Hi friends :)
Make way for more book recommendations. I wanted to focus on fiction novels that have left me speechless and satisfied. These are the books that I inhaled, you know that not-able-to-drink-in-the-words-fast-enough feeling. They evoke a whirlwind of emotions and can feel like a rollercoaster. Some leave you feeling warm and fuzzy while others are so heart-wrenching, but it just works. Not all have a happy ending, but I believe they each have an ending that leaves you reeling.
So if you are in the market for a book that will rock your world, give one of these a try.
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens: I will almost always start with this book because it is one of my all-time favorites. A coming-of-age novel alongside a murder mystery. The main character, Kya, is one of the most interesting and complex characters I’ve ever read. Trust me on this one. I sat there stunned when I finished and immediately wanted to go back and re-read it.
Bringing Down the Stars & Long Live the Beautiful Hearts by Emma Scott: This is a duet (you do have to read both for the full experience, as it leaves on a major cliffhanger and the second book really wrecks you in the best way). This is romance featuring a complicated love triangle that takes a number of unexpected turns. I still can’t believe how it started and how it ended. Just wow.
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini: I won’t sugarcoat it… this is a really tough read at times. Abuse against women in Afghanistan is central to this story. But the power and endurance and strength along that… and the women friendships… ahhh. This one will haunt you.
Euphoria by Lily King: Three anthropologists are caught in a love triangle but that is not even the draw of this story. The compassion for their work and love of the tribes they work with is just beautiful. This one unexpectedly captured my heart. It was also a really interesting peek into this type of fieldwork.
The House on the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune: The title and cover drew me in and my gosh, thank God!! This is a story about an orphanage for magical children. We follow a (depressed) caseworker as he gets to know the children and its headmaster. I fell in love with every single one of these characters – the children!! Just beautifully written. There is so many heart-warming moments and I laughed out loud many times. This book will take you away from reality. So magical.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid: My favorite TJR book ever. It caught me by surprise, to be honest. I went into it pretty blind but wow, what a story. I couldn’t read it fast enough. A journalist is requested by one of Hollywood’s greatest and most mysterious actresses to write her life story. And her life story is everything.
Confess by Colleen Hoover: One of my favorite Colleen Hoover novels ever. A girl who has seemingly lost everything walks into an art studio for a job when the gallery owner recognizes her immediately. And you are left to wonder and wonder and wonder how he knows her. I gulped this story because I couldn’t put it down. Once you connect the dots towards the end, you will not be disappointed.
The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré: The authentic voice and writing style hits you in the face immediately and you are just hooked. It is an unforgettable story about a Nigerian girl who learns to use her voice against injustice. Adunni is one of the best fictional characters I have ever had the pleasure in getting to know.
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett: Twin sisters run away and are separated, leading vastly different lives. One returns to her hometown to raise her black child while the other secretly passes as white and lives a lie. This is another book that will stick with you.
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah: A young girl and her parents move to a remote corner of Alaska where they have to re-learn how to survive and thrive. The girl must navigate this new way of living along with her parents (increasingly) rocky relationship. What happens out there is unreal and the words have stuck with me.
I’ve been following you on Goodreads for a while, and find that our reading choices often overlap! I trust your ratings on books because you seem to love a lot of the same ones I do. Where the Crawdads Sing became one of my favorite books of all time as soon as I finished it. I have been constantly searching for that same feeling it gave me ever since. Same thing with The Great Alone. I found I love these books because of their deep, well-developed characters and atmospheric settings. I would highly recommend reading Kristin Hannah’s newest book, The Four Winds, very soon. It totally delivered like these other 2 books did. I think you’ll love it!
Ok, I just have to recommend a couple more books and then I’ll stop!!! :) Daisy Jones and the Six, also by Taylor Jenkins Reid, but you MUST listen to it on audio. I mean, I’m not here to tell you how to live your life, but for real lol. It is written like a behind the scenes documentary of a band, and the audiobook is narrated by a full cast. It’s pretty much on every ‘best audiobook’ compilation list I’ve seen. Last recommendation is In An Instant by Suzanne Redfearn. Another one of those atmospheric, character-developoment, kick you in the feels kind of books that floored me. Ok, now I’ll stop!
Oooh, thank you for all the recs!! I will say… I could not get into Daisy Jones. I love all TJR books… but that one was not doing it for me. I will have to revisit the audio version. x