It’s no secret that I love reading. The feeling of excitement when you start a new book, the feeling of bliss getting lost in the story and the feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction when you finish.
I’ve had a passion for reading since I was little. From Magic Tree House to Geronimo Stilton books, I would pick up a new book any chance I got. I continued reading for fun through high school, but then really stopped in college. I would read a book here and there, but I lost the passion I once had for it. Probably because I was SO BUSY, and just didn’t make time for it.
When I got pregnant in March of 2020, I started reading again and I started to fall in love with it again. This year in particular I have been zooming through books. I’ve read at least one book a month and explored many new genres that have taken me out of my comfort zone. I basically live on Goodreads and in Barnes and Noble now constantly checking to see what’s popular or new releases… I just can’t get enough!
Below I put together a list of my 5 all time favorite books. Most of them are popular reads that you’ve probably heard about by now… but if you haven’t read them yet, RUN DON’T WALK to the bookstore to grab you a copy. I know everyone has different tastes in books, but for me these are the ones that truly made me FEEL something. I couldn’t put them down. I hope you all enjoy these books as much as I did! <3
MY TOP 6 FAVORITE BOOKS (in no order)
- WHERE THE CRAWDAD SINGS by Delia Owens
- THE GREAT ALONE by Kristin Hannah
- MALIBU RISING by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- THE SILENT PATIENT by Alex Michaelides
- THE GO GIVER by Bob Burg and John David Mann
- IT ENDS WITH US by Colleen Hoover
Now let’s dive into them.
WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING
One of my all time favorite reads!!! Kya Clark is a young girl who was abandoned in the wild coastal marsh of North Carolina at the age of ten. Having to raise herself in nature after she is abandoned by her family, she gets the nickname “the Marsh girl” from the people in their small fishing town. This is a beautiful and captivating coming of age story mixed with a romance and murder mystery about survival, hope, deep loneliness, bravery, and love.
This book has been on the New York Times bestsellers list for 2 1/2 years… for a good reason!! It’s Delia Owen’s first novel and one of the greatest books I have ever read. The nature, the imagery, the storytelling, and sweet, strong, courageous Kya – you are sure to fall in love with it.
“(Kya) knew the years of isolation had altered her behavior until she was different from others, but it wasn’t her fault she’d been alone. Most of what she knew, she’d learned from the wild. Nature had nurtured, tutored, and protected her when no one else would.” -Where The Crawdads Sing
THE GREAT ALONE
Kristin Hannah is my absolute favorite author of all time. I’ve read 3 of her books, and am about to read her newest release “The Four Winds.” Her writing and storytelling draw you in to feel like you know the characters, by the end of the book they feel like family. I find myself thinking about them even after it is done! She has a way of pulling at your heart strings and has made me cry in every book I’ve read of hers. It’s very heavy and dark at times, but in the end so powerful and impactful.
The Great Alone follows 13 year old Leni Allbright as her family up and moves her from Washington to Kaneq, Alaska in the 1970s. Her father, a POW of the Vietnam War struggling with PTSD, and her mom think that this move will be the fresh start they are looking for. The story unfolds and reveals the struggle and hardships of family, love, and the dark winters of Alaska. Like the Crawdads, this book surrounds the theme of coming of age, survival, courage and love.
MALIBU RISING
Another one of my favorite authors!!! I had a hard time choosing between Daisy Jones & the Six and Malibu Rising because they are both 5 stars in my opinion. Her writing style is so fast paced and she has this ability to captivate you from start to finish. I don’t know if it’s because I’m a mom now or what, but my heart really went out to the characters in this book. I didn’t want it to end! This would be an incredible movie too.
“It’s 1983 in Malibu, and the famous Riva siblings are hosting their annual end of summer party – a legendary affair. By morning, the house is in flames, a blaze fueled by smoldering secrets and long-simmering drama.” – The Washington Post
THE SILENT PATIENT
I’m not usually one to pick up a thriller, but the hype about this book made me change my ways. I finished this book in 3 days which is the fastest I have ever finished a book (side note – I am not a fast reader at all!!) It was everything you’d want in a psychological thriller – fast-paced, thought provoking, not predictable and unputdownable!!
“The Silent Patient is a shocking psychological thriller of a woman’s act of violence against her husband―and of the therapist obsessed with uncovering her motive.” – Amazon
THE GO GIVER
I had to throw this one in there because this book without a doubt changed the way that I think. This is one of those books that you probably need to read once a year to get reminded of the principle. It’s a quick read (a little over 100 pages) with an important lesson and reminder that adding value to others’ lives will in turn help you to succeed in your own.
“Most people just laugh when they hear that the secret to success is giving… then again, most people are nowhere near as successful as they wish they were.” -The Go Giver
IT ENDS WITH US
I went into this book blind not knowing anything about it, and I’m so glad I did… so if you haven’t read what it’s about I highly recommend just starting it!! As my first Colleen Hoover book, it lived up to the hype. It’s captivating from the start, powerful and profound, extremely heavy and heartbreaking but also heartwarming and SERIOUSLY unputdownable!
Colleen Hoover writes in a way you can easily visualize it like a movie. I truly felt like I was experiencing everything the main character Lily went through right there with her (which made it that much more emotional). Her strength, bravery, and boldness shine through til the end and she’ll become one of your favorite heroins. An unforgettable and moving story that I would recommend to everyone!!
I hope you enjoyed these reviews and let me know if you’d want to see more book posts like this one!
Stay Well,
Courtney
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