I’ve read thirty-four books this year, many of which I’ve loved. Is it because I’ve been selective? Or is it just that there are so many fantastic books around? Perhaps I’ll never know.
But what I do know is that I’ve decided on my most favourite and claim it as my Book of the Year for 2019. Before I reveal the title, I’ll run through what I actually read. Have you read any of the same.

1. The Clockmakers Daughter by Kate Morton (Aus)
2. The Trauma Cleaner by Sarah Krasnostein (Aus)
3. Bridge of Clay by Marcus Zusak (Aus) *****
4. The Stars in the Night by Clare Rhoden (Aus) *****
5. Orhphan Train by Cristina Baker-Kline
6. Beartown by Frederick Backman
7. The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner
8. The Corset by Laura Purcell
9. Any Ordinary Day by Leigh Sales (Aus)
10. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
11. See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt (Aus)
12. The Hollow Bones by Leah Kaminksy (Aus)
13. The Scholar by Dervla McTiernan
14. The Arsonist by Chloe Hooper (Aus)
15. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens *****
16. Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
17. The Ruin by Dervla McTiernan *****
18. Islands by Peggy Frew (Aus) *****
19. Troll Hunting by Ginger Gorman (Aus) *****
20. Growing Up Aboriginal In Australia by Anita Heiss (Aus)
21. The Power by Naomi Alderman
22. Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver *****
23. Washington Black by Esi Edugyan *****
24. Academic Curveball by James J Cudney
25. The Erratics by Vicki Leveau-Harvie (Aus) *****
26. Reunion by Andrea Goldsmith (Aus)
27. The Fragments by Toni Jordan (Aus) *****
28. Wolfe Island by Lucy Treloar (Aus) *****
29. Stone Girl by Eleni Hale (Aus) *****
30. Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins-Reid *****
31. The Spy and the Traitor by Ben McIntyre *****
32. The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth (Aus)
33. Normal People by Sally Rooney
34. The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See

More than half were by Australians which is natural given that I live and write in Australia and there is a strong writing community. I notice that most of the books were written by women and  that wasn’t meant to be intentional but it just so happens that there’s an amazing number of great women writers. I rated fourteen books with five stars which is why it’s so hard to narrow down my book of the year.

However, the book which stays with me the most was : Bridge of Clay by Marcus Zusak. It had every element just right, great writing, humour, tragedy, sorrow and drama. Check out my review https://sckarakaltsas.com/2019/02/15/book-review-bridge-of-clay-by-markus-zusak/

Happy New Year everyone.