My nightstand is piled high with books.
(blush mongolian pillow, green velvet lumbar)
And there are even more in that top drawer. Is it just me or is your tbr growing faster than you can keep up with too?
I’m slowly working my way through, and thankfully, audible is helping me to multitask. If you’ve not jumped on the audiobook bandwagon yet, what are you waiting for?! It makes mundane, time-consuming tasks, like laundry, painting, tiling, moping, etc. much more tolerable. Although, I’ll never tire of the feel of actual book pages in my hand. There is truly nothing better!
With spring break and summer vacations on the radar, today I thought I’d share a few of my favorite recent reads.
Four Titles I’ve Loved Lately
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman – This was the 2nd most recommended book by Our Fifth House readers, and it was one that had been on my tbr for quite a while. I’m glad I finally dove in because I absolutely adored this book! Many people have described this book as a story about a curmudgeon, but I found it to be an unlikely, yet completely unforgettable love story! It’s the perfect mix of quirky, bittersweet and heartwarming. And I’m now officially a Fredrik Backman fan! I can’t wait to read his other titles. His stories about everyday people are sweetly captivating, and his characters are lovably original. Also, I agree with Ove – Saab forever! 😉 If you’ve read this one, you’ll understand that comment.
If You Only Knew by Jamie Ivey – I listen to Jamie Ivey’s podcast from time to time, so I was excited to read her first book. I figured because it’s somewhat of a memoir it would be a good one to do on Audible. And honestly, I think listening to this book is the best way to ”read” it because hearing Jamie herself tell her story made it that much more powerful. If you’ve ever doubted God’s grace or felt unworthy or ashamed, this book will lift you up and encourage you!
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn – I love me some historical fiction. Correction. I love women’s historical fiction. Don’t get me wrong, I like pretty much anything in the historical fiction genre, but stories that are specifically about women are my personal favorite! So when the #8 choice by Our Fifth House readers was this book about World War era British female spies I couldn’t wait to dive in to this story! And it did not disappoint! I loved it!
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones – This book is getting lots of buzz (thanks to Oprah), and I have to admit the curiosity finally broke me. I finished it in days. And it has been about a month since I reached the last page, yet I can’t get this story out of my head. Some stories just linger. This one is like that for me. It’s a subtly powerful yet sad story about the American criminal justice system and the result of its injustices. This book would make for a great book club discussion.
What have you read lately? What’s next on your list?
I completely adored A Man Called Ove! Other recent reads I would recommend:
Grist Mill Road
Flat Water Tuesday
The Pecan Man
Currently reading : The One and Only by Emily Giffin