This is a list of the books that I read in 2019, broken up into Middle Grade Books, Young Adult Books, and Adult Books. I do not log picture books, though I continue to read those aloud to my daughter from time to time. My total for the year was 28 middle grade, 7 young adult, and 88 adult titles, for a grand total of 123. This is my lowest number of books read in a while, but also the year with the largest proportion of adult titles, which tend to be longer.
Early Reader to Middle Grade Books
- Aimée Carter: Simon Thorn and the Shark's Cave. Bloomsbury USA Children's Books. Middle Grade Speculative Fiction. Completed January 18, 2019, print library copy.
- Megan Frazer Blakemore: The Story Web. Bloomsbury USA Kids. Middle Grade Speculative Fiction. Completed January 19, 2019, print ARC.
- Andrew Clements: The Friendship War. Random House Books for Young Readers. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed January 19, 2019, print review copy.
- Krista Van Dolzer: The Multiplying Mysteries of Mount Ten. Bloomsbury USA Children's Books. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed January 19, 2019, print ARC.
- Cynthia Lord: Because of the Rabbit. Scholastic Press. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed January 19, 2019, print review copy.
- Zilpha Keatley Snyder: The Velvet Room. Yearling. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed January 24, 2019, personal print copy.
- Dan Wells: Zero G. Audible Studios. Middle Grade Speculative Fiction. Completed January 24, 2019, on MP3.
- John Bellairs: The House with a Clock in its Walls. Puffin Books. Middle Grade Speculative Fiction. Completed January 29, 2019, on MP3.
- Dana Alison Levy: It Wasn't Me. Delacorte Books for Young Readers. Middle Grade/Middle School Fiction. Completed February 10, 2019, print review copy. This books is basically a remake of the Breakfast Club, but with a mystery (who defaced the photos taken by Theo?). It's a little contrived as a result, but very well executed. I flagged a variety of passages, and laughed out loud many times, too. One of the characters is Jax Fletcher from Levy's books about the Family Fletcher, a nice continuity.
- Jeff Kinney: The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary: How Greg Heffley Went Hollywood. Harry N. Abrams Books. Middle Grade Nonfiction. Completed February 16, 2019, read aloud to my daughter.
- Jeff Kinney: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Getaway. Harry N. Abrams Books. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed March 8, 2019, read aloud to my daughter.
- Jeff Kinney: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth. Harry N. Abrams Books. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed March 22, 2019, read aloud to my daughter.
- Jeff Kinney: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul. Harry N. Abrams Books. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed March 27, 2019, read aloud to my daughter.
- Jeff Kinney: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Old School. Harry N. Abrams Books. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed April 4, 2019, read aloud to my daughter.
- Rachel Renee Russell: Dork Diaries 13: Tales from a Not-So-Happy Birthday. Aladdin Books. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed May 7, 2019, read aloud to my daughter.
- Jeff Kinney: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever. Harry N. Abrams Books. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed May 14, 2019, read aloud to my daughter.
- Jeff Kinney: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck. Harry N. Abrams Books. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed May 20, 2019, read aloud to my daughter.
- Ransom Riggs: A Map of Days (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children. Dutton Books. Middle Grade Speculative Fiction. Completed July 9, 2019, on MP3.
- Robert Beatty: Serafina and the Seven Stars. Disney Hyperion. Middle Grade Fantasy. Completed August 8, 2019, print ARC. My review.
- Matthew Loux: The Time Museum. First Second Books. Middle Grade Graphic Novel. Completed September 20, 2019, personal copy.
- Matthew Loux: The Time Museum 2. First Second Books. Middle Grade Graphic Novel. Completed September 20, 2019, personal copy.
- Lincoln Peirce: Big Nate Flips Out. Harper Collins Children's Books. Middle Grade Hybrid Graphic/Text. Completed October 2, 2019, read aloud to my daughter.
- Lincoln Peirce: Big Nate in the Zone. Harper Collins Children's Books. Middle Grade Hybrid Graphic/Text. Completed October 3, 2019, read aloud to my daughter.
- Janet Tashjian: My Life As A Book. Square Fish. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed October 18, 2019, read aloud to my daughter.
- Janet Tashjian: My Life As A Stuntboy. Square Fish. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed October 29, 2019, read aloud to my daughter.
- J.J. and Chris Grabenstein: Shine!. Random House Children's Books. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed November 1, 2019, print review copy. My review.
- Janet Tashjian: My Life As A Cartoonist. Square Fish. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed November 14, 2019, read aloud to my daughter.
- Janet Tashjian: My Life As A Joke. Square Fish. Middle Grade Fiction. Completed December 13, 2019, read aloud to my daughter.
Young Adult Books
- Maureen Johnson: The Vanishing Stair (Truly Devious #2). Katherine Tegen Books. Young Adult Mystery. Completed February 18, 2019, on Kindle.
- Karen M. McManus: Two Can Keep a Secret. Delacorte Press. Young Adult Mystery. Completed March 16, 2019, on Kindle.
- Karen M. McManus: One of Us Is Lying. Delacorte Press. Young Adult Mystery. Completed March 23, 2019, on Kindle.
- Paul Griffin: Skyjacked. Scholastic. Young Adult Thriller. Completed April 27, 2019, print ARC.
- Paul Griffin: Adrift. Scholastic. Young Adult Thriller. Completed April 27, 2019, on Kindle.
- Scott Westerfeld: Shatter City (Imposters, Book 2). Scholastic. Young Adult Speculative Fiction. Completed September 21, 2019, on Kindle.
- Kristen Simmons: The Deceivers (Vale Hall, BOok 1). Tor Teen. Young Adult Mystery. Completed November 10, 2019, on Kindle.
Adult Books
- Janet Evanovich: Look Alive Twenty-Five. G.P. Putnam's Sons. Adult Mystery. Completed 1/3/19, on MP3.
- Dan Harris: 10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works--A True Story. Dey Street Books. Adult Nonfiction. Completed 1/9/19, on MP3.
- David DeSteno: Emotional Success: The Power of Gratitude, Compassion, and Pride. Eamon Dolan/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Adult Nonfiction. Completed January 11, 2019, on Kindle.
- Nataly Kogan: Happier Now: How to Stop Chasing Perfection and Embrace Everyday Moments (Even the Difficult Ones). Sounds True. Adult Nonfiction. Completed January 13, 2019, personal copy.
- Dana Stabenow: A Cold-Blooded Business (Kate Shugak, Book 4). Gere Donovan Press. Adult Mystery. Completed January 15, 2019, on MP3.
- Kelly Gallagher: Readicide: How Schools Are Killing Reading and What You Can Do About It. Stenhouse Publishers. Adult Nonfiction. Completed January 17, 2019, on Kindle.
- Naomi Alderman: The Power. Back Bay Books. Adult Fiction. Completed January 18, 2019, personal print copy.
- William R. Forstchen: 48 Hours. Forge Books. Adult Speculative Fiction. Completed January 20, 2019, on Kindle.
- Charlaine Harris: Shakespeare's Landlord (Lily Bard, Book 1). Minotaur Books. Adult Mystery. Completed January 21, 2019, on MP3.
- Nancie Atwell and Anne Atwell Merkel: The Reading Zone, 2nd Edition: How to Help Kids Become Skilled, Passionate, Habitual, Critical Readers. Scholastic Professional. Adult Nonfiction. Completed January 25, 2019, on Kindle.
- W. Thomas Boyce, M.D.: The Orchid and the Dandelion. Knopf. Adult Nonfiction. Completed January 31, 2019, advance review copy. My review.
- Pernille Ripp: Passionate Readers. Routledge. Adult Nonfiction. Completed February 12, 2019, on Kindle.
- Lisa Damour: Under Pressure: Confronting the Epidemic of Stress and Anxiety in Girls. Ballantine Books. Adult Nonfiction. Completed February 20, 2019, on Kindle.
- Thomas Perry: The Burglar. Mysterious Press. Adult Mystery/Thriller. Completed February 27, 2019, on Kindle.
- Celeste Headlee: We Need to Talk: How to Have Conversations That Matter. Harper Wave. Adult Nonfiction. Completed March 1, 2019, on Kindle.
- C.J. Box: The Disappeared (Joe Pickett, No. 18). G.P. Putnam's Sons. Adult Mystery. Completed March 4, 2019, on MP3.
- Naomi Schaefer Riley: Be the Parent, Please: Stop Banning Seesaws and Start Banning Snapchat. Templeton Press. Adult Nonfiction. Completed March 10, 2019, on Kindle. There are known and suspected problems that stem from kids spending time on connected devices. There are no documented benefits. We are performing a big uncontrolled experiment on our kids by giving them so much access to devices. Any small benefit that they might get from time on a device pales in comparison to the benefits of other ways they could spend their time: playing outside, reading books, writing stories, and being with other people face to face.
- Chris Bailey: Hyperfocus: How to Be More Productive in a World of Distraction. Viking. Adult Nonfiction. Completed March 11, 2019, personal copy.
- Katie Hurley: No More Mean Girls: The Secret to Raising Strong, Confident, and Compassionate Girls. TarcherPerigeen. Adult Nonfiction. Completed March 15, 2019, personal copy.
- James Tucker: Next of Kin (Buddy Locke, No. 1). Thomas & Mercer. Adult Mystery/Thriller. Completed March 15, 2019, on Kindle.
- James Clear: Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones. Avery. Adult Nonfiction. Completed March 17, 2019, personbal copy.
- Carlene O'Connor: Murder in an Irish Pub. Kensington. Adult Mystery. Completed March 19, 2019, on MP3. I've enjoyed this Irish Village series, but this one crossed the bounds of implausibility a bit too brazenly for me (how is it that a rookie guarda officer is given such ridiculous free rein to investigate?). The characters are charming, but I think I'm done...
- Nicholas Kardaras: Glow Kids: How Screen Addiction Is Hijacking Our Kids - and How to Break the Trance. St. Martins Griffin. Adult Nonfiction. Completed March 24, 2019, on Kindle.
- C.J. Box: Wolf Pack (Joe Pickett, No. 19). G.P. Putnam's Sons. Adult Mystery. Completed March 29, 2019, on MP3.
- Cal Newport: Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World. Penguin Portfolio. Adult Nonfiction. Completed April 5, 2019, personal copy.
- William Kent Krueger: Vermilion Drift (Cork O'Connor, No. 10). Atria Books. Adult Mystery. Completed April 6, 2019, on MP3.
- Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson: Mistakes Were Made (but Not by Me): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts. Mariner Books. Adult Nonfiction. Completed April 9, 2019, on MP3.
- Jacqueline Winspear: The American Agent: A Maisie Dobbs Novel. Harper. Adult Mystery. Completed April 11, 2019, on Kindle.
- Susan Pinker: The Village Effect: How Face-to-Face Contact Can Make Us Healthier and Happier. Vintage Press. Adult Nonfiction. Completed April 26, 2019, on Kindle.
- William Kent Krueger: Northwest Angle (Cork O'Connor, No. 11). Atria Books. Adult Mystery. Completed April 28, 2019, on MP3.
- Jessica Barry: Freefall. Harper. Adult Thriller. Completed April 28, 2019, on Kindle.
- Meghan Cox Gurdon: The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction . Harper. Adult Nonfiction. Completed May 2, 2019, personal copy.
- William Kent Krueger: Trickster's Point (Cork O'Connor, No. 12). Atria Books. Adult Mystery. Completed May 7, 2019, on MP3.
- Kayleen Schaefer: Text Me When You Get Home: The Evolution and Triumph of Modern Female Friendship. Dutton. Adult Nonfiction. Completed May 8, 2019, personal copy. A gift.
- Paula Munier: A Borrowing of Bones (Mercy and Elvis, Book 1). Minotaur Books. Adult Mystery. Completed May 10, 2019, on Kindle.
- Victoria Thompson: Murder on Trinity Place (Gaslight Mystery). Berkley Press. Adult Mystery. Completed May 15, 2019, on MP3.
- Thomas M. Nichols: The Death of Expertise: The Campaign against Established Knowledge and Why it Matters. Oxford University Press. Adult Nonfiction. Completed May 17, 2019, on Kindle.
- William Kent Krueger: Tamarack County (Cork O'Connor, No. 13). Atria Books. Adult Mystery. Completed May 21, 2019, on MP3.
- Gytha Lodge: She Lies in Wait. Random House. Adult Mystery. Completed May 21, 2019, on Kindle.
- Daniel H. Pink: When: The Science of Perfect Timing. Riverhead Books. Adult Nonfiction. Completed May 23, 2019, on Kindle.
- Elly Griffiths: The Stranger Diaries. HMH Books. Adult Mystery. Completed May 24, 2019, on Kindle.
- Dana Reinhardt: Tomorrow There Will Be Sun. Pamela Dorman Books. Adult Fiction. Completed May 25, 2019, on Kindle.
- Frank Bruni: Where You Go Is Not Who You'll Be. Grand Central Publishing. Adult Nonfiction. Completed May 26, 2019, personal print copy.
- James Tucker: The Holdouts (Buddy Locke, No. 2). Thomas & Mercer. Adult Mystery/Thriller. Completed May 29, 2019, on Kindle.
- William Kent Krueger: Windigo Island (Cork O'Connor, No. 14). Atria Books. Adult Mystery. Completed June 4, 2019, on MP3.
- Jim Geraghty: Between Two Scorpions. Discus Books. Adult Thriller. Completed June 29, 2019, on Kindle.
- Todd Borg: Tahoe Deathfall (Owen McKenna, No. 1). Thriller Press. Adult Mystery. Completed June 30, 2019, on Kindle.
- Jason Brennan and Phillip Magness: Cracks in the Ivory Tower: The Moral Mess of Higher Education. Oxford University Press. Adult Nonfiction. Completed July 5, 2019, on Kindle.
- Todd Borg: Tahoe Blowup (Owen McKenna, No. 2). Thriller Press. Adult Mystery. Completed July 7, 2019, on Kindle.
- Todd Borg: Tahoe Ice Grave (Owen McKenna, No. 3). Thriller Press. Adult Mystery. Completed July 12, 2019, on Kindle.
- Bruce Holsinger: The Gifted School. Riverhead Books. Adult Fiction. Completed July 15, 2019, on Kindle.
- Todd Borg: Tahoe Killshot (Owen McKenna, No. 4). Thriller Press. Adult Mystery. Completed July 21, 2019, on Kindle.
- Todd Borg: Tahoe Silence (Owen McKenna, No. 5). Thriller Press. Adult Mystery. Completed July 23, 2019, on Kindle.
- Paul Doiron: Almost Midnight (Mike Bowditch). Minotaur Books. Adult Mystery. Completed July 24, 2019, on MP3.
- Robby Soave: Panic Attack: Young Radicals in the Age of Trump. All Points Books. Adult Nonfiction. Completed August 1, 2019, on Kindle.
- Todd Borg: Tahoe Avalanche (Owen McKenna, No. 6). Thriller Press. Adult Mystery. Completed August 6, 2019, on Kindle.
- Ruth Ware: The Death of Mrs. Westaway. Gallery/Scout Press. Adult Mystery. Completed August 7, 2019, on Kindle.
- Natalie Wexler: The Knowledge Gap: The hidden cause of America's broken education system--and how to fix it. Avery. Adult Nonfiction. Completed August 9, 2019, on Kindle. In this book, Wexler posits that the problem with the US education system is a lack of teaching of content in the elementary years, in favor of skills. She presents what I found to be a compelling case. This is a rare book that I believe will change my thinking and actions. I highly recommend it.
- Pasi Sahlberg and William Doyle: Let the Children Play: How More Play Will Save Our Schools and Help Children Thrive. Oxford University Press. Adult Nonfiction. Completed August 10, 2019, on Kindle. I do believe in the general premise of this book, that schools (particularly those servings Pre-K to 3) should incorporate considerably more play than they do. And I was encouraged by various examples cited by the authors that suggest movement in this direction, after years of going the other way. However, I found the book itself too full of anecdotes and extended quotations for my taste. I skimmed a fair bit. I also thought that the authors lumped together ALL school reform efforts ever as deeply flawed and based on impure motives, without presenting much evidence to that effect. I much preferred Natalie Wexler's book (though I admit that my thinking may have been colored by reading that one immediately prior to this one.
- T. Jefferson Parker: The Room of White Fire (Roland Ford, No. 1). G.P. Putnam's Sons. Adult Mystery/Thriller. Completed August 10, 2019, on Kindle.
- Jeanne Safer: I Love You, but I Hate Your Politics: How to Protect Your Intimate Relationships in a Poisonous Partisan World. All Points Books. Adult Nonfiction. Completed August 11, 2019, on Kindle.
- Eric Bernt: The Sound of Echoes (Speed of Sound Thrillers, Book 2). Thomas & Mercer. Adult Mystery/Thriller. Completed August 21, 2019, on Kindle.
- David Robson: The Intelligence Trap: Why Smart People Make Dumb Mistakes. W. W. Norton & Co. Adult Nonfiction. Completed August 24, 2019, on Kindle.
- Denisa Mina: Conviction. Mulholland Books. Adult Thriller. Completed August 25, 2019, on Kindle.
- David Epstein: Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World. Riverhead Books. Adult Nonfiction. Completed August 28, 2019, on MP3.
- Laura Lippman: Lady in the Lake. William Morrow. Adult Mystery. Completed September 7, 2019, on Kindle.
- Robert Crais: A Dangerous Man (Elvis Cole and Joe Pike). G.P. Putman's Sons. Adult Mystery/Thriller. Completed September 13, 2019, on MP3.
- Louise Penny: A Better Man (Chief Inspector Gamache). Minotaur Books. Adult Mystery. Completed September 17, 2019, on Kindle.
- Robert Putnam: Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis. Simon & Schuster. Adult Nonfiction. Completed September 21, 2019 (skimmed), personal copy.
- Craig Johnson: Land of Wolves (Walt Longmire). Viking. Adult Mystery. Completed September 23, 2019, on MP3.
- Gui Costin: Millennials Are Not Aliens: ...but they are 80 Million Americans Who Are Changing How We Buy, Sell, Vacation, Invest, and Just About Everything Else. Forbes Books. Adult Nonfiction. Completed September 30, 2019, personal copy.
- Todd Borg: Tahoe Night (Owen McKenna, No. 7). Thriller Press. Adult Mystery. Completed October 6, 2019, on Kindle.
- Joy Ellis: Darkness on the Fens. Joffe Books. Adult Mystery. Completed October 8, 2019, on MP3.
- Sarah Clarkson: Book Girl: A Journey through the Treasures and Transforming Power of a Reading Life. Tyndale Momentum. Adult Nonfiction. Completed October 8, 2019, personal copy.
- Carla Naumburg: How to Stop Losing Your Sh*t with Your Kids: A Practical Guide to Becoming a Calmer, Happier Parent. Workman Publishing. Completed October 15, 2019, on Kindle.
- William Kent Krueger: Manitou Canyon (Cork O'Connor, No. 15). Atria Books. Adult Mystery. Completed October 18, 2019, on MP3.
- Thomas Perry: The Boyfriend. Mysterious Press. Adult Mystery. Completed October 27, 2019, on Kindle.
- William Kent Krueger: Sulfur Springs (Cork O'Connor, No. 16). Atria Books. Adult Mystery. Completed November 1, 2019, on MP3.
- Jo Boaler: Limitless Mind: Learn, Lead, and Live Without Barriers. HarperOne. Adult Nonfiction. Completed November 2, 2019, personal copy.
- Nir Eyal (with Julie Li): Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life. BenBella Books. Adult Nonfiction. Completed November 3, 2019, personal copy.
- Michael Connelly: The Night Fire (Bosch and Ballard, Book 2). Little, Brown and Co. Adult Mystery. Completed November 14, 2019, on MP3.
- Scott Adams: Loserthink: How Untrained Brains Are Ruining America. Portfolio. Adult Nonfiction. Completed November 19, 2019, on MP3.
- Deborah Crombie: A Bitter Feast (Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James series). William Morrow. Adult Mystery. Completed November 28, 2019, on Kindle.
- Margaret Mizushima: Tracking Game. Crooked Lane Books. Adult Mystery. Completed December 3, 2019, on MP3.
- Dervla McTiernan: The Ruin (Cormac Reilly, Book 1). Penguin Books. Adult Mystery. Completed December 14, 2019, on MP3.
- William Kent Krueger: Desolation Mountain (Cork O'Connor, No. 17). Atria Books. Adult Mystery. Completed December 21, 2019, on MP3.
- Lee Goldberg: Lost Hills (Eve Ronin, Book 1). Thomas & Mercer. Adult Mystery. Completed December 26, 2019, on Kindle.
- Dervla McTiernan: The Scholar (Cormac Reilly, Book 2). Penguin Books. Adult Mystery. Completed December 30, 2019, on MP3.
© 2019 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. All Amazon links in this post are affiliate links, and may result in my receiving a small commission on purchases (with no additional cost to you).