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Best Reads
28
items The best literary fiction I have ever read. Looking to read outside the box and widen your scope? Spend time in this sandbox and try these titles.
Sections
3
Top favorite novels
Fave Children's Books
Books that Make You a Better Writer
Top favorite novels
A collection of international literary fiction that remains, till this day, my all time novels ever read.
This one is incredibly lengthy, but by far, the most beautiful story written about revenge and growth. Alexandre Dumas is an icon of mine.
The Count of Monte Cristo (Penguin Classics)
Haitian literature at its best. Jacques Stephen Alexis' prose is poetry ✨️ This novel opens a window onto the Haitian people.
General Sun, My Brother
What happens to the Royal Traoré family in Mali when the slave trade brutally interrupts its story is just shattering, but the journey enriches you, and you emerge enlightened.
Segu (Ségou, #1) by Maryse Condé
Loved. Love. Always will love this novel.
Things Fall Apart: A Novel by Chinua Achebe
One of the best books I have ever read, this is about an unexplained blindness that ravages a town. It delves into the complexities of humanity. An unforgettable journey!
Blindness by José Saramago
The generational tale of the Buendia family is legendary by now and a masterpiece.
One Hundred Years of Solitude (Harper Perennial)
A stunning collection of short stories.
Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
The best novel of 2025, a masterpiece, a journey, a must-read.
James (Pulitzer Prize Winner): A Novel - Books
One of the most exquisite and fascinating novels I've ever read about a murderer born with an extraordinary olfactory sense…
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer: 9780375725845: Patrick Suskind ...
One of my favorite writers, Maryse Conde, brings to life a buried real-life historical figure: Tituba, an enslaved Caribbean woman accused of witchcraft in Salem, Massachussetts.
I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem (CARAF Books)
Fall into this and recognize Marlon James as one of the most powerful Caribbean voices in the diaspora.
A Brief History of Seven Killings: A Novel
This was a surprising balance of poignancy and humor, told in the point of view of a young protagonist, and it was exquisite.
The Death of Comrade President: A Novel - Books
Fave Children's Books
These are staples in my children's bookshelves, curated from my household to yours.
Rachel Isadora's retelling and illustrations of these fairy tales is perfect for a world where all kids want to see themselves reflected. This is beautiful!
Rapunzel: Rachel Isadora: 9780399247729
Rachel Isadora's retelling and illustrations of these fairy tales is perfect for a world where all kids want to see themselves reflected. This is beautiful!
Hansel and Gretel: Isadora, Rachel ...
One of my son's favorites. At 10, he is fascinated with the new kid fitting in at a new school trope and this one is beautifully handled.
New Kid: A Graphic Novel
Hands down my son's favorite series - he has read them all and is obsessed. You can't go wrong gifting boys (and girls) with this set (as many as you can, there are so many)!
The Wimpy Kid Series · Books
BEST gift I got my little toddler nieces and nephews: hook the projector onto your phone and read them the matching story out loud. Make memories forever!
Moonlite Storytime Projector
A sure way to elicit giggles from the little ones
Pig the Pug - Aaron Blabey
Absolute fave in my house, both son and daughter grew up hooked to this adorable story.
Room on the Broom: Donaldson, Julia, Scheffler, Axel: 9780142501122
This one still tickles me and my kids! A mouse outsmarts animals and a Gruffalo!
The Gruffalo: 9780803730472: Donaldson, Julia, Scheffler, Axel
This also comes in a game: tap into the brain to create and invent the most magnificent things!
The Most Magnificent Thing: Spires, Ashley ...
Books that Make You a Better Writer
These books still remain some of the best at forging my career as an author.
The title says it all, and without reading you cannot be a writer. Highly recommend it.
Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who ...
It's hard to be good both at writing and editing, but this book will teach you how to edit yourself, and edit yourself well. A must!
The Artful Edit: On the Practice of Editing Yourself: Bell, Susan
If you're going to get help from a master through their craft book, might as well do it through Anne Lamott. Humor + Skill = Excellence.
Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life: Lamott, Anne: 8601404243813
It's not just because it's written by Stephen King that it's good. It's because it's a damn fine book. Perhaps one of the best on the art of being an author. READ IT.
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft: King, Stephen
A classic, filled with zen-inspired exercises to help you get to the bones of your story.
Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within, 2nd Edition ...
Recently read this and found it an excellent resource. If you need a contemporary take on writing your novel in three drafts, start here!
Refuse to Be Done: How to Write and Rewrite a Novel in Three Drafts: Bell, Matt
This is where writers must begin, even when they understand basics. Return to this always, it is a bible for writers.
The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition: 9780205309023: Strunk Jr., William ...