Everyone has a different view regarding the qualities that are important in a good book. In my opinion the book needs to be a fast read. Not a short book mind you, but rather a book that you don’t want to put down. In other words, you would stay up late just to read another chapter. I also enjoy books I can learn something from, such as a different perspective on life (i.e. Outliers). A few years ago I started grading books as I read them since I had a hard time keeping track of the books I’ve read over the years. Below is a list of the book recommendations I have graded as either an “A” or a “B”.

Now you know I’ve got a plug, right?! Yep! I borrow most of my books from the library. Most libraries allow you to reserve books on-line and will put them aside for you so you can pick up your book and be out within 5 minutes or less. It saves paper (and therefore the environment) and most libraries give you the ability to reserve it on your kindle or nook without even going to the library. So here’s the plug: Check out your local library to save yourself some dough and do your part to reduce your carbon footprint!

Non-Fiction

  • The Glass Castle
  • Outliers
  • 48 Laws of Powers
  • Little Girl Blue
  • The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
  • January 1st
  • Hot Lights, Cold Steel
  • The Power of Habit
  • Mountains Beyond Mountains
  • How Google Works
  • Funny in Farsi
  • De Profundis
  • Unbroken
  • The Bottom Billion
  • Fly a Little Higher
  • The Untethered Soul

Fiction

  • Still Alice
  • To Kill a Mockingbird
  • Jane Eyre
  • Sophie’s Choice
  • The Blue Notebook
  • Amos: To ride a dead horse
  • The Wednesday Letters
  • The Other Boleyn Girl
  • Room
  • The Alchemist
  • Loving Frank
  • The Traitor’s Wife
  • The memory child
  • Wonder
  • Gone Girl
  • Water for Elephants
  • The Help
  • Orphan Train
  • Big Little Lies