In 2017 I shared a list of my favorite books on this blog. But I’ve read quite a bit more in the past two years. Rather than update that post with my new favorites I thought I’d create a page with all of them. This list will grow as I add more favorite books. And if I decide a book I once loved no longer seems interesting, I’ll likely remove it. I’ve also broken this list into two sections, one for YA fiction and one for general fiction.
As of 1/1/2019, my favorite YA books are:
- The Across the Universe series by Beth Revis. Set almost entirely on a spaceship, the books followed two teens—one awake and one waking up from cryogenic sleep—as they try to discover why things aren’t going according to plan on their trip across the universe to their new planet.
- Another Faust by Daniel and Dina Nayeri. This modern retelling of the classic Faust story takes place in New York City using five teenagers as the main characters. This was a chilling read and I really need to give it a reread since it’s been sitting on my shelf all alone for years.
- The GONE series by Michael Grant. This series played a huge role in my high school and college years. How would children react to an apocalyptic event? Who takes charge? Who is mature enough to handle the stress of having to run the town? Only five books after the first do you really see the toll it takes on these tweens, and that’s after bouts with hunger, fear, lies, and plague. Thanks to Michael for introducing me to these books!
- The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling: Of course I’d include this. Rowling’s fantasy world is the only one I ever really got into as a child, and anyone who has read the books knows why. The plotting, character development, and creativity employed over seven books leave me envious.
- Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli. I was introduced to this story via Gibi’s ASMR readings, and I liked it so much I skipped the rest of her videos to read it on my own time. The mysterious Stargirl takes an Arizona town by surprise and attempts to teach them lessons in kindness, empathy, and love. The mixed reactions she receives don’t seem to deter her, though.
- Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. I was lucky enough to read this book before the Netflix series came out, and while the actors gave fantastic performances there’s nothing like picturing characters in your head. Hannah Baker’s narration was just as chilling in the book as the show, and you couldn’t help but feel for her as things continued to go wrong.
- Unwind by Neal Shusterman. In this dystopia, abortion is now illegal but parents can have their teenaged children harvested as parts for other needy human beings. I could not put the book down as I followed the narrators towards their death.
- We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. This novel has perhaps the best plot twist I’ve ever read. Although I knew something was coming I would never have guessed what that something was. I recommend anything Lockhart writes, but if you’ve never read her before, start here.
As of 1/1/2019, my favorite fiction books are:
- Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan. I was introduced to this story by my college English professor Ed, and I’m glad he told me about it! It’s about a laid-off tech worker who gets a job at a bookstore, only to find out that it plays a key role in a world-wide secret society of literature lovers. I really appreciated how the author married the past and the future of books.
- The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katrina Bivald. When a Swedish tourist who travels to Iowa to meet her pen pal, she had no clue that she passed away. Determined to make the most of her time in the town, she decides to start a bookstore and slowly transforms the town with her foreign charm.
- The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. There is something simple and arresting about Coelho’s writing, and The Alchemist is a perfect example of it. The journey that the shepherd undertakes is mesmerizing, spanning two continents and a handful of acquaintances who become much more with the passing of time. Thanks Cory for telling me about it!
These are my favorite books! I’d love to hear from you and learn more about yours. Leave a comment below with your list—what am I missing out on? I like all sorts of stories. I promise I’ll give you a special shout-out for the whole world to see if I add it here.