2019 Archives - Novel Visits

If You Want to Make God Laugh by Bianca Marais | Audiobook Review

Susie — Thu, 23 Jan 2020 11:00:26 +0000

If You Want to Make God Laugh by Bianca Marais
Narrators: Bianca Amato, Katharine Lee McEwan, Bahni Turpin
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons (Penguin Audio)
Release Date: July 16, 2019
Length: 448 pages (12 hrs. 39 min.)
Amazon

{A Bit of Backstory}

Single Sentence Summary

In the wake of Nelson Mandela’s rise to South Africa’s presidency, three very different women’s worlds collide after the birth of a child and the mystery that surrounds him….

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Favorite New-to-Me Authors from 2019 | More

Susie — Tue, 21 Jan 2020 11:00:04 +0000

Where would any of us book lovers be without the many gifted authors doing the hard work to create brilliant stories they’re willing to share with the world? I envy their talent and appreciate their efforts. Today I’m highlighting ten new-to-me authors who simply wowed me with their words last year. This list includes no debut authors because, let’s face it, they’re new to all of us! In case you missed it, I shared My Favorite Debuts of 2019 back in December, so today I’m featuring established authors I first had the pleasure of reading in 2019.

When looking at new-to-me authors from 2019, I decided to limit it to fiction since I devoted quite a bit of time last fall to nonfiction books from 2019. From the fiction authors, one clearly moved to the top of the heap and I think I’ll save that author for last. The rest of the best, I’m covering strictly in alphabetical order….

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My Year in Books for 2019, plus Goals for 2020

Susie — Tue, 31 Dec 2019 11:00:28 +0000

Happy New Year! Happy New Decade! How is it that we’re already beginning the third decade of the twenty-first century? Time just continues to fly by and 2019 was no exception. Luckily for readers it was also a GREAT year for books, helping to more fully fill our days. The coming of a new year always prompts a look back at the past. Today I’m doing just that, looking back at my goals and stats for 2019 and setting just a few 2020 goals.

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My Week in Books (x3) 12/30/19 | More

Susie — Mon, 30 Dec 2019 11:00:20 +0000

I hope everyone had wonderful holidays and that the start to 2020 will be equally as good. I’ve been sort fo missing in action the last couple of weeks. After posting all my end of year lists (see links below), I decided to take a little time off. My whole family met up in Denver where my brother and his family live. Great times were had by all, but there was almost no time for books or reading. This next week I’ll be home more so really hope to squeeze in a couple of great 2020 books.

In case you missed any of my year end wrap up posts, here’s the line up!

Six 2019 Books That Deserved the Hype, plus Six That Didn’t
Six 2019 Underrated Gems
DEBUTS ~ My Favorites from 2019
Audiobooks ~ My Favorites from 2019
Novel Visits ~ Winter Preview 2020
BEST BOOKS of 2019

Hosted by Kathryn at Book Date

Last 3 Week’s Reads

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BEST BOOKS of 2019 | More

Susie — Thu, 19 Dec 2019 11:00:05 +0000

I alway love this time of year, seeing what books others considered to be best, and what the bigwigs at places like the New York Times, Publisher’s Weekly, and Book Riot chose as their best. My own list rarely lines up with those, but I don’t expect it too. Their list pulls from almost everything, whereas mine pulls from the 110 books I’ve read so far this year. That made it difficult enough!

Putting together my Best Books of 2019 proved to be almost painful. 2019 was truly one of my very best reading years ever, with 20 different books that I gave a grade of A. It’s so difficult kicking any books out of that “better than the rest” club, but it had to be done! Even as I type, I’m still feeling badly for those books that almost made it. Never-the-less, I’ve done it and am thrilled to share my twelve personal Best Books of 2019….

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Audiobooks ~ My Favorites from 2019 | More

Susie — Thu, 12 Dec 2019 11:00:53 +0000

As anyone who follows me knows, I’m a huge fan of audiobooks. I ALWAYS have one going. Of the 107 books I’ve read so far this year 33 have been audiobooks and I’m nearly finished with another. When it comes to what I’ll listen to on audio, I’m pretty flexible. I just need a good story, be it fiction or nonfiction, and a great narrator. I tried to cull my list down, but 12 audiobooks, in three different categories, was the best I could do!…

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DEBUTS – My Favorites of 2019 | More

Susie — Tue, 10 Dec 2019 11:00:29 +0000

Debuts. I’ve always loved them and 2019 was no exception. To date, I’ve read 37 debuts this year, making up just over one-third of all my reading. Not every debut is a hit for me, but SO many are. I think authors often have that kernel of a story inside of them for a long time and when it finally bursts out? Magic! I guarantee that you’ll see more than one of these nine debuts I’m sharing today on my 2019 Best Books of the Year list next week….

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My Week in Books (x2) 12/9/19 | More

Susie — Mon, 09 Dec 2019 11:00:28 +0000

I hope everyone is healthy and happy and enjoying the holiday season. It’s a busy, hectic time of year, but one also full of joy and fun. Let’s all try to relax and enjoy ourselves! It’s also the time of year when things start to wrap up in the book world and end of year posts start popping up everywhere. Last week I skipped My Week in Books in favor of Six 2019 Books That Deserved the Hype, plus Six That Didn’t and then on Thursday I shared Six 2019 Underrated Gems. The next two weeks are full of even more fun end-of-year posts, so stay tuned for:

Debuts ~ My Favorites of 2019 – tomorrow 12/10
Audiobooks ~ My Favorites of 2019 – Thursday 12/12
Novel Visits’ Winter Preview 2020 – Monday 12/16
Best Books of the Year – Thursday 12/19

Hosted by Kathryn at Book Date

Last 2 Week’s Reads

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The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell | Audiobook Review

Susie — Fri, 06 Dec 2019 11:00:51 +0000

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell
Narrators: Tamaryn Payne, Bea Holland, Dom Thornburn
Publisher: Atria Books / Simon & Schuster Audio
Release Date: November 5, 2019
Length: 352 pages / 9 hrs. 36 min.
Amazon

{A Bit of Backstory}

Single Sentence Summary

A young woman unexpectedly inherits a dilapidated Chelsea mansion, opening up questions of who she is, why the house is hers and what could have happened in it?…

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Six 2019 Books That Deserved the Hype, plus Six That Didn’t

Susie — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 11:00:30 +0000

It’s the holiday time of year and one of the things that means is #AMonthofFaves hosted by Girlxoxo and Traveling with T. Each Monday, Wednesday and Friday in December the two give a prompt for a possible blog post. Many have to do with books, but others are about the season or some other fun topic. I’ll be participating in a handful of these, starting with today’s topic, Popular Books Worth the Hype (or Not Worth the Hype). Being an over achiever, I’m doing both!

2019 Books That Deserved the Hype

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