2019 was the year of me reading books that took me on emotional rollercoasters.
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas - Angie Thomas is the queen of modern YA.
A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne- I think a lot of us dream about becoming novelists. Well, John Boyne is here to crush on your dreams and scare you away from that in the most terrifying way. I’ve never hated and loved a book as much as this one. You’re going to want to claw your eyes out because the Protagonist in this is terrible, but also… this book is just SO well written.
The Diviners by Libbra Bray - Prohibition era fantasy that focuses on the “outsiders” of America. I used to think that books set in 20s would be boring, but honestly this is so vivid and the characters are full of personality and say “this is the cat’s meow” unironically.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid - I was pretty much crying by chapter 2 so uhh… you’re in for a wild ride.
The Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee - This series consists of Jade City and Jade War (released this year!!!). These books perfectly capture the essence of Legend of Korra all while infusing it with Gangs of New York and it’s BEAUTIFUL. Also, the author doesn’t care about your emotions and WILL make your favorite characters go through the absolute worst.
The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal - Speculative fiction set around the Cold War. What if a huge meteor wiped out most of the US and now we have a few years to find a new planet before we DIE? The Space Race is motivated by impending doom and it is AWESOME.
The Poppy War series by RF Kuang - This series consists of The Poppy War and The Dragon Republic. Grimdark fantasy novel that is heavily inspired by the Sino-Japanese war. Apparently, the main character is inspired by Azula from Avatar: The Last Airbender (wow! 2 books/series on this list that are fantasy novels that remind me of the world of Avatar - clearly, I have a type).
Red White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston - Buckle up friends, because this one is an adventure. Imagine an alternate timeline where the President of the United States is not Trump and where the First Son of the United States falls in love with the Prince of England.