The 60 Best Books of 2019 to Add to Your Reading List

From the author of The Tiger's Wife comes this spooky twist on the Western. You'll meet the plucky frontierswoman Nora who's trying to survive a punishing drought while awaiting the return of her husband and sons. The story also follows Lurie, a former outlaw haunted by ghosts, who's on the run from his past. When the two stories collide, the results are harrowing. 

Like the best rockumentaries, this history of a fictitious '70s rock band in their own words is juicy, moving, and filled with big personalities that you'll love. Turn on some tunes and get ready to jam all the way through. 

Taddeo spent almost a decade embedding herself in the worlds of three very different women to paint this moving portrait of what it's like in their lives. The result is as riveting as it is groundbreaking, and you won't be able to put it down. 

What happens when you get exactly the life you wanted and realize you want something completely different? You could run away from home ... or you can make like Philpot, who's been called "the modern-day reincarnation" of authors Nora Ephron and Erma Bombeck, and enact some mini life changes that pay off in major happiness.

Three girls and their mother live in a protected island sanctuary built for them by their father, the only man they've ever seen. That is, until he disappears on a supply run and two men and a boy wash ashore. This chilling dystopia feels like a fable for a modern era, and a must-read for women today. 

This sultry novel follows three sisters named Althea, Viola, and Lillian whose lives are forever altered when Althea is suddenly arrested — forcing Viola and Lillian to pick up the pieces of their family. They have to grapple with where the bounds of taking care of family end, and what happens when yours starts to fall apart.

If you find yourself whispering Nolite te Bastardes Carborundorum to yourself, you've got to read this sequel to The Handmaid's Tale.  Atwood told excited fans, "Everything you've ever asked me about Gilead and its inner workings is the inspiration for this book. Well, almost everything! The other inspiration is the world we've been living in." 

It's a tale as old as time: A couple gets married, they have kids, move to the 'burbs, their love starts to cool, and they need something to spice it up. This couple decides to do that with a little murder. This spicy thriller will resonate with Dexter fans, especially. 

Life might feel like a horse race sometimes, but Prior-Palmer actually does one in this poetic, extraordinary memoir. With no formal training, the 19-year-old entered one of the most punishing races in the world. And then, against the odds, she became its first female champion. 

This chilling story is based on true events, which makes it all the more harrowing. It focuses on eight Mennonite women who — after being repeatedly drugged and attacked by a group of men in their community — meet in secret and decide how to reclaim their lives not just for their own future, but also for their daughters'.  

The best spy novels are smart and sexy, but rarely relatable. Not this one. You may see glimpses of yourself in the heroine of this thriller wrapped up in a searing romance folded into a family drama — a fierce mom and ambitious career woman.

Fans of Eat, Pray, Love won't want to sleep on Gilbert's latest, which explores a beautiful love story set in the flashy theater world of the 1940s. The protagonist looks back on her life in show biz with both regret and nostalgia, and we learn about what it means when a woman embraces her sexual prowess and the consequences of living true to herself. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll love every page.

Watch out ahead! You might get whiplash from the deliciously dark plot twists that come out of nowhere in this murder mystery about a marriage gone sour. 

Twins Peter and Paul couldn't be more different; Peter's considered a genius and Paul an oddball. When Paul goes missing, the family has to reckon with a heartbreaking choice. This story deals with the sacrifices that can come with poverty and the pitfalls of ambition. 

Bestselling author Jennifer Weiner is back with a heartfelt and relatable story of two sisters as they struggle to find themselves. Weiner's books are reliably excellent, and this one is absolutely no exception. Grab it for a travel read or a palate-cleanser between heavier fare. 

For a dose of inspiration, you can't do much better than this new book by Melinda Gates. She writes about how she's making her own mark on the world outside of her husband's influence, as well as sharing stories about how women are working to escape oppression and how important it is to support society's least considered members. 

Taffy Brodesser-Akner, known for her sharp wit and insightful profiles, does not disappoint with this can't-put-it-down debut novel. It's centered around the recently divorced middle aged Toby Fleishman, whose ex-wife suddenly goes missing just as he is figuring out his newly single life. 

You're gonna want to turn the music up while you crack into this rockin' novel. Pam and Daniel, punk rockers living on the fringes of the music scene, are freewheeling parents to their daughter Flora. But as she comes of age in a post-9/11 world, she has to grapple with political forces and her own history. 

Love a book that gives you all the feels? Queenie, the character and the novel, are both brave and hugely funny. The story by Candice Carty-Williams will have you careening from relatable cringes to laughter to tears.

After his toddler daughter dies in a freak accident, Greene and his wife are devastated. But in the wake of unimaginable tragedy, Greene shares how he found hope. If you enjoy memoirs like Wild by Cheryl Strayed, this is the book for you. Pro tip: Grab the tissues before you crack the spine.