I recently saw this tag going around the Youtubesphere and wanted to join in via blog form. We all too often reflect on your reading history at the end of the year, so many little treasures can get lost along the way. This is a great opportunity to chat about some of books that may otherwise go amiss. It's my personal goal to read 100 books before the end of the year, and as I am currently on my 44th book, it isn't going great! But it's fine, it's fineeee. Follow along with my reading on Goodreads, it's most definitely the most pure of social media. Now, let's get to it.

1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2019.
Big Little Lies
by Liane Moriarty


To be honest, this was a tie but I pledged to only answer each question with a single book, and the other works into another question so.. yes. Nevertheless, Big Little Lies was an absolute favourite of mine. It made me pick up the remainder of Liane's books with rapid speed, and though nothing else became an instant favourite, I do love her writing. She manages to mix a mystery/thriller with a classic chic-lit (I hate that term) without it seeming too try hard. This specific book is revolved around 3 women and a murder. Like with most of Liane's books, the story is told in reverse and that alone can keep you up at night flipping pages with the enthusiasm of a child holding a wrapped gift. I think what made Big Little Lies stand out to me was the female empowerment that became the centre of this twisty story. I've never felt empowered before when I've closed the last page of a book, but this one did that for me. I loved the characters, the friendships between women, and the classic but never tiresome 'mum life' side of the story. I could honestly recommend this to anyone as it ticks so many boxes in terms of genres.

2. Best sequel you've read so far in 2019.
Having only read one sequel thus far, and not particularly liking it, I was going to change this question to 'Sequel I want to read in the near future', but I hand-on-heart can't think of a single one. I rarely read books that are a part of a series, let alone newer books. When I was younger I devoured things like the Vampire Academy series, House of Night, The Twilight Saga, the Fallen series. But as I've gotten older and my genre taste has changed to more of a contemporary/historical fiction vibe, it's rare to find a sequel. Sorry!

3. New release you haven't read yet, but want to.
The Silent Patient
by Alex Michaelides

I've heard so many great things about this newly released thriller. I honestly have no idea what it's about, and I refuse to look it up in fear of being spoiled for something plot related. A thriller synopsis can give far too much away. But yes, I want to read this!

4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year.
The Testaments
by Margaret Atwood

Like most people, I only picked up The Handmaid's Tale due to the popularity of the show. And like most, I loved it. It was most definitely a dry read, but given the subject matter, what does one expect? The writing was beautifully done and I'm really looking forward to seeing where Margaret herself chooses to take this world.

5. Biggest disappointment.
The Light We Lost
by Jill Santopolo


This has so much hype on Bookstagram (Speaking of, have you followed me on Instagram? I have both a book page @BranchingPages and a regular blogging account @RootingBranches) and this book has been a Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Club pick, most reviews have been "This book made me cry buckets!" so I was pretty exciting going into it. I was sure that this would be a 4 star, if not 5 star read. But... no. The Light We Lost is a romance story written from the aftermath of heartache. It's sad, sure, and the ending rivalled Me Before You's, but... the couple was so incompatible. I hated Gabe, and Lucy was infuriating. They didn't work. There wasn't one scene where I found them compatible. It threw off the entire story for me.

6. Biggest surprise.
The Kiss Quotient 
by Helen Hoang

I went into this book fully expecting to just enjoy it. I had already given it a 3 star rating in my head (don't judge me), so imagine my surprise when I instantly started to count down the days until the follow-up book The Bride Test came out. (Which I didn't enjoy, but that's not the point.) In the style of Me Before You, this has great well-rounded characters which is why I enjoyed it so much. Following the unlikely romantic story of a male escort and a woman who has Aspergers, The Kiss Quotient holds so much more emotion between it's pages than you'd ever expect when opening it up.

7. Favourite new author. (Debut or new to you)
Celeste Ng,
author of Little Fires Everywhere & Everything I Never Told You


I read both of her books earlier this year, and the two were 5 star reads for me. I quickly fell in love with her writing. She has a way of writing family dynamics that is as beautiful as it is tragic. I've never questioned her characters voices. I'd be sure to pick up anything else she writes.

8. Newest couple crush.*
Jo and Laurie, 
Little Women

Granted, they aren't technically a couple but I was shipping this duo for a good portion of this classic novel. I loved their chemistry and found myself chuckling along with their never ending banter. I had actually never read Little Women prior to picking it up earlier this year and I enjoyed it far more than I initially thought. For a classic, it reads surprisingly well. The characters were all very likeable and it wasn't difficult to follow along with the story, much to my relief. Love or hate it, classic literature can be daunting to read. It sometimes isn't a very enjoyable experience, but this was great and I may even pick up Jo's Boys in the near future.

9. Newest favourite character.
Daisy Jones,
Daisy Jones & The Six


Much like The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo, Taylor Jenkins Reid's newest release Daisy Jones & The Six captured my heart within a mere chapter.  When party girl Daisy Jones joins the 60s-70s rock band The Six, they are dubious as to whether she'll fit. Billy, the band's leader man, dislikes her attitude and she isn't all too fussed about him either. Can two people who dislike each other get along for the music that will undeniably skyrocket their careers? This is already well loved online, but boy, I didn't expect to love it as much as I did. This is a love letter written to modern day women, from women of the past. (Okay, fictional women, but let me dream them into reality). It's beautiful, realistic, and feminist as hell. Read it.

10. Book that made you cry.
One True Loves
by Taylor Jenkins Reid


I could name a few, it seems like lately I'm just a gushy reader. But the one that instantly comes to mind is another Taylor Jenkins Reid book. Can you tell she has quickly become one of my favourite authors? If not my absolute favourite. whoa, big statement. One True Loves tells the story of a young woman whose husband goes missing in a helicopter accident while travelling over the pacific, and the aftermath of it all. We follow her story as she attempts to rebuilt her life by moving home to work in her parents bookstore, and eventually falling in love again. Months later she gets the phone call that she once ached for.. her husband is alive and coming home. The synopsis of this caught my attention, but what I truly "enjoyed"was the way author wrote about grief. It was beautiful. And many tears were shed.

11. Book that made you happy.
Furiously Happy 
by Jenny Lawson


I don't think I've laughed out loud so much with a book as much as I did with this non-fiction read written by blogger Jenny Lawson. I loved every step of the ride. Breaking the stigma around mental health and chronic pain, she writes the darkest thoughts we all have at 3am yet somehow still manages to make the topic light. I get why a lot of people write about mental health and try to make the entire thing seem uplifting, to not completely tarnish any hope, but sometimes you need someone to write with no filter. To help you feel understood, and not so wacko. Though I cried a lot during this read, the laughter is what I remember the most. And the desire to keep going  with both her work, and life.

12. Most beautiful book you've bought so far this year.
The Bronte Sisters - Three Novels 
(Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Agnes Grey)


I mean, look at it! It's a beautiful edition of three classics that I *gulp* still haven't read. I know, I know! This gorgeous cover instantly caught my attention and heart. From the gold edges, floral pattern, and pink ribbon.. instant book porn. Even better, I got it for a mere $5 from a library sale. Score! If you're interested, it was a Barnes & Noble edition.

13. What books do you need to read by the end of the year?
Um.. do you have all day? I have to read so many to complete my personal challenge of reading 100 books in 2019. But my immediate TBR currently consists of these books:

Truly Madly Guilty
by Liane Moriarty

“There is no special protection when you cross that invisible line from your ordinary life to that parallel world where tragedies happen. It happens just like this. You don’t become someone else. You’re still exactly the same. Everything around you still smells and looks and feels exactly the same.” 

Sam and Clementine are the couple that seem perfect from the outside, good jobs, two beautiful little girls, and a solid foundation for a marriage. When they get invited to a last-minute barbecue by their friend Erika, they go. Two months later, they can't help but constantly ask themselves: what if we hadn't gone?As mentioned in last months wrap-up, I enjoy Liane Moriarty's writing and that alone keeps me coming back to her books. I adored What Alice Forgot and Big Little Lies, so I was really hyped to get to this one as I had heard really great things. Alas, I was disappointed. I'll be entirely frank here,the authors plots are never that groundbreaking or great. It's her character and relationship building that set her apart from the standard general fiction/mystery authors. However this book ended with such an anticlimax I couldn't help but sigh. Too long and not nearly interesting enough to recommend.

Rating: ★★★ (2.5)


Furiously Happy
by Jenny Lawson

“When you come out of the grips of a depression there is an incredible relief, but not one you feel allowed to celebrate. Instead, the feeling of victory is replaced with anxiety that it will happen again, and with shame and vulnerability when you see how your illness affected your family, your work, everything left untouched while you struggled to survive. We come back to life thinner, paler, weaker … but as survivors. Survivors who don’t get pats on the back from coworkers who congratulate them on making it. Survivors who wake to more work than before because their friends and family are exhausted from helping them fight a battle they may not even understand. I hope to one day see a sea of people all wearing silver ribbons as a sign that they understand the secret battle, and as a celebration of the victories made each day as we individually pull ourselves up out of our foxholes to see our scars heal, and to remember what the sun looks like.” 

This half memoir half self-help book is one of the funniest things I've ever picked up. With brutal honesty and a wit to match it, Jenny writes down the thoughts that we all have but are too afraid to voice. It was almost like talking to a friend, well, a really chatty one-sided friend. If you struggle with mental health or chronic pain, I urge you to give this a go. I can promise that you'll laugh and want to wipe a little stray tear. Possibly simultaneously.

Rating: ★★★★★


Crazy Rich Asians 
by Kevin Kwan 

We have so much money, we don't need personalities.

-Okay, not really. 

“Perfection comes at a sacrifice,” 

You probably know what this hyped book turned movie is about without me giving it a description, but let's go for it anyway. When Rachel, a young New Yorker gets invited by her boyfriend to  travel to Asia for a wedding, she jumps at the opportunity. But he isn't telling her a vital thing: his family is lavishly rich. I wanted to enjoy this, I was expecting a funny rom-com type book that'd make me happy. Eeehhhh. I hated it. Okay, that's a bit strong. I hated the characters, and the plot. I feel as though the author wrote this book solely to educate people on the lavish lifestyles that some Asians live, and it read like that. The characters had no substance and Rachel and Nick were horrible as a couple. If you're thinking of reading this, just watch the movie. It'd be over faster.

Rating: ★★


Cross Her Heart
by Sarah Pinborough

“Someone can do a terrible unforgivable thing, and yet you forgive them if you love them. The heart is such a strange thing.” 

Lisa lives for her daughter Ava, her job, and her best friend Marilyn, but when a handsome client shows an interest in her, Lisa starts daydreaming about sharing her life with him too. But when Lisa's world explodes and she no longer knows who to trust, it's up to her to face her past to save what she holds dear. This was just a complete 'meh' book. The only good point was the twist that came suddenly around 1/3 of the way through the book, then it was all downhill. A basic thriller that really doesn't need to be on your TBR as it will leave you with no impression.

Rating: ★★★
One True Loves
by Taylor Jenkins Reid

“When you lose someone you love, it’s hard to imagine that you’ll ever feel better. That, one day, you’ll manage to be in a good mood simply because the weather is nice or the barista at the coffee shop on the corner remembered your order.
But it does happen.
If you’re patient and you work at it.” 

There are love triangles, and then there are impossible situations that are forced upon you. When Emma's husband, Jesse, goes missing in a helicopter accident over the Pacific, she slowly begins to rebuilt her life. She moves back home, takes over her parents bookstore, and even opens her heart up for another man. When Sam proposes, she knows it's officially time to let Jesse go. Then she gets the dreaded call she once ached for, Jesse is alive. I adore Taylor Jenkins Reid's books. They never fail to capture my heart. This was no exception. Never have I read such a raw description of loss in a fictional book, and never have I been so torn in a love triangle. Screw Edward and Jacob.

Rating: ★★★★★

“Will the world end in darkness because it is foretold? Or because there will be those who believe it so strongly they will make it so?”

A retelling of Moby Dick told through the whale's POV? Okay, sure, it's Patrick Ness, why would  I say no? This short illustrated novel was exactly what I was expecting, and more. The writing and imagery is beautiful, and though it didn't capture my attention like most other books, I was glad I read it. A quick but beautiful read.

Rating: ★★★★



Reconstructing Amelia 
by Kimberly McCreight

“It was too late to change anything. Too late to make different choices. To be a better mother than she had been. Kate could only be the mother that she was, Amelia’s mother—the curator of her memory, the keeper of her secrets, the cherisher of her heart. That, she would always be.” 

When teenager Amelia commits suicide by jumping off a school roof, her mother, Kate, is distraught. After receiving a message with the words 'Amelia didn't jump' she quickly becomes obsessed with figuring out what led to the death of her daughter. With crazy sororities, games that shouldn't be played, and an estranged father, Amelia's life may be too much for even her mother to unveil. I liked this book, but it was way too long. Over 400 pages of what is essentially fragments of Amelia's life being repeated, I grew bored a few times. But it wasn't terrible. An average 3 star read.

Rating: ★★★

“I hope you find a love like that–one that is all-consuming and powerful that makes you feel like you're going slightly mad. And if you do find that love, embrace it. Hold onto it. When you give yourself over to love like that, your heart will get bruised. It will get battered. But you will also feel invincible and infinite.” 

He was ignoring everyone, including her, at this expensive wedding. So he could read a novel about alien demon things.

I was roughly 9-years-old when I realised that nothing truly mattered. I was walking across my school yard with the entire class and teacher, and I distinctly remember thinking "I could run up to that fence and slam my forehead against it until I am covered in blood and dizzy from it, nobody would even notice. It doesn't matter. This doesn't matter. It isn't real." I was having one of those sensations that usually occur after a sleepless night or too much cold medicine or, as I grew older, the sensation after too many tequila shots, when everything seems like it's happening through a cloudy sheet. You aren't there, it's like watching a 80's TV show without fully paying attention. Blurry and foggy. I went home that day and waited for the feeling to go away, but it only seemed to fade. Some days were worse than others, and I was confused as I thought the saying went the other way.

I aged, and waited for my life to get better. To truly feel the things that were there or happening. Alive, I waited to feel alive. I did high risk things, and nothing. I hurt myself but it always felt fictionalised. The pain wasn't even real. I squeezed. prodded, hit, and cut myself but it felt as though I was doing a practical joke on myself. I acted shy and brave and everything in between but nothing was truly sinking in. I would lay awake at night, my duvet feeling almost too heavy, going over everything that happened that day but only seeming to detach myself further from it. I wrote in my journals, but I could never differentiate between what had happened and the things I thought I had experienced. Everything seemed brighter when looking back, but when there, it felt dull. Faded. I could no longer tell when I was telling the truth or lying.


I got even older.

My favourite memories with loved ones have always been the ones where we're reminiscing about the past together. I'm never in the moment, and it's bothering me. When we're discussing these past times together, it almost helps add another layer to my own memory proving that it all wasn't just a dream. I can never remember how I felt, so I allow others to help me define my own emotions at that time. It's all an idea, and I'm no longer sure whether it's mine or someone else's. I'm fickle. and easily moulded. They tell me what that I am, and I believe. Good or bad.

I do these important things that truly impact my life, but it always feels as though nothing matters as it isn't real. I keep waiting to wake up in the past or future, not knowing how I got there. I'm loved but am still waiting for the feeling to get inserted. It's as though my life is entirely built of fragments and not any of them really matter, expect sometimes they Aline and everything has suddenly changed without me realising it. I try and get it in my head, but I always come up short. My heart gets broken or fulfilled, and I have the same outcome. Nothing makes sense.

It feels as though everyone else is experiencing life with a much brighter ink, and I am left behind in my hazy black and white, accepting that this is how it ought to be.

I had therapy, but I didn't want to be a bother. She liked me, asked me what was wrong, I said nothing. I tried therapy again, and she confirmed that nothing is wrong after I ticked a "I'm fine" box too many times on a basic paper. How would I tick anything else, when I was too embarrassed to say these non-logical thoughts to a woman who had on a wedding ring and spoke of her young daughters? She would laugh at me. And I would be left asking when it would matter?

I moved, changed my life, but nothing. I cry, laugh, sob, smile, and nothing sinks in.

When will it? I feel as though I will always be asking.. when will it?

The Wife Between Us
by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pakkanen

“I was happy, I think, but I wonder now if my memory is playing tricks on me. If it is giving me the gift of an illusion. We all layer them over our remembrances; the filters through which we want to see our lives.” 

Nellie and Vanessa lead very different lives. Vanessa has just divorced her husband and is struggling to come to terms with newly single life, living without the safety net that her husband had always placed under her. She feels like an empty shell, no longer being a wife is foreign to her. Nellie on the other hand has just got engaged to Richard, a wealthy man who is as charming as he is persuasive. She looks forward to starting a life with him, to becoming a wife, but when her past seems to come back to haunt her, she begins to question everything. This is a classic domestic thriller revolved around an ex-wife, husband, and mistress. But don't dismiss this book that easily. Boy, does this pack a butt load of twists. Some I guessed, others I did not, which is always fun. I like to feel as though I'm Sherlock, but I don't want the entire thing to be predictable, ya know? If thrillers are  your niche, and you haven't already picked up this hyped one, then do it. You won't regret it.

Rating: ★★★★

The Kiss Quotation
by Helen Hoang 

Refusing to let her diagnosis of Asperger's define her existence, Stella Lane decides that she wants to herself into a relationship. Partly for her, partly to stop her mother nagging her about dating prospects. Unsure about the way to go about it and most definitely needing the experience, she decides to hire an escort to help her adjust to the dating life. Unbeknown to her, the escort may just be the perfect boyfriend material.. Pretty Woman meets Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, this was as humorous as it was touching. This was a pure guilty pleasure read and I loved it. I expected parts to be cringe or for the smut to feel forced and unnecessary, but it all worked out perfectly and I adored the relationship between Stella and Michael. They were sweet, and I most definitely wasn't expecting that aspect of the story. This is definitely chic-lit, but not as corny as you might be expecting. Give it a try.

Rating: ★★★★★

The Virgin Suicides
by Jeffery Eugenides  

“It didn't matter in the end how old they had been, or that they were girls, but only that we had loved them, and that they hadn't heard us calling, still do not hear us, up here in the tree house, with our thinning hair and soft bellies, calling them out of those rooms where they went to be alone for all time, alone in suicide, which is deeper than death, and where we will never find the pieces to put them back together.” 

The Summer that the Lisbon sisters all commit suicide was hard for many people, most notably their parent and the boys who had become infatuated with them. Why did they do it? This takes a look back through the eyes of one of the boys who lived across the street from the Lisbon's as he tries to find the answers. You've likely heard of The Virgin Suicides, whether it be the book or movie. It's popular and that made me all the more excited to finally pick it up, but.. meh. It just fell flat for me. I couldn't find myself caring for the characters and the lack of overall dialogue in the book made it feel all the more lacklustre. It was okay, not great. Beautiful writing but a dull story. The epitome of 3 stars.

Rating: ★★★

Never Let Me Go
by Kazuo Ishiguro 

“I keep thinking about this river somewhere, with the water moving really fast. And these two people in the water, trying to hold onto each other, holding on as hard as they can, but in the end it's just too much. The current's too strong. They've got to let go, drift apart. That's how it is with us. It's a shame, Kath, because we've loved each other all our lives. But in the end, we can't stay together forever.”

Whether you've read it or seen the movie adaption, this is a story that has captured thousands of hearts. It's a modern classic, no doubt about that. Following the story of Kath, Tommy and Ruth, as they come to question the outside world that awaits for them outside of their boarding school. I enjoyed this, I wasn't surprised by the "twist" though which I think many give it 5 stars for. The writing was beautiful, the characters flawed, and I did like the questionable pacing of the novel. This is one I think you should 100% go into blind, and it is definitely worthy of the hype. The only downside for me was some of the unnecessary back stories to places or people that only really matter once. It pulled me out of the book at times and I found myself wanting to go back to our narrator as she told us her story.

Rating: ★★★★

Daisy Jones & The Six
by Taylor Jenkins Reid 

“I had absolutely no interest in being somebody else's muse.

I am not a muse.

I am the somebody.

End of fucking story.”

When party girl Daisy Jones joins the 60s-70s rock band The Six, they are dubious as to whether she'll fit. Billy, the band's leader man, dislikes her attitude and she isn't all too fussed about him either. Can two people who dislike each other get along for the music that will undeniably skyrocket their careers? This is already well loved online, but boy, I didn't expect to love it as much as I did. This is a love letter written to modern day women, from women of the past. (Okay, fictional women, but let me dream them into reality). It's beautiful, realistic, and feminist as hell. Read it.

Also be sure to check out my full review HERE.

Rating: ★★★★★

The Husbands Secret
by  Liane Moriarty 

“None of us ever know all the possible courses our lives could have and maybe should have taken. It's probably just as well. Some secrets are meant to stay secret forever. Just ask Pandora.”

In a similar style to her other novel Big Little Lies, this is a story of three women whose lives unexpectedly interconnect after one of them discovers a devastating secret. I was a sceptical going into this domestic fiction story as I hadn't heard overly positive things about it (though nothing overly bad either, just a strong 'meh'.), but that worry was for nought. If you enjoy Liane's writing, then you'll enjoy it. I think many were disappointed as they were expecting a thriller of sorts, but it is instead a story of female empowerment and marriage troubles. I liked it.

Rating: ★★★★

“When you see an object, it seems that you see it as an entire thing first, and only afterwards do its details follow on. But for people with autism, the details jump straight out at us first of all, and then only gradually, detail by detail, does the whole image float up into focus.”