When I asked you guys what I should read next, y’all came through in a big way!
Let me back up a second, though…
For those of you not playing the social media game with me, last week I asked my FB and IG followers to tell me what I should read next. See, I had a great desire to read a book. I just didn’t have any clue which book that should be!
After a massive month of reading in March, I only made it through two books in April. And, unfortunately, nothing on my TBR list was really calling my name. Basically, I needed some fresh ideas and I was truly blown away by all the books you guys suggested I read next!
Ask and you shall receive!
Please allow me to thank all of you who took the time to suggest a book (or three or four, for some of you!). I feel like recommending books is a really personal thing. When you recommend a book to someone, you’re telling them something about yourself, you know? You’re saying, “Here, let me show you what I find entertaining/fulfilling/inspiring. Maybe you will like it and maybe you won’t. Maybe you will judge my for my opinion and maybe you won’t. I hope that you value my opinion, because what I see in you makes me think you will get something out of this book, too.”
Or, maybe I just overthink things. Anyway….
Since I asked for recommendations and you so graciously gave to me, I want to give a little back to you in return!
In response to several requests from Facebook-and-Insta-Land, I now give you —
The Great Book Suggestion List!
In no particular order, here are the book suggestions y’all made. Compiled into one long list for your very much reading enjoyment — Here are the books you love!
Novels
Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan
The Girl Who Wrote In Silk by Kelli Estes
The Tuscan Child by Rhys Bowen
Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell by Robert Dugoni
The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
Heaven Sent Rain by Lauraine Snelling
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Girls Burn Brighter by Shobha Rao
Finding Dorothy by Elizabeth Letts
The Cake Shop in the Garden by Carole Matthews
Caroline: Little House, Revisited by Sarah Miller
Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris
Cold Waters by Debbie Herbert
The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery
A Land of Permanent Goodbyes by Aria Abawi
Island of the World by Michael D O’Brien
Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate
Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine by Gail Honeyman
Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson
The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson
The Baker’s Secret by Stephen P. Kiernan
The Late Bloomers’ Club by Louise Miller
Zorro by Isabel Allende
The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
And the Shofar Blew by Francine Rivers
The Seven Sisters by Lucinda Reilly
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine
Memoirs
Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom
Books on Faith
Searching For and Maintaining Peace by Fr. Jacques Philippe
Barking to the Choir by Gregory Boyle
The Grace of Enough by Haley Stewart
Nonfiction
Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
Girls Club by Sally Clarkson
The Next Person You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
YA/Juvenile
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
This is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp
Refugee by Alan Gratz
So, what are we going to read?
First of all, I would love to know what you would choose to read from this list! Then, I want you to tell me what of these you’ve already read.
As for me, I’m so grateful for all of these amazing recommendations! After looking through each of them, and considering that some of them were suggested by multiple people, I’ve decided that my next book to read will be…