By hook or by book: City of Girls & Save Me the Plums among Amazon’s best books of the year so far

We are only halfway through 2019, but Amazon has already presented the 10 best fiction and non-fiction books in their list of their Best Books of the Year so far. The list includes a mix of memoirs and novels that have been lapped up by readers across the globe. You might want to pick up these titles if you are looking for a new book to read or if you are just a regular bookworm.

Among many great reads that the editorial team says had ‘a heart-wrenching memoir of loss, an intoxicating novel of a ’70s rock band, a psychological thriller worthy of Agatha Christie comparisons, and so much more’. But they finalised on the novel, City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert as their number one pick of the year so far. It was also named the Best Book of June.

Elizabeth Gilbert, best known for her travel memoir Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia is known for her excellent prose and beautiful writing. This year, she writes a love story set in a crumbling midtown theatre called the Lily Playhouse.

Some of the books listed in the previous years include the likes of Educated by Tara Westover, The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy, Lab Girl by Hope Jahren, H Is for Hawk Helen Macdonald and Updike by Adam Begley from previous Best Books of the Year So Far picks.

Here is the full list of the best mid-year books from Amazon…

City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert

The story revolves around Vivian Morris who arrives in New York to live with her bohemian aunt Peg with the goal of becoming someone interesting. But when Vivian makes a personal mistake that results in a professional scandal, it turns her new world upside down in ways that will take her years to fully understand.

Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

This book is a psychological thriller about a young woman, Alicia Berenson who is married to a fashion photographer. They seem to be happily married until she shoots her husband one day. The author goes on to explore the mental state of the protagonist.

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Once More We Saw Stars: A Memoir by Jayson Greene

In this memoir, Jayson Greene shows the power of love in the face of adversity and loss. The author describes the ordeals of marriage in a manner that is raw and honest, but tender.

Mrs. Everything: A Novel by Jennifer Weiner

Set in 1950s, Mrs. Everything explores the lives of two sisters living in Detroit. One of them is a tomboy and a rebel while the other is very feminine and the proverbial good-girl of the family. The story is about their struggles to find their place in the world.

The Night Tiger: A Novel by Yangsze Choo

In this historical novel, the author shares a story of 11-year-old Ren as she goes to fulfil her master’s death wish, which is to find his severed finger lost in an accident and reunite it with his body.

Daisy Jones & The Six: A Novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid

This is the coming of age story of Daisy, a young girl in LA who goes to clubs on the Sunset Strip and loves rock and roll. The writer tells the tale of a talented woman, a free-spirited singer-songwriter who refuses to be secondary to a man’s story.

Underland: A Deep Time Journey by Robert Macfarlane

This book is a sequel to the international bestseller The Old Ways. In the sequel, the author expands the reader’s horizons while delving into the various “worlds beneath our feet” in an eye-opening exploration.

The Unwinding of the Miracle: A Memoir of Life, Death, and Everything That Comes After by Julie Yip-Williams

The author shares her story of Julie Yip-Williams, who was born blind in Vietnam, and was forced to flee to Hong Kong with her family in the aftermath of the political upheaval of her country in the late 1970s. Later, a surgeon gives her partial sight. This book is the story of her life, as she navigates her many problems and eventually become a Harvard-educated lawyer.

Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir by Ruth Reichl

Ruth Reichl, food writer and beloved restaurant critic, shares her journey of entering the glamorous, high-stakes world of magazine publishing in this much-awaited memoir of her life.

Cari Mora: A Novel by Thomas Harris

This is the story of Cai Mora, a young Colombian refugee who escaped the violence in her native country. She makes a living, working as a caretaker of an old mansion which was once owned by Pablo Escobar.

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