Ashley's Picks
I am mostly a reader of literary and contemporary fiction. I sprinkle in non-fiction, memoirs, thrillers and historical fiction. I read over 100 books annually and these are some of my favorites over the past year.
It is hard to believe that this is a debut novel. It's so well written and I found myself marking passages (which I rarely do in fiction books). I read this in early January and it will definitely be one of my top books of 2022. This book was optioned to be a Hulu series so read it now before it comes to the screen.
This was the first book I read by Kim Hooper but for sure won't be my last. In fact, she has a new one coming out in May that I am anxioulsy anticipating. The plot of this one was so original; told in multiple POVs from people that were present during a shooting at a bar. So there's a bit of a whodunnit element to the book, however the emotions present of the survivors (and from the deceased) certainly take the front and center role in the narrative.
Do you ever read a book and then just want to talk about it to every single person you come across? This was that book for me. Luckily, I was in an online book discussion about this one. I'm generally a pretty stoic reader but I sobbed multiple times during this one. A warning though: there is a lot of violence in here so if you're particularly squeamish, you might want to take heed.
This is simply a beautiful novel about grief and forgiveness. If you read this, send me a message and I will direct you to a podcast interview with the author that will add some lovely nuances to your experience of the book. My local book club had the honor of zooming with Joanne for our discussion of the book and it was just amazing. Another amazing debut!
I'm hoping that this book gets a larger audience with it's upcoming paperback release. The main character in this novel is a woman suffering from a postpartum depressive breakdown and I feel like this book, although fictional, gives a rarely heard voice to women going through those same struggles. It's beautifully written, and though it is very sad in parts, a great read.
I literally can't tell people about this book without crying. It's like A Man Called Ove meets Harry Potter. It's a book about found family, belonging, and finding people who love you even when you feel so out of place. Dang it, I'm crying now.
The plot of this one is so unique. It's about a group of people who tumble over a mountain in a car accident...and then the remainder of the book is told by the 16-year-old girl who dies in the crash as she watches the rest of her family fight for survival. This is one of those books that's hard to put down and then stays with you long after you finish the last page.
This book is sometimes classifeed as historical fiction because it takes place in the 80's. I take great issue with that. However, I love everything else about it.....the nostalgia, the character building and the family drama. Taylor Jenkins Reid just puts out some really great novels. She's an author I highly recommend to those trying to get back into reading fiction.