Thank you for following this page for the past year! Here are some of our favorite books from the past year!
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
Alright, I started this book as an audiobook and I would listen to it at the gym. It took my a long time to get into, but I think that was mainly due to the narrator and the speed at which I listened. Once I got pulled into the plot, holy moly I couldn’t stop listening to it. Unfortunately, my time with the audiobook ended as I had 5 chapters to go and was left to reading the physical book. The way the plot twisted and turned had me constantly saying “just one more chapter” as I proceeded through this title. The second book of this series was even better and that one left my mind completely blown and I don’t know how I am going to wait until the third book comes out. All in all, if you enjoy fantasy and trying to guess what is going to happen next, then please pick up this title!
also see: The Wicked King
#MaxOut Your Life by Ed Mylett
My SO will be extremely excited that I am including this title in this post. I honestly didn’t know much about Ed Mylett until my SO had me watch a few of Ed’s YouTube videos which got the wheels in the mind to spin faster. A lot of the concepts he talks about just make sense. This book is extremely short and to the point which made it even more enjoyable to read. I could have easily read this title in one sitting, but I wanted to take each chapter’s message to heart so I would use my morning coffee time to read a single chapter and then reflect upon the message Ed was getting across.
The President is Missing by Bill Clinton and James Patterson
The fact that Bill Clinton wrote this book is what intrigued me the most about it. I’ve read a handful of Patterson books, and they usually aren’t my style because my “one more chapter” plea usually ends up as twenty more chapters. This book was different though. While you could tell it had the “James Patterson Influence,” there were more details and I almost didn’t continue reading this title. I was about twenty five pages in when I was so bored. I decided to keep going and finally the plot hit me in the face and I didn’t want to put the book down. This is very much a legal thriller and you might like it if you don’t care for other Patterson works.
The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle
This title was my first ever book club read and I wasn’t disappointed. The cover immediately caught my eye and I was looking forward to reading it. So imagine you could have a dinner with any five people, dead or alive, who would you choose and why? Think about that for a moment and then you will understand the plot of this book. This book made me smile, laugh and want to cry and any book that can do all of those things is a winner in my opinion.
Loveable by Kelly Flannagan
If you have been following my posts, then you will notice this is not the first time I have mentioned this book. While this one is more on the religious side, it was yet another title that I met when I needed it. In today’s society, we are constantly telling ourselves that we aren’t enough, but in reality, we are. We just need to learn to love ourselves more and that was the message of the book that I took to heart. This one is probably amazing as a read, but it was one that I chose to listen to and it allowed me the time to really focus on the message.
Saving Meghan by D.J. Palmer
Oh my goodness!! This book was amazing! I personally enjoy a good psychological thriller and this one did not disappoint. I haven’t read a lot of Palmer’s works and I might have to go back and start reading some more because this one was so good. This story had me on my toes trying to guess what was going to happen. The story is very fast paced but one that I think you would very much enjoy if you like a good thriller.
The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter
To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I was going to personally like Karin Slaughter’s works. I first listened to The Good Daughter on audio, not really knowing what the book was about. This book does get a little graphic but it also sets the tone for how the book is going to read. After finishing this book I have listened/read several others and she is definitely one of my go-to authors for thrillers.
The Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
Warning this is a part of a series! But don’t let that keep you from reading this book.
How would you feel if you lived in a world where your blood’s color
determines your rank in the world? That’s exactly how this society is
divided. I fell in love with this series and was immediately tied into
the storyline. This book ended up being such a quick read for me because
I enjoy reading books with royalty, but then add in the fact that these
royals have special abilities. I was sold instantly. Which Hollywood
has also expressed interest to make this series into movies. According
to the Red Queen wiki – Elizabeth Banks has signed on to direct the film.
One Day in December by Josie Silver
I saw this was one of Reese Whiterspoon’s book club picks so I was instantly interested in it. Then I also found out that it’s based in London, one of my favorite book settings of all times so I picked myself up a copy of this book. It was such a sweet read and it’s really interesting to see how the characters develop through the story. I can also see all of the possible discussions this story could spark.
Girl Code: Unlocking the Secrets to Success, Sanity and Happiness for the Female Entrepreneur by Cara Alwill Leyba
This was one of my more recent reads and I really didn’t know what to anticipate because the cover didn’t entice me to read it. I actually had a patron at work say she really enjoyed it and wanted to recommend it to other readers. So, being the librarian I am, I wanted to read it for myself. Cara not only fills the book with amazing quotes from inspirational female entrepreneurs, she also ends each chapter with a questionnaire from some of the women she knows who have done amazing things in their careers. My favorite part of this book was how the main themes focused on how female entrepreneurs need to stick together and how women need to build each other up through encouraging words.