There are some books that will always have a place in our hearts. Stories that we carry around forever. Over the years my collection of books have changed the way I view the world. The minute I open the first page of a book I have lost myself to that world, and when I finish I feel lost and dazed. So many books have left me inspired and when someone asks me for a book recommendation there are just some books that I will never stop recommending.
One part of a bookworm’s joy is forcing people to read their favorite books! Shall we dive into my list of book recommendations?
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, Gail Honeyman
Meet Eleanor. She lives a life that is completely fine and doesn’t feel the need to make it great. An odd intelligent character with absolutely no filter. She coasts through her life and doesn’t feel the need to change anything. She enjoys her routine and lifestyle and doesn’t need anyone, that is until she meets the supposed love of her life.
After being convinced she has found her person, she embarks on a new mission. She must present herself to him when she is at her absolute best.
Safe to say things do not go as planned, and she finds herself in the middle of many disasters and new friendships. She finds herself outside her comfort zone, and anyone who struggles with social anxiety will be able to relate.
The author pulls on the emotions of the readers. So many times I found myself laughing along with Eleanor, felt uncomfortable with her, and saddened by the obstacles she must pass.
By the end of the book, I was not fine BUT Eleanor was.
Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
I feel that if you were to ask someone to name a classic American literature novel Pride and Prejudice would spring to many people’s minds. Do not judge me, BUT I have recently read this Jane Austen classic. I am not ashamed to say that I was not loving the first 100 pages! For me, it took forever for the story to develop and for some real action to happen! This book was initially a drag. It took me a week to get past page 124, BUT after getting past that page I somehow ended up finishing the rest of the book in a day. What started as a drag had me clutching the pages as it progressed. I absolutely adored it, and I don’t believe I am the first person to recommend this book to you!
The story stars the quick-witted high spirited Elizabeth Bennet who stumbles upon the proud and arrogant Mr. Darcy. Despite the difference in class between them, there is a spark that they can not deny each other.
The clash and indifference between these two characters will have readers laughing out loud. A beautifully written romance. I do not know why I avoided it for as long as I did.
Every once in a while we all need to read a book with a happy ending. This is that book. Read it.
Since I have read the book I have officially allowed myself to watch the many movie adaptations of this classic. I’m going to start with the 2005 adaptation starring Kierra Knightly. Good choice?
Once Upon The River, Diane Setterfield
I’m not going to lie to you all. The first 120 pages of this book were NOT enjoyable for me. I found it to be an extremely slow read. You are learning about the backstory of the characters, and I just wanted to skip ahead and dive into the juicy story! Initially, when I started reading, I decided this novel was not going to be featured in any of my blog posts. I simply did not care for it, as it was just too slow for me. HOWEVER! Once I made it past the first quarter of the book (I know that is quite late into the story) I fell in love. It took me by surprise how sad I was when I arrived on the last page.
A story revolving around a little girl with no history of where she came from, and unable to speak her tale. With the child being mute, the town forms its own conspiracies and tales. She arrived in the town with an unconscious but living man, and herself was deemed DEAD due to drowning in the river. She hasn’t had a breath in minutes, and yet somehow, she comes back to the land of the living.
Is this possible? These are the questions that the citizens of the land ask themselves.
The child has a spell-like charm that every individual seems to fall under. The mystery remains the same though. Where did she come from? Which family does she belong to? Where will she end up? The mystery will remain a mystery until the very end. (Literally!) I had formed my own theories of the child, and in the end, I was completely WRONG!
Do not believe that this child’s identity is the only mystery to be solved. Each character we are introduced to are suffering through their own sorrows and hardships, making readers wonder if everyone will get a happy fairytale ending?
A magical mystery novel that is written like a fairytale. I know you have never meet me, but trust my recommendation of this book and read it!
The Storied Life of A.J Fikry, Gabrielle Zevin
A light wonderful story with plenty of twists and turns along the way. Any book lover will appreciate this book. Authors that write characters that have a love and appreciation for books, I always find myself recommending.
A tale about second chances, love, and transformation. Every once in a while you will come across a book that will make you want to pack the characters in your bag and carry them with you forever. This book will contain that magic.
From the first few pages of this novel you just know it will be a great story. A.J Fikry. Owner of a failing bookstore with a dead wife that he grieves for. His two passions are books and his wife, and one of those is dead. A.J is a grumpy, quick-witted, stuck in his ways middle-aged man. He drinks too much, only consumes frozen meals, and has a big chip in his heart. However, A.J has a plan for his life. He is going to sell his collection of Edgar Allan Poe’s poems. Estimated worth 400,000 dollars. With that money, he can sell the bookstore and retire. The only problem is someone has stolen it one night when he was knocked out from a night of binge drinking. His great retirement plan has now gone to shit.
His prized possession stolen right from under him is not the only surprise that he encounters. The next surprise will completely change his life and shake him to his core.
Filled with humor, sadness, happiness, dark, and cheery moments. This book will please any reader.
Angela’s Ashes, Frank Mccourt
This book will always have a place in my heart. Read this 7 years ago, and yet every once in a while I still find myself thinking about the characters. A heartwrenching story that I absolutely adored. If you are looking for a light and cheery novel, this is not for you. If you are searching for a gut-wrenching, heartbreaking, honest read, I can not recommend this enough.
“When I look back on my childhood I wonder how I managed to survive at all. It was, of course, a miserable childhood: the happy childhood is hardly worth your while. Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood, and worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood.”
Follow along Frank’s journey. A child who was forced to grow up too soon. The child of Irish immigrant parents who struggle to make ends meet, and to make the situation worse his father is a compulsive drunk who blows money at the pubs.
Despite the horrific events that happen, I was unable to put this book down! Bring tissues along for the ride, and approach it with an open mind and compassion. A tragic gem of a true story.
If you love a great memoir, I highly recommend this book!
What Alice Forgot, Liane Moriarty
A lovely mystery read! The story begins by introducing readers to Alice. A 29-year-old pregnant woman who is head over heels in love with her husband. Imagine her surprise (and our own) when she wakes up in a hospital bed and realizes she is 39 years old with three children and about to settle her divorce. With absolute no memory of the last ten years, Alice has about a million questions.
Her relationship with her sister is strained and she doesn’t know why. She has three children that she does not remember. And lastly, she is divorcing her prince charming. What happened in those ten years? What went wrong?
Moriarty touches on many different topics. Divorce, death, infertility, family, and second chances. The families that are involved each have their own crisis that they are battling, and each character is relatable, with marvelous plot development.
I am Malala, Christina Lamb and Malala Yousafzai
First they came for the communists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a communist.
Then they came for the socialists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak out because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak out because I was not a Catholic.
Then they came for me,
and there was no one left to speak for me.
I am Malala had included that poem written by Martine Niemoller, and every time I come across it I’m left breathless. It makes me wonder if I’m doing my part for this world. It reminds me of how much I take for granted, like my freedom.
Malala. An advocate and defender of human rights. A woman who took a bullet because she refused to sit down and shut up. Reminding readers that education is a gift that everyone should have access to, but sadly are not given.
If you crave a book that will leave you speechless and make you grateful for the life you lead read Malala’s words. Feel her sorrow and pain that should have never been placed on any human being.
The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini
“And that, I believe, is what true redemption is, Amir jan, when guilt leads to good” (pg 302).
A wonderfully moving tale that left me with tears running down my cheeks. Set in Afghanistan in the early ’70s, the tale follows Amir and Hassan. Two young boys growing up in a safe, carefree environment, that is before the Russian invasion. Hassan is a servant to Amir’s family, but they are the closest playmates. Until a horrific event takes place and instead of coming to Hassan’s aid, Amir turns a blind eye.
Centered around violence, abuse, and injustice this story is not for the faint-hearted. A story about betrayal and redemption that is honest and beautifully written.
Highly recommend giving this book a whirl. Powerful and painful, but a memorable read.
Maggie Now, Betty Smith
I am a fan of Betty Smith, and after I fell in love with A Tree Grows in Brooklyn I moved on to her next work of art and read Maggie Now. Naturally, I loved it and forever will be recommending it.
A tale about Maggie who struggles to weave her own path and creating her own happiness. Set in the century of the 1890’s it might surprise you how over 100 years later you can still find it be a current read. A woman who takes care of everyone and everything.
A mysterious romance between a polite Irish woman who falls in love with a man with a past. A man who leaves every year in search of a missing key that he craves in his life, and yet he always returns to a wife who welcomes him with open arms and no resentment.
Don’t be fooled into thinking this novel is a simple romance. A testament to how powerful and strong women are while touching on religious beliefs, family, and poverty. Follow the story of Maggie and how she copes with her struggles, desires, sacrifices, and her own quest to find happiness.
A sign of a great novel is one that leaves you dazed with a loss of words. This book will do that for you. Well, it did for me.
The Hate U Give, Angie Thomas
The novel received so much love and admiration that I’m sure I’m not the first person to recommend this book. Everyone on this earth needs to read this book. I do not want to write too much about this, but know that it captures real problems that sadly are still going on today. A story that is written as fiction, but could truly be written as biography. It is a mirror of many individuals’ reality. The characters have depth and it is a thoughtful, powerful, honest, and heartbreaking story.