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Happy Sunday my friends! By now you know that one of my very favorite things to do is get your book recommendations. We’ve talked about books before and you have some seriously stellar thoughts when it comes to extracurricular reading. Hearing about what you’re reading makes me feel like I get a little glimpse at your nightstand, and less like I’m sitting alone at my desk eating cinnamon rolls for dinner (although that’s not really the worst thing and I should stop complaining).
Each season of the year holds a different type of fiction on my nightstand. In the Spring I like to read inspirational books… something like This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women (which is seriously so great). In the summer I go a little lighter (in the hopes that I’ll be reading with a cocktail in hand and beach in view… something like Gone Girl is perfectly salacious. In the Fall I like to add a little weight. This year I read We Are Water and The Lowland. It’s like taking the heavy coat out of the closet in preparation.
In the Winter I like to destroy myself. I like to completely break my literary heart. I want my fiction to be heavy, with the weight of one of those kinda scratchy/almost comforting wool blankets.
I asked you what I should read if I were the sort that wanted to, you know… break my own heart. Here’s a list of some of your suggestions. I haven’t read all of these books just yet, but hopefully it’s a long winter with at least a few Sunday mornings spent languishing in bed with hot coffee and a book. Right?
Let’s break our hearts a little. This is by no means a complete list. Feel free to add to the list in the comments below.
The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
The Dinner by Herman Koch
Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward
The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling
Cavedweller by Dorothy Allison
The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
My Sisters Made of Light by Jacqueline St. Joan
Paint It Black by Janet Fitch
Little Bee by Chris Cleave
The Fault In Our Stars by John Green *This is what I’m reading now!
Lori
Definitely the John Green!! I love his writing. I had a tough time getting into JK Rowling’s book, and I SO wanted to love it! I’d recommend my novel just released but it’s not a heart-breaker… More of a Wonder Woman badassery thing…
Happy reading!
laura
Yeah, I just read the goldfinch. Heartbreaker, but oh, so satisfying.Loved the history of love too.
Sara
YES. Finishing The Goldfinch now … heartbreaking, epic, and satisfying.
Amy Grossman
Great list to choose from, thank you! I just finished The Lowland, thought it was terrific. I found The Dinner, to be really disturbing, not heat breaking, but hey that’s me. Another book I loved – America, America by Ethan Canin.
LS
A beautiful reading from The Fault in Our Stars: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8kpmifRpgc
Ashley Clements and Daniel Vincent Gordh during “An Evening of Awesome”
laurenashleyhoffman
Agreed, but adding a heads up for spoilers — this comes from the second half of the book.
Jen
Just finished Promise of Stardust-was crying by the third chapter!
rox
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Read it before the movie comes out. It’s my favorite book of all time. You’ll laugh and cry.
Sue
The Book Thief was an excellent book! I absolutely loved it…even the crying felt good.
Rachael
I was just coming to post the same thing. The Book Thief. Yes. It will destroy your literary heart. This book brought me the closest to actual sobbing as I’ve ever been from reading. It’s heavy, but so, so well written.
Mollie Bylett
i literally never read!!! i want to get a book for christmas to get myself started! any particular recommendations for starting me off?!
mollie xoxo
molliebylett.blogspot.co.uk
Patty White
Light Between the Oceans and Me Before You are BOTH excellent books! I read a lot, probably eight books a month, if you ever need suggestions! About half-way through an interesting and unusual book called “BRILLIANCE” by Marcus Sakey and I’m really enjoying it!
Keep reading, it opens the world!
Oh, and THE CIRCLE by Dave Eggers was not my favorite this year, but it was very thought-provoking and not a difficult read. I’d recommend it!
Pattyesq@gmail.com
eatbreatheloveretreats
I literally NEVER read!!! i want to get a book for christmas to get myself started! any particular recommendations for starting me off?!
mollie xoxo
molliebylett.blogspot.co.uk
Patty White
Light Between the Oceans and Me Before You are BOTH excellent books! I read a lot, probably eight books a month, if you ever need suggestions! About half-way through an interesting and unusual book called “BRILLIANCE” by Marcus Sakey and I’m really enjoying it!
Keep reading, it opens the world!
Oh, and THE CIRCLE by Dave Eggers was not my favorite this year, but it was very thought-provoking and not a difficult read. I’d recommend it!
Pattyesq@gmail.com
Audra | The Baker Chick
Such great suggestions Joy! I love so many of those. I’d have to add Bel Canto to the list- it’s super haunting and beautiful!
Sarah
Jayber Crow, by Wendell Berry. Every January. It’s amazing and heartbreaking and beautiful.
Joanne
I read The Fault in Our Stars. Finished it in two days. And it did break my heart but in the best possible way.
The Queen of Dreaming
Happy Sunday to you too! :)
This year for Christmas I’ve only asked ‘Santa’ for books, even if I study most of the day, what I want to do after it reading! I’d really like to give you all the titles I asked for but they are all italian writers, but if you speak italian let me know and I will give you all the titles ;)
http://justsem.wordpress.com/
Ellen
I’m in the midst of The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud. I highly recommend her stuff. The Emperor’s Children is another Messud book that is fantastic.
yummybooks
you have to add Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch to this list! Be careful though, you won’t want to do anything else except curl up and read it. And, I don’t know, maybe you’ll eat a whole loaf of sourdough bread without noticing because you’re so engrossed. Hard to say.
joythebaker
you’re so right, The Goldfinch should definitely be on this list! also, sourdough.
cheyenne
love this list! the history of love is one of my all time favorites! and i recently finished the fault in our stars, so good. i love reading, but during hectics times it’s one of the last things on my mind.. definitely one of my goals for next year, spend more time reading :)
joythebaker
it’s totally hard to get in good reading time during the holidays. i understand.