Top Five Books of 2019

Boand: By far and away the most original book I have read this year. It is also totally engaging, full of wondrous and shocking information. It made me cry in places but also smile at the wonders of trees. This book has stayed in my consciousness and remains one of my all time favourite reads, not just this year or decade but my entire life.

Boand: An enchanting stream of consciousness about walks by the sea. Totally pragmatic while also original, engaging and a total delight to read. This book is literally a breath of fresh air.

Boand: Beautifully written and completely engaging, this book reels you in and takes you on Lyra’s journey from her early life until her arrival in Oxford. By turns exciting, terrifying and grim but always captivating.

Boand: A novel based on the life of Bram Stoker and how he came to write Dracula. A large part of this includes his time in London where he was Sir Henry Irving’s stage manager at the Lyceum, and also his relationship with the National Treasure who was Ellen Terry. Beautifully written, lyrical and captivating. It has also won the Irish Book of the Year award and quite deservedly so.

Boand: I enjoyed the Grantchester Mysteries series but the prequel is by far and away the best book James Runcie has written. This novel goes much deeper and explains how Sidney Chambers follows his destiny as a man of honesty and service to others having survived the horror of WWII in Italy. Riveting, sad, absorbing and sincere, Sidney’s story explains his sense of nostalgia and melancholy which pervades the whole Grantchester series. A thoughtful and compelling read.