murakami's best and it's one that I'll definitely keep thinking about. People seem to complain that Murakami keeps writing the same mundane stories, but one, that's his style, and two, it's so much more than that! This book felt like it should be mundane, but for some reason I couldn't stop turning the pages.
Amazon | Book Depository

Backlist Titles:

In the Night Garden by Catherynne Valente: This is the most perfect collection of folktale-esque stories that I've read in the longest time. I didn't expect to get sucked into this story-within-a-story-within-a-story-within-a-story.... but I did! There's something truly remarkable about this book and it's one that I plan to revisit for many years to come. And I believe there's a second installment to this, so hopefully I'll pick that up this year sometime. REVIEW
Amazon | Book Depository

Queen of Hearts by Colleen Oakes: I love dark Alice in Wonderland-inspired stories and this book was no exception. I was actually surprised at just how dark and intriguing it was. This is technically a YA book I believe, and I was impressed with the character development and the story elements included, especially a particularly frightening prison..
Amazon | Book Depository

The Shadow of What Was Lost by James Islington: This was such an incredible start to a new fantasy series and I truly loved every minute of it. I hadn't felt this sucked into a new epic fantasy in a long time (especially one coming in at 600+ pages) and I highly recommend it to someone looking for something exciting and welcoming. It almost felt comforting in a way. I'm planning to start the sequel soon, and the third book comes out this year! (so no waiting!) REVIEW
Amazon | Book Depository

Kings of Paradise by Richard Nell: This grimdark fantasy blew me away. I had heard this one was good and was considering checking out sometime when the author sent me an email about reviewing it--of course I would! This was ridiculously good and I love finding self-published fantasy of this high caliber quality and detail. It's a bummer it got knocked out of the SPFBO contest early, but it seems it was just a case of the wrong person reading it, so it's still a winner in my book. REVIEW
Amazon | Book Depository

A Cavern of Black Ice by J.V. Jones: This was a hidden gem of dark fantasy that I didn't realize I was missing. This has a super cold, dark setting with insanely harsh conditions and equally harsh characters and lifestyles, but there are also characters that I grew to love and enjoy following. I really can't recommend this enough if you're looking for some incredibly epic dark fantasy. REVIEW
Amazon | Book Depository

The Wicker King by K.A. Ancrum: I don't read a lot of YA contemporary, but this one really caught my eye and I'm so glad it did because this was beautiful. It's dark, showcases great mental health rep and relationships, and is overall an incredibly worthwhile read. This book is also really neat because since it's about a young man's descent into madness, the pages start off white and slowly get darker and darker until you have black pages with white font. I love those added details, and I think that's a small part of what really set this book over the edge into absolute favorite for me.  REVIEW
Amazon | Book Depository

That's it for part one! Have you read any of these books? What were some of your favorite 2018 reads? I'll have my favorite 2018 fantasy releases up this Thursday!