When my wife suggested I make a post for some books I’ve been enjoying, I panicked and instantly thought I can’t do that, people will see how much I suck… AT EVERYTHING! Look, I’ll be honest, writing is not my strong suit; I tend to write things exactly as I’d say them but only after stressing about what I’m trying to convey in the first place. It’s also part of the reason I stopped posting on Instagram, I overthink everything (it’s a problem). Now don’t get me wrong, I do have my moments. I’m particularly good with work emails, corporate complaints and telling people how they messed up and how to fix it. However, when it comes to writing something that is opinion based, specifically MY opinion, I doubt everything I’m writing (I’m working on it).

After A LOT of back and forth in my head, the idea that if I get over myself I might actually enjoy sharing stuff I’m reading started to set in. I told myself, it’s time to stop pussyfooting it and just do the damn thing! I can’t continue to not do things because I’m afraid of how other people might pick it apart; This isn’t a school essay, I’m not getting graded, it’s my opinion on stuff that I like. Suffice to say, this took me much longer than it should have for the amount of books listed.

Will I do this again? Maybe.

You like bread? You like books about baking bread? You like books about weird main characters that make you slowly fall in love with them and wish you were in the room with them during all their exciting discoveries? This is the book for you. This book was very much out of my typical TBR list but this story is written in that way that sucks you in without you realizing it. Before you know it, you're almost done with the book. Be careful though, this read will make you hungry and have you doing heavy research on where you can find sourdough starters, what’s the best flour to use, what does Paul Hollywood have to say about sourdough, etc., until realizing it's like taking care of a small child, meanwhile you're still struggling to keep your cactus alive. 10 out of 10, highly recommend.

A book about finding love through fanfic? Say less. If I could give this book tags it would be angst, fluff, fix-it, hurt/comfort. I loved that the main characters didn’t follow the typical archetype that you’d assume. Even when you think a main character is going to be your average himbo, you see how smart and attractive he is, and when you think the plus size character is going to be written with the insecurities “all” plus size women “struggle” with, you’re smacked with just the opposite. If stories about love, friendship, betrayal, self discovery and a little bit of spice are your thing, 10 out of 10, highly recommend.

To say I knew absolutely nothing about Northern Ireland’s struggles from the late 1960’s to 1998 would be an understatement. This book was not an easy read (or listen in my case - shout out to audio books) but it was well worth it. People mysteriously disappearing, terrorist attacks, double agents, prisoners on hunger strikes, that one actor from V for Vendetta being married to a figurehead for the IRA (spoilers?), this book reads like a spy novel packed with the most outlandish events as possible…and plot twist…it was all REAL. It had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. If possible, listen to the audio book for this one. The narrator’s voice (Matthew Blaney) was soothing enough to take some of the edge out of it plus there’s something even more riveting about hearing it read in an Irish accent. Do I even need to say it? 10 out of 10, highly recommend.

Dear lord, this trilogy, what can I say other than, it is my heart and soul. It has adventure and action and so much angst you won't know what to do with yourself. I originally read book #2 (Wayward Son) first in the series by accident, but once I realized what I’d done, I was in too deep and said fuck it, I’m finishing this book and starting #1 later (which I did and promptly read #2 again). After finishing Wayward Son for the second time, I continued to devour every single Rainbow Rowell book I could get my hands on. I could have put each of her books on this list but I thought I’d spare you and just gush about Carry On. The world Rainbow builds isn’t some made up place but rather a world of magic where we already exist. Aside from magical elements (the school is hiding in plain sight), these characters are actually living in our world rather than some unattainable extraordinary world. In my household it’s no secret that I wish magic were real on an almost daily basis and this story made it all the worse. I love every part of this work! A million out of 10 recommend. #SnowBazforlife

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Taylor Jenkins Reid

This book hit so deep and was so vivid that I still think about it almost daily. When I started this book I hadn’t realized it was a queer novel. Look, I’m not proud of it but most of my TBR is comprised of books I either like the covers of but actually have no idea what the book is about or landed on my list because someone I saw somewhere said they liked it to some degree. You love a chaotic queen, I know. With this one, I heard that it was about an actress from the Old Hollywood days spilling some tea and that was enough for me to jump on it. This book is so beautifully written, there’s so much detail without making it feel dry and slow. It felt like there was a reason for every line written, and not just another passage to hit a word count. I loved the exploration of relationships and the significance they each have in a person’s life. So often we discount a past relationship (romantic or platonic) and what it meant for us because somehow we believe endings = insignificance. I believe every relationship has shaped us into who we are and when we try to forget them we end up having to deal with it at a later time. Taylor did such a good job showing that every encounter can be appreciated for what it was even when it wasn’t meant to last. I also appreciate that it felt like bisexuality was explained without having to literally explain bisexuality. There was so much to appreciate about this book but you just have to read it for yourself. This one broke the rating scale for me.

So there you have it, 5 books I’ve enjoyed and have stuck with me so much that I recommend them to anyone asking. Do you have some recs of your own? Shoot me an email with your top 5 so I can add it to my ever growing TBR list!

A Room Without Books is Like a Body Without a Soul