We’re just past the half way point of 2019 and it’s brought some fantastic books along with it, so today we’re going to look at the books released in the first half of the year and create a list of what we consider to be the best books of 2019… so far!
We’ve trawled websites, Amazon reviews, our own review section, and journalistic reviews, we’ve listened to our fan base, and we’ve checked book sales to create our list and we hope it will offer you some reading recommendations of what we consider to be the best books of the first half of 2019.

Where the Crawdads Sing – Delia Owens
Although released in the Autumn of 2018, Where the Crawdads Sing has been the best selling book of 2019 so far, it’s also received positive reviews from our readers and has received many recommendations in our group. Amazon readers give it 4.8 stars and it’s a winner for us!

City of Girls – Elizabeth Gilbert
As part of my job, I spend a lot of time reading what other book bloggers are saying, and this historical fiction from the author of Eat, Pray, Love has been on almost every book list and recommendation all year! Set in New York during the 1940s, City of Girls has been given a 4.2 rating from Amazon users.

The Nickel Boys – Colson Whitehead
From the author of The Underground Railroad, The Nickel Boys has only been out a week and is already top of the bestseller list! The historical fiction set during the Civil Rights Era is the second novel from Colson Whitehead and already has a firm 4.8 rating on Amazon.

Spring – Ali Smith
Spring is the third book in the Seasonal Quartet by Ali Smith and was released in late April. The entire series has been incredibly successful, and has been especially well received with our regular reviewers. Spring hopes eternal and this novel deals with some of the most important issues of our time. Spring gets a firm 4.4 from Amazon readers.

Death is Hard Work – Khaled Khalifa
Death is Hard Work is a novel of Syria’s ongoing and catastrophic civil war and it’s been making waves with professional reviewers and journalists since its release in February. While it’s a hit with professional reviewers, it’s getting mixed reviews on Amazon but still comes in at 3.9 stars.

The Boy Who Followed His Father Into Auschwitz – Jeremy Dronfield
It seems no matter how many years pass, our taste for books set around the Holocaust never diminishes and every year there’s a new and important novel on the subject. This year, it’s The Boy Who Followed His Father Into Auschwitz, a firm favourite with Amazon readers who give it 4.6 stars.

Invisible Women – Caroline Criado Perez
Invisible Women is the nonfiction book that ALL of my feminist friends have been recommending this year. This fantastic book looks at how gender bias affects everything from space suits to seat belts, and it’s a favourite with readers too, garnering 4.8 stars on Amazon.

Daisy Jones and the Six – Taylor Jenkins Reid
Described as the audio book of the year by several sources, and loved by our reviewers, Daisy Jones and the Six is a gripping tale about the break up of an iconic 1970s rock group. Described as unputdownable and recommended in many places, this receives 4.3 stars from Amazon readers.

Real Queer America – Samantha Allen
Real Queer America is the story of LGBT people living in less liberal states, or so called Red States. It’s been called the LGBT book of the year by many sources and receives a strong 4.6 stars from Amazon readers.

Internment – Samira Ahmed
We’re finishing our list with Internment, written for young adults this fantastic novel imagines a dystopian near future America where Muslim Americans are forced into internment camps. It’s theme has never been so relevant as it is right now, and it’s received an encouraging 4.2 stars on Amazon.
So these are the books we consider to be the best books of the year so far. We hope you find something to read, and for our end of year list we’ll be turning it over to your votes for our book of the year 2019!
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