My Top 30 Book Recommenda -tions

Posted byAmy Sandelman HarrisPosted inbook recommendations, books, fiction, free time, i love to read, leisure time, novels, reading, women of a certain ageTags:, ,
My Top 31 Book Recommendations

When was the last time you read a really good book? Finding one that captures your attention and immerses you in the characters and plot is especially challenging considering the number of new books released annually. With this in mind, I decided it might be helpful to share my top 30 book recommendations with my readers.

One of the many benefits of being a woman of a certain age is the increase in leisure time I have to spend reading books while curled up in the comfort of my own home. And I do mean books. I’m not a fan of e-books or books on tape. I like the act of holding a book in my hands, flipping back and forth, and feeling the texture of the pulp.

I choose genres based on the last book I read and my current mood. Do I feel like being challenged? Do I want a page-turner to take on vacation? I also gravitate towards categories including true crime, contemporary literature, and historical fiction. I get inspired about which books to choose by browsing in bookstores – a passion of mine, from the well-edited website Good Reads, from Reese’s Book Club (formerly Hello Sunshine) who chooses books written by women, about women as well as Oprah’s picks. Together they provide a perfect combination of serious, amusing, creative, and inspirational reads that fulfill my varied interests. So without further ado, here are my top 31 book recommendations.

My Top 6 Page Turner / Thrillers

The Couple Next Door bt
A true page turner with so many twists and turns you will never guess the end.
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkin Reid
Set in the current day a world famous model is throwing her end-of-year party. But things do not go according to plan.
Defending Jacob by William Landy
Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan
A contemporary story of super rich Americans and Asian who find undying love.
Judge's List by John Grisham
In this mystery thriller the judge is the crominal
Such A Fun Age by Kiley Reid
A fictional story addressing white privilege and racism without being preachy.

My Top 11 Literary Fiction Recommendations

The Dutch House by Anne Patchett
a novel that explores the meaning of home.
Bel Canto by Anne Patchett
Somewhere in South America a birthday party for a famous businessman. The star opera singer performs and all goes well until a gang of terrorists breaks in and holds the guests hostage.
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
Set in 1939 during the depression and the longest drought in the Great Plains history a mother and daughter flee to California to start a new life. But it isn’t any easier.
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
A novel about a dysfunctional family that tries to start anew by moving to Alaska. But things get alot worse.
Beneath A Scarlet Sky by Mark D. Sullivan
a true story about an American diplomat and his family sent to Berlin just before WW II breaks out.
The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles
Contemporary novel about 2 brothers getting out of a small town and head to California
Deacon King Kong by James McBride
Set in the late 1960’s in the Brooklyn projects and how cracked changed the entire neighborhood.
The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai
Set in the 1980s at the height of the AIDS crisis its a story about love and redemption.
In the Garden of Beasts
Tells the story of a US diplomat and his daughter who were sent to Berlin in 1933
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
American Dirt by Jeanne Cummins
A harrowing tale of 2 Mexican sisters and a young boy seeking refuge from gang violence, travel to the US border.

My Top 4 Recommended Novels Set in Worldly Places and Eras

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
A fictional account of a young girl in S. Korea in the early 1900’s who gets pregnant by a married man.
The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi
This story tells a tale about a modern woman fighting against traditional Indian customs
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amore Towles
A royal member of of the old guard is found guilty by the new Russian government and is sentenced to serve his time in a luxury hotel.
Outlawed by Anna North
A very young woman joins the Hole in the Wall Gang when she is shunned by her community

My Top 3 Recommended Non-Fiction Books

Caste by Isabell Wilkerson
This Pulitzer Prize winning book demonstrates how the caste system is alive and well in the USA.
Dopesick by Beth Macy
A real life story of how Americans became addicted to Opiods, how hard it is to recover from them and the family that manufactured them knowing their long term affects.
Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
Underground Railroadis a fictional account of a slave trying to escape to the north.

My Top 6 Recommended Historical Fiction Books

  • The Great Alone
    A novel about a dysfunctional family that tries to start anew by moving to Alaska. But things get alot worse.
  • The Book Thief
    Set in 1939 a young girl finds a book someone left behind and starts her on book thief journey. It is a harrowing tale and was made into a major motion picture.
  • In the Garden of Beasts
    Tells the story of a US diplomat and his daughter who were sent to Berlin in 1933
  • A Well Behaved woman
    Set in the Guilded Age in New York City it combines fact and fiction to tell the story about the Vanderbilts
  • The Four Winds
    Set in 1939 during the depression and the longest drought in the Great Plains history a mother and daughter flee to California to start a new life. But it isn’t any easier.

Just Finished

The Unsinkable Greta James by Jennifer Smith

Totally unremarkable and forgettable.

Beartown by Frederic Backman

Plan to Read

Already on my shelf and can’t wait to start

You’ll notice 2 authors each have 2 books on my list. They are Kristin Hannah and Ann Patchett. I highly recommend everything they write because they are both imaginative storytellers and their books envelop you. I know it looks like a lot of books and I don’t mean to overwhelm you. So, start with a genre you enjoy and go from there.

My Bookstore Recommendations

The Bookhouse in Millburn, NJ is a great independent bookseller
The Book House in Millburn, NJ
Words Bookstore Maplewood, NJ is another great independent bookseller
Words Bookstore in Maplewood, NJ

All of the books featured in this post can be purchased online at Amazon or Barnes & Noble or from your favorite independent booksellers. I like to support independent bookstores as much as I can. I have 2 favorite ones near me in New Jersey; The Millburn Bookhouse and Words. Selecting books in-store is still my favorite way of deciding what to read next because I can get honest feedback on the newest titles by speaking to like-minded readers, asking the owner for recommendations, page through the books that area book clubs are reading, etc.

If you have any books you would like to recommend to our readers (in addition to this list of 31 book recommendations) , please fill in the form below. Also, let me know if you disliked a book so I don’t waste time on it. Happy Reading.

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Published by Amy Sandelman Harris

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