Because people like to ask for recommendations, I thought
I would make it easier. Here is a list of my favorite books that I am likely to
recommend at any time:
The Time Traveler’s Wife, Audrey Niffenegger
I picked this book up in an
airport bookshop after overhearing rave reviews from one nearby shopper to her
friend. It was a long flight from Seattle to Dallas and nothing else had caught
my eye, so I awkwardly waited for the two ladies to move on and picked up The Time Traveler’s Wife and bought it.
Seriously, how many times have you overheard someone in the bookshop talk about
a book and then end up just randomly buying it? Or is that just me? Anyway, I
fell in love with the characters and the concept of Henry’s gene mutation that
leads to his spontaneous time traveling incidents. What really sold me on this
was the love story that the main characters had and how their lives intertwined
throughout different periods in time. I finished it a day after getting off the
plane and it has been one of my favorite novels ever since.
The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern
A magical circus that appears
and disappears without warning? A Romeo & Juliet-esque romance that spans a
life time? What is not to like?! Erin Morgenstern’s novel, The Night Circus, follows a pair of dueling magicians pitted to
complete against each other through a mysterious challenge from childhood
through adulthood. With the circus acting as a catalyst for a competition where
there can only be one winner, the lives of all who are involved hang in the
balance. I absolutely loved all of the characters in this novel and the varying
storylines. The Night Circus is full
of depth and the intricately woven storylines that form a magical and
spellbinding story. Read it.
The Nightingale, Kristin Hannah
The WWII historical fiction
genre is crammed full of amazing books. It’s a popular time period for writers
and readers alike. The Nightingale
has to be one of my favorite novels in this genre, it’s just a beautiful story
about sisterhood, family, love, loss, courage and fearlessness during one of
the darkest times in world history. I absolutely fell in love with Isabelle and
Vianne’s perspectives of two very different sides of the same war. It’s
beautifully written – and I dare you not to love it.
Coming Home,
Rosamude Pilcher
Coming Home was released in 1995 – and I think I picked it up a few
years later. I’ve been a tenacious reader since I was 6, so being thirteen or
fourteen and taking this on was really not a big deal. I have read and re-read Coming Home at least a half dozen times
since then, and it’s truly one of my favorite books (as evidenced by the
missing back cover to my grocery store paperback). This is a coming of age
novel is about Judith Dunbar, who at age fourteen is left to attend boarding
school while her mother and baby sister leave to join her father who is a
foreign diplomat in Singapore. While at school Judith befriends Loveday
Carey-Lewis, the young and free spirited daughter of wealthy Cornwall
socialites that will serve to become the closest thing she has to a family. The
novel spans from Judith’s teenage years in 1935 through the end of WWII. It’s a
wonderful story about friendship, family, love and self-discovery. And please
don’t be turned off by the length of the book (approx. 990 pages). It goes by
fast.
Far From the Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy
Of all the Victorian novels in the world, Far From the Madding Crowd is my
absolute favorite. I adore this story’s characters and themes. If you’ve never
read this – I’m going to warn you, it’s wordy. Hardy really has a way with
words and this is classic Brit lit so it’s not a quick read. But it is a
wonderful story about a strong woman, the mistakes she makes and the three men
who love her. It is equal parts tragedy and romance, with a great supporting
cast and characters who you just want to root for. Also – as far as I’m
concerned Gabriel Oak is the greatest literary hero there ever was. If I had a
book husband, it would be him.
The Light Between Oceans, M.L. Stedman
A lighthouse keeper and his wife
find a baby and a dead man in a lifeboat when it washes up on the shores of
their small, secluded island off the coast of Australia. Tom Sherbourne, wants
to report the foundling child – but Isabel his wife, wracked with grief after
multiple miscarriages and a stillborn child, convinces him to consent to keep
the child and raise her as their own. But two years later on a return trip to
the mainland they learn that their decision has had devastating consequences. The Light Between Oceans is one of my
all-time favorite novels for the beautiful prose, and heart wrenching decisions
the characters make. You’ll probably enjoy this if you liked The Nightingale or All the Light We Cannot See. It’s a wonderful novel and I highly
recommend it.
Where’d You Go Bernadette, Maria Semple
Disclaimer: Only three out of
the four people I’ve recommended this book to, loved it. So although it’s a
super quirky book that has a unique narrative structure which doesn’t appeal to
all readers – I’m adding it to this list.
I love Bernadette. She’s a nut –
and I always love eccentric characters. Bernadette is a brilliant architect
turned recluse who has gone missing, seemingly swept from the face of the Earth
with no clue as to where she’s gone. By piecing together email messages,
letters, and other documents, Bernadette’s daughter Bee embarks on a mission to
find her lost mother. I found this novel to be hilarious, quirky, heart-warming
and unique. So naturally it’s one of my favorites.
For the Love, Jen Hatmaker
I am not typically a fan of the
Christian nonfiction/fiction/literature genre. I tend to find these types of
books trite, cliché or frustrating. I am happy to say that Jen Hatmaker’s book,
For the Love is none of the above and
offers hilarious insight in a series of essays whose topics span from fashion
tips and homework help to general advice for “balancing it all”. Because aren’t
we all just superhuman, freak show unicorns that can bake gluten free, vegan,
non GMO, carob chip cookies for the peewee soccer team, maintain a size two
dress size after having kids, always have perfectly coiffed, camera ready hair
and makeup, a house that Martha Stewart would envy and kids who are brilliant
and perfect in every possible way? Oh that’s not you? Me either. I find that in
the day of bloggers, Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook it’s too easy to set
unrealistic standards for ourselves as moms and wives – or let’s just say it
how it is: as HUMAN BEINGS. Jen’s take on this is humbling, funny and real. I
promise, you’ll love her book.
So there you have it - my favorite books of all time. Happy reading!
So there you have it - my favorite books of all time. Happy reading!
No comments