Whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert, a homebody or an outdoorsy type, there’s one thing I’m sure we can all agree on—staying home all the time because of bad weather is no walk in the park! When you’re stuck in the house, time passes so slowly that it often feels like it’s standing still.
However, spending time on hobbies and favorite pastimes provides a nice break from the monotony. And personally, I’ve been spending a considerable amount of time lately doing one of my favorite things: reading! These books aren’t exactly new, but if you haven’t read them yet, I think you’ll really enjoy them!
And since I’m sure I’m not the only bookworm out there, I thought it would be fun if we all shared some recommendations with each other. So today I’ll be sharing a list of some of the best books I’ve read recently, and I invite you to share yours in the comments at the end of this post! :-)
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6 of the Best Books I’ve Read Lately
1. The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer
I am having a hard time coming up with the words to describe the beauty and the heartbreak of this story, which is told through both past and present. In the past, the reader is taken back to WWII and what the grandmother and her fellow countrymen endured during the Nazi occupation of Poland.
In the present, the granddaughter helps her grandmother find the answers she seeks to reconcile with the events of that horrific time in history. This is a remarkable and unforgettable read.
2. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
When I started reading this book about a man who is imprisoned in a hotel in Moscow, I was skeptical about how interesting the plot could possibly be. And as it turns out, I had nothing to fear!
Rostok, the titular gentleman imprisoned during the Russian Revolution, is an intriguing and charming character! The story offers a fascinating look into the historical events taking place in Russia while Rostok lives his extraordinary life at the Metropolitan Hotel.
I really enjoyed this book and am definitely going to miss the hotel, the characters, the dry humor, and the gentleman himself. :-)
3. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
This was another book that I was skeptical about at first, but the story of a reclusive young girl who has been abandoned by her parents, siblings, school system, and the entire town surrounding her, is riveting and inspiring!
I love the story’s ode to wilderness and Mother Earth too, and how it captures both the harshness of surviving, and the immense wonder and beauty of being alive.
4. The Identicals by Elin Hilderbrand
I am a big fan of Erin Hildebrand’s novels. She has an amazing way of making you feel like you’re right there with her characters. In The Identicals, identical twin sisters Harper and Tabitha are asked at a young age by their divorcing parents to choose a parent to live with. The story picks up as they are thrown back together when their father dies.
After his death, much is revealed about the division and animosity that has kept the twins apart over the last 20 years. Her descriptions of the atmosphere, the food, and the scenery made me want to hop on a plane and fly to the East Coast immediately!
5. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
This was one of the loveliest books I have ever read. I have read MANY books about World War II, but this one provides such a unique and intriguing perspective.
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After reading this book, Shaffer’s characters felt so real that I wanted to run over to Guernsey to meet them in person! The stories about their experiences were so touching, and not just because they were hard, but because the people were so brave. I was uplifted by their endurance, hope, and love for each other.
6. Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark T. Sullivan
It took me longer than usual to read this book because I kept stopping to Google places and events from this true WWII story! The story is about Pino Lella, a young boy living in the Italian Alps who helped many Jews escape over into Switzerland.
After an injury, Pino is recruited as the personal driver for one of the Third Reich’s most powerful commanders. Beneath a Scarlet Sky is an absolutely beautiful and heart-wrenching story that’s well worth a read!
Bonus! If you’re into historical fiction, I’ve written a post with a bunch of my favorite historical fiction books!
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What’s the best book you’ve read lately?
A Discovery Of Witches by Deborah Harkness
Please log in or create a free account to comment.all souls trilogy.
I’m on the third volume of The Last Lion by William Manchester, a biography of Sir Winston Churchill’s life. Next will be The History of English Speaking Peoples, by Churchill. I love hearing what people like reading! It’s fun!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.One of my best friends gave me the Guersey book for my birthday years ago when it first came out. I have since reread it several times. It is one of the loveliest books I’ve read. A favorite author of mine is Rumer Godden, especially her book, An Episode of Sparrows, which takes place in London in the early 1950’s. I would also recommend Dark Terror (sorry, I can’t remember the author’s name), but the book is about terrorists attack on the US prior to WWI.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Happy reading, everyone. Stay safe and know we will get through this time
I loved both Guernsey and Scarlet Sky so you must have good taste, thus I’ve added your other recommendations to my “to-read” list. I just finished “Hold On, But Don’t Hold Still” by Kristina Kuzmic and truly enjoyed the humor, candid snapshots of life, motherhood and marriage and the hope that we can thrive through the hard knocks of life. Some great gems and wisdom found there for sure!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Modern titles include anything by Kate Morton, especially The Clockmaker’s Daughter. Also Kathleen Tessaro, The Perfume Collector.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.An older author I stumbled across at a used book sale years ago was Kathleen Thompson Norris. She was extremely popular as a noted journalist and author in the 1920s-40s. Most of her books are set in Northern California, and one, Mystery House, can only be an homage to San Jose’s Winchester Mystery House. High Holiday is my favorite It’s a multi-generational novel (Edna Ferber was the queen of this genre) set on 2 major holidays only: 4th of July and Christmas. Quite an intriguing premise.
There’s a lust of her books on Goodreads and some are in public domain on Amazon.
And of course EVERYTHING Agatha Christie wrote.
Some of the authors from the last century hold up well and are very entertaining.
And how could I leave out James Michener?!
Centennial is one of his best.
I’ve read several Kate Morton books and loved them all. I got them as e-books from the library. Thanks for the head’s up about Kathleen Thompson Norris.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It turns out we have very similar taste in books. I’ve read almost everything on your list. :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love to read but actually haven’t had much time for it as I’m busy at home most of the time anyway, so my routine hasn’t changed much. Likely from having had a biology major and history minor in college, the two main genres I’ve come to seek out over the years are historical novels and (for lack of a better description) natural history/conservation. The first group includes both historical fiction and factual accounts of historical events and personalities. “Byzantium” by Stephen Lawhead is one of the two best books I’ve ever read, and I’ve also enjoyed Robert Massie’s books on Russian history – “Nicholas and Alexandra”, “Peter the Great” and most recently “Catherine the Great”. I had started reading “War and Peace” by Leo Tolstoy until my tablet died :(.
Natural history and conservation books take a particular species, group of species (taxon) or conservation topic and discuss it in an interesting, insightful and engaging way. There are several I could recommend, but one that comes to mind is “Voyage of the Turtle” by Carl Safina, which takes a look at the life and journey of the Loggerhead Sea Turtle and a broader look at sea turtle conservation in general. Also “Living on the Wind” by Scott Weidensaul focuses on bird migration in the western hemisphere. And “The Wild Trees” by Richard Preston follows the stories of three individuals as they try to learn about the biology of Giant Redwoods while climbing hundreds of feet above the ground. No specialized degree is needed as these books are very readable.
“The Earth’s Children” series by Jean Auel is a combination of human and natural history and one that has taken up a good chunk of my reading time over the past few years (I’m finishing the last one now). But the book-equivalent of crack cocaine for me was “Guns, Germs and Steel” by Jared Diamond. The author draws on human and natural history to explain why some peoples of the world were given a head-start by simple geography and luck of zoology (not genetics; this is not a racist book) in technological advancements and were thus set up to explore (and conquer) the world before others.
Recalling all of these great reads makes me want to set aside more reading time – thanks Jillee!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Sorry War and Peace is delayed, but the book shall never die!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have had a couple of these on my list for awhile- thanks for putting this together. I haven’t read the The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society but saw the movie on Netflix and it is one of my favorites about this time period. I also loved “All the Light we Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr set in France. A recent favorite is “Before we were yours” by Lisa Wingate- I was fascinated and haunted by this book.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Read Before We Were Yours last month- such an incredible story and then to think Of the true events it was based on was heartbreaking!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I am a suspence/mystery reader. My favorite author is Karin Slaughter. She has several stand alone books as well as 2 series books. If you read the series, start with the Grant County series. They are “can’t put down” books! I read Where the Crawdads Sing (loved it!), but have added your other recommendations as well as those in the comments. Audio books are great to have when driving to work (though I haven’t done that for a while!) or cleaning house and doing home projects, but I also like to sit with a book and read. Thanks for the recommendations!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you for this. I love to read and have read some of the ones you mention. I will check out the ones I have not read yet.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love to throw in Gillian Flynn to mess with the brain ….. Michael Connelly’s “Bosch” series, which you can then back up with a prime Video’s series. Fun! Wish I could read all day every day!
Beneath A Scarlet Sky was incredible!! I read a lot of indie authors that self publish on Amazon. My favorite book of all time is A Different Blue by Amy Harmon. I have easily read it 20 times. All of her books are phenomenal but that one is special to me. If you want a book to get make you get in your feelings Brightside by Kim Holden is amazing. The books following it are great too.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Interestingly enough, my book club has read most of your selections as well. My personal favorites are books by the late Pat Conroy. He brings you into a story and you don’t want to leave. Pat will use 20 very descriptive words where 3 would do, but those 20 bring characters and locations right into your life.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You sure don’t read what I do. Victorian, Georgian romances, zombie, and Stephen King, Dean Koontz.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I too used to read Stephen King. Scary yet comical.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I just finished Until I Die Again and Stranger In The Mirror by Tina Wainscott. SO interesting.
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