![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxk-i3EhyphenhyphenWHyz9M9u_dXsoWHSt5kkgdFF5J6d9utnso2jjFeFuLZqElIjEcVgK5jZCx8bsLjISP9qQNZMZ8gJyPfSOigUssSAsI9aOtCFekczrJbyIN6gzMP8ZMzAZqlRCu4_jFKGbgb4/s200/5+stars.png)
I enjoy the end of year "best of" lists and love the winter holidays, but, I think I would trade all the winter holidays for Iceland's Jólabókaflóð (Yule Book Flood). If you don't know this fantastic celebration, here is NPR's report on it published in 2012: Literary Iceland Revels In It's Annual Christmas Book Flood. What could be more ideal than a holiday that brings a pile of new books (I think chocolate is also involved.) shared by and with friends and relatives, and the time to read them? Perfection! If only I could persuade everyone to adopt this book flood celebration...
Here are a few of the best of lists from my inbox:
And here are 5 of my favorite YA reads from 2019:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9iBMFT8Wfp8a-daDHJgZKM6LezvD8AeGBq-K60Eg0xDQEgTOLK9z0ZyacL5N9Y-NzLfznAKqdNA7glkxa2F7vMAKfgWxD6XzbRCsUQ4FBLkjVPvGylUSn057gT8zxx-HvLOiUy0g2N64/s200/missing.jpg)
The Missing of Clairedelune, by Christelle Dabos, 2019. When her dangerous gift for reading the history of objects is revealed by her promotion to Vice-storyteller, Ophelia turns for support to her enigmatic fiance, Thorn, throughout a formidable investigation into the disappearances of several high-profile courtiers. (Book 2 in the Mirror Visitor Quartet.) Fantasy.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0dTxGf0Ogo5yOzLZ5GSk-BdzmNI_ZC4jZMNhY_sNaXXSXMY5NOxTqSrq3JJTb8CsgnPNNasTX9WW8jnPrUdwwhRyoX5QE2AXEt9MAszjnCdFN59Brhyphenhypheni7_tei3SOKbBHNqaxMJUstzbw/s1600/sadie.jpg)
Sadie, by Courtney Summers, 2018. Told from the alternating perspectives of 19-year-old Sadie who runs away from her isolated small Colorado town to find her younger sister's killer, and a true crime podcast exploring Sadie's disappearance. Murder Mystery, Suspense.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2nt4svhZphful38WmVozORZPlsGtz7cvWtqdgZ9WEe10Or-C37g7b3t88sns_1nbHDEmKcl6c2Zfwsfh1MNIsrv27wB-fosA7ezdwKR_BBjvBjJPjOe0AEppqT9TDwFLwQgkIc6e_Hw/s200/comeup.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr8tvfBREVB3QSjnTLQzsBr1V6CuFPAk3G6AQmvb_KPq4sUvYrZZHU4jnIc9iUfeOhJ_xDQosxjOiZ8JZtBC9IshF35b-B0ihRvMI4gkEZNdzo2fDHeb-pqn9Udjbk2HokLldT5krAJ6g/s200/boneless.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3G_xXUhB6t6Zdyazv4bq5NydyfJ4T_4zxfzIuJq5-yitteWb-W_BmuH6_-6f2563m8gl61lGiVPfGL5CgEMdEWk4xOvMouCANkSx6CiH2KfM9DC5uX5-VZMQWZ1g5nqgvtR1wZTluLUc/s200/walden.jpg)