The end of the year is upon us, which is difficult to believe because time apparently means nothing anymore, and with it comes the last book releases of 2019! As many best-of lists are already out, it can be easy to overlook these seeming stragglers (especially because publishing slows down so much at the end of the year). But on this list are multiple books that I think people would be remiss if they hadn't considered for their lists.

From space operas to tales of bioengineering and science gone wrong, this list has a few fascinating books that you definitely should pick up for yourself or a gift this holiday season.