Page by Paige: Favorite 2019 books

Are you thinking about moving to London, performing in a famous rock band or visiting family in Maine? If your answer is “Yes!” to any of the above, you’ve traveled into one of my favorite 2019 books.

Every December, I review all of the books I’ve read; remembering my favorite characters, settings and sentences. These reads make great presents or are great for your own bookshelf.

This year was an exceptional year for new books by my favorite authors, including “All This Could Be Yours,” by Jami Attenberg; “The Nickel Boys,” by Colson Whitehead; “City of Girls,” by Elizabeth Gilbert; “Nothing to See Here,” by Kevin Wilson; “The Testaments,” by Margaret Atwood; “The Giver of Stars,” by JoJo Moyes; “Daisy Jones & The Six,” by Taylor Jenkins Reid; and “The Dutch House,” by Ann Patchett.

I love when favorite characters return! In “Olive, Again,” by Elizabeth Strout, readers return to familiar and “ordinary people” in Maine, including Olive Kitteridge! (Did you ever think she would be back?)

I’ve read over 100 books this year and I’m still talking about “The Dutch House.” Patchett’s new book is filled with beautiful sentences, characters you’ll both love and hate, and a house and family that will stay in your memory.

A selection of new favorite authors: “Such a Fun Age,” by Kiley Reid; “Searching for Sylvie Lee,” by Jean Kwok; “Learning to See,” by Elise Hooper; “Black Light: Stories,” by Kimberly King Parsons; and “The Night Swimmers,” by Peter Rock.

When recommending books, I tend to list my favorite novels first, then share new books in genres for the avid thriller or mystery reader like “The Perfect Wife,” by JP Delaney; “Run Away,” by Harlan Coben; or “The Better Sister,” by Alafair Burke. Biographies are the perfect gift. Memoirs that I couldn’t put down included “Life Undercover: Coming of Age in the CIA,” by Amaryllis Fox; and “Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love,” by Dani Shapiro.

My quick-pick gifts and cozy winter reads include “We Met in December,” by Rosie Curtis — “Two people. One house. A year that changes everything”; and “Christmas Shopaholic,” by Sophie Kinsella — “A shopaholic adventure filled with holiday cheer and unexpected gifts.”

Discover a new genre and treat yourself or a friend to a new adventure this holiday season. Ask your local librarian or explore the DPL catalog book lists online for more 2019 favorites.