While I did read some contemporary books, mostly towards the beginning of the year, 2019 was by far the year of the fantasy for me. It is also the year that I realized I’m aging out of YA.
A quick look back over my reads from 2019 shows that I read a disproportionate amount of adult fantasies compared to past years and that I’m reading fewer YA titles. Interestingly, I’ve also begun reading more MG books.
How about you? Have you noticed a pattern in your 2019 reads?
Following is a compilation of some of my favorite books that I read in 2019. Let me know in the comments if we share any favorites!
2019 Releases
Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee
Phenomenal worldbuilding with fox spirits, space adventures, and a gorgeous cover. Plus, family is central to the plot.
The Red Maze (5 Worlds #3) by Mark Siegel, Alexis Siegel, Xanthe Bouma, Matt Rockefeller, and Boya Sun
The 5 Worlds series keeps on getting better as The Red Maze raises the stakes and tensions. It continues building depth of character while portraying the complexities of human life through external antagonists and internal doubts.
Starsight (Skyward #2) by Brandon Sanderson
An action-packed sci-fi novel with a courageous female lead, Starsight continues to expand the world that began in Skyward and portrays issues relevant to today’s society, leading to a climactic ending. Plus, the Interludes feature Jorgen’s POV!
The Wicked King (The Folk of the Air #2) by Holly Black
Set in the twisted, dysfunctional world of fey, and told through sparse yet poetic words, The Wicked King brings out the best and the worst in beloved characters, pushing them closer and closer to a delightfully bad end that promises more dark goodness to come in the finale.
Wicked Fox (Gumiho #1) by Kat Cho
An urban fantasy that draws from Korean mythology, takes place in vibrant modern-day Seoul, and features family members that play an active role in the teens’ misadventures.
Best Series
Farseer Trilogy (Realm of the Elderlings #1-3) by Robin Hobb
The Farseer Trilogy is a character-driven series that features court intrigue, dangers within and without, and an unlikely assassin whose story culminates with an epic quest. This is now a household classic and a favorite series to recommend.
Tawny Man Trilogy (Realm of the Elderlings #7-9) by Robin Hobb
FitzChivalry’s story gets better and better. This sequel series was like returning to an old friend and is a must-read for fans of the Farseer Trilogy. It can be read without the Liveship Traders Trilogy (Realm of the Elderlings #4-6).
Works in Translation
A Hero Born (Legends of the Condor Heroes #1) by Jin Yong
A Chinese martial arts fantasy epic from one of the most widely read Chinese writers, A Hero Bornexplores the many reasons why an individual chooses to fight, the importance of acting with honor, and the complex family ties that bind us.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Fullmetal Edition #1-3
Alchemy, two brothers on a quest, in a post-industrial European-inspired setting. Fullmetal Alchemist raises philosophical questions about the meaning and worth of a human life.
Sailor Moon Eternal Edition 2
Beautiful illustrations, a love that crosses space and time, and girl friends that both encourage and chastise as needed. Most importantly, Sailor Moon is about a normal girl who desires a normal life but who steps up to fight for justice when called upon.
Backlist Fantasy Titles
Animorphs #1-17 by K.A. Applegate
Aliens are secretly trying to take over the world, and the only ones who can stop them are five tweens without a mentor figure. The series has its humorous moments, and its dark moments as the tweens suffer the consequences of their actions, but there is always hope that they will prevail. Some of my favorites from the books I read this year are #1, #3, #5, and #13.
Shadow of the Fox (Shadow of the Fox #1) by Julie Kagawa
Set in a world reminiscent of feudal Japan, a half-kitsune, half-human girl must use her magic and her wiles to protect an ancient scroll. Fans of anime in the vein of Inuyasha and Rurouni Kenshin will enjoy.
The Eye of the World (The Wheel of Time #1) by Robert Jordan
A traditional epic fantasy coming-of-age story with multiple POVs, magic and danger, and the classic fight between good and evil. The Eye of the World resolves the initial conflict satisfactorily while introducing the greater quest and opening the way for more adventures to come.
The Way of Kings (Stormlight Archive #1) by Brandon Sanderson
An enthralling start to a new epic. The world is as believable and broken as the characters that populate it, and it raises relevant questions about why we’re here and how we can continue to move forward in adverse conditions. Plus, the magic system is beautiful and lends to epic fight scenes.
Writing Books
On Writing by Stephen King
Part memoir, part writing guide, On Writing is an entertaining, enlightening memoir from one of the most prolific writers in contemporary times.
Sometimes the Magic Works by Terry Brooks
Beautiful in its simplicity and craft, Sometimes the Magic Works is a memoir of the ups and downs of the author’s career. In the process, he encourages writers and provides some advice, though it’s not the focus of the book. Perfect for fans of Terry Brooks and readers who enjoy author memoirs.
Let’s Discuss
What are some of your favorite books from 2019? Do we have any titles in common? Have you noticed a pattern in the books that you read?
theorangutanlibrarian says
Wicked king was a lot of fun!! So excited for starsight and I want to check out wicked fox as well. And I hadn’t heard of a hero born before, but now I’m reall curious. I loved shadow of the fox as well and want to read way of kings 😀 Brilliant list!
Crystal (Kester) says
The wicked King is a fantastic book. I hope you enjoy the books on your TBR list! I loved them all. (They are, after all, on my Best of 2019 list!)
Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction says
How interesting that you read both older (adult) and younger (middle grade) books last year. It can be really interesting to see those types of patterns.
Crystal (Kester) says
Yes, it’s interesting to track what I read—and what others are reading.
Dani @ Perspective of a Writer says
We definitely agree about Korean based stories! I enjoyed Dragon Pearland Wicked Fox last year. I’m kicking myself for skipping A Hero’s Born after your review. It’s one I’m going to pick up this year if I ever get out of ARC hell. Haha.
Crystal says
Dragon Pearl and Wicked Fox are fantastic. I hope that you enjoy A Hero’s Born!
I’m also behind on ARCs. It feels like the never-ending journey.
Marie @ Drizzle & Hurricane Books says
Ahh I’m happy to see Wicked Fox here,I really liked that one! It’s funny to see how our reading habits change over the years. I used to read a lot of fantasy when I was younger and now I mostly read and adore contemporaries ahah 🙂
Crystal says
Wicked Fox is fantastic. It really is funny to see how our reading habits change over the years (and, in some ways, don’t change). In elementary school and middle school, I went through fantasy reading phases as well. In between, I read other genres, from historical fiction to the classics to contemporaries. Early college was when I was reading most broadly across the genres, though mostly for a YA audience.
Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight says
I find myself reading more adult titles too. Still plenty of YA, but definitely much more adult. I also think I am reading less fantasy, which I think I need to do a blog post about hah. Glad you found all of these great books this year! I haven’t read any of them, but I am glad you enjoyed them!
Crystal says
It’s interesting how our reading habits change over time. I’d be interested in reading a post about your experiences!
Aleen @ Lampshade Reader says
I’ve actually started reading more YA, but last year it was mainly mysteries/suspense.
Do you know the difference between the Eternal version of the Sailor Moon Manga’s versus the originals?
Crystal says
The Eternal Edition is larger, the paper quality is better, and it has colored illustrations inside. I’ve heard the translations are more true to the original Japanese; they provide explanations for some of their translation choices in the back.