Book Suggestions

I love reading, just about as much I love eating/cooking/baking.  Which is a lot.  With a book by my side at all times, I’m constantly scouring the internet for which book to read next.  I’ll update this page with the latest book I’ve read with a short review, but for now I’ll list out some of the books I’ve read this year that I would recommend you read (or not recommend).*

*Please send some recommendations my way
*My recommendations will mostly (always) be fiction, though I know I need to get more non-fiction reading in my life

2018:

So far, whats been great?

  1. Tin Man by Sarah Winman – VERY good. A short book, but a powerful read.  Sometimes you can see where a book is going, but I didn’t with this and I loved that.  Emotions captured very well, and the characters are formed so well.  Endearing and emotional.
  2. A Line Made By Walking by Sarah Baume – Another short, but very well written book.  It was captivating and conveyed how the main character was feeling and dealing with her issues (depression) in a real way.
  3. Kate Atkinson – two books.  a) A God in Ruins b) Life After Life – I read A God in Ruins first, which I would also recommend if you wanted to read both.  I think if I had to choose just one to read, it would be difficult, but I would go with Life After Life.  Premise: What if you got to start life over and over again?  Time travel (kind of?) done well. A God in Ruins follows the life of Teddy, the brother of Ursula (main character of Life after Life), you know a little about him from her book and then you get the whole story.
  4. Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee – I was surprised by this book.  I wasn’t sure I would like it, but I thought it was fantastic.  Post-apartheid South Africa – the story continuously surprised me and took me to places I just did not expect.  There were some really heart wrenching parts.
  5. Anything is Possible by Elizabeth Strout – I read My Name is Lucy Barton a year or two ago, and after reading this, I want to re-read that book and also read more of Elizabeth Strout.  She is one of my new favorite authors.

Whats been good?

  1. Moonglow by Michael Chabon – I preferred The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay and if you like Chabon, then read Moonglow.
  2. Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan – Most of the book was great, I just wasn’t crazy about the ending.
  3. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng – I like this author, it’s a good book to read.
  4. I also finally read A Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and Ready Player One.  Both fantastically fun and easy books to read.  Loved all the references in Ready Player One.  Considering reading other volumes in The Hitchhikers series – any thoughts? Should I bother?

Don’t bother with…

  1. The Truth According to Us by Annie Barrows – Too long, repetitive at times, the “dark secrets” are obvious and not that dark.