41-52 Books of 2019

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

And since I thought that it would be rather silly to do one of these books for two books, I thought I would extend it to when I completed my Goodreads Reading Challenge!

Here are the last books that I've read in 2019!

41. Anne of Green Gables, by L.M. Montgomery

Having loved the first season on Anne With an E, I was intrigued as for what inspired such a unique, well-written tv show. Anne of Green Gables is about a young girl, who is eager to be adopted and is on her way to Green Gables, unaware of the fact that the Cuthberts desire a boy. From that point onwards, we read about how she grows, with the Cuthberts (not without the occasional kerfuffle) and take us on a journey in the wonderful green gables.

42. Faceless, by Alyssa B. Sheinmel

This was a hard book to get into, because it throws you into the story straight away, without warning. This is the story of a girl whose face is burned off in a terrible fire. Due to the severity of the burns, she has to have another person's face crafted onto her own. What makes this book stand out is the character development, watching this girl come to terms with what has happened to her and learning to look forward to the future. I highly recommend if you're looking for a hard-hitting contemporary with some important themes.  

43. The Girl in Red, by Christina Henry

I actually picked this book up on a whim. It was the book that I picked up in London, as my book for marking a place. It looked interesting, especially as I hadn't read a little red riding book in a couple of years. And I have to say, I loved it. It wasn't what I was expecting, but I think it was something that I needed to read, versus what I thought I was going to be reading. I'm hoping I'll get to some of Christina Henry's other works in 2020.

44. Eliza and Her Monsters, by Francesca Zappia

I was aware of the hype for this book long before I picked it up myself. But when I eventually did, I was (bigger shocker) pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this novel. This was so well-written, I fell straight into the story. It was exactly what I needed when I picked it up. A protagonist that I could relate to immensely, in a story that's all about fanfiction. I might even say that I enjoyed it more than Famgirl (maybe.)  

45. A Sorrow Fierce and Falling (Kingdom on Fire #3), by Jessica Cluess

I've been reading this series for near enough two years now, and I finally got to the third and final book in the Kingdom on Fire trilogy. A Poison Dark and Drowning was one of my TBR Jar Challenges for the year and I thought I may as well find out how it all wraps up by picking this one up. All in all I'm satisfied with the ending, and I'm pleased to report that it didn't end just like every other YA fantasy trilogy, so if your a fan of Jane Austen, politics and Fantasy, then I recommend picking up the Kingdom on Fire trilogy.

46. Pumpkin Heads, by Rainbow Rowell & Faith Erin Hicks

I had my eye on this for a while before I bought it. I bought it because I was eager to read another graphic novel after loving Heartstopper. Vol 2 so much, and this one fit the bill just right. It also happened to be Halloween. But, to nobody's surprise, I flew through this in one day, and I absolutely loved the illustrations. To sum Pumpkin Heads up, it was a very fun and fast-paced book that anybody could fly through. I can't wait to read more of these in 2020!

47. Four: A Divergent Collection (Divergent 0.1-0.4), by Veronica Roth

I got this book in the summer from my friend, and it was just sitting on my shelf collection dust. Aside from that, it's the spin-off novel to the Divergent trilogy, which I had been considering picking up anyway. Four consists of five short stories, written from the point of Four. It starts when he is an initiate, and also contains chapters two years later, when Tris joins Dauntless. It's a decent story, where you can see what happened to get to where the Divergent trilogy starts, and it's also interesting to read from a different POV.

48. With the Fire on High, by Elizabeth Acevedo

Another book that I had my eye on for a while before purchasing. The protagonist, high-schooler Emoni Santiago, is a single mother, who lived with her grandmother, and also works on the weekend. But none of that matters when she turns the stove on. When she starts to cook, magic flows. But when she starts a cooking class that is due to take a trip to Spain the following year, is it right to keep dreaming when she knows she'll never be able to afford the trip? This is such a realistic read, one that teaches you to dream, regardless of the boundaries because, the only thing stopping you of achieving your dream is you.

49. Girls of Storm and Shadow (Girls of Paper and Fire #2), by Natasha Ngan

I very much enjoyed the second book in the Girls of Paper and Fire series. After an explosive conclusion to the first book, the second consists of Lei and Wren fleeing the castle to find allies in order to overthrow the kingdom. With some characters from the 1st book, and some new ones that you get to meet, they explore the kingdom, giving you a chance to find out more about the different people and places in the country. Although it took me a while to get through it, I am still invested in the story and am eagerly anticipating book 3.  

50. Warcross (Warcross #1), by Marie Lu

51. Wildcard (Warcross #2), by Marie Lu

Having not read Warcross since 2016 (check review in title), I decided to re-read the first book to re-emerge myself in the world and the story, so I could fully understand the events of Wildcard. Although the two books go in two completely different directions, you still get an inkling as for how dark Wildcard becomes. I wish there had been more clues for what Hideo had planned, but then I greatly enjoyed the surprise the first time around. All in all, some of the loose ends were tied up, and I was quite satisfied in how they were. If I have to say which was my favourite, I would probably say Wildcard, because of the surprising direction it took.

52. Finale (Caraval #3), by Stephanie Garber

This is the third and final book in the Caraval trilogy and honestly, it was my favourite out of all three. The characters have formed so many new relationships over the last two books that a new web of plots have formed. I wish I had got to this sooner but the thing that stopped me reaching for Finale was because Legendary was so underwhelming for me. (Unpopular opinion, I know.) But although the second book felt more like a filler, a way of setting the foundation for an unforgettable finale, the third and final book had me on tenterhooks, constantly wondering which way the fates were going to turn, and what ending the Dragna sister were going to get. Highly recommend for magical realism readers.  

Okay! And that were the books I've read recently! I hope you enjoyed it, as well as the other ____ books of 2019 that I've posted this year.

I hope you have a wonderful day and I'll see you all soon!

(Don't hesitate to comment on any of the books mentioned in this post, if you despise them, loved them, have just started one, or just finished!)

Byeeeee!

-Abi xxxx