I’m a minimalist in a lot of ways. My house is fairly uncluttered, I keep all my files pared down and in order, and I don’t have two spatulas just because in my kitchen drawer.
But when it comes to reading materials… yeah, not so much. I will never be a minimalist when it comes to books. I have over 300 titles on my shelves right now, and I just counted ten- TEN!- in my to-be-read stack. Three are research-related (for a new cozy mystery I’m gearing up to write), four are non-fiction, one is a travel guidebook on Israel (a place I’ve been and would love to revisit), and two are library check-outs because I just couldn’t resist the swoony covers.
[bctt tweet=”I will never be a minimalist when it comes to books.” username=”shaenlayle”]
I should probably whittle down my reading list before I go looking for more books, but I just can’t help myself. And because readers are a chatty community, I can’t help sharing, either. So, my list of inspirational fiction picks that I’m excited to get my hands on sometime soon are as follows (mind you, these books are on my to-be-read list, and I’m recommending them by literally judging their covers and back copy):
The Theory of Happily Ever After by Kristin Billerbeck- According to Dr. Maggie Maguire, happiness is serious science, as serious as Maggie takes herself. But science can’t always account for life’s anomalies–for instance, why her fiancé dumped her for a silk-scarf acrobat and how the breakup sent Maggie spiraling into an extended ice cream-fueled chick flick binge.
Concerned that she might never pull herself out of this nosedive, Maggie’s friends book her as a speaker on a “New Year, New You” cruise in the Gulf of Mexico. Maggie wonders if she’s qualified to teach others about happiness when she can’t muster up any for herself. But when a handsome stranger on board insists that smart women can’t ever be happy, Maggie sets out to prove him wrong. Along the way she may discover that happiness has far less to do with the head than with the heart.
Filled with memorable characters, snappy dialogue, and touching romance, Kristin Billerbeck’s The Theory of Happily Ever After shows that the search for happiness may be futile–because sometimes happiness is already out there searching for you. (Goodreads)
My Thoughts: This title seems like it would be a perfect vacation read- light, fun, entertaining, with an intelligent woman as protagonist. Also, the cover’s color palette and the fact that Dr. Maggie Maguire specializes in “the science of happiness” remind me of Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project and its various offshoots, which I enjoy following.
Falling For You by Becky Wade- Willow Bradford is content taking a break from modeling to run her family’s inn until she comes face-to-face with NFL quarterback Corbin Stewart, the man who broke her heart–and wants to win her back. When a decades-old missing-persons case brings them together, they’re forced to decide whether they can risk falling for one another all over again. (Goodreads)
My Thoughts: The last book I read of Becky Wade’s was Undeniably Yours, and I devoured it in a couple of days. Her novels always have a lightness to them, even when she’s dealing with heavy subject matter, and I’ve always found them to be enjoyably sassy and cheerful with skillfully-merged romance and suspense. I’d expect Falling for You to be no exception (and on a superficial side note, can we all note the gorgeousness of the dress on that cover?).
The Hidden Side by Heidi Chiavaroli- New York, 2016
Natalie Abbott offers answers for hurting listeners on her popular radio program. But she struggles to connect with her teenagers, with her daughter in an unhealthy relationship and her son uncommunicative and isolated. When one member of the family commits an unspeakable act, Natalie is forced to uncover who she truly is under the façade of her radio persona.
New York, 1776
Mercy Howard is shocked when her fiancé, Nathan Hale, is arrested and hanged as a spy. When she’s asked to join the revolutionary spy ring in Manhattan, she sees an opportunity to avenge Nathan’s death. But keeping her true loyalties hidden grows increasingly harder as the charming Major John Andre of the King’s Army becomes more to her than a target for intelligence.
Mercy’s journals comfort Natalie from across the centuries as both women struggle with their own secrets and shame, wondering how deep God’s mercy extends. (Goodreads)
My Thoughts: Dual timeline novels (I’ve also heard them referred to as split historicals), have been very popular in recent years, and with good reason, I think. There’s a lot of depth and complexity, a richness, that can be added to an otherwise straightforward story with a good dose of historical perspective. This one looks to be a haunting and thought-provoking read, and I bet it would yield lots of discussion in a book club.
Things I Never Told You by Beth Vogt- It’s been ten years since Payton Thatcher’s twin sister died in an accident, leaving the entire family to cope in whatever ways they could. No longer half of a pair, Payton reinvents herself as a partner in a successful party-planning business and is doing just fine–as long as she manages to hold her memories and her family at arm’s length.
But with her middle sister Jillian’s engagement, Payton’s party-planning skills are called into action. Which means working alongside her opinionated oldest sister, Johanna, who always seems ready for a fight. They can only hope that a wedding might be just the occasion to heal the resentment and jealousy that divides them . . . until a frightening diagnosis threatens Jillian’s plans and her future. As old wounds are reopened and the family faces the possibility of another tragedy, the Thatchers must decide if they will pull together or be driven further apart. (Goodreads)
My Thoughts: This cover and synopsis remind me a bit of Jodi Piccoult’s novels, full of strained family relationships and life-threatening illnesses. I’m pretty sure I’d need to grab the Kleenex box for this one, but it looks to be a character-driven story (often my favorite) with plenty of emotional heft.
So what about you? Any of these titles (or covers) catch your eye? Have you read anything else by any of these authors? What’s next to-be-read on your nightstand?
Keep reading!
Shaen
