The Best Books I've Read This Year So Far
This year I made it a goal of mine to read more. Reading is something I used love as a child well through to my early twenties. However, once I started working - I stopped making it a habit. And honestly, until I picked it up again around a year and a half ago, I had forgotten what joy and peace it brings me. For me, reading is not only a great way to pass the time - it’s also amazing at stimulating my imagination, helping me feel inspired and making me relax.
So far this year, I have read a quite a few books. However instead of talking about all of them in a extremely large blog post or series of blog posts, I thought I’d start off with the best books I’ve read this year so far.
A word of warning before we begin - none of these books are new releases, and one of them was a repeat read for me but I love it so much I wanted to mention it. Also, all of the books in this post are fiction books. I do occasionally read non-fiction but I would be lying if I didn’t save I am a fiction fan girl at heart.
moonlight and the pearlers daughter by lizzie pook
Quick points…
Female heroine
Murder mystery
Nature inspired
Subtle romance
Set in 1800s Western Australia
To quickly summarise the story…
Set in the 1800s in Western Australia, Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter is about twenty-something Eliza Brightwell. A strong willed, intelligent, capable and spirited daughter of a pearler. When her father goes missing at sea, Eliza cannot help but suspect that all is not what it seems. In her fathers disappearance she is abandoned by her brother and is living in Bannin Bay alone. She has to go to lengths that a usual lady of her stature wouldn’t to uncover the truth. Her cunning, sharp wit and intelligence lend themselves as invaluable tools in discovering what really happened.
Why it’s one of the best books I’ve read this year…
The protagonist of this book - Eliza Brightwell - is everyone’s favourite lovable rogue kind of character. She goes against the grain and isn’t afraid to do what is right - even if that means not following societal pressures that women of the 1800s faced. She gets her hands dirty, has interests in zoology and even wears trousers! But she is not naive to using her gender as an advantage when it comes to trying to solve the mystery of her father’s disappearance. She uses her position in society to secure information and employs the help of a German gentleman to get her access to the people and places of Bannin Bay she would never even dream of getting near. She is scrappy, resourceful and smart - making her one of my favourite fictional characters.
Another one of my favourite things about this book is the link it has to nature. As Eliza has a keen interest in animals, plants and insects - the book is rich with zoology references. If you are a nature lover I can almost guarantee that you are going to enjoy this book. In every chapter there is a nod to the wildlife of Australia whether it be birds, insects, flora or fauna. It has stunning descriptions that make you want to go back in time to 1800s Australia to see it for yourself. The way the environment is described is absolutely enchanting, creating strong images in your imagination of what the landscape was really like.
interview with a vampire by anne rice
Quick points….
Male hero
Horror
Gothic inspired
Introspection
Mainly set in 1700s-1800s New Orleans and Paris
To quickly summarise the story…
We follow a vampire named Louis as he retells the story of his unholy life as a monster of the night. Louis’ story is full of both heartbreak and adventure. Although I wouldn’t describe the heartbreak in the typical romance sense - it’s more about his relationship with himself and his fellow vampires, some of whom become his close companions. The story starts in 1800s New Orleans, where, after Louis is turned, he is forced to leave everything behind to become something he never wished. After a series of dramatic events in New Orleans, Louis heads out on a transatlantic adventure to Eastern Europe in search of vampiric origins. He then quickly leaves for Paris where he experiences a wealth of different emotions and experiences. Then he finishes up in New Orleans again to realise some hard truths about himself, and his vampire companions he has grown to understand.
Why it’s one of the best books I’ve read this year…
This one is a repeat read for me so it has some bias points for being nostalgic. However, I last read it as a teenager almost 15 years ago and a lot has changed since then. Firstly, I was pretty surprised that even though I am not a vampire obsessed teen anymore - I still thoroughly enjoyed it. But I must admit it was a completely different read from what I remember. I think as a more mature reader now, I picked up on a few messages and nuances that were lost on me as a teen. I especially enjoyed Louis’ introspection and his struggle with being who he is and what he is. It creates a powerful and combative dynamic that you can apply to many different aspects of life. Because of this - I think it could appeal to a lot of different types of people.
Another notable aspect of this book that I enjoyed was the travelling - Louis really does take us around the world and also across centuries. Through the narrative we get to experience so many different cultures, historical events and society expectations with him. These are all sprinkled throughout the story so that we can a greater sense of the time and place where the story takes place - again this book really ignites my imagination and takes me to places I would never be able to go.
where the crawdads sing by delia owens
Quick points…
Female heroine
Murder mystery
Nature inspired
Heartbreak
Set in 1950s-1970s South Carolina
To quickly summarise the story
It’s the 1950s in the swamps of North Carolina, Danielle Clark (nicknamed Kya) becomes the infamous “marsh girl” of her small community. Abandoned by her mother, siblings and eventually her father, Kya is alone in the world and needs to rely on herself for everything from the young age of 8. She becomes self sufficient and is impressively resilient due to her need of survival. Along the way she teaches herself the way of the swamp - she learns about tidal patterns, how to forage in the unforgiving landscape and even begins to study the local wildlife. As we follow Kya in her journey to becoming a woman we also encounter her wishes to be loved again which results in heartbreak, betrayal and eventually a trial where she is accused of murder.
Why it’s one of the best books I’ve read this year
Another wonderful protagonist that I find myself rooting for even though she is perhaps not as charismatic or charming as the typical heroine. She has a prickliness to her but because we have seen her entire journey from a scared, abandoned little girl to a sharp, strong woman - it’s perfectly understandable. Kya’s complexities are well-founded and when anything happened in the story I found myself smiling, laughing, crying and shouting with her. Her story is beautiful and the author Delia Owens, has really created a protagonist that anyone with even the smallest of outlander complexes will understand and love.
I also cannot talk about my favourite parts of this book without talking about the detailed descriptions of the wildlife and the strong link this book has to nature. As a reader we get to learn so much about the swamp’s ecosystem and all of the animals, insects, flora and fauna that make it their home. Not only this but we also get to experience Kya’s interactions with these living things and how she lives alongside them - caring for them in a gentle, watching way without being too intrusive. The story really illustrates Kya’s respect for nature and how we should all view our planet and the creatures on it.