I’m fairly sure I’ve mentioned it before (oh say, 9,000 times) but I’m a pretty big book nerd.
Not convinced? Here’s a quick list of nerdy facts for validation purposes…
1. I’ve read all my favorite books at least three times… some more than that.
2. I’ve met every major celebrity you might imagine without much reaction, but there are a handful of authors, that if I ever meet them, I will embarrass myself by crying hysterically.
3. I sometimes find myself wondering how so-and-so is doing, only to realize I’m thinking about a fictional character, not a real friend.
4. I do my best to make friends with my favorite authors on social media because it’s the closest I’ll ever get to meeting the characters that I love.
5. I read, on average, 4-5 books a week.
6. It actually hurts my feelings a little if someone doesn’t read a book they borrow from me.
7. When people dislike books that I love, it pretty much seals the deal on whether or not we’ll ever be friends.
8. Few things in this world make me as happy as when someone asks me “what should I read next?”
#8 of course, is the reason for this particular post. When I get the request for a book recommendation I tend to list the same favorites which include a little something for everyone. So I thought I’d share it with you now. Let me know if you’ve read any of these and whether or not you liked them (remember, our potential friendship hangs in the balance here). Also, let me know if there’s something amazing I forgot.
If you like Romance – Outlander by Diana Gabaldon : If you haven’t read Outlander yet, please stop whatever you’re doing and buy it immediately! It is an EPIC romance that you will miss as soon as you finish the last page. Remember how I said I read all my favorites over and over? Well this one is so good I refuse to read it more than once. It was so perfect I don’t want to taint my memory of the first read.
If you like Paranormal – A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness: This is about a vampire and a witch falling in love but it’s about as far from Twilight as you can get. It’s intelligent and vivid storytelling and I’ve probably read it three times… don’t judge!
If you like YA – Graceling by Kristin Cashore: I read this after Hunger Games when I was wishing for another cool teenage warrior girl. It’s YA, but written so well you’ll love it even if you’re not 14. It’s a mythical world and a girl with special powers and a great love story… do it!
If you like a Creepy Whodunnit – Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn: Gillian Flynn became hotter than sliced bread last summer when her book Gone Girl came out but I’ve loved her for far longer than that. Her first book Sharp Objects is, I think, still her best work. It’s intense, twisted, and a murder mystery and you’ll read it all in one sitting. You’ll think, think you know who did it but you SO don’t know and when you find out who it is your head will explode! Just be warned, it is really messed up so don’t read it unless you like a lot of edge in your reading.
If you like Historical Fiction – The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley: I’m a massive lover of historical fiction and an even bigger lover of Susanna Kearsley. This book flashes back and forth between modern day Scotland and the same place in 1708 so you get two interweaving story lines and (even better) two love stories. Picture me, 8 months pregnant and laying in bed reading this book whilst eating a McFlurry and crying hysterically because it was so heartbreaking and wonderful. I would cry and eat ice cream, cry and eat ice cream. Even if you don’t have a McFlurry handy, I think you’ll love it too!
If you like Beautiful Prose – Rules of Civility by Amor Towels – This is about a young woman coming of age in the late 1930’s and it sweeps you into New York in a vibrant and beautiful way. The writing is so descriptive and gorgeous that I would actually have to stop reading and just sit with the words for a while.
If you like a Beach Read – Party Girl by Rachel Hollis – Oh I know, this is a cheap shot… but if I’m going to tell you what you should read next then I’ve got to include my own book too, right? You can buy your autographed copy by clicking HERE.
Ok, I’ll stop there because I could literally write this list for days and still not be finished with my favorites. Let me know if any of these are your favorites too or if I’ve forgotten something you love!
xo, Rachel
