Quarantine Favorites: Books
Looking for stuff to do, watch, or try while stuck at home?
I've been sharing some of my Quarantine Favorites lately: yummy recipes, bingeable TV shows, and must-see movies.
And today, it's books. My FAVORITE. Libraries all over the country are adding a ton of ebooks to their catalog, and sites like Scribd are offering free trials. There's also Audible, Libro.fm, and supporting your local bookstore using Bookshop, if you're looking to buy new books.
Without further ado, here are some great books I read recently and some old favorites.
If you enjoy family dramas and secrets...
...read Summer of '69 by Elin Hilderbrand.
I read this recently and while it was a bit slow to start, I soon became engrossed in the characters and story. Hilderbrand is also a master at making you feel like you're there, and in this book, it's Nantucket in 1969. This was a gorgeous beachy read with depth, and won't be my last by the author.
You might also like: Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
If you like nonfiction about psychology that's not too "self-help"ish...
...read Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb.
This book is all the rage online and with good reason. It's about psychotherapist Gottlieb's relationships with a few key patients, plus her own journey with her own therapist. Like most nonfiction and memoirs that I love, it's not written like a self-help book, and it's utterly addictive.
You might also like: You're Not Listening by Kate Murphy
If you're in the mood for historical fiction about women and fame...
...read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid.
I picked up this book after I loved Daisy Jones, and boy, I'm glad I did. It's an incredible story about the reality of Hollywood behind all the glitz and glam of the 1950s through the 1980s. Also, I cried. It was so good.
You might also like: Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
If you finally want to tick that classic novel off your list...
...read Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.
As I mentioned before on my Instagram, I realized I'd never read the full version of Little Women when I was younger. I finally did, and it lived up to the hype, despite a couple plot points being dated (understandably). I don't read a lot of classics, but this one is now a permanent favorite.
You might also like: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (I assume, I haven't read this one!)
If you love addictive sci-fi thrillers...
...read Recursion by Blake Crouch.
I'm a die-hard Blake Crouch fan, so when Recursion came out last year I became obsessed. Would not stop talking about it or recommending it to other people. Funnily enough, I think I love its predecessor Dark Matter more, but Recursion is still worth a read. And a reread.
You might also like: The Warehouse by Rob Hart
If you're looking for a light and funny romcom...
...read The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren.
Admittedly, I am NOT a romcom fan, in books or in movies. I've tried a few and found that I'm pretty picky about the story, characters, and humor. If something is too unrealistic, the characters too mean to each other or dumb (I know, I know), then it's a no from me. But I have found a few I've liked, and The Unhoneymooners is like my gold standard for fun romance comedies.
You might also like: The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman
Stop by my Goodreads page to check out more of my favorite books from last year and this year so far!