Maybe you need recommendations for your reading list or you’re just curious about mine, either way I thought this might be an interesting collection to share. You’ll probably notice that these books don’t fall under a common theme, genre…recommended age group (more on that at the end), which is honestly a great representation of my overall randomness.
Some of these were recommendations or book clubs reads or childhood favorites while others were random selections I just happened across. Additionally, these aren’t necessarily my top ten favorite books, most of them are quarantine reads and a few I’ve had for some time, like book number one on the list.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
I’m not gonna lie, it’s been at least three years since I bought this book, and I have yet to finish! Not even sure why it’s on this list, but let me explain! I must have read the first six chapters (there’s 35) a good eight times because I keep restarting instead of continuing where I left off – it’s a small book, so I alway assume that makes more sense, and in my defense, I’ve made it all the way to chapter 11.
Please note it’s not a bad or poorly written book! Not by any stretch. As a matter of fact, I love the first three chapters. Those chapters are amazing – come to think of it, that’s probably why I keep rereading it. But before you judge, I’d like to say I blame Netflix for showing me the movie and spoiling the ending. A great end, I might add – but apparently not great enough to get me through the second half of the book.
Who knows, maybe you’ll have better luck than me if you pick up a copy.
Born a Crime
“I don’t mean to brag but we got some of the best racism in the world. We got top quality racism out there, like it’s handcrafted. You don’t get racism like that anymore…real racism”. – Trevor Noah
This book is an interesting peek into the life of Trevor Noah the South African comedian born during apartheid. His experience is quite unique and the text, like Trevor during stand-up, is witty and engaging and a true pleasure.
The stories are funny and interesting or at times simply outrageous. Personally I’m not usually a fan of non-fiction but this was definitely worth the read.
And Then There Were None
I have a hard time keeping up with book characters, especially when they are introduced all at once in the beginning. But thank goodness the writer starts killing them early because I can’t even remember who the first guy was – and I was glad I didn’t have to since he already played his role for the plot!
But hard start aside, this was marvelous! I got to the last chapter and still didn’t know who the killer was! Had to keep guessing right up till the end, and by then, everything finally made sense. Clearly, Agatha is the go-to if you’re in the mood for murder, mystery, or crime thriller because that was a well-executed novel that I might not have come across on my own – shoutout to book clubs!
Never Let Me Go
I can’t say I explicitly enjoyed reading this one, but I think it’s great for conversation. I read this as part of a book club, and despite having a hard time getting into it, this was most definitely a book club read.
The novel explores a world where human cloning is a possibility and clones are raised solely for the purpose of organ donations. Throughout the book, we explore the childhood and adult life of a handful of characters that are essentially ordinary people fated to die on behalf of others. It’s cruel and yet something entirely believable.
Dracula
Oh, how we’ve butchered the lore!
And I get it, retellings have full creative licenses to reshape the story as needed, but some of the things they left out would have actually made more sense in some of the movies and adaptations.
Surprisingly this wasn’t what I’d call an engaging read with this dangerous being lurking in the shadows. In fact, most of the book is spent not believing in the tedious superstitions of there being this sinister creature on the loose. The speaker drags out very mundane encounters before finally painting the monster as a monster.
In my opinion, Renfield, the crazy guy at the asylum, could definitely compete for the most interesting character in the original work because even Van Helsing wasn’t depicted as vigorously engaging.
The Paris Hours
“And they say I’m a Francophile. At least they know I know where France is!”
Hamilton the Broadway Musical: The Election of 1800
I’m not ashamed to say that the sole purpose of this book being here is so I can say I’ve been to Paris! And I’m not a Francophile by any means, but you have to love the city’s appeal.
It’s so much different when you live in a place. You might not be as enamored, but stories like this breath life into the setting. The story zeros in on the ordinary people and their unique lives, experiences, and secrets.
And for those not too keen on reading, check out “Paris After Midnight.” The movie also takes place in the 1920s but focuses on the giants of the age, like Hemingway and Gertrude Stein.
Milk and Honey
I’ve always been a fan of poetry. And still to this day, write poetry that no one else will read.
There is also a simple and easy-to-read poetry book that I enjoy. Rupi Kaur has a way with words and a knack for having her illustrations speak volumes. It’s enchanting to flip through and find that in four lines, and with a loose sketch, the writer provokes such emotion.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
I devoured this book! This was a fantastic read. First, if all the plot is enthralling, a woman who is forgotten by everyone she meets as soon as she is out of sight finally runs into one person who remembers her after 300 years!
Not only is this interesting, but it’s well written, and I love the back and forth between past and present until all things collided. The prose is simply flawless, and I kid you not when I say I read it in one day. I could not put this book down! Well, not entirely true since I took several breaks. Especially when a chapter had a big reveal or a character did something completely out of pocket – usually Luc, no spoiler there, just an opinion.
This was another book club read for me, but I highly highly recommend it!
The Blue Fairy Book
So this is actually a children’s book (debatably so) and ended up on my shelf for purely nostalgia purposes. I had one as a child, and when I came across it again, I had to acquire and give it another read.
Being a collection of stories, it’s not something you have to read from cover to cover or in any particular order. But a few stories in you get the gist that nothing is impossible, a common childhood theme, given that men on horses can climb glass hills to get to the princess- I kid you not either, here’s the illustration:
If you’re into science, I suggest you take that one up with the author and illustrator because that hill isn’t even remotely slanted! And sure, the horse was magical…but how did the princess get up there? If you have answers, please let me know. Maybe we can uncover this thing together!
There’s a Light on in the Attic
Ok, so if you look this one up on Amazon, ignore the fact that it says ages 3-8; that’s their opinion, ok!
Now I admit this is a children’s book, and the copy that I had a child got so worried out that it was eventually more like a deck of cards than a book – I blame the binding. But I remember those pages being filled in with poems of my own because I was so inspired. Before Langston Hughes, Maya Angelo, William Wordsworth, Emily Dickinson, Martin Carter, or Olive Senior (and teen angst), this was poetry to me. It was fun and witty and questioning. I remember most of these to this day! I’m still fairly confident in my ability to recite the poem ‘Nobody’ by heart if I’m randomly asked – I might have to practice now, so I don’t get caught slipping.
The point is, you can still enjoy this book! As someone in the reviews section said: for ages 3-103, and I agree entirely. If you want to think of this as your casual park read when you’re sitting in the shade enjoying the outdoors, go for it! Reading should be about the enjoyment, and not all of us want to master Tolstoy.
