Love Recommended Reads? Here are My Top 5 . . . So Far!
Who doesn’t love great, recommended reads?
I sure as heck do!
It’s why I started my Recommended Reads Series, where I read a book and let you know what I liked (or didn’t like). Most importantly, I let you know whether or not I think you should read it too.
So if you too love recommended reads, here are my top 5 . . . so far!
1. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, Gail Honeyman
“These days, loneliness is the new cancer—a shameful, embarrassing thing, brought upon yourself in some obscure way. A fearful, incurable thing, so horrifying that you dare not mention it; other people don’t want to hear the word spoken aloud for fear that they might too be afflicted, or that it might tempt fate into visiting a similar horror upon them.”
― Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine
Through this book’s protagonist, Eleanor, Honeyman brilliantly explores an often ignored issue: profound loneliness.
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, touches on so many of the mental health issues that lie behind why someone might shun social experiences. It confronts our inability to see that sometimes simple steps are all it takes to make a change and that anyone can change when given the chance.
This book is equal parts funny and serious, plus there’s a twist near the end, which makes it one great recommended read.
2. The City We Became, N.K. Jemisin
“Nothing human beings do is set in stone–and even stone changes, anyway. We can change, too, anything about ourselves that we want to. We just have to want to. People who say change is impossible are usually pretty happy with things just as they are.”
― The City We Became
The moment I read the blurb for The City We Became, I knew I had to add it to my recommended reads.
At its core, this novel (the first in the Great City Series) tries to answer a question: what if a city had a soul?
In The City We Became, the soul of New York exists in the form of a young man, who falls into a magical coma. This awakens the boroughs of the city of New York– 5 people– who must band together to stop an evil force (Lovecraft) from destroying everything.
What makes N.K. Jemisin incredible is how she incorporates the fantastic with real-world issues to bluntly tell it like it is. It’s an ultimately refreshing perspective in a predominantly white, and male-dominated genre.
If you’re looking for the future of fantasy, check out The City We Became.
It doesn’t disappoint.
3. The Nightingale, Kristin Hannah
“If I have learned anything in this long life of mine, it is this: In love we find out who we want to be; in war we find out who we are.” ― The Nightingale
When I asked for recommended reads, the book that got everyone excited was The Nightingale, by Kristen Hannah.
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The moment I picked it up, I knew I would love it too.
The Nightingale is set in German-occupied France during World War 2. It tells the story of two sisters and the things they both need to do to survive.
I’m a sucker for stories about sisters. So this novel caught me straight in the feels, several times.
It’s a spellbinding read that shows the heartbreaking reality and impact of war. But it also doesn’t forget the joy, hope, and love that manages to find its way through even the direst of circumstances.
4. The Lost Man, Jane Harper
“They lived in a land of extremes in more ways than one. People were either completely fine, or very not.”
― The Lost Man
I wasn’t expecting to enjoy The Lost Man as much as I did. As you can tell from this list, my favorite reads tend to veer toward fantasy or historical fiction.
The Lost Man is neither.
Set in the Australian Outback, this recommended read unravels the complex story of one family and the dark secrets that can pass from one generation to the next.
If you love a read steeped in tension and mystery, this book is for you.
5. The Way of Kings, Brandon Sanderson
“A man’s emotions are what define him, and control is the hallmark of true strength. To lack feeling is to be dead, but to act on every feeling is to be a child.”
― The Way of Kings
Brandon Sanderson is one of my favorite fantasy writers. I don’t think I’m alone in saying this, I know he tops the list for many avid readers.
The Way of Kings is the first book in a planned 10 book series. It’s an epic fantasy with a fantastic cast.
I can’t get over Sanderson’s magical prose. Just when you think his characters can’t give you any more, you turn the page to reveal the most epic battle scene (etc.) you’ve ever read.
This recommended read is a hefty, beast of a book. However, the moment you dig in, the lure of what might happen next will keep you reading for hours.
Check Out My Recommended Reads
Well, there you have it! The top 5 recommended reads I’ve loved . . . so far!
Curious to learn more about Recommended Reads? Check out my Recommended Read Series on Instagram or Facebook.
Get involved! Got a book you think I should read? Let me know in the comments.
. . . And don’t miss out! Give this related post a read, The Yellow Chair: An Origin Story.
