and why you’ll love them.
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When it comes to books, there are millions of options. Finding just the right one can be a daunting quest; no knights in shining armour or magic in sight. It’s every readers dream to find books that enamors you and completely takes you down the rabbit hole. The uncontrollable gasps, mindless giggling or motivational rhetoric to revamp your life are simple pleasures of a great book. These 4 books were probably the most memorable reads I had all year. Here are 4 amazing books you must read:
Every last word by Tamara Ireland Stone
This book details the life of Samantha McAllister, a popular 16-year-old highschooler with Purely Obsessional OCD. Samamtha finds comfort in pretending to be like everyone else, so she hides any part of her life that is seemingly different. She befriends a group misfits along the way, and with the help of these new friends, she slowly she begins to feel more “normal” than she ever did before.
Why you will love this book:
Explaining OCD is not a simple task, very few get it right or realistic enough in fiction. It’s one of those things that often get lost in translation, but tamara does a good job of getting the message across without excessive sugarcoating. As someone who suffers from multiple Obsessional Compulsive Disorders, this book was an amazing read.
Purchase Every last word by Tamara Ireland
Secret life of bees by Sue Monk Kidd
This book travels back in time to South Carolina 1964. It tells the story of Lily Owens, a young girl with a complicated past surrounding the death of her mother, for which she blames herself. She runs away from home with her surrogate mother and they are taken in by three African American beekeeping sisters. On this journey lily learns about forgiving yourself and finding your home, even if that means to leave what you have always known.
Why you will love this book
You won’t be able to put down! this was a heartwarming, feel good read. I couldn’t help but love and cheer for lily as she went through personal trials. In all honesty, all the characters in this book were quite likeable except for the father, which highlights my main flaw with this book; one dimensional writing. The protagonists were unequivocally good, almost without faults and he was the opposite. But that was only a minor issue in comparison to the book’s entirety.
Purchase Secret life of bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Matrix by Lauren Groff
Cast out of her home and royal court, Eleanor of Aquitaine is sent to England to run a penurious abbey where the nuns are on the verge of starvation. After initial rejection of her new life, she finds passion and conviction to change the course of the abbey and the nuns she has grown to love. This novel showcases female ambition, sexuality, leadership and effects of power on those who wield it. This is not like any medieval books you have read before, it’s an amazing book to read if you love historical fiction.
Why you will love this book:
Not many novels written about that period touches on any of these topics; the working lives of the women or assertive female ambition. Marie is a captivating character who makes quite a few questionable decisions as leader of her abbey, however her ambition and drive seems to stem from a good place. She creates a sort of female utopia and completely turns their fortunes around. The dive into this reimagined life of poet Marie de France is a must read.
Purchase Matrix by Lauren Groff
Can’t hurt me by David Goggins
This autobiography by David Goggins, follows his life growing up and the trauma and challenges he endured; poverty, prejudice and physical abuse. He delves into how he developed mental toughness and self-discipline to transform himself from a miserable depressed young man to US armed forces icon.
Why you will love this book:
David Goggins is a captivating individual, so I had been following him long before I read his book. His story is gruesome, exhilarating and worth every minute. Goggins may be a bit extreme for some, but I like to think there is at least one thing everyone can take from this book. This is definitely a amazing book and you won’t want to stop reading.
Purchase Can’t hurt me by David Goggins
4 Amazing books to read this year
What books are you currently reading? And what are some of those you would add to this list?
