I am crazy into reading and I always have been. I loved going to story hour as a small child and I even recall telling the librarian that no, I wasn’t too young to read Danielle Steele at the age of ten. I still love tearing through books like nobody’s business and always have one on the go. Here are some of the ones I’ve enjoyed over the last few months:

Beautiful Day by Elin Hilderbrand

I love Elin Hilderbrand’s books and this was my most recent read of hers. I love her style of writing and how each chapter alternates back and forth between characters. She really makes you feel like you get the whole story from all of the different perspectives. This one is about the wedding of a young woman whose mother had passed away a few years before. The mother of the bride left behind a notebook detailing all of her plans, opinions and hopes for the big day because she knows she won’t be there. It’s bittersweet but an entertaining read.

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman

This story felt a bit slow to start but the buildup kept me turning the pages. It follows the story of a young couple living alone on a very remote island. They desperately want a baby but are unable to conceive. When a boat washes up on shore with a dead man and a baby inside, they must make a difficult decision and eventually there are consequences. This one had me on a bit of an emotional roller coaster.

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

This story was so charming and moving. It’s about a young woman who applies for a job as a caregiver. When she realizes it is actually to care for a wheelchair bound young man, she still agrees to the job. Although it is difficult, the two eventually form a friendship before she finds out the awful secret his family is keeping from her.  I loved how the author delved into the who the characters were and developed them so well. I also appreciated the non-traditional love story in the book. I couldn’t put this one down.

Room by Emma Donoghue

This book was incredibly hard to read. In a nutshell, the story is told from the perspective of a five year old boy who lives with his mother in a shed where her kidnapper keeps them hidden, and has for several years. He was born in the shed and calls it “Room”. It is all he knows. This story gave me chills, made me feel sick, made me tear up and gave me a restless sleep a time or two but it was very well done and I highly recommend it.

Seriously Delish by Jessica Merchant

This cookbook is by my very favorite food blogger. I eagerly anticipated it and preordered it months ago. I just got it a couple of weeks ago and I’m not kidding you when I say that I flip through it almost daily (Does anyone else read cookbooks in bed? Please tell me I’m not the only one). Each recipe looks like a mini blog post and the recipes are so much fun. I already have a list of the ones that I want to try. I’m looking at you, Chocolate Peanut Butter Lover’s Brownies.

 A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams

I loved the retro feel of this story. It is set in the 1930’s and opens with a young woman going to Rhode Island to spend her Summer holidays, as was tradition while she was growing up. Once there, she is very awkwardly faced with her former best friend and former fiance, who are now married to each other. The story flits back and forth from before the drama to her present situation and it was a great read. I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next and lots of little surprises kept it exciting.

Do Cool Sh*t: Quit Your Day Job, Start Your Own Business, and Live Happily Ever After by Miki Agrawal

I think this is a great read for anyone who wants to get inspired to live more on their own terms. The author opened her first business by age 26 and is now considered one of the most successful business owners under 30. She covers the starting her own business at a young age and with little experience, mistakes she’s made and lessons she’s learned along her journey. This is a great book for anyone who wants to learn how to live with passion and follow their dreams.

 Relish by Daphne Oz

I like to take out a cookbook each time I go to the library for meal planning inspiration and this one was my latest pick. It’s filled with simple, fresh, healthy recipes, and a few indulgent ones. There are also sections about health, relationships, home décor, event planning and more. I thought the photography was absolutely beautiful and I really liked the honest and unfussy tone the book was written in. I liked this one so much I’m considering buying it.

 Proof of Heaven by Eben Alexander

This was a different kind of read for me but I’ve been hearing lots about it and thought I’d give it a try. This is the true story of a neurosurgeon who falls into a coma from a serious infection. The book alternates each chapter with him experiencing the afterlife and his family’s version of events while he was in the coma. There is a lot of medical talk about his condition along with his description of his near-death experience. It’s a quick read and as a whole I found it very inspiring. I look at life and death a little differently after reading this one.

My Story by Elizabeth Smart (with Chris Stewart)

This is what I’m currently reading and I’m halfway through but I wanted to mention it because I’ve really enjoyed it so far; I love reading memoirs. The book is fast moving and gives a lot of detail of her personal experience while being held captive. It must be incredibly hard to write about an experience such as this and I think it’s really well done.

 

What are you currently reading? I’d love to hear any recommendations!