1. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
This is one of my favorite books I read this year! It is a little on the dark side but such a page turner. The short summary is that on Nick and Amy's 5th wedding anniversary, Amy disappears. Nick stands by his innocence even as all the evidence points to him. Is he really the killer? Prepare for a big gasp at about 50% of the way through the book. I loved this book so much I decided to read the author's other two books, Sharp Objects and Dark Places. These are very dark books that are not for the faint of heart but so worth it. Warning: Dark Places gave me nightmares.
This was another book club book that I was not sure if I would enjoy. The main characters are in their 40's. I wasn't sure if I would be able to relate to their childhood memories growing up in the 70's. I might not have had the same childhood memories but the underlining story about the importance of family and friendship is what made this book a good read. I also read the sequel Fly Away
3. Sookie Stackhouse Series by Charlaine Harris
If you have ever watched or heard about the HBO series "True Blood", these books are what the series are based on. There are 13 books in all. The last book in the series, "Dead Ever After", just came out in May. I haven't read it yet but it is definitely on my "to read" list for the summer. I started reading this series 4 summers ago and I couldn't put them down. These books are the "Twlight" books for adults with vampires, werewolves, fairies, and a whole bunch of other creatures. Money Saving Tip: These books have been out for awhile so check them out from your local library for FREE!
4. Stephanie Plum by Janet Evanovich
If you are looking for a fun, easy read to take to the pool, these are the books for you. They follow the life of a newbie bounty hunter, Stephanie Plum, who is often gets herself into some crazy situations. These books will make you laugh but also have some interesting crimes to solve along the way as well. Money Saving Tip: If you have a Kindle or the Kindle app on your IPad, check your local library to see if they have e-books that you can check out. I downloaded most of the earlier books in this series from my local library for FREE!
5. Orphan Train: a novel by Christina Baker Kline
This is the book my book club is currently reading. Can't wait to talk about it in a few weeks! Great story that talks about the orphan trains back in the 1930's that took orphan children to the Midwest to be adopted by farmers. I never knew this existed until I read this book. A must read!!!
6. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
This is an unbelievable story of a man who was an Olympic mile runner turned WWII bomber pilot who survives a plane crash, life raft, and Japanese POW camps. This is a long book but so worth it.
7. The Paris wife by Paula McLain
I was a little disappointed when my book club chose this book. It didn't seem like anything I would want to read but I was SO wrong. This historical fiction novel tells the story of Ernest Hemingway before he was famous and his first love Hadley. Great story about life and marriage during the 1920's.
8. Ice cream girls by Dorthy Koomson
I think I found this book on Pinterest of all places. It sounded interesting so I decided to give it a try. Two girls in high school get caught up in an inappropriate relationship with an older man. When he ends up dead, the two girls go on trial for his murder. One of the girls, Poppy, goes to jail for years while the other, Serena, goes on with her life. When Poppy gets released from prison she is determined to set the record straight on what actually happen. The chapters jump around from present day Poppy or Serena to high school Poppy or Serena. The book keeps you guessing on if the right person went to jail or not. Beware that it is a little graphic at times. This is currently a TV show in England that I would love to watch.
9. Heads in beds by Jacob Tomsky
I was not always a teacher but first started my career in hotels. If you have ever worked in a hotel this is a MUST READ! Even if you have not, this book is still a fun read that anyone could enjoy. It is the true story of the author's experience of working in hotels around the country. It tells of all the crazy things that happen to him while working in hospitality and even gives tips on how to get things for free when staying somewhere. Everything he recommends does work. In my 3 short years working in hotels, I could have written this book. I so related to some of his guest stories and was smiling the whole time I read this book. I LOVED this book.
10. Sarah's key by Tatian de Rosney
I read this awhile ago for our book club. If you haven't read this, please do! Great historical fiction story about the Holocaust. The chapters switch back and forth between present day and the past. This story is very emotional that might make you cry. There is a movie out but I have not seen it yet. Don't know if I want to ruin this amazing story.
11. Life of Pi by Yann Martel
I really enjoyed this book but it was a little difficult to get through. It was slow at times but definitely picked up in the second half. I wasn't sure about this book being made into a movies and still haven't even seen it but Jason did say that they did a good job with the movie. It is a great book about religion and our belief in the good/bad of mankind. It is a fictional story that I was still thinking about long after I finished it.
12. Different Seasons by Stephen King
I have never read any Stephen King books but Jason recommended this book because it is 4 short stories (between 100-200 pages each) and 3 of them have been made into movies. The first story is "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption" which is what my favorite movie, Shawshank Redemption, is based off of. I have never read a story where the movie follows so closely.
The second story is "Apt Pupil", which the movie of the same name is based off of. If you have ever seen the movie you know how disturbing the story line is. The book is even more disturbing so beware.
The third story is "The Body", which is what the movie, Stand By Me, is based off of. Great movie and book about friendship.
The last story, "The Breathing Method", has not been made into a movie. It is a little on the strange side so I understand why. "Different Seasons" was published a while ago so is probably at your local library. Since it is 4 stories in one, you don't have to read the whole book at one time.
This is just a few of the many books I have read but some of my favorites. In the summer, I read A LOT but I am always reading even during the school year. I read almost every night before I go to bed (even if it is only 5 minutes). It takes me longer to get through a book during the school year but it is definitely something I don't want to give up even when my life becomes busier.
Happy Reading!
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