Here’s part two of my favorites list. Why am I doing multiple lists? Because it’s just too tough to narrow down, there were too many amazing books I read this past year! I know that doesn’t sound like much of a problem, but it is! I mean, it’s definitely a good kind of problem but logistically, as a blogger, it’s so tough to narrow down favorites.
You can find my previous list here. I’ll be doing one more list, new series and stand alones published in 2019, and then I’ll be summing them up with a final ‘best of the best’ list, just as a preview for things to come later this month. 🙂
Favorite Reads of 2019: Part Two
Sequels Published in 2019
These are all books that were published in 2019 but were sequels to existing series. A lot of these were books that I was highly anticipating and I’m so glad they came through for me. In addition to all these fantastic sequels released this year, I have a few more that I’m planning on reading before the year is out, so I’d like to pre-emptively add one of them to the list–I’m sure The Hanged Man by K.D. Edwards would have made this list had I read it, but it doesn’t come out until next week. 🙂
1. The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) by R.F. Kuang – 5/5 stars
I really didn’t think that the sequel would surpass the first one because the first book is so good, and yet here we are. Also, it’s not often that I enjoy a book where the main character is insufferable through a large portion of the book, and yet here we are again. I’m making this sound terrible, but it’s the opposite, it’s fantastic. This one is full of action and character development and some crazy twists and turns. I loved it and can’t wait to have my heart torn out from my chest by the last book. 🙂 Full review here.
2. The Girl with No Face (The Daoshi Chronicles #2) by M.H. Boroson – 5/5 stars
This has definitely been one of my most anticipated books of the year because it’s been so long since the first one came out and I feel like I’ve been waiting forever for it. Part of me was really scared it wouldn’t live up to that first book, but as much as i love the first one I think this sequel exceeded it. It’s full of adventure, magic, and father / daughter bonding. Full review here.
3. Dark Age (Red Rising #5) by Pierce Brown – 5/5 stars
I think this sequel destroyed me for a little while. It was SUCH a wild ride. It was long but totally worth every 34 hours I spent listening to it. I loved the journey even if it left me an emotional wreck in the end, lol. Full review here.
4. In Dreaming Bound (Palace of Dreams #2) by J. Kathleen Cheney – 5/5 stars
This is another long anticipated sequel! I really love this series and I’m so glad the author continued it. Cheney writes exactly the type of books I love reading, a wonderful blend of fantasy, mystery, and romance. I also really love the world building in this one. But it’s the characters that really make the book for me. Full review here.
5. Grave Importance (Dr. Greta Helsing #3) by Vivian Shaw – 5/5 stars
This has become one of my favorite series of all time. If you love monsters who are lovely and kind and generous, sometimes more than the humans they live in the world with, this is the book series for you. The series ended on a rather epic note and I couldn’t have been happier even though I was sad to say good-bye. Full review here.
6. The Kingdom of Copper (The Daevabad Trilogy #2) – 5/5 stars
I’ll admit that even though I gave the first book 5 stars as well, there were some rocky parts for me. Everything that even slightly annoyed me about the first book was fixed here in the sequel and all of the great tension at the end of the first one was here in the second only ramped up to eleven. Not only that but I’m still FLOORED how the author made me flip my feelings on some of the characters with this one. I can’t wait for the final volume. Full review here.
7. Legacy of Ghosts (The Coraidic Saga #2) by Alicia Wanstall-Burke – 5/5 stars
I am really loving this series. Right now the first one is a finalist in this year’s SPFBO contest and I wish it luck because it’s a great book and deserves more attention. The sequel is, somehow, even better. There are some questions answered and others raised. The action is great. The characters are fleshed out even more. I really want to read the next book now. Full review here.
8. Storm of Locusts (The Sixth World #2) by Rebecca Roanhorse – 4.5/5 stars
I love urban fantasy and I love post apocalyptic stories and this one has the best of both worlds. This sequel was really fantastic, I love how the author is developing the main character and I also am enjoying some new characters that have been introduced. This series remains bad-ass and I’m looking forward to more. Full review here.
9. Thornbound (The Harwood Spellbook #2) by Stephanie Burgis – 4.5/5 stars
Over the past year I’ve become a huge fan of Stephanie Burgis and it all started with the first book in this series, Snowspelled. And as much as I liked that one, this one really built on it and in terms of plot I think it’s just a bit better. I love the altlernate history, I appreciate the society being different yet still challenging to our protagonists, there’s just so much to love about these books. Full review here.
10. Mist, Metal, and Ash (Ink, Iron, and Glass #2) by Gwendolyn Clare – 4.5/5 stars
This is a book that I didn’t expect to love as much as I did. I liked the first one but I didn’t immediately fall in love with it. Yet, the more I think about the world building the more I can appreciate it. This sequel really brought the story home and upped the excitement level by a lot. It also had such great moments with the characters. This is a duology so this is the last book, they’re both quick reads so give them a read if you like interesting magic systems, adventure, and a bit of YA romance. Full review here.
Those are my picks for my second list of favorites. Any thoughts on these? Leave a note in the comments, I’d love to chat!
Way Too Fantasy 
Love this list! The Girl with no Face is definitely in my top five of the year😁
Thanks, Tammy! Yeah, I think it might end up in mine too, I’m not sure, there were so many good reads this year it’s going to be tough to narrow down. I’m scared to start my final list if I’m being honest hah.
Yess The dragon republic!!
I really need te read City of Brass!
(www.evelynreads.com)
The Dragon Republic really exceeded my expectations. Hope you get to The City of Brass, would love to see your thoughts on that one. 🙂
Wow, so many second books in a series listed! Those can be tough for me to get through so I’ll have to check those series out. Congrats on a great reading year!
I’m trying harder to stick to my ongoing series lately…not always successful with it but I try lol. Thanks!
The Dragon Republic is my top 5 this year. I LOOOOVED The Kingdom of Copper, but I read it last year so I can’t include it on my list.
They were both SO GOOD and what sequels should aspire to be imo. 🙂 I am scared how both of these stories will end, they might leave me heartbroken lol.
I love that you had two posts on this!! 😄 there are just too many to narrow them down. I haven’t read The Poppy War series yet but I’m keen to give it a try! Jen
Thanks! I actually have a third coming next week 🤣🤣
The Poppy War is so good. Brutal at times, but good. 🙂
Ahhhhh, I am going to try to get Dragon Republic read before the end of the year!!! 😀
It’s just so good. I can’t wait to see your thoughts on that one.
I have both The Dragon Republic and Storm of Locusts on my reading queue, so I’m happy to learn that they came out even better than their respective predecessors. Can’t wait to see for myself… 😉
I hope you enjoy them! I thought they were fantastic follow ups and can’t wait to read more in each series. (although i think that last Poppy War book might slay me lol)
Yay for sequel love! Poppy War and Dragon Republic are both ones I find a hard time saying I “enjoyed” because they are so brutal and just crush your heart. So good!
I know exactly what you mean. Yet, they’re such engaging and dynamic reads, that I can’t say I didn’t enjoy them….I enjoy things that make me go through an experience and those books definitely delivered on that front. 🙂
*weeps* – still haven’t read Dragon Republic and Girl with No Face – I am trying to catch up this month but I’m sure somebody has turned the time up to double because where are all the days going. I seem to have less time than ever.
Lynn 😀
Oh, you are going to LOVE Girl with No Face. I hope you get to read both of them soon!
Loving your list. I really want to try Burgis’s Snowspelled. It sounds like something I might like and could probably keep up with as an audiobook (if the audio is available).
I really love Burgis’s books. She takes tropes and flips them. So in this society is flipped from what we think, women have power in places they didn’t (like politics), but there are still very clear gender roles so the characters still have to fight against sexism, just differently from our world.
I remember you mentioning that in your review. That’s what got me interested in the story.
Awesome. Well, I hope you enjoy. 😀
Completely agree about dark age being a wild ride!!
I was listening to it at work and I was like ‘omg OMG HOLY CRAP’ and making all sorts of gasps and stuff and I’m pretty sure my coworker thinks I’m legit crazy now lol. 🙂