Tell Me What to Read: Spring 2019 Edition
Tell Me What to Read is basically my favorite thing ever.
Many series on my blog have come and gone over the past 12 years, but Tell Me What to Read is now going on Year 9 (which completely blows my mind).
I’ve gotten more good book recommendations than I know what to do with and I’ve read so many amazing new-to-me authors and titles in that nine years.
I did the last round of Tell Me What to Read in the summer, so it’s clearly time for a new round!
You know the drill – suggest something fun (although that doesn’t need to mean chick-lit – I’m up for non-fiction, memoirs, young adult, middle grade, AND chick-lit), and I’ll pick three to read in March, April, and May.
Or if you’ve been around a while, you know that there is actually no way on earth I’ll finish them in those three months, but I’ll make a (somewhat) valiant effort.
Your job: Comment with the title of a book you think I should read.
My job: Choose three from the suggestions and announce which ones I’ll be reading.
I’ll read one a month (ish) between now and the end of May (hopefully). Feel free to read along and check back every month for my reviews.
And, as always, even if I hate the book, I will not hate you.
And go!
Belonging by Nora Krug. It’s a memoir in graphic novel format told with lots of photos and family history documents. Really interesting and moving!
I just read “The Miracle Morning” and it was great! Changed up my morning routine to be ahead of the game instead of always being behind.
Thanks always for all your suggestions, your posts are always the first place I got to look for new book ideas for me and my girls!
Radium Girls!!! I loved that book so much – even if you’re not a scientist, this book is for you. The story of these young women is truly terrible but their quest for justice is so inspiring.
The Lost Man by Jane Harper
I highly recommend “Zillow Talk” (by Spencer Rascoff and Stan Humphries)! It’s written in a Malcom Gladwell-type style about buying and selling homes. I picked it up on a whim at the library. It sounds dry, but it was so fascinating. I read so much of it out loud to my husband. I think you’d enjoy it, too!
You may have heard of this because it won a bunch of awards, but I have to recommend City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty.
I think you’ve said before that fantasy isn’t your favorite genre, but the magic elements of this book take a backseat to the plot and characters, which are extremely well-written and relatable. It also brings in elements of Middle Eastern culture and religion so it’s not in a totally made up world and has just a touch of YA-style romance. I really think you’d like it!
A few books I’ve enjoyed over the past six months or so:
– The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo
– Seven Days of Us by Francesca Hornak
– One Day in December by Josie Silver
I’m also not sure if you’ve read Jandy Nelson’s books, The Sky Is Everywhere and I’ll Give You the Sun, but they are both FANTASTIC!
I love keeping up on your blog for book recommendations. I just wish there were more hours in the day for reading.
Two middle grade books I have loved recently are The Mad Wolf’s Daughter by Diane Magras and Front Desk by Kelly Yang – SO GOOD!
The Storyteller’s Secret by Sejal Bedani https://www.amazon.com/Storytellers-Secret-Novel-Sejal-Badani/dp/1542048273/ref=asc_df_1542048273/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312014159271&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16250999898778352597&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9002180&hvtargid=pla-523898252145&psc=1
I got it on Prime reads and was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. I was bummed when it was over!!!
Here are a few of my favorites, that are maybe “lesser known,” that you might not have read yet…
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel
***Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley*** (this one blew me away, it’s like nothing I’ve ever read before)
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus
Mother of Pearl by Melinda Haynes
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield (Ok this one is popular, but it’s SO GOOD!)
The Silo series by Hugh Howey
The Wayward Children series by Seanan McGuire
Ok, I think that’s more than enough suggestions for now, although I could certainly keep going! I love recommending books!
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens! Amazing!
So good!! I loved it
Also Rush by Lisa Patten has been another favorite. Had a similar feeling to The Help. I alternated between reading and listening to it which was a fantastic combo!
I loved Rush and it’s set in Oxford, MS just north of me. You’re right it had a similar vibe to The Help. I think you would enjoy it and it would be a quick read.
Before We We’re Yours was one of the best books I read at the end of last year. Highly recommend
Ditto! An all-time favorite.
The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner
Currently reading Harry’s Trees and I love it so far!
Okay, I know I have already left two above, but after seeing your insta stories today and remembering your love for YA and romance, I have to recommend The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay. I heard about it from Anne Bogel a long time ago, and LOVED it.
Love this one, too!
Inheritance by Dani Shapiro. I just read it (it’s Gretchen Rubin’s first book club choice) and it was VERY interesting. Not too long either. Crazy to think this was going on back in the early 1960’s.
Have you read The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman?? I’m reading it now. So good!
I still want to know what you think of Elizabeth Acevedo’s every-award-winning book, The Poet X. Listen to the audiobook. She reads it herself. Also, it’s a verse novel and so short (3 parts I think), so you really have no excuse. 😉
Or, for something totally different, read Diane Setterfield’s new book Once Upon a River. It’s a bit of a slow burn, but I think the fact that you like Kate Morton makes this book a good choice. Again, listen to the audio. It’s narrated by Juliet Stevenson, and it’s so transporting.
The Lincoln Hypothesis by Timothy Ballard. It is so interesting and super believable because he’s spent so much time researching.
Not if I Save You First by Ally Carter
YA Alaskan survival tale with a Russian spy thrown in. This book got me out of a reading slump. And I love Ally Carter.
I love posts like this! Here are a couple suggestions of books I’ve enjoyed and think you might like too:
Marilla of Green Gables by Sarah McCoy
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
How to Hang a Witch by Adriana Mather
I just finished the Rebel of the Sands series and loved it!
Last month I read “Peace Like a River” by Leif Enger and loved it! It is now one of my favorite books.
For a good nonfiction – I think you would enjoy Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carryrou. It was truly fascinating.
One of the best books I have read recently is Sweep by Johnathan Auxier (middle grade).I also loved A Very Large Expanse of Sea and My Plain Jane.
I just finished Bad Blood, and specifically came back to this post to see if anyone had recommended it!! It’s so fascinating and horrifying all together. I listened to the audiobook in just a few days, listening any chance I got. I know you’ve already chosen the books you’ll read, but I still had to comment: the book is that good!
All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin
The Rosie Project (if you haven’t already read it)
A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult
Brain on Fire
Every Note Played
a super cute middle grade romance is Flipped, by Wendelin VanDraanen.
Deep Nutrition by Catherine Shanahan
Book of Boy by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Two Part Invention by Madeleine L’Engle
I just read Beartown by Fredrik Backman and really enjoyed it. It’s not a happy story, but so interesting. There’s a sequel that I haven’t had a chance to read yet – it’s on my list!
I just finished “The Dinner List” by Rebecca Serle (via Libby thanks to your recommendation for that fabulous app! And on 1.25 speed, also thanks to you! lol!) I thought it was really lovely.
Language of flowers!
By what author? There are so many books with that title listed on Goodreads!
The Wicked Boy by Lauren Summerscales – the true story of a Victorian era murder case. The ending is fantastic and Summerscales did an incredibly thorough job with the research and details. Reads better than fiction!
Relish: My Life In the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness is a short but powerful YA novel that I’ll read again and again. A good one to discuss.
If you want a REALLY fast read, a picture book I love is called Miss Moore Thought Otherwise, and it’s all about Anne Carol Moore, who really started children’s libraries and pushed publishers and writers to create better books for children. Before her, children couldn’t even go into most libraries. It’s really fun to share with kids; even as a librarian I’d barely heard of her and now I’m so thankful for her.
One of my all-time favorites is My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry by Frederik Backman. It’s got a little bit of magical realism, and it put me so much in the mindset of the main character, 8-year old Elsa, as she tries to navigate the world without her grandmother to help her understand it. It’s really touching and also made me laugh and think about the stories we tell.
Here, There Be Dragons by James A Owen. Fantasy/fiction super addicting and so clean! By far the best book (and series) I have read in probably two years.
One Second After by William R. Forstchen!
The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey. It’s a type of magical realism novel where a couple living in the Alaskan wilderness find a young girl in the woods who appears out of the snow.
One of the best books I read all year a couple years ago! So beautifully written.
The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant.
The Blue Castle by Lucy Maud Montgomery. Not sure if you’ve already read this because it’s OLD (like almost 100 years old!) We read it for Bookclub in December and everyone loved it. And the kindle version is FREE!
I second this!! Love it!
Bad Blood by John Carreyrou. Absolutely fascinating!
Just recently read Come As You Are. It was SO good. Also, loved Front Desk.
The Other Einstein: A Novel by Marie Benedict was very good as was her other book – Carnegie’s Maid: A Novel. Currently finishing (listening to) Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald
Book by Therese Anne Fowler, it’s very interesting. On the YA side, this book has been recommended to me but I haven’t started it yet: Proud: My Fight for an Unlikely American Dream
by Ibtihaj Muhammad.
In January I read the middle grade novel Sweep by Jonathan Auxier and couldn’t put it down. You should give it a try.
I’ve heard AMAZING things about that one and it’s on my hold list!
Yes, yes, yes!!! Sweep was SO, SO, SO GOOD!! And it’s absolutely his best book so far. I’m pretty sure it was my favorite read of 2018.
The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart. I just finished this today and it was so good! It’s middle grade and the audiobook was really well done.
I’m currently reading Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Everyday and I feel like you would love it. Great nonfiction.
Also loved The Home for Unwanted Girls which I recently finished.
*The Great Alone by: Kristin Hannah
*This is Our Story by: Ashley Elston
*Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by: Benjamin Alire Saenz
You have SO many to choose from! How do you make your choice? Do you read reviews and look at ratings? Or do you go with the top 3 that were recommended the most times? Or some other way? Just curious. This is exciting!
I make a list of all of them and then read reviews of them and make a short list. Then I try to pick ones that are a good mix of genres. No real science 🙂
Last winter I read “To the bright edge of the world” eiwyn ivey. Maybe I got the recommendations from you! Anyhow I really enjoyed it. Follows the story of the Alaskan frontier in 1885 and the lieutenants wife who has her own struggles while waiting for him. It is historical fiction my favorite genre! I learned a lot too. Also I love that you do this because I read every ones recommendation too! So thanks
Harry’s Trees by Jon Cohen – I LOVED this book. It was so good. For middle grade, I recommend Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend. It’s the closest feeling I’ve ever gotten to Harry Potter (not super similar or anything but *almost* as exciting and it’s the first in a series :)).
Maid by Stephanie Land and Dopesick by Beth Macy are two excellent nonfiction books I’ve read lately.
Broken Girls by Simone St James is an interesting mystery fiction that I’m still thinking about a few months later, and Vox by Christina Dalcher certainly puts a different spin on women’s issues.
Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon is a great YA that is a short read because it pulls you in and you can’t stop reading. The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan is another amazing YA read that quickly made it into my favorite books of all time list. It is truly wonderful and touching.
I love these posts of yours, I get so many new books to read!