Here are my next ten books. That brings my grand total for 2014 to twenty books, which means I officially met my goal. I guess I'll be over achieving this year. Hurrah for me!
Eleanor and Park is the newest popular teen fiction to hit the shelves. So, if you've already cried your way through The Fault in Our Stars, it's time to plow through this touching romance. You'll be rooting for this unlikely match with every turn of the page. As an added bonus, or some may find this a deterrent, it will make you feel like you are in high school all over again. Ahh, young love.
2. What Alice Forgot, by: Liane Moriarty
Basically Alice falls, hits her head, and wakes up thinking it's ten years in the past. In her mind, she has no memory of the three children she birthed, or the troubles her marriage is currently facing. Alice must relive all the pain and heartache of the last ten years as she catches up with the present. It's a good, entertaining read.
3. The Husband's Secret, by: Liane Moriarty
I enjoyed What Alice Forgot so much, I decided to read another novel by the same author. I was not disappointed. It's another page turner of a novel, which follows the lives of several seemingly unrelated characters. As for the husband's secret? Well, it's a doozy.
4. Orphan Train, by: Christina Baker Kline
So apparently, our country used to ship off orphans from the East Coast to be adopted by rural families to meet childcare or farmhand needs. Who knew? Orphan Train parallels the stories of Molly, a present day teenager aging out of the foster care system and Dorothy, an Irish immigrant who loses her family in a tragic fire, and you guessed it, is placed on the orphan train.
5. Veronica Mars: The Thousand Dollar Tan Line, by: Rob Thomas
Whatever, don't judge. This book was good. It picks up exactly where the movie left off. There should be more Logan drama. There's nothing more to say except, if you haven't already watched the series, you should. It's on Amazon Prime, so start binging now. You're welcome.
6. The Goldfinch, by: Donna Tartt
Never has a book been more torturous than The Goldfinch. I felt like I did something naughty and reading this book was my inhumane punishment. I've heard so many people talking about The Goldfinch, that I kept waiting for it to get good. Nope, it doesn't. It was a very long piece of pretentious dribble, with unlikable characters, and a boring plot. There, I said it.
7. The Lowland, by: Jhumpa Lahiri
The Lowland follows the story of two very different, but very close brothers as they cope with a changing India during the 1960s and 70s. One brother faces political strife head on, while the other flees to start a new life in America. Through distance and changes in situation, the brothers try to support each other and the choices they make. I can't really say anything else without giving away major plot lines. It's a beautiful and well written story.
I wish Louis Zamperini was my grandfather. I don't think there is a more interesting man present or past. As Ryan and I were reading about his life, we were in disbelief that so much could happen to one person. Make sure to read this book before the movie is released on December 25th.
9. Rules of Civility, by: Amor Towles
Katey Kontent is just living the life of a secretary in New York City in 1938 when she meets Tinker Grey and everything changes. Parties, love, accidents, drama, it's all there. Highly recommend.
10. What to Expect When You're Expecting, by: Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel
This might be the most thrilling book I've read to date. I'm not all the way through yet, but it's definitely an engaging and relatable read. I'm currently at the bit about being 16 weeks along. I think that come March, I'll be ready for the sequel, What to Expect the First Year.
Well, there you have it, ladies and gentlemen, the second ten books on my quest to twenty. If you need more ideas, don't forget to check out the first 10 of 2014.
