5-Word Book Reviews for 2019

I read a bunch of books (again) in 2019. I’d love to write a full-length review of each one, but who has the time to read (let alone write) that?

So I stick to short, 5-word reviews. That forces me to be minimal and gives you a quick overview of everything I’ve read.

I did the same thing back in 2018, 2017, and 2016. I skipped some reviews for some of the graphic novels I didn’t think were relevant.

(Full disclosure: the links to each book are Amazon affiliate links. If you click one and buy the book, I get a small reward. Thanks for doing so.)

5-Word Reviews for 2019

1. The Drawing of the Three (The Dark Tower #2) by Stephen King
   Gunslinger opens doors, shoots lobsters
2. I’d Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life by Ann Bogel
   Short essays from a bibliophile
3. Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
   Holocaust survivor philosophizes on tragedy
4. Mortal Engines (Mortal Engines Quartet #1) by Philip Reeve
   Mobile London eats other cities
5. The In-Between: Embracing the Tension Between Now and the Next Big Thing by Jeff Goins
   Finding success in the mundane
6. Fifty Shames of Earl Grey (A Parody) by Fanny Merkin
   Chucklesome parody of romance novels
7. All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai
   Incredibly imaginative time-travel thriller
8. The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy by Jon Gordon
   Cheezy narrative cloaks cliched principles
9. Texts from Jane Eyre: And Other Conversations with Your Favorite Literary Characters by Mallory Ortberg
   Amazing epistolaries between literary allusions
10. The Wise Man’s Fear (Kingkiller Chronicles #2) by Patrick Rothfuss
    Finish the third book already
11. The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
    Poirot makes his detective debut
12. We’re Pregnant! The First Time Dad’s Pregnancy Handbook by Adrian Kulp
    Practical guide to paternal pregnancy
13. Out of the Silent Planet (Space Trilogy #1) by C.S. Lewis
    Deeply philosophical extraterrestrial Christian allegory
14. The INFJ Writer: Cracking the Creative Genius of the World’s Rarest Type by Lauren Sapala
    Myers-Briggs personality impacts writing
15. Repeat by Neal Pollack
    Pothead lives multiple lives cyclically
16. The Dark Half by Stephen King
    Semi-autobiographical novelist kills doppelganger
17. The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery by Ian Morgan Cron
    Basis of Christian Enneagram craze
18. Stand Off by Andrew Smith
    Prep-school rugby star endures roommate
19. Yes Please by Amy Pohler
    Humorous memoir from comedy legend
20. Go by Kazuki Kaneshiro
    North Korean bildungsroman in Japan
21. Perelandra (Space Trilogy #2) by C.S. Lewis
    Not Mars, Venus this time
22. The Waste Lands (The Dark Tower #3) by Stephen King
    Gunslinger gang boards haunted locomotive
23. How to Be a Perfect Christian: Your Comprehensive Guide to Flawless Spiritual Living by the Babylon Bee
    Sardonic perspective of Christian sanctimoniousness
24. The Power of Vulnerability: Teachings of Authenticity, Connections and Courage by Brene Brown
    Why openness gives us strength
25. The Hangman’s Daughter by Oliver Pötzsch
    German executioner prevents witch hunt
26. Building a Bridge: How the Catholic Church and the LGBT Community Can Enter into a Relationship of Respect, Compassion, and Sensitivity by James Martin
    Jesuit reconciliation between Catholics & LGBTQ
27. Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together And Others Don’t by Simon Sinek
    Selflessness binds best teams together
28. The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events #1) by Lemony Snicket
    Baudelaire orphans meet Count Olaf
29. Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman
    Children’s father adventures with dairy
30. Plugged by Eoin Colfer
    Irish murder, mayhem over toupee
31. The Case for Christ: A Journalist’s Personal Investigation of the Evidence of Jesus by Lee Strobel
    Atheist discovers Christ through research
32. Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix
    Employees trapped inside haunted IKEA
33. Herding Tigers: Be The Leader Creative People Need by Todd Henry
    Managing creative people by design
34. May You: Experience Freedom from Your Past, Peace in Your Present, and Hope for Your Future by Jason Glaze
    Christian counseling self-discovery guide
35. The Dark Heart: A True Story of Greed, Murder, and an Unlikely Investigator by Joakim Palmkvist
    Real-life Swedish murder investigation
36. Free to Focus: A Total Productivity System to Achieve More by Doing Less by Michael Hyatt
    Take control of your time
37. The Oracle Year by Charles Soule
    Musician predicts future, causing chaos
38. A Study in Emerald by Neil Gaiman
    Dark Lovecraftian Sherlock mystery reversal
39. Bossypants by Tina Fey
    Autobiographical comedian explains face scar
40. Know What You’re FOR: A Growth Strategy for Work, An Even Better Strategy for Life by Jeff Henderson
    Being for community builds loyalty
41. Fire and Blood by George R.R. Martin
    Dragon-filled Targarian family history
42. Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don’t Know by Malcolm Gladwell
    Misassumptions lead to dangerous miscommunications