Selfishly, I also enjoy sharing these type of blog posts here because I love it when YOU chime in and share some of your recent reads with me. I have you guys to thank for discovering some of the best books I’ve read in my life, so please keep the book recommendations coming!
Everything I’ve Read So Far This Year: Ranked
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Joe Nuthin’s Guide to Life by Helen Fisher
Genre: Fiction / My rating: A
One of you recommended Joe Nuthin’s Guide to Life to me on Instagram after I mentioned how much I loved Eleanor Oliphant and Molly the Maid, two books with uniquely wonderful main characters. As expected, I absolutely adored Joe Nathan. He is a neurodivergent young man who loves the TV show Friends and is so wonderful in his innocence and his desire for routine, predictability and his determination to do the right thing. Joe Nuthin’s Guide to Life is such a unique book and one I thoroughly enjoyed. It has depth, so many sweet moments and great takeaways. It is not a light read but it was also one my tender heart could still handle. I know this book will stick with me and it’s the book currently claiming the top spot on my list of best books I’ve read so far this year.
From Amazon:
Joe-Nathan likes the two parts of his name separate, just like dinner and dessert. Mean Charlie at work sometimes calls him Joe-Nuthin. But Joe is far from nothing. Joe is a good friend, good at his job, good at making things and at following rules, and he is learning how to do lots of things by himself.
Joe’s mother knows there are a million things he isn’t yet prepared for. While she helps to guide him every day, she is also writing notebooks of advice for Joe, of all the things she hasn’t yet told him about life and things he might forget.
By following her advice, Joe’s life is about to be more of a surprise than he expects. Because he’s about to learn that remarkable things can happen when you leave your comfort zone, and that you can do even the hardest things with a little help from your friends.
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Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
Genre: Coming of age fiction / My rating: A
Despite so many glowing recommendations, I put off reading Demon Copperhead when I read the synopsis of the book online because I knew it was going to be a heavy read. Yes, it was, but it was also an intensely moving and captivating coming-of-age story about a boy born to a teenage addict mother in rural Appalachia. The author’s ability to write as Damon, or Demon as he is much more commonly known, felt so believable. She captured his wit, resilience, determination and intelligence but also his flaws, frustrations and struggles in such a human way. This book touched me and made me think deeply and I know it will be one that will stick with me.
From Amazon:
Set in the mountains of southern Appalachia, Demon Copperhead is the story of a boy born to a teenaged single mother in a single-wide trailer, with no assets beyond his dead father’s good looks and copper-colored hair, a caustic wit, and a fierce talent for survival. Relayed in his own unsparing voice, Demon braves the modern perils of foster care, child labor, derelict schools, athletic success, addiction, disastrous loves, and crushing losses. Through all of it, he reckons with his own invisibility in a popular culture where even the superheroes have abandoned rural people in favor of cities.
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The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
Genre: Historical fiction / My rating: A-
My gosh this book just about wrecked me. I was so morally conflicted the entire time I read this book. And was so stressed out and heartbroken. It was the kind of book I could not stop reading because I just had to find out what happened in the end. An important warning: This book has a LOT of trigger warnings (miscarriage, stillbirth, loss, grief, child-related trauma — all the things) and it honestly is not a book I would’ve read had I not gone into it blind based on the recommendation of a friend.
I downloaded it from my Libby app, started reading and got hooked. Even though it was fairly clear from the beginning that this one was going to be a hard one to get through. This book is beautifully written. And would be an incredible discussion book for a book club if your heart can handle it. Just be prepared to be wrestling with yourself the entire time, especially if anything involving children breaks you.
The Light Between Oceans follows Tom Sherbourne as he returns to Australia after four years serving on the Western Front. Tom accepts a job as lighthouse keeper on an isolated island called Janus Rock. And falls in love with a passionate, loving young woman named Isabel. The two marry and Isabel follows Tom to Janus Rock where they start a life together and pray for a baby. After multiple traumatic losses, they begin to wonder if a baby will ever happen for them when a boat washes ashore, carrying a dead man and a crying baby. Isabel is convinced the baby is the answer to their prayers. She begs Tom not to report the boat, the man and the baby. Tom is greatly conflicted but Isabel’s love for the baby is immediate, deep and strong. And Tom finds himself falling for the child, too.
After raising the baby as their own for two years, Tom and Isabel take her to the mainland to meet her grandparents and come face to face with the reality of their deception when they learn about a man and a baby who went missing years earlier, leaving behind a devastated wife and mother whose life has never been the same. The Light Between Oceans is a heart-wrenching tale of love and loss and impossible choices.
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Funny Story by Emily Henry
Genre: Romance / My rating: B+
Whenever I finish reading an intense book I often like to follow it up with something a little fluffier and when Funny Story became available through my Libby app, the timing was perfect. I’m not the die-hard Emily Henry fan I know many romance readers out there seem to be but I do enjoy her books and Funny Story was one of my favorites I’ve read by this author. The book had depth, plausible character growth, steamy moments and likable characters. And I enjoyed it from start to finish.
I also found myself thinking how this book would be such a great read for women in the early phases of dating, as I loved the way the main character in the book was on a bit of a journey of self discovery. And focused more on what she wanted as her own person rather than as part of a “we.”
The book follows Daphne, a young woman fresh out of a broken engagement her fiance called off when he realized he was in love with his childhood best friend, Petra. With no place to live and barely enough money to pay her bills, Daphne agrees to live with Miles, the ex-boyfriend of Petra, her now ex-fiance’s new fiance. It’s a mess of a situation made only messier when Daphne finds herself lying to her ex, saying she and Miles are now dating. Daphne and Miles begin a faux relationship that soon has Daphne questioning whether or not her feelings really are fake or if there might be something more to this random man she now calls her “boyfriend” and roommate.
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Swan Song by Elin Hilderbrand
Genre: Domestic fiction/Mystery/Romance / My rating: B+
Elin Hilderband has long been a favorite author of mine to turn to when I’m in the mood for a light, beachy read. She’s the queen of weaving together characters from past novels in an interesting way and always incorporates beautiful Nantucket imagery into her novels. The reason I keep coming back to Elin’s novels, however, is the element of mystery she includes in her books that often center around some kind of family/friend/Nantucket local drama. She has a whole cast of characters involved in her mysteries with multiple plotlines going at the same time so her books are never dull. Swan Song took a hot minute to grab my attention (it felt like almost too many characters in the beginning for me to latch onto) but once I was in on this book, I was all-in. I felt like I had a first-class ticket to some crazy island drama centering around ridiculously wealthy Nantucket newcomers, Leslee and Bull Richardson.
From Amazon:
Chief of Police Ed Kapenash is about to retire. Blond Sharon is going through a divorce. But when a 22-million-dollar summer home is purchased by the mysterious Richardsons—how did they make their money, exactly?—Ed, Sharon, and everyone in the community are swept up in high drama. The Richardsons throw lavish parties, flirt with multiple locals, flaunt their wealth with not one but two yachts, and raise impossible hopes of everyone they meet. When their house burns to the ground and their most essential employee goes missing, the entire island is up in arms.
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Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera
Genre: Mystery/Suspense / My rating: B+
I liked so much about this book, from the creative plot to the twists and turns that kept coming from beginning to end. However, my favorite thing about this book was the format that flip-flopped back and forth between narrator Lucy Chase, a woman accused of murdering her best friend Savvy years ago, and the transcript of a popular true crime podcast currently investigating Savvy’s case. Reading the podcast transcript became such a captivating way to learn more about the next piece of bombshell information Lucy was about to listen to in real-time as the podcast aired. While I was able to guess most of the twists in this book, it was still an entertaining read and one I absolutely flew through, as it was a serious page turner.
The tricky thing about Savvy’s case is that Lucy, the prime suspect, remembers absolutely nothing from the night of her best friend’s murder. She knows she attended a wedding with her husband and Savvy. But after that her memory seems to be wiped clean. Including the part where she’s found walking along the side of the road covered in Savvy’s blood hours after Savvy is killed. Lucy was never charged or convicted of murder and moved to Los Angeles to escape the small town scrutiny in Plumpton, Texas after that horrible evening. Fast forward several years and Lucy is back in Plumpton for her grandmother’s birthday. But now Ben Owens, the host of the podcast currently investigating Savvy’s murder is here, too. Will Ben solve Savvy’s case? Will Lucy help him? Or is Lucy as guilty as everyone seems to think?
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The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren
Genre: Romance / My rating: B+
Christina Lauren novels are some of my favorites in the romance genre, though I’ve come to realize some books by this author duo are much better than others. When they’re good, their novels are breezy, steamy, funny and creative (like Soulmate Equation!) and when they’re not, they fall flat in a big way (ahem, Something Wilder). Thankfully The Paradise Problem was exactly what I’ve come to expect when I think of a good Christina Lauren novel! The plot of this book sucked me in immediately and I really looked forward to reading this tropical escape of a novel before bed every night.
From Amazon:
Anna Green thought she was marrying Liam “West” Weston for access to subsidized family housing while at UCLA. She also thought she’d signed divorce papers when the graduation caps were tossed, and they both went on their merry ways.
Three years later, Anna is a starving artist living paycheck to paycheck while West is a Stanford professor. He may be one of four heirs to the Weston Foods conglomerate, but he has little interest in working for the heartless corporation his family built from the ground up. He is interested, however, in his one-hundred-million-dollar inheritance. There’s just one catch.
Due to an antiquated clause in his grandfather’s will, Liam won’t see a penny until he’s been happily married for five years. Just when Liam thinks he’s in the home stretch, pressure mounts from his family to see this mysterious spouse, and he has no choice but to turn to the one person he’s afraid to introduce to his one-percenter parents—his unpolished, not-so-ex-wife.
But in the presence of his family, Liam’s fears quickly shift from whether the feisty, foul-mouthed, paint-splattered Anna can play the part to whether the toxic world of wealth will corrupt someone as pure of heart as his surprisingly grounded and loyal wife. Liam will have to ask himself if the price tag on his flimsy cover story is worth losing true love that sprouted from a lie.
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How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang
Genre: Romance / My rating: B
There is so much I liked about this book: A peek into the screenwriting industry. (<– My favorite aspect of the book!) A vulnerable, raw and intriguing main character. Laugh-out-loud dialog. Beautiful and memorable writing. But there one main thing that held me back from absolutely loving this (steamy!) book: It was frustrating. I am all for will-they-won’t-they plotlines between characters and while this one was very emotionally fraught and complex in a way I haven’t read in other novels before, it felt very drawn out (especially in the second half of the book) and went on a little too long for me to enjoy.
The book wasn’t crazy long but it felt like the author really tried to squeeze every last morsel out of the main character’s struggle to embrace love. I realize this is very likely realistic in the “real world” but it detracted from my overall enjoyment of the novel and the way I felt about the main character overall.
From Amazon:
Helen Zhang hasn’t seen Grant Shepard once in the thirteen years since the tragic accident that bound their lives together forever.
Now a bestselling author, Helen pours everything into her career. She’s even scored a coveted spot in the writers’ room of the TV adaptation of her popular young adult novels, and if she can hide her imposter syndrome and overcome her writer’s block, surely the rest of her life will fall into place too. LA is the fresh start she needs. After all, no one knows her there. Except…
Grant has done everything in his power to move on from the past, including building a life across the country. And while the panic attacks have never quite gone away, he’s well liked around town as a screenwriter. He knows he shouldn’t have taken the job on Helen’s show, but it will open doors to developing his own projects that he just can’t pass up.
Grant’s exactly as Helen remembers him—charming, funny, popular, and lovable in ways that she’s never been. And Helen’s exactly as Grant remembers too—brilliant, beautiful, closed off. But working together is messy, and electrifying, and Helen’s parents, who have never forgiven Grant, have no idea he’s in the picture at all.
When secrets come to light, they must reckon with the fact that theirs was never meant to be any kind of love story. And yet… the key to making peace with their past—and themselves—might just lie in holding on to each other in the present.
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The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley
Genre: Mystery/Suspense / My rating: B
Lucy Foley is a mastermind in the mystery/thriller space and after enjoying The Paris Apartment apartment so much, I was excited dive into The Midnight Feast next. This book was a disturbing and twisty but thoroughly entertaining. There were a handful of unexpected reveals which I appreciated (I always loved it when a book can surprise me!) but there were also a handful of predictable moments. The pace of the book is solid as it kept me invested from beginning to end and I think anyone who typically flies through a good mystery will fly through this one, too.
From Amazon:
It’s the opening night of The Manor, the newest and hottest luxury resort, and no expense, small or large, has been spared. The infinity pool sparkles; the “Manor Mule” cocktail is being poured with a heavy hand. Everyone is wearing linen.
But under the burning midsummer sun, darkness stirs. Old friends and enemies circulate among the guests. Just outside the Manor’s immaculately kept grounds, an ancient forest bristles with secrets. And it’s not too long before the local police are called. Turns out the past has crashed the party, with deadly results.
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Do You Remember? by Freida McFadden
Genre: Psychological thriller/Mystery / My rating: B
I have mixed thoughts on Freida McFadden’s books as a whole. Her novels always begin with such fervor and intrigue but the dialog between her characters often makes me roll my eyes and sometimes it feels like she spends too many pages rehashing the same issues/drama rather than adding depth to her stories. That being said, I’ve come to realize her books are better as audiobooks for me personally. When I’m listening, I’m less picky about the quality of a story and more likely to appreciate a book as a source of entertainment while multitasking. That being said, I think this book would’ve frustrated me had I read it but as an audiobook, it was entertaining enough and was one I looked forward to listening to on walks, while folding laundry, etc.
The book begins when Tess wakes up to a life she does not recognize. Her last memories were of the night of her engagement to her beloved Harry, but the man she is now told is her husband, Graham, is certainly not him. Graham calmly explains to Tess that she was in an accident and suffered a brain injury that affected her memory. A note she wrote to herself encourages her to trust her husband, forget about Harry and do her best to accept and enjoy her day and her “new” life. Despite obvious challenges, Tess does her best to do just this until so many things don’t line up and so many new questions, and old memories, begin to arise. Can she trust her husband? Why did she end things with Harry? Is her “new” life really as good as everyone around her assures her it is?
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One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware
Genre: Mystery/Suspense / My rating: B-
Ruth Ware has a talent for writing books that immediately rope me in. The premise of One Perfect Couple is instantly captivating: Lyla, a scientist, and her actor boyfriend, Nico, are selected to be part of a reality TV show where couples compete against each other on a private and very remote island. Lyla only agrees to do the show to help Nico’s career. And assumes she’ll self-sabotage early on and return to her work. Only things do not go as planned. After the first couple’s challenge, tempers flare and a storm hits the island, cutting everyone off from the real world… and possibly their chance at survival.
Talk about a creative plot, right!? I was all-in on this book but my interest slowly began to temper off as the pages went on and on… and on. One Perfect Couple felt unnecessarily long. And didn’t really have a lot of mystery components that left me wondering how things would turn out. There was really only one part of the book I didn’t figure out on my own. But it all felt fairly predictable. And I missed the need to use my super-sleuth abilities to figure this one out. I’d opt for other Ruth Ware novels over this one if you’re new to this author’s work. (If you’re looking for a place to start, I really enjoyed One by One and The Death of Mrs. Westaway.)
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The Fury by Alex Michaelides
Genre: Mystery/Thriller/Suspense / My rating: B-
I will forever remember The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides as one of the few books out there that genuinely left me completely shocked. As I’m sure most avid readers out there can attest, especially those who have read their fair share of thrillers, it’s hard to feel genuinely shocked by a novel… and I’m not talking just a little surprised but rather totally floored. The Silent Patient did that for me so my hopes for The Fury by the same author were sky-high. Alex Michaelides has a gift for roping a reader in immediately and creating captivating plotlines that keep you guessing and flying through the pages. Unfortunately with The Fury, the “twists” weren’t as shocking but almost more annoying and I’d love to elaborate more but I know I’d give away too much if I dive too much deeper. Suffice it to say, The Fury was a fast and entertaining page-turner but far from a favorite for me.
From Amazon:
This is a tale of murder. Or maybe that’s not quite true. At its heart, it’s a love story, isn’t it? Lana Farrar is a reclusive ex–movie star and one of the most famous women in the world. Every year, she invites her closest friends to escape the English weather and spend Easter on her idyllic private Greek island. I tell you this because you may think you know this story. You probably read about it at the time ― it caused a real stir in the tabloids, if you remember. It had all the necessary ingredients for a press sensation: a celebrity; a private island cut off by the wind…and a murder. We found ourselves trapped there overnight. Our old friendships concealed hatred and a desire for revenge. What followed was a game of cat and mouse ― a battle of wits, full of twists and turns, building to an unforgettable climax. The night ended in violence and death, as one of us was found murdered. But who am I? My name is Elliot Chase, and I’m going to tell you a story unlike any you’ve ever heard.
Additional Book-Related Blog Posts
- Top 10 Books I Read in 2024 (January 2025)
- Everything I Read This Summer (September 2024)
- Best Books I’ve Read So Far This Year (April 2024)
- Favorite Books of 2023 (January 2024)
- Books I’ve Recently Read and Loved (October 2023)
- All the Books I’ve Read So Far In 2023 (March 2023)
- Thriller Audiobook Recommendations (December 2022)
- 15 Best Books I’ve Read So Far This Year (August 2022)
- 15 Beach Reads for Summer (May 2022)
- Book Recommendations by Category (December 2021)
- 10 Books I Recently Read and Loved (July 2021)
- 10 Books I Recently Read and Loved (November 2020)
- 10 Books I Recently Read and Loved (June 2020)
- 15 Books I Recently Read and Loved (February 2020)
- 12 Books I Recently Read and Loved (September 2020)
- 10 Books I Recently Read and Loved (February 2019)
Question of the Day
Do you have any recent book recommendations to share?
Have you read any of the books I mentioned above? Do you agree/disagree with my thoughts?
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