At the end of the year, I like to look back and identify the books that moved me the most during that year.

Orphan Monster Spy by Matt Killeen was the first book I reviewed this year, in January. It’s the only historical novel on this list because I don’t read much historical stuff anymore. But that didn’t keep me from really liking the book. It was also kind of funny—this was the first review I tweeted and atted (is that a word?) the author, who actually responded with a gif from Finding Nemo because I’d referred to the middle as being a little squishy.

A book I reviewed in July, Hold Still by Nina LaCour, stuck with me because of its emotional depth. The main character is basically destroyed when her best friend commits suicide. She has to find a way out of the darkness.

On a lighter note, I reread the Chi’s Sweet Home series by Konami Kanata this year, too. I was behind on my Goodreads challenge and needed to catch up—what’s better for that than some graphic novels? 🙂 But I seriously love this series. Anyone who loves cats as much as I do would also like it. Here’s my review from September.

The next book I reviewed, A Heart in a Body in a World by Deb Caletti, takes us right back to the darkness (I gravitate toward these kinds of books…). This one is interesting because of its structure. We know something really bad happened to the main character before the book opened, but we don’t know what. The author reveals the whole story bit by bit, all while focusing on the MC’s inspiring run across the country.

The last book I reviewed this year was Jennifer Mathieu’s Moxie, which I did just last week, and which was (happily) a bit lighter. It’s a nice feminist read that deals with some important things while managing to mostly stay upbeat. I liked it quite a bit.

That covers my favorite books from 2019. Can’t wait for all the books I’m going to read in 2020.