It’s my favorite time of the quarter! Book list time!
This is how I feel when I write this email to share with you:
So, you might notice the list is a little shorter for Q1. That’s because four of these books were 550+ pages. Hefty numbers that took up more time than usual. But, those particular books were also the best of the quarter. So, tradeoffs, y’know?
Even if you’re not into longer series, there are plenty of varied choices in the list. I like to mix it up, and I can pretty much guarantee you’ll find something to snatch up for your reading pleasure.
Without further ado…15 new book recommendations.
Permanent Record Mary H.K. Choi (Oh, this one was so good. Realistic and relevant, sweet and funny. Really liked the ending.)
Self-Compassion Kristin Neff (Probably the #1 self-help book you need to read right now.)
Florida Roadkill: A Novel (Serge Storms series Book 1) Tim Dorsey (Off-the-charts wild, surprises around every corner, ridiculous dialogue. In the same vein as Carl Hiaasen, though so far, I like Carl’s work better.)
The Book of Life: A Novel (All Souls Trilogy, Book 3) Deborah Harkness (The conclusion to this series was wonderfully satisfying. So rich, so good. I will be thinking about these characters for a while.)
Followers: A Novel Megan Angelo (Ooooh, this one was weird. And good. Definitely makes you think about your digital habits.)
Intuitive Eating Elyse Resch and Evelyn Tribole (Loved it. Implemented immediately. And, it’s one of the curriculum books for Fitness Unraveled.)
Intercepted (Playbook, The Book 1) Alexa Martin (Excellent romcom! Already have the second installment in my library queue.)
The Kiss Quotient Helen Hoang (Oh wow, did I love this one. So much. It was an excellent balance of real juicy sex scenes, and real vulnerable people.)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince J.K. Rowling (This is my fav of the series for whatever reason, and I was so happy to finally get to it! Can’t wait to finish up.)
Shadow of Night: A Novel (All Souls Trilogy, Book 2) Deborah Harkness (Loved this second book in the series sooooooo much. If you’re into historical fiction, you need to read this! So well-researched and well-written.)
Fleishman Is in Trouble: A Novel Taffy Brodesser-Akner (This one didn’t totally live up to the bestseller hype for me, but it was a good book. Particularly liked the ending.)
A Discovery of Witches: A Novel (All Souls Trilogy, Book 1) Deborah Harkness (Hands down, my new fantasy favorite. The characters in this series are magical, the plot is phenomenal, the love story is such a beautiful slow burn. It’s fun and interesting and definitely a stay-up-way-too-late-finishing-just-one-more-chapter read.)
The Silkworm (Cormoran Strike Book 2) Robert Galbraith (Good little mystery.)
Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City Matthew Desmond (Loved this book. The author is a Harvard sociologist who went full immersive journalism (ethnography) to further study evictions. The amount of information, statistics, and research in this book is unreal. But the amount of understanding gained about this oft overlooked connection to the creation of poverty is even more impressive. Really worth your time, and highly recommended.)
The Lager Queen of Minnesota: A Novel (This book was absolutely excellent. A great story of a family over time, told from three sides. And if you’re into beer, you’ll like it.)
I know it’s a bit of a myth that everyone has extra time right now for things like casual reading. But, I do hope that when you’re finding little pockets, you’re using them in ways you really enjoy. And if you enjoy reading, I hope this list gives you something fun to dig into.
Don’t forget, you can most likely order books online and get them delivered from your favorite local bookshop to support them through this tough time. Mine is here. Another is here. Also, your local library has a huge catalog of digital rentals. Now’s a great time to get an e-reader if you’re been fighting it!
Lastly, I’ll take your book recommendations if you have any! Email me here and let me know what you’ve loved recently.
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