Best of 2019

What books, movies, and music have you loved this year? Each year, we bring together the cream of the crop of 2019 – from the picks of our staff and customers, to Best of the year lists published by magazines, newspapers and booksellers. Have your say!

Staff picks

Here are the books, movies, TV, music, and podcasts that librarians loved in 2019:

Staff summer picks in Newsline

Young Adults

Younger and Older Children’s Fiction

Picture Books

Adult Fiction

Adult Non-Fiction – New Zealand

Rangatahi - Teens

With the end of the year quickly approaching, we've been looking back at what we read this year. From new releases to books of years past, here are some of the stand-out Young Adult reads for library staff in 2019.

Best of Adult Fiction 2019 - Auahatanga - Christchurch City Libraries

List created by ChristchurchLib

Our fiction-loving librarians on Auahatanga | Level 4 | Tūranga have made their selection, and these are their choices for best fiction for 2019, and you're sure to find just the right thing for your summertime reading! A Christchurch City Libraries list.





View Full List

Brian

Best reads / listens / watches in 2019

List created by ChristchurchCat

 





View Full List

Caitlin

Thank you for your company, best books.

List created by SmallSnapper

This year I found myself pulled towards luminous, feminist, wandering novels, with a strong sense of place. So far, I have completed 105 books with the aim of reading mostly authors who are women, nature centered or translated fiction. Below is a list of the best books, comics, documentaries and music I have had had the pleasure of encountering this year.





View Full List

Cornelia

CoverWe are here: An atlas of Aotearoa Chris McDowall and Tim Denee

This is not an atlas in the traditional sense but full of striking maps and beautifully visualized statistics that tell a story where we come from and where we are at now. I could spend hours just browsing this book. Mark my words this will be a contender for the best NZ non-fiction book prize in 2020.

Dan

Best of 2019 from DevilStateDan

List created by DevilStateDan

A personal top-5 adult fiction titles for 2019.






View Full List

The best of 2019 - Film & Television

List created by DevilStateDan

A highlights package for 2019 featuring the best of Film and Television, all drawn from the collections of Christchurch City Libraries.



View Full List

Donna

Best reads of 2019

List created by Donna_R

My favourite fiction and non-fiction of 2019.





View Full List

Best DVDs of 2019

List created by Donna_R

Fave movies and tv series borrowed from the library collection.



View Full List

Fee

Best Picks Fionaccl's Top Ten Fiction 2019

List created by fionajay

What a great year for fiction! Some of the best of my reads this year. Many of these have won or been nominated for awards in 2019.





View Full List

Best Picks Fionaccl's Top Ten Graphic Novels 2019

List created by fionajay

Something old, something new, great graphics with great stories, bathos and pathos. These are some of the best discoveries I've made this year in the world of Graphic Novels.





View Full List

Helen

Helen’s Best of 2019

List created by Helenccl

Helen’s picks of 2019, a mix of bonnets, equestrians, shiny new fiction, and depressing stuff about immortality





View Full List

Hong

Hong's Best reads of 2019

List created by hongwangccl

Among the books I read this year, the following ten are most entertaining and captivating.


From an observer's perspective, the author tells a story of a young nurse's serial killing sister. This book is classified as mystery but I find that narratives on emotional struggle, the family relationship and ethical dilemma are fascinating. Chapters are short and easy-to-read.



View Full List

Jesse

My Favourites of 2019

List created by jessebraydon

2019 has been a stellar year for film, tv, music, books and podcasts. In this list I've included just some of the best books, films and tv Christchurch City Libraries has on offer. Some old, some new, the only thing that matters, is they are my personal favourites of 2019!

The Institute is the latest novel by Stephen King and one that hits close too home for many. In suburban Minneapolis, intruders silently murder twelve-year-old Luke Ellis's parents and kidnap him. He wakes up in a room identical to his own at The Institute, a facility located deep in the woods of (you guessed it) Maine. At The Institute are other kidnapped kids with special talents—telekinesis and telepathy—who live in rooms of their own.




View Full List

Kamala

2019 - A few of my favourite things.

List created by Raindancer

Raindrops on roses and movies on big screens, Dark funny novels and well researched podcasts. Tv series that you can binge and binge, these are few of my favourite things.





View Full List

Katherine

Katherine's top picks 2019

List created by katccl

Some books I've enjoyed and learnt from this year!





View Full List

Lynne

The bells of old Tokyo: travels in Japanese time Anna Sherman
Shadow on the crown Patricia Bracewell
The price of blood Patricia Bracewell

CoverCoverCover

The first is a travel book, but not a conventional travel book. The author seeks out the locations of the old time-telling bells of Tokyo, and the stories and history surrounding them. Unusually poetic rather than descriptive.

The second two books are fiction, but about a somewhat neglected part of English history, the reign of Aethelred the Unready and the Vikings who became English kings. If you're tired of the Tudors by now, this is a welcome antidote.

Moata

Best of 2019

List created by MomoT

My favourite books, fiction and non-fiction, from twenty-nineteen.





View Full List

Monique

Best of 2019

List created by macayless

These are my best picks of 2019!





View Full List

Rachael

2019 Best books

List created by Rachaelistic

I'm Rachael Ch from Upper Riccarton Library, and these are my top picks of the books I've read this year.

I reread my school copy of The Handmaid's tale before I read this sequel, which I recommend doing. The story is divided between three women and set over fifteen years after the events of The Handmaid's tale. I admit that the first book was superior, but this was certainly a satisfying read.

What a delicious book! Dark, scary and poses the question: how far would you go to protect a loved one?



View Full List

Renee

Renee's Favourite Reads of 2019

List created by Reneeccl

My favourite books of the year. It's been a big year of fantasy reading for me this year (I'm normally a dedicated who-dunnit reader), so they take up a good chunk of my favourite reads this year. There's still a small smattering of mystery and other genres, and I've enjoyed each of these immensely.





View Full List

Stacey

My favourite murder podcast

I have been obsessed with listening to this Podcast since finding out about it earlier in the year. It's a combination of true crimes stories and comedy, told by Karen Kilgraiff and Georgia Hardstark. Each episode the hosts discuss a famous murder story in a way that is not too heavy on the heart, but factual enough for the listener to learn about crimes in history. The great thing about the podcast is that the hosts recommend the listeners books to compliment their stories, so you can continue your obsession!

Stella

Favourite Titles for 2019

List created by shadynz

Some of the titles I have enjoyed this year



View Full List

Vicki

These are books I have read or listened to...or both...and enjoyed. I will often have the actual book or eBook & the audiobook on the go at the same time so I can continue to read to & from work & when out & about.

My favourite reads of 2019

List created by vix1

 





View Full List

Customer picks

Brenda

CoverEndurance: A year in space, a lifetime of discovery Scott Kelly

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Neil Armstrong stepping on the moon. Inspired by this achievement, American Scott Kelly and his identical twin Mark train as fighter pilots then as astronauts. As children of the 60s (hey bloomer!), Man on the Moon brought kudos to science and engineering. Now the international space station is hurling in orbit, visible on most nights, and occupied continuously for over 20 years. Although America won the Moon Race, it is Russia who won and continue to dominate space. Scott and Misha, his Russian counterpart, spend a year in space - a formidable undertaking for which both are to be respected. Scott brings his day to day world on the ISS both in this book and in short videos. Apart from his extraordinary education, what shines through is how we take for granted the feel of fresh air in our lungs, water on our skin, the company of loved ones and the sacrifices we make for the greater good.

2019 best book lists

New Zealand

International

See also

Print this page