I am so excited to be sharing this post with you today, because #1) it means I’m finally feeling well enough to read again and #2) some of these books are sooooo good! I’ve been not reading much at all this year so far, and it’s killing me. I’m so glad to have my energy back and the desire to read books again! Without further ado, let’s chat about books, shall we?
I started and finished this book yesterday on a long car trip and couldn’t wait to recommend it to you. Hush Little Baby is a debut novel by author Suzanne Redfearn. If this is her debut book, I can’t wait to see what else she comes out with in the future. Hush Little Baby is a suspense filled thriller about a successful woman, named Jillian, who has been married to an abusive man (cop) for 9 years. She struggles to find the courage to take her two children and leave. When she finally does, readers are taken on an edge of the seat adventure that will keep your heart racing and make you both want to and scared to turn the page to read what happens. Fans of books like Gone Girl or Safe Haven will really enjoy reading this novel.
I gave Hush Little Baby 5 stars on Goodreads. Download Hush Little Baby on your Kindle here, buy the paper copy on Amazon, or add it to your virtual library on Goodreads, here.
I am such a big fan of Rainbow Rowell. I absolutely loved Eleanor & Park and Attachments. Fangirl gets the same accolades from me. I don’t know what it is about her writing style, but I just love it. Fangirl is a young adult love story about Cath, a college freshman who has built quite the online fan base writing fan fiction. The problem is, Cath is so tied up in her fanfiction that she has no desire to experience life offline. This book is full of endearing characters… Cath’s twin sister Wren, her roommate Reagan and a friend named Levi. Readers will fall in love with all the characters and will experience “love”, Rainbow Rowell style. I swear Rainbow Rowell is the queen of writing characters with sexual tension. If you loved Rainbow Rowell’s other books, I’m sure you’ll enjoy Fangirl just as much! (On a sidenote… I skipped through a lot of the fanfiction inserts in the book and still loved it).
I gave Fangirl 5 stars on Goodreads. Download Fangirl on your Kindle here, buy the paper copy on Amazon, or add it to your virtual library on Goodreads, here.
Do you remember how much I enjoyed the book What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty? It was one of my favorite books from last summer. Liane Moriarty’s book The Husband’s Secret is a fantastic read, clearly pushing Liane Moriarty into a league as one of my favorite writers. Cecilia finds a sealed envelope in her attic with the instructions on the outside to only open on the death of her husband. Her husband is still alive, but the torture of not knowing what is in the envelope is eating Cecilia alive. She eventually opens it and discovers a secret so shocking that it begins to destroy the world around her. The Husband’s Secret is a solid, great book. I gave it 4 stars (4 1/2 if that was an option) on Goodreads.
Download The Husband’s Secret on your Kindle here, buy the paper copy on Amazon, or add it to your virtual library on Goodreads, here.
I love memoirs and was especially interested in I Forgot to Remember by Su Meck because it seemed like a real life version of What Alice Forgot. When Su was in her early 20’s she suffered a serious head injury when a ceiling fan fell and hit her on the head. What transpires from there is a diagnosis of amnesia that changes Su’s life forever. She does’t remember anything from the past and has just as many problems remembering things from the present and day to day. Su basically has had 2 lives… one from before her head injury and then the re-birth after her head injury. I gave I Forgot to Remember 4 stars on Goodreads.
Download I Forgot to Remember on your Kindle here, buy the paper copy on Amazon, or add it to your virtual library on Goodreads, here.
I actually listened to the audio version of The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion and really liked it. The narrator was great and the storyline had me laughing out loud at parts. Don is a genetics professor whom I believe has aspbergers syndrome. He decides one day that he really thinks he’d like to find a wife, so he creates The Wife Project, a scientific step by step questionnaire that should validate any potential candidates and narrow down to the perfect one. What Don doesn’t understand, until he meets Rosie, is that the right person for him may not meet any of his Wife Project criteria. This is a funny, heart warming, and endearing book. I gave it 4 stars on Goodreads.
Download The Rosie Project on your Kindle here, buy the paper copy on Amazon, or add it to your virtual library on Goodreads, here.
Up next for me is…
Change Your Questions Change Your Life – this is outside of my normal realm of genre that I read, but it was highly recommended to me by my friend Amanda, so I thought I’d check it out!
I’ve had Calling Me Home by Julie Kibler on my kindle paperwhite to read for so long… it’s the next fiction I’m reading!
Remember, you can read my past book review posts here and connect with me on Goodreads here so we can share book recommendations!
Now it’s your turn…
Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Do you ever read any of Nora Roberts’ books? I love her books and have read almost all she has written. “The Husband’s Secret” looks great too. I have never read any books by that author but I am going to try that one. Thank you so much for sharing!!!!
Sue – I haven’t read any books by Nora Roberts. I have a really hard time committing the time to read a series of books, and it seems like she is big on book series. I’m willing to give it a try though! What are your favorites by her?
I read Hush Little Baby a few weeks ago. I could NOT put it down. I absolutely loved it!
Have you read any books by Heather Gudenkauf? She’s an awesome author that I highly recommend. Her books are ones I can’t put down either. She lives in Dubuque IA, (where I also live) and her books are always set in Iowa so it’s fun reading about things and towns I know!
That’s exactly how I felt about Hush Little Baby… it had me on the edge of my seat the entire time and I couldn’t put it down!
Since my husband is from Iowa, I know quite a few of the places in Iowa! I’ll go check out some of her books now! Do you have a favorite?
Maybe One Breath Away, but they are all really good.
Wonderful – I’ll check it out. Thank you!
You must read Hopeless!! Loved it! I also got a free book from BookBub on a whim…The Sweet Gum Tree. It turned out to be a great read. I also read a young adult series, The breathing series, that were very good. Ten Tiny Breaths was enjoyable too. I also LoVEd The Husbands Secret. I am anxious to read Hush Little Baby–waiting on the ebook to come available from the library.
Oh so many great recommendations! Thanks, Kaela! Off to add them to my TBR list now!
A friend told me about The Husbands Secret. and I couldn’t put it down! Glad to hear you are reading again. I know the feeling. Had a cycling accident last summer and concussion – couldn’t read for months. Glad to be reading again too. Finished The Husbands Secret and halfway through The Goldfinch which is very good too. Happy Reading:)
Oh gosh, that’s not good! Well, I’m certainly glad you are reading again after all of that. How scary!
I’ve been a little intimidated by The Goldfinch size… it kept your interest? I’ve heard great things about it so should dive in soon!
I love these posts. I always fins so many books on my want to read list.
Thank you, Kristi! Always too many books, so little time!
Yay for feeling good enough to read again. I’m so in need of some new book recs, I’m finishing up The Good Daughters by Jane Maynard and it was good, but I wasn’t focused and read in short spurts. I’m planning on hitting the library next week with your list 🙂
It feels so good having my reading mojo back. It was driving me crazy not being able to read!
I love Jane Maynard…will look up The Good Daughters.
You’ll appreciate this – one thing I loved about Hush Little Baby is the chapters were very short, so I felt like I was zipping right along. It kept my attention really well!
I have missed your book posts! I am waiting on both Fangirl and The Rosie Project from the library now. I’m currently reading the second book of the Outlander series. However, my eight month old twins are seriously curtailing my reading time. 🙂
Oh my gosh, I can’t believe the twins are already eight months old. How did that happen?? Time flies!
I am so excited your recommended a debut author! I’m always on the hunt for our book club!
I can’t wait to read your picks!!!
You will LOVE her! It’s a great book club book!
The last book I read was in the Divergent series. It got kinda “meh.” I need some actual books to read, thanks for the suggestions!
My son is reading that series right now and he’s on book 2. He read book 1 in a day on a long car ride! I’ve heard the 3rd in that series isn’t that great though…
Hope you enjoy the recommendations!
I really enjoyed The Husband’s Secret and The Rosie Project! Next on my list is Fangirl 🙂
You’ll love it! it’s a fun read.
So hapoy you liked my Hush Little Baby book siggestion! Wasn’t just so good!!!
I can’t wait to read more from her. Thank you for telling me about it!
happy not hapoy 🙂
I enjoyed Distortion by Terri Blackstock
Great list! Like you I loved Eleanor & Park, as well as Attachments, so I’ll have to get a copy of Fangirl! I lucked out and got a copy of Landline, so that’s in my stack for spring reading.
I also loved What Alice Forgot, so much so that I want to read everything she’s written. The Husband’s Secret is high on my list, but I’m trying to focus on the books I already have in my possession, so it will have to wait.
I have an ARC of I Forgot to Remember and I’m happy you enjoyed it as much as you did. Might have to add that to my huge stack… 😉
I hope you enjoy Calling Me Home. I listened to the audio edition and thought it was outstanding! It’s one of those books that hasn’t gained a lot of popularity. Maybe that will change when it goes to paperback.
If you need more ideas for future reads, take a peek hereat what I have lined up for the next couple of months. I think I’ll be busy, don’t you? 😉
LOVED Fangirl! Just added The a Husbands Secret to my goodreads! Thanks for the recommendations!!