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1000 Books Later.... the must reads from ALL the categories
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items With over 1,000 books in my collection, I think it’s safe to say I’m qualified to recommend your next read (and maybe a few you didn’t know you needed).
I read at the pace the plot demands—whether it’s a slow burn or a can’t-sleep-until-it’s-finish...
Sections
8
Romance
Nonfiction
Historical Fiction
Fiction: Life/Coming of Age/Tragedy
Fiction: social commentary
Fiction: Cultural Topics
Romance
Pride and Prejudice has everything—romance, drama, and that deeply satisfying moment when two people recognize their flaws, grow, and choose each other anyway. It’s a timeless story about love, pride, and pushing past society’s expectations. A classi...
Pride and Prejudice (Barnes & Noble Collectible Editions) by Jane Austen ...
Technically a memoir but reads like fiction, this is based on the authors real experiences in moving to France, falling in love with a frenchman, and adjusting to a new life. It also includes parallel recipes which is fun and unique.
Lunch in Paris: Bard, Elizabeth: 9780316042789
Follows the story of Iranian Women, Tami, who comes to the US on a visa in hopes of finding an Iranian-American husband so she leave Iraq for good. Yet she falls in love with an American. The novel follows along as Tami has to navigate political and ...
Books - Veil of Roses: Fitzgerald, Laura
It regurgitated a lot from Pride and Prejudice but it's my favorite novel so I fell for this novel. I did enjoy the take on Darcys perspective, even if it did take almost half the novel to get most of it.
Darcy's Story - Pride And Prejudice New View
U.S. Marshal, Anne McAllister, is assigned to protect undercover agent Andree Falcone after her husband dies. When Falcone is shot, Tom inhabits his body to help steer Anne to the person she loves. It's cute, sometimes raunchy and amd interesting tak...
Books - Heaven in Your Eyes: McCoy, Judi
Two journalist meet trying to compete for the same big interview. Classic try to resist each other, fall for each, and fail to admit it. In between sex and fights they finally admit their feelings.
It's a Love Thang: Laudat, Reon
Nonfiction
I'm convinced there's no greater creative nonfiction than Devil in the White City. The juxtaposition of the majestic world's fair vs. The unknown horrors of America's first serial killer all happening in Chicago? Beautifully written and horrifyingly ...
The Devil in the White City: Murder & Madness
Even a decade after Katrina, Zeitoun continues to be a powerful reminder of the dangers of both government corruption, natural disasters, and human nature. Even over a decade later, Zeitoun remains a haunting and powerful reminder of how fragile our ...
Dr. Mohamed Zeitoun
You wouldn’t expect a nonfiction book about whale hunting to be this gripping—but it’s actually a thriller in disguise. You’re rooting for a different outcome, even though you know how it ends. Get ready for heartbreak, outrage, and every emotion tha...
In the Heart of the Sea: Tragedy of Essex
Hear me out: yes this book is dry in some parts BUT it brings cleopatra to life in ways only a female author can. We may never fill in all the gaps but in this novel, Cleopatra isn't just a sex idol she's an intelligent, well-spoken, well loved leade...
Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff
Obsessed with Salem, Massachusetts? Then The Witches is a must-read. This isn’t just another retelling of the Salem Witch Trials—it reads almost like a social experiment, unpacking long-held myths and exposing the social dynamics, paranoia, and power...
The Witches: Salem, 1692 by Stacy Schiff
1
Another book that can be a bit dry but love the portrayal of the Romanov family as a family born into the wrong position and the wrong time period. It may be blind to some of the political nuances going on at the time but an interesting portrayal non...
The Romanov Sisters: Lost Lives of Nicholas' Daughters
Think Child Called It but Irish. All joking aside, a heart wrenching autobiography of a child's abuse and his eventual immigration to the US.
Angela's Ashes: A Memoir by Frank McCourt
Historical Fiction
If you’re sensitive to animal cruelty, this one might be a tough read—but beneath the difficult moments is a powerful commentary on morality, survival, and the complexity of human relationships in hard times. It forces you to question what’s right wh...
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Could also be categorized as a mystery. An interesting twist on women protecting women. Despite being a historical fiction the questions of morality, a medical personnels duties and overall human instincts are just as relevant.
The Last Midwife
FICTION inspired by a true photo. Set during the great depression, newspaper photographer Ellis Reed snaps a photo of 2 children in front of a for sale sign. The story explores the consequences of his actions and desperation during impossible times.
Sold on a Monday: True Story of Heartbreak
One of my favorite novels! Fiction inspired by the true women who worked in the paris library during the rise of Hitlers Germany.
The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles
One of my all time favorites. Mixes Irish myths and whimsy, with historical realities. It spans the 1830s-1880s and follows an Irish couple as they fall in love, and try to survive the Irish Famine. The 2nd half if the takes place in America during a...
Galway Bay: Kelly, Mary Pat - Books
Fiction: Life/Coming of Age/Tragedy
While it deals with dark themes, The Lovely Bones never stops being a hauntingly beautiful story that explores grief, loss, the afterlife, justice vs injustice, coming of age, and much more.
The Lovely Bones: Sebold, Alice: 9780316168816
What happens when Julia leaves her abusive fiance at the alter? You have to read to find out but this story is female empowerment and self discovery at its finest. Great representation of the ralities ofbescaping DV but the hope & rebuilding that...
Julia's Chocolates by Cathy Lamb
Slightly different than it's movie remake, this book is expertly written. It's funny, dramatic, and serious in all the right places. A great examination at high-powered careers and what it may or may not cost you to stay in one.
The Devil Wears Prada a Novel: Weisberger, Lauren
Could also fit in the thriller/mystery category. Chris Harte is put on trial for murdering his high-school girlfriend, but he claims it was a suicide pact gone wrong. Through a mixture of present time moments and flashbacks, readers learn the truth.
The Pact: A Love Story by Jodi Picoult
Another Picoult story that has multiple themes and tough topics. Sage Singer, becomes friends with an elderly man from her grief group and learns he was a prominent Nazi Officer. Simultaneously, she learns her grandmother is a holocaust survivor. Sag...
Jodi Picoult · The Storyteller (2013)
A novel about two friends, with different backgrounds & personalitites, who meet in their 20s and the complexity of adult reltionships. As someone with a few life-long friends, this a great represent of what it's like to grow, pull apart and mana...
Best Friends: 9781573229357: Moody, Martha: Books
Dr. Henry gives away 1 of his twin daughter at birth because she's born with down syndrome but tells his wife the baby is born still born. The story is a dual perspective: one that follows Henry and his wife as she discovers the truth and the nurse w...
The Memory Keeper's Daughter: A Novel
Fiction: social commentary
A little slow in the beginning, but mystery feeling towards the end. Novel explores wealth discrepancies, political corruption, and how distorted the American Dream can feel in a small town.
America America: A Novel by Ethan Canin
A powerful depiction of abortion vs women's right. A man decides to commit a mass shooting at an abortion center after learning his daughter had an abortion there without his knowledge. It's told in reverse chronological order, starting with the shoo...
A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult
Fiction: Cultural Topics
Follows a poor, black family the 12 days leading up to hurricane Katrina. Expertly written and is a powerful look at family bonds, poverty/inequality, survival and many other themes.
Salvage the Bones: A Novel - Ward, Jesmyn: Books
Follows 2 couples, an interracial couple & gay couple, in 1960s San Francisco who keep their relationships a secret due to ongoing races age and societal pressures.
Secret Love: Schneider, Bart
Pretty well known at this point, but this was one of the first novels who started opening my eyes to racism, prejudices, etc. It may be set during the early Civil rights/jim crowe/post-slavery tensions but the themes still apply today.
The Help: 9780425232200: Stockett, Kathryn: Books
Set post-slavery, follows Berry, a black butler falsely accused of stealing. It follows his family as the struggle against racism, poverty and societal injustice.
The Sport of the Gods by Paul Laurence Dunbar
Spans 30s and is told from the perspective of Amir, a rich Pashtun Boy. The first potion follows the breakdown of Amirs friendship with Hassan, the son of his fathers Hazara. It's a tough look at Iraqi politics throughout the late 1900s and how it ef...
The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini: Books
Explores the traditions, relationships and stories of Chinese immigrants mothers and their Chinese-American daughters. It's a heartfelt story of navigating different cultures and generations and how they come to understand each other.
The Joy Luck Club: A Novel - Books
Set during the Rwanda genocides, it follows a 15 year old Rwandan boy and his story as he fights to survive during the widespread genocides.
The Oldest Orphan: Monénembo, Tierno ...
A coming-of-age story about a 15 yr old Kambili, a Nigeran goal navigating life under a strict, religious father and trying to find her identity. Adichie is always a beautiful and articulate writer.
Purple Hibiscus: A Novel - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
This books is such a great look at geisha, what they go through, as well as corrects a lot of incorrect perceptions you may have about them.
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
War Novels
The nonfiction biography/story of Chester Nez, one of the Navajo Code talkers who were crucial to the winning of WWII. Follows his story from childhood to senior Years, covering themes like racism, abuse and patriotism.
Code Talker: Novel About Navajo Marines WWII
Nonfiction novel that follows William E. Dodd, US ambassador during Hitlers rise to power. Writing in fiction style & will absolutely change your outlook on the events leading up to WWII and our ability to look the other way.
In the Garden of Beasts: American Family in Hitler's Berlin
Can be a slow read but it's a powerful one. Fiction novel about college football player Ben Reinking who is drafted to be war correspondent/propagandist writing about his fellow teammates. Explores themes of loss, grief, survivers grief & mental ...
The Eleventh Man - Doig, Ivan: Books
If a war novels is going to emotionally wreck you then it'll be on my list. As a memoir, this Vietnam War novels is particularly brutal. It really emphasizes how dehumanizing war is and how tough it dealing with war trauma.
A Rumor of War: Caputo, Philip
While fiction, this novel is written by a war veteran and is inspired by his experience. It follows a platoon in Iraq, and has some pretty harsh scenes. It goes back and forth between war flashbacks and the group dealing with being back home. Being t...
Fives and Twenty-Fives by Michael Pitre
My favorite fiction war novels. Set in WWII it follows 10 different characters, ranging from soldiers to spys to significant others. It has everything a fiction should have: love, drama, suspense. The hardest part: you want everyone to have a happy e...
Gone to Soldiers by Marge Piercy
Set in Vietnam this book is heart-wrenching. This one is amazingly written because it follows a group of men who are drafted/join from a variety of backgrounds and reasoning. Yet the book does an amazing job of depicting that war does not discriminat...
Fields of Fire: A Novel - James Webb: Books
Set during the Iraq war, this novel is unique. Instead of following a specific squad or platoon, it's a series of stand alone stories that depict entirely different characters, their roles (i.e. a soldier, a chaplain, etc) and how war effects them.
Redeployment - Klay, Phil: Books
Mystery/Thriller/Dystopian
Loved this novel. Set in Amish community, is a mystery about Katie who is accused of murdering her newborn baby. There's several twists in this novel I didn't see coming and it leaves you questioning right vs wrong
Jodi Picoult · Plain Truth (1999)
Jodi Picoult is one of my favorite authors and I feel like this one is never talked about! Ross Wakeman, who is dealing with severe grief and loss, takes a job investigating paranormal activity which leads him on the path to discovering the truth abo...
Second Glance: A Novel: Picoult, Jodi - Books
This is a 20+ mystery book series. Think bones but in book from where Scarpetta, the main character, is an MD who helps the FBI solve crimes. The characters get a little insufferable after book 10 but the mysteries are quite compelling and thrilling....
Postmortem (Kay Scarpetta) by Patricia Cornwell
An older series but one of my favorites. So simple but always fascinating. These are set in Navajo territory and follows Leaphorn and eventual Chee, Navajo detectives who solve crime and often question how American I fluency has effected Navajo teach...
Leaphorn & Chee Series by Tony Hillerman
After a quick romance and marriage, Sara learns her new family is part of a powerful Bolivia cartel. The story progresses after Sara meets a DEA agent and has decide if how far she'll go to betray her new family.
CrossFire: A Novel by Jeanette Windle
The sequel to crossfire, Sara has relocated to Bolivia where she's attacked by her family's network. She finds her drawn back into the dangers of helping the US fight not just drug cartels but full on terrorists
FireStorm: A Novel: Windle, Jeanette - Books
Micheal, who grew up in an orphanage, has fallen in love and is trying to find his way out of gangs and crimes. But an old friend from the orphanage pulls him back into the life he's trying to leave.
Iron House: A Novel - Hart, John: Books
13 year old Johnny seems to be the only person who still cares that his twin sister is still missing a year later. He decides to investigate on his own and learns some dangerous details.
The Last Child (Johnny Merrimon, #1) by John Hart
A birth father goes undercover at his daughter's prep school and finds secrets among the staff and wealthy parents. Throughout the novel there's a student death, a secret affair and corrupt real estate dealings.
Somebody Else's Daughter: A Novel
Set after WWI, Amanda finds her sister drowned in the lake and takes over caring for her niece. As Ruth grows older she starts to remember more about that night, while Amanda continues to stifle the truth.
Drowning Ruth: A Novel (Oprah's Book Club)
While the novel uses the Columbine shooting as a jumping off point: Calum Quirks wife survives the shooting, the majority of the novel is about Calum discovering family secrets after they move back to his family farm for his wife's mental health.
The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb
Such an important mystery/thriller. Written by a Danish author: Detective lousie rick is investigating a dead body left in the woods which leads to a bigger discover of abuse amongst women who where once institutionalized.
The Forgotten Girls (Louise Rick #7) by Sara Blaedel
This authors debut novel! Set in New Orleans during prohibition, Jesse Pike is trying to offload alcohol and give control of his brothel to his newly released brother. All Jesse wants to do is leave his criminal and gang life behind but history has a...
The Pike Boys - Books