Mid-year recap: Must-Read books

Since June is halfway done, which means the year is almost halfway done (which is crazy), and I’m way more than halfway done with my Goodreads reading challenge, I figured it’d be a good time to go over my favorite books of the year so far. I know my list won’t look like anyone else’s since I’ve read some different books and have different taste and I’ll probably do a follow up in December with my favorite books from the second half of the year.

To decide this, I went with my 5 star Goodreads ratings as well as the ones that struck me the most emotionally, intellectually, creatively, and/or some combination of the three. It’s mostly fiction with a couple of nonfiction on the list. And, as always, I’m long winded so for the skimmers, there’s a “why you should read it” at the beginning of each paragraph.

You by Caroline Kepnes Why you should read it: Who doesn’t need a good mindfuck every now and then? It’s a quick, face paced read that will fuck with your mind. Joe is a psycho stalker killer yet you find yourself actually liking him and, at times, being sympathetic towards him and hating the people he stalks. Which is weird. This book will make you question your social media use and also maybe make you just a tiny bit paranoid. But it also is a book you can’t put down and I am currently in the middle of the follow-up, Hidden Bodies. I want more books about Joe and when (not if. WHEN) this becomes a movie, I totally see someone like Elijah Wood or Jake Gyllenhaal playing him.

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Nevin  Why you should read it: It helps destigmatize mental health by opening up the subject for discussion through the characters’ relationships. One of the most honest books about mental health and depression I’ve ever read. This book wrecked me for days after I read it and I was glad to be home alone when I finished it because I ugly cried. UGLY. For hours. Violet is a bit annoying but the way she writes Finch is heartbreaking and unbelievably realistic and his descent into depression gutted me. It’s not an easy book to read given the age of the characters (they’re teenagers) and the subject matter but well worth it.

The Martian by Andy Weir Why you should read it: It’s funny, well-written, and makes you think about the good parts of humanity. We need that right now. I was nervous to read this one because I do not like science fiction. And the beginning didn’t help that with all its math and science. BUT. The sarcasm and humor and great writing and oddly, an element of plausibility, made this something both my husband and I loved and that never, ever happens. If there were ever two people who could not agree on a book, it’s the two of us yet we both are crazy in love with this story. That should say all about it you need.

Stolen: A Letter To My Captor by Lucy Christopher Why you should read it: It’s just a good book and it never quite goes the way you think it will. And a camel will make you cry. That should be enough to want to check it out. A book about Stockholm Syndrome in the Australian Outback, written as a letter from the kidnapped girl to her kidnapper with an ending that is definitely up for interpretation. The author makes both central characters, Gemma and Ty sympathetic and complex and you’ll feel so many feels and want to keep reading to find out what happens next. It’s not a perfect book, I’ll admit, but put this on your list.

Wonder by RJ Palacio I don’t know what to say about this book except you should read it. Why? Because it’s a story everyone, EVERYONE, needs to read. It will make you think about acceptance and differences and seeing people for who they are, not what the look like.

True Story: Murder, Memoir, Mea Culpa by Michael Finkel  Why you should read it: This book isn’t for everyone but if you like criminal justice and memoirs, this is probably one of the best I’ve read. The epitome of a truth is stranger than fiction story told from the perspective a disgraced journalist. I enjoyed how open and truthful the author was about his feelings towards Christian Longo, the suspected murderer, as well as his feelings towards his own actions and the subsequent consequences.

The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace by Jeff Hobbs Why you should read it: It’s eye opening regarding the struggles faced by inner city kids and their parents who want to break the cycle of poverty. An honest, first person look at the life a brilliant student torn between his academic life and opportunities (he went to Yale) and his family and friends on the streets of Newark, NJ. It ends, sadly and predictably, how you think but to watch his complicated ascent, struggle, and decline makes for an eye opening book. Warning: the author, who was Robert’s roommate at Yale, includes himself in a bit too much of the story. Just glance over those parts.

What I’m most looking forward to reading in the second half of 2015: In fiction, Summerlong by Dean Bakopolous, Love May Fail by Matthew Quick, Who Do You Love by Jennifer Weiner, Every Day by David Levithan, and In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume. In nonfiction, Do Over by Jon Acuff, The Boy Kings of Texas by Domingo Martinez, Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson, Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling, and The Oregon Trail: A New American Journey by Rinker Buck.

How about you guys? What’s at the top of your list?

 

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