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Best Books of 2019: Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

Another year, another list of books. I tried to narrow down my list to a reasonable number and settled on fifteen. My original list had 60! It was a good year for books. The books are sort of in order of preference, as of today. Ask me tomorrow, and the order will change. I tried to include a variety of genres, especially those who don’t usually get the love on these best of lists, like romance. Also included are thrillers, literary fiction, books bound for book club love, and even a holiday romance.

THIS TENDER LAND by William Kent Kruger: The writing is simply superb. The characters are unforgettable, and the setting is rich and evocative.  I have seen this book described as an updated Huckleberry Finn, and that is an apt comparison, as is its comparison to Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath and Homer’s Odyssey. These are some heady correlations, and Kruger’s book easily stands up to them. There are some major themes at play here, starting with the grand adventure on the river. This is an epic odyssey, often chaotic, and at times, spiritual. But other themes are also important, like the deplorable mistreatment of Native Americans in this country, and much of the history revealed here was completely new to me. Book clubs will love it; there is a deep, rich reservoir worthy of discussion. 

ALL THIS COULD BE YOURS by Jami Attenberg: Victor was a criminal in his business life, and a tyrant in his personal life, and is at the end of his life; the novel unfolds on the day he has his fatal heart attack.  Attenberg is a master of subtlety as she divulges everyone’s thoughts, including the one-off characters like the clerk at a CVS and the coroner. The unusual twist here is that the reader learns all their stories, while the characters do not. Contemporary family sagas don’t get much better than this.

BROMANCE BOOK CLUB by Lyssa Kay Adams: This was the most brilliant and original idea for a romance novel that I have seen in a very long time. The premise of men reading romance novels to learn about women was positively inspired, and made me think all men should be forced to read them! This is a clever, heartwarming, fun and sexy read.

RED, WHITE & ROYAL BLUE BY Casey McQuiston: To pigeonhole this book is to do it a great disservice. Yes, it is a gay romance. It is also very political, but in a sweet, fantasy sort of way that really appealed to me. Alex and Henry’s story made me laugh and made me cry and especially made me wish for a better America. And if that surprises you, you must be new here. It’s fantastical and idealistic and I loved it.

FLEISHMAN IS IN TROUBLE by Taffy Brodesser-Akner: Toby Fleishman is a recently divorced 40-something doctor in Manhattan, AKA catnip to women, and they are not shy about letting him know. Toby is like a kid in a candy store. This new world order is working for him. Until his ex goes missing, and the party feels like it’s over. A lot of the stuff that happens is laugh out loud funny, and other parts are infuriating and sometimes sad, but all in all, this is a book that begs to be discussed. A first novel with complex characters and a lot of emotion, and I loved the writing.

THE OYSTERVILLE SEWING CIRCLE by Susan Wiggs: This is a book of the #MeToo movement, set in the fashion industry, which for some reason, has been exempt from this. At least I haven’t seen any earth-shattering stories, but as in any industry where mostly men are in power, one can’t help but wonder…This was a very good read, filled with the empathy and power that words can bring to such a dark subject. Book groups will find lots to discuss here.

THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF SAM HELL by Robert Dugoni: Our main character is Sam Hill, AKA Sam Hell, who is born with ocular albinism, which means that the irises of his eyes are red instead of the usual brown, blue, hazel, etc. and hence the nickname. We meet him as an infant, and get to watch him grow up, survive being bullied, and eventually become the man he was meant to be. The writing is really good, almost ethereal in parts, which seems fitting for a book steeped in Catholicism. This was my favorite line: “There comes a day in every man’s life when he stops looking forward and starts looking back.” Something to think about for sure. An excellent read, perfect for book discussion, and I’m just sorry I didn’t get to it sooner.

THINGS YOU SAVE IN A FIRE by Katherine Center: Center turns the whole hot firemen romance genre on its head with Cassie, her feisty, smart woman firefighter. When her estranged mother asks her to move to Boston to take care of her for a little while, The small fire station she joins is Boston Irish, over a hundred years old, and has never had a woman working there, so not easy. But fun, so much fun! There are lots of starred reviews for this and tons of praise, all of it well deserved. It isn’t often that a book lives up to its hype for me, but this one did. I loved it.

DAISY JONES & THE SIX by Taylor Jenkins Reid: This was a fun and nostalgic read for me. The format of the book, for lack of a better word, is interview style of a 70’s rock band. An oral history of sorts. Each character is quoted in response to questions, but we don’t know who is asking the questions or why until the end. So it reads in basically multiple first-person, an interesting technique. It’s also a fast read, especially as I got deeper and deeper into it. It is a very compelling story written in a unique way.

A COWBOY UNDER THE MISTLETOE by Jessica Clare: This romance ticked a lot of boxes that I really like; damaged characters, small town, cowboys, and Christmas. This was a warm, holiday read filled with love and grace and hope. A wonderful holiday romance!

GET A LIFE, CHLOE BROWN by Talia Hibbert: This is a British import and a wonderful read. The push for diversity in romance has been strong, and we, the readers, are reaping the benefits. I loved these characters. I was completely immersed in their world, and could not put down this book.

ELLIE AND THE HARP MAKER by Hazel Prior: I am loving this trend of romances with a main protagonist “on the spectrum,” as they say, and even though it is never explicitly stated, it doesn’t have to be. Dan builds beautiful and unique Celtic harps in his barn and lives upstairs. When Ellie stumbles onto his shop in the woods, he gifts her with a harp. Her husband is not happy about it, to say the least. This is a charming story, full of pathos and drama and love. I loved the Britishness of this story and especially the uniqueness of these English characters. The difference in our cultures is apparent here, and I loved that.

MY LOVELY WIFE by Samantha Downing: This was a dark but super fun read. The couple in this book are serial killers, yes a married couple, and they are killing for the fun of it. Super creepy. That is a hard thing to get around yet somehow Downing convinces us to root for them. It’s like magic. Or talent. Or both. There are some excellent twists in the story for sure, and the ending was a real surprise for me. It was truly unputdownable and I loved it!

THE WEIGHT OF A PIANO by Chris Cander: This book opens with the construction of a Blüthner piano, a fascinating tale about a brand of piano I had not heard of, that is supposedly in the same class as a Steinway. The story then moves back and forth in time, following the piano through two storylines. Cander makes it possible to grow attached to an inanimate object, for her characters and the reader. This is an excellent read sure to be beloved by book groups as there is much to discuss here, from the immigration of Russian Jews to the relationships that are so well depicted.

JUDGMENT by Joseph Finder: Wow! This is Finder’s best book so far, and that is saying a lot. I loved this character, Juliana is a working mom with all that goes along with that, has what seems like a pretty good marriage, at least from the outside, and a job that she loves. But there are definitely cracks in the marriage and her little infidelity brings such enormous consequences that the marriage is the least of it. The story is compelling, the characters seem like people I could know. This was a nonstop read for me, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.

Best Books of 2019: Paul Lane

Task Force Baum by James Shipman: A war story but not your average blood bath. The story is a true one based on a little known battle fought between American and German forces in the last few weeks of WWII. General George Patton orders an attack to free prisoners held in a POW camp. He does so for personal reasons with no military basis. The why is fascinating.

The Almanack by Martine Bailey: A novel that does a magnificent job bringing the reader into the past. Besides an interesting plot and well-told story, a picture is painted of London in the bygone time of the 1750s- dirty and disease-ridden. The title brings out a custom prevalent in those days of utilizing Almanacs to both write in and to follow forecasts made by them. Well written and fascinating as an era comes to life.

Beyond the Moon by Catherine Taylor: Listed as the first novel published by Taylor it certainly marks a comer. The plot involves the science fiction concept of time transference when a young lady is moved back in time to a period 100 years ago. She meets a soldier wounded in what was World War One and the two fall in love. The book is much more than the transference but also a wonderful love story.

The Russian by Ben Coes: Coes, who has given us many high adventure novels featuring Dewey Martin, has created a new protagonist in Rob Tacoma. He also moves the stages of operation from Islamic Terrorism to the Russian Mafia. Like action – Ben Coes is your man. We all need the all nighter to stimulate the imagination by meeting a hero.

The Bells of Hell by Michael Kurland: I obviously like action novels and continue with this description of a spy story set in New York City just prior to the U.S. entering WWII. The story involves a group of Nazis working to move the US into entering the war on the side of Germany and Japan. What is done to counteract this is laid to the prompt actions of several individuals.

Just Watch Me by Jeff Lindsay: The author made his literary reputation with the creation of Dexter, a serial killer who only killed serial killers. In this novel, he introduces a thief. Riley Wolfe features the same treatment as Dexter. He is a thief, and a master one at that, but first and foremost a picaresque rogue. In this, his first foray, Riley comes up with the challenge of stealing a diamond owned by Iran. One worth a fortune, and guarded by the Iranian government as well as it could be. The same novel provides the introduction of a policeman who is making his life’s work to catch and capture Riley. It should be another successful series by Jeff Lindsay.

Nothing Ventured by Jeffery Archer: And another very fine book by a noted author introducing a new character. William Warwick is the son of a very successful Defense Attorney with a thriving practice in London. His father would like nothing better than to have William finish university and enter his practice. No such luck. William in spite of all his family against the idea decides that he would rather be a detective and has wanted to do that since he was eight years of age. And of course, he does join Scotland Yard and does make it to detective. No problem looking for more William Warwick adventures in crime-fighting.

Best Books of 2019: Caitlin Brisson

Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes: I was charmed by Holmes’ debut and the relationship between Evvie, a recent widow who isn’t grieving quite as much as everyone thinks, and Dean, a baseball player struggling with a case of the yips.  A thoughtful, sweet, and funny read.

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston: Red, White & Royal Blue is the standard that I have held all other romances I read in 2019 to.  After a potentially diplomatically damaging altercation Alex Claremont, the first son of the United States, must feign a friendship with his rival Prince Henry of England.  A rare book that made me both laugh and cry, Alex and Henry are two characters I will not forget any time soon.

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren: After most of her sister’s wedding party is incapacitated by food poisoning, Olive takes her twin sister’s place on a luxury Hawaiian honeymoon.  The only catch is she must share her vacation with Ethan, the best man and Olive’s archnemesis. A fun romantic comedy and perfect vacation read.

Regretting You by Colleen Hoover: Colleen Hoover is consistently one of my favorite authors and her 2019 novel Regretting You is no exception.  Hoover is known for her romances.  And while Regretting You has two well developed love stories, it is also a bittersweet story of a mother and daughter struggling to recover from a devastating loss.

The Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller: A perfect combination of well-drawn romance, Gilded Age history and the supernatural.  Both romance and paranormal readers will enjoy this ghost story.

The Wallflower Wager by Tessa Dare: Tessa Dare is one of my favorite writers of historical romance and the Wallflower Wager is another excellent entry in the Girl Meets Duke series.  Features Dare’s trademarks of sharp dialogue, humor, and a strong female heroine.

The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams: Professional baseball player Gavin Scott tries to save his marriage by seeking help from a secret romance book club comprised entirely of men.  A fun ode to the romance genre.

The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary: The Flatshare has one of the most unique premises of any romance novel I’ve read.  Tiffy and Leon share a flat, they even share a bed, but they have never met.  An original plot and likeable characters made this book one of my favorites for 2019.

The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves: Alternating between 1991 and 2001, when Annika is unexpectedly reunited with her college boyfriend Jonathan, The Girl He Used to Know is a poignant and bittersweet second chance romance. As this book features a main character on the autism spectrum it will be of interest to fans of the Kiss Quotient and The Bride Test.

Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey: Annie Cassidy searches for the perfect meet cute, and her Tom Hanks, in this delightful love letter to the romantic comedy genre.  Waiting for Tom Hanks is like the book version of a Nora Ephron film.