I’ve had plenty of time to reflect on books in the several weeks! Last year I broke a personal record and read 123 books! Here are my top 9 books that I read last year.
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield: Beautiful, haunting, a very dysfunctional family, and a Gothic mystery. Such a sad, but fulfilling read! So many amazing quotes that I highlighted about reading, family, love, and grief. Definitely my top read of the year! If you like mysteries, historical fiction, and atmospheric novels, read this book!
When her health begins failing, the mysterious author Vida Winter decides to let Margaret Lea, a biographer, write the truth about her life, but Margaret needs to verify the facts since Vida has a history of telling outlandish tales.
Wild Game: My Mother, Her Lover, and Me by Adrienne Brodeur: This was an awesome memoir that kept me hooked. I believe I read it in one sitting. If you like memoirs, drama, and stories of resilience, read this book!
A daughter’s tale of living in the thrall of her magnetic, complicated mother, and the chilling consequences of her complicity.
The Institute by Stephen King: King is one of my favorite authors. I know when I pick up one of his books I’m in for a wild (sometimes scary!) ride with well written characters! If you like Stranger Things, read this book!
A supernatural thriller finds an abducted youth imprisoned in an inescapable institute, where teens with psychic abilities are subjected to torturous manipulation.
The Read-Aloud Family by Sarah Mackenzie: I just adored this book. It made me nostalgic thinking of all the books I read as a child, and realized the importance of reading aloud to my kids today. Sarah Mackenzie also has a podcast that is amazing!
Connecting deeply with our kids can be difficult in our busy, technology-driven lives. Reading aloud offers us a chance to be fully present with our children. It also increases our kids’ academic success, inspires compassion, and fortifies them with the inner strength they need to face life’s challenges. Reading aloud long after kids are able to read on their own can deepen relationships in a powerful way.
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren: This was my first book by this author duo! I quickly sought out more after reading this one. If you love romantic comedies, this book is for you!
Partnered with a nemesis best man on a paradise honeymoon when her bride twin gets food poisoning, a chronically unlucky maid of honor assumes the role of a newlywed before unexpectedly falling for her companion.
Cilka’s Journey by Heather Morris: If you enjoyed The Tattooist of Auschwitz, this is the sequel and based on the true story of Cilka. The notes at the end are a must-read! If you like historical fiction, books based on true events, and stories of resilience read this book!
Follows a Russian woman who is forced by a concentration camp commandant to become his lover and is subsequently sent to Siberia after being found guilty of collaborating with the enemy.
The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis-Graves: I loved this book! I really related to the main character in many ways; her love for animals, awkwardness in social situations, being an introvert, being a librarian, and even her looks. Such a great character! If you like romance, quirky female characters, and multiple perspectives, read this book!
A tumultuous but tender love affair between a socially awkward chess club member and a courageous, quirky girl is shattered by an unforeseen tragedy that forces them to confront respective anxieties when they reunite a decade later.
Things You Save in A Fire by Katherine Center: This was my first book by Katherine Center. I’ve read a couple more since and I’ve loved them as well. This is one I wanted to pick back up and read again. Great characters! It even made me tear up a few times. If you like romance and strong female leads, this book is for you!
When a family emergency compels her move from Texas to Boston, a skilled firefighter becomes the only woman in her new firehouse and navigates discrimination, low funding, and her private edicts about falling in love with another firefighter.
Winter by Marissa Meyer: Winter is the last book of the Lunar Chronicles my Meyer which has four novels and several novellas. I read the whole series in one month, which is no small feat considering Winter is over 800 pages! If you love fairy tales, sci-fi, fantasy, and teen, read this series!
The science-fiction/fantasy mash up, set on a plague-ravaged future Earth, retells the stories of four oppressed, but empowered, fairy tale heroines. New characters are woven into each book creating a seperate but layered story connected to Cinder, a cyborg version of Cinderella. The stakes are high as each heroine fights for a happy, and romantic, ever after.
Book descriptions taken from NoveList. An amazing reading tool that is free with your library card! http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?authtype=cpid&custid=s8331846
The Cafe by the Sea by Jenny Colgan
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See
The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey
A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende
My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin
Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
The Winemaker’s Wife by Kristin Harmel
The Library at the Edge of the World by Felicity Hayes-McCoy
Killing Commendatore by Haruki Murakami
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
