I am a huge bookworm. I have loved to read ever since I was a little girl and remember speed-reading nearly every American Girl book I could get my hands on. This makes sense, considering now I am an English Literature major and would like to work in publishing someday.
I have read many very good books but, I had to narrow it down to my top 5. If you like to read, I would recommend any of the books below! Be sure to keep reading to find out which ones seem interesting to you!
1. If He Had Been With Me by Laura Nowlin
Oh my. This is my all-time favorite book for a couple of reasons. The biggest reason is that the plot is fantastic and the author's writing style is unique. Number two is that the author is a close friend of mine and used to be my babysitter, believe it or not!
The novel follows Finny and Autumn, two childhood best friends who drifted and are now in high school. They both have significant others but can't help looking back on their childhood memories with each other and wondering what they would be like together now. Autumn suffers from depression throughout the story and family problems as well, which Laura Nowlin writes so raw. I'm not going to give anything away because it is a MUST read in my opinion but, let's just say it is a beautifully written coming-of-age story with wonderful characters who you will fall in love with.
2. November 9 by Colleen Hoover
WOW, this book made me cry so hard. Colleen Hoover is one of my favorite New Adult authors because all her books are amazing! I've only read maybe five or so, but this is hands-down my favorite.
The story is about Fallon, an insecure young woman covered in scars from a traumatic fire, and Ben, a witty aspiring author, who meet on Fallon's last day in L.A. They spend that day together (November 9th) and decide to meet at the same place each year on November 9th for the next five years without any communication in between. So basically, the story takes place over about five days and tells of the unavoidable draw the two have to each other. Will they end up together? Or are they only meant to see each other that one day a year? Find out for yourself!
3. The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
This book was so freaking cute. It's an office romance that follows the love-hate relationship of Joshua Templeman and Lucy Hutton. They both work for the same publishing company that was the product of a merger. Of course, they are from separate companies and are both executive assistants to the co-CEOs of the new company. They bicker all day and pick fights about nearly anything with one another. A promotion comes into the picture and their competitive nature takes over. The story really is so adorable, and it was hard to put down. It's sexy and sweet at the same time.
4. Before We Were Strangers by Renee Carlino
This novel is all about lost connections. Matt, a divorced photographer for National Geographic posts a lost connection ad on Craigslist for his college love Grace. He hadn't seen her since the summer after they graduated but, by chance noticed her waiting for the subway train. It was too late when he realized it was her, so he didn't catch her. The story is told in flashbacks and present reality fifteen years later. The chapters alternate between Grace and Matt's points of view which is one of my favorite ways a book can be written. There is a great plot twist near the end that takes the story to another level. Ahh. This really is an amazing book that is super realistic and heartbreaking. It is definitely worth picking up.
5. Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough
This is my most recent read from this list. It was my first psychological thriller and I really enjoyed it! Behind Her Eyes follows the lives of a married couple, David and Adele, as well as Louise, a single mother who has an affair with David while also becoming best friends with Adele. Sounds like a tricky situation, right? To make things worse, Louise quickly realizes that David is also her new boss. After becoming friends with Adele and trying to cut things off with David she feels like something is very wrong with their marriage but can't seem to figure it out. Louise is stuck trying not to lose both her lover and her best friend but later discovers the truth. The ending is what had me though. There is the most insane plot twist that I could have never seen coming! It left me almost mad at the book because of how things turn out. This book made me want to read more psychological thrillers in the future and I think it is a great choice for anyone wanting to get into the genre.
