I am an avid bookworm, so I know the feeling of walking through a bookstore, looking at all the available knowledge and stories and feeling overwhelmed at having to pick one or two books out of so many! Therefore, I decided to compile this list of the top 5 books I’ve read in 2019 (so far), making this process a little less chaotic for you by giving you some ideas and inspiration on what you may be looking for the next time you walk into Barnes & Noble.
- The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet
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Rating: 5/5 stars
This book is an absolute masterpiece. It’s set in the Middle Ages, and personally, my favorite genre is historical fiction. Even though there’s not much action going on, somehow the author manages for there not to be a dull moment in the entire story. It’s about the building of a cathedral in a fictitious place in England, called Kingbridge.
Pros: amazing writing, you will learn a lot of new things about history, entertaining
Cons: it’s almost 1000 pages long, so if you’re not an avid reader or just want something light and quick, this might not be for you
- The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
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Rating: 5/5 stars
This book is a classic and even won a Pulitzer price in 1921. I am generally not a great fan of romance, but the love story in this book absolutely moved my heart and made me love it. In addition to that, it is a great critique of society in the early 20th century.
Pros: writing is amazing, characters are very entertaining, romantic but not sappy
Cons: slow-paced
- Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
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Rating: 4/5 stars
Can you tell I like classics? Well, I honestly wasn’t inclined to get this one, but I’m currently taking a Creative Writing class where I had to read it and I actually really enjoyed it. In case you don’t know the already famous story, it’s about Victor Frankenstein and how he attempts to create a human through science, and things go awfully wrong. This is the earliest in the history of science fiction too, so if you’re a fan of the genre, then I’d recommend giving it a go.
Pros: short, entertaining
Cons: the language used is obviously old, therefore might need more focusing to understand fully
- Reason by Isaac Asimov
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Rating: 4/5 stars
This is another story I ended up reading for my creative writing class. It’s a short story, but still, it’s very entertaining and thought-provoking. It’s about a robot who develops a conscience and stops believing humans actually created him, believing himself superior to them for that. Another science fiction story that you’ll enjoy.
Pros: short so it’s good for a light read, entertaining and fast-paced
Cons: if you’re not into robots, space, or things like that, maybe this one isn’t for you
- You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero
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Rating: 3/5 stars
Now, I’m generally not big on self-help books, but hear me out. Sincero makes this feel like you’re talking to a friend (more precisely, being called out by one) and this book is not full of sappy quotes, while still remaining positive and true. If you’re into manifestation (or are wondering what that is), this book also provides a more practical approach to it that honestly helped me a lot in that area.
Pros: a (nice) slap of positivity in the face, will motivate you to get your sh*t together, mostly easy to go through
Cons: starts getting repetitive towards the end
I really hope you enjoy some of these books! I tried to include a few different genres to cater to all different tastes, and also because it’s always good to diversify our reading lists. What are some of your favorite books?