Ok so the title of this is a little iffy so going to try explain this idea better – in this post I’m gonna do a list of my top book (or 2) from that year starting at 2010 to 2019. Now for most of these I certainly did not read them in the year that they were released, however this is a list of books that were published this decade that I also read in this decade (so I might have read a book in 2019 that came out in 2010 etc.)
Also just as a side note I am going off the Goodreads “Date Published” so if any of these are wrong I apologise.
Hoping that makes sense, anyway here we go…
2010 – Room By Emma Donoghue
This was easily the number one book that I read this year (for those of you who are interested Mockingjay came second). I loved this book, it was such a unique book. It is told from the perspective of a child that is being kept in captivity along with his mother. Everything he knows he learnt from her or from the TV, he knows little of the world outside.
Loved this, I was gripped and thought it was so interesting to see what life is like not just from a child’s perspective but also of one that has a limited world view. Would definitely recommend
See my full review here
2011 – Divergent AND A Monster Calls
So I absolutely couldn’t choose between these two. I have reread them at least twice in the past two years. They are two very different books but I love them both for two very different reasons.
I love Divergent because it is packed full of action, has a romance that doesn’t feel forced and has such an amazing world structure with the different factions. I completely lost myself in this world and kept thinking about it for days after
You can see my full review here
Then we have A Monster Calls, definitely not an action book. In this book we follow a young boy whose mum is ill, one night a monster visits however it is not the monster he is expecting. The monster will tell three tales and then Conor must reveal his truth.
This is such a thoughtful and moving book, the first time I read this I cried, it is such a beautiful story. It is only short and there is an illustrated edition which is just amazing, I cannot recommend this book enough
Take a look at my full review here
2012 – The Fault In Our Stars AND A Man Called Ove
Ok so sticking with the sad books here I have two more. There were quite a few 5* books in 2012 however for me these are the two that stand out the most.
The Fault in Our Stars is about two teenagers who are part of the same cancer support group, they get talking and what would have been a depressing story becomes so much more romantic. They will make the most of what little time they have left, because you never know how long you have got.
Definitely pick this one up if you’re looking for a sad read, you’re likely to sob your heart out (I know I did). If you’re not feeling the book then there is also a great film of the same name.
This book absolutely destroyed me, I thought it was going to be so depressing, I mean who wants to read about a grumpy old man who just wants to commit suicide? However I cannot recommend this book enough, it is so funny and you’ll end up loving Ove and his grumpiness! Honestly if there’s a book on this list which I would recommend you read then it has to be this one, it’s sad, its funny and I love it!
You can see my full review here
2013 – I Am Pilgrim AND Hyperbole and a Half
Ok honestly I am trying to cut these books down to just one per year but it is so hard! Once again these two books could not be more different!
I Am Pilgrim is a crime novel unlike none I’ve ever read. A man who goes by the name of Pilgrim is tasked with the challenge of stopping a plot that will change the USA forever. With only some previously unlinked events in random areas will he be able to put them together before it’s too late?
I am definitely not a crime/spy novel person at all, however I loved this and how it was so tense at the end with everything on such a crucial time limit!
Check out my full review here
This is definitely not a spy story but still deserves a place on the list as one of the only books (possibly the ONLY book) which has actually made me laugh out loud. I actually cried tears of laughter at this book, something which I have never done before. It is just such a funny book and I love it. Definitely pick this book up if you’re looking for a funny, quick read (the goose story was the one that had me howling)
Check out my full review here
2014 – Horrorstor By Grady Hendrix
Finally a year where I only have one top book! This is such a unique read as it is laid out like an Ikea catalogue (complete with map and ordering form). If you haven’t heard of this story then it is about an IKEAish store where creepy things go on at night, a group of staff are asked to spend the night to investigate the goings on…not everything goes to plan.
This book terrified me but I loved all of it, its creepy and in some places gross but it’s amazing!
You can check out my full review here
2015 – A Head Full Of Ghosts AND Illuminae
This book is about a young girl who is ‘possessed’…or is she? There are two conflicting opinions throughout the book, is she possessed or is she mentally ill? This book is full of twists and it is spooky because everything in it is not supernatural – it is just how a human can behave which I think makes it so much more terrifying
I loved this book, it scared the hell out of me and I couldn’t wait find out what was actually going on. Check out my full review here
What would this list be if it didn’t include Illuminae? The book that actually made me fly through the entire series (instead of not reading the final book *cough* Divergent series *cough*) and it also changed my views on space/sci-fi – normally I would never pick up a book like this but I am so glad I did!
This book is about a colony who has just been attacked by a corporation, the majority of people managed to evacuate however they are now on a damaged ship with limited supplies and they cannot outrun an enemy ship. Oh there’s also a rouge A.I.
This book was amazing, I will say don’t be put off by the mixed media or the fact that it’s set in space, pick it up and give it a go! Check out my review here
2016 – Paper Princess By Erin Watt
Once again there were a few 5* books from this year however for me this one just stood out more from the rest. I love this book, it is about an independent young girl, her parents are dead and so her father’s best friend (a man she has never met) tracks her down and adopts her on her late father’s request. However she isn’t ready to handle the family of rich boys who clearly don’t want her around. Ella must quickly learn to take back control or else be ruined by the Royals
I love everything about this book, even typing the summary above has made me want to reread it! It is just sassy and sexy. Definitely a must read!
Check out my full review here
2017 – This Is Going To Hurt
The first non-fiction book on this list! Also one of the only non-fiction books I’ve read that I’ve actually enjoyed. This book is especially poignant for those of us in the UK – it is from the perspective of a junior doctor working in the NHS. Kay tells of the struggles of working long hours for little pay and the strain that is placed on doctors with limited resources. There is only so much they can do and something has got to give. If there was ever a book that everyone should read then this would be my book, it is incredibly informative about out NHS and can really open up people’s eyes to see the struggles of being an NHS worker. Pick this one up immediately!
You can check out my full review here
2018 – Beneath The Sugar Sky By Seanan Mcquire
So according to Goodreads I have only actually read 6 books published in 2018! This actually made my choice a lot harder because I only had a couple of books I really enjoyed that year (Obsidio was a close call but since Illuminae was mentioned earlier I thought I’d go for a different pick).
Now I originally didn’t love the first book in this series however all the other books I’ve since read in the same series I have loved therefore I wanted to give this book a shoutout, they’re only short books but each one is magical. Think – Alice after she returned from Wonderland. That is pretty much this series. For a full summary and my review see here
2019 – Lock Every Door By Riley Sager
Turns out I read even less new releases this year! However this one wasn’t such a difficult pick because I loved this book. It is full of twists and turns and I was definitely not expecting the ending. This is about an apartment sitter in a posh apartment building, all the other apartment sitters have mysteriously gone missing. However our main character will soon find out a lot more than she bargained for.
This was such a creepy read, full of tension and has such a shocking ending I was definitely not ready for it. Definitely pick this one up!
You can check out my full review here
So there we have it, my top books of the decade! There were some close calls and perhaps if I hadn’t limited them down to just one or two then this list would have been a lot longer. However I wanted it to be a strict process and so here we are! Quite a few amazing reads in the last 10 years (most of them actually in the past 3/4 years because that’s when I got back into reading), times flies so quickly and I remember most of these coming out and they certainly don’t feel like that long ago!
Do you have a list of your favourite books of the decade? Have you read any of these? Drop me a comment and let me know. Alternatively you can add me on Goodreads and I will be able to see your reviews 🙂
The Cosy Nook 