My Top 5 Books of the Year (So Far)

Since we’re almost halfway through the year (and my feed is cluttered with mid-year freak-out tags), I thought I’d simplify the purpose of that tag and talk about something I’ve been pondering lately: what are the best books I’ve read so far?

Answering this question has given me a bit of a headache because it’s made me think of how easy it is for a stellar book to get buried among other stellar books.  Last year, there are several fantastic books that I read that deserved much more praise than I could give them because they were outshined by other books.

Maybe by the end of this year, I’ll have read another five books that will surpass the five I’m about to list, but I’m going to give them a little time in the spotlight.  I decided to only name books that I read for the first time this year, but I’ll maybe list my top 5 rereads so far in a later post.

Here are my top 5 books of the year (so far):

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
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When I found out John Green was going to publish another book, I knew it would be one of my favorites.  Turtles All the Way Down certainly did not disappoint: it gave me a clever insight into life with obsessive-compulsive disorder and made me wonder, do I shape my thoughts or do my thoughts shape me?  Aza is one of the most real protagonists I’ve ever read, and I know I’m going to love this book for a long time.

Related Post // Why I Didn’t Review Turtles All the Way Down

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
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Speaking of protagonists I love, all it took was a few lines for me to fall in love with Monty from The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue.  This historical fiction novel follows Monty, his best friend (and lifelong crush) Percy, and his brainiac sister Felicity as they gallivant across Europe.  The romance was sweeping, the adventure was extravagant, and Monty’s dry wit had me in stitches from cover to cover.  I listened to this book on Audible and totally recommend the audiobook as well.

Related Post // My Review of The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
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After nineteen years of not knowing the pure genius that is To Kill a Mockingbird, I’m overjoyed to have finally experienced this book.  I chose that word, experienced, wisely because I was immersed in this book and felt like I was running around Maycomb County with Scout and Jem like one of their buddies from down the street.  I feel smarter after reading this book not only because I now know all the references, but because I’ve read about the human condition in an environment frighteningly close to me, and how to share love in spite of hatred.

Related Post // My Review of To Kill a Mockingbird

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz
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In this heartfelt young adult novel, Ari and Dante are two teenagers living in Texas who find each other by happenstance and slowly descend into an unlikely friendship.  Through trial and triumph these boys bond over what it means to Mexican and what it means to be yourself, one universal discovery at a time.  The audiobook is narrated by Lin-Manuel Miranda, which makes the story that much better.

Sounds Like Me: My Life (So Far) in Song  by Sara Bareilles
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Sounds Like Me was an unlikely favorite because it’s non-fiction, but it read like a letter written right to me.  After reading this book I’m convinced Sara Bareilles and I have a hive mind because I completely agreed and sympathized with everything she wrote.  From her childhood to what it’s like to finally make it big (even though I have zero knowledge in the fame department), I couldn’t get enough of this petite but powerful book.

What are the best books you’ve read so far this year?  What should I read next?  What are your five-star predictions for the second half of the year?

Related Post // My Month of Rereads TBR

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