Recommended Readings (Fiction)

Sometimes, no matter how much you love reading, it can be hard to find the next book to read. Or maybe you have the opposite problem, maybe you have so many books you want to read it’s hard to pick one. If you’re in either of those positions, this article can help you. I am a 22 year old female who is a college student in the Midwest, and I love reading. I’ve read many books over my life (and obviously will continue to read more), and I want to recommend some to you. All the books I’m recommending today are fiction, just because it’s a very common genre and one of my favorites. This list of recommendations isn’t just a list of the most recent books I’ve read, but a carefully curated list of some of favorite books I’ve read over the years. There’s no promising you’ll love them as much as I do, but then again maybe you’ll love them more – if that’s possible. This list consists of three books, and will include the title of the book, the author, the description from Goodreads, and then a little summary of why I loved it and why I recommend it. Happy reading!

1. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Description: “Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now? Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career. Summoned to Evelyn’s luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ‘80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn’s story near its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.”
Why I love this book: There are multiple reasons why I love this book but let me start out with the big one – it evoked so many emotions. Even after the book ended I still had emotions and thoughts flowing through me. It’s a fiction story, yet the characters and their lives felt real to me and I felt connected to them. Another reason that I loved this book is that the storyline kept me intrigued. I don’t mean that in an “edge of your seat” type of way, I just mean I genuinely enjoyed each and every page. You know how some books you go through boring chapters? Where it’s not’s super enjoyable but you have to read it for context or details? That’s not how this novel is at all. From the first page to the last, I thoroughly enjoyed it! And, the plot twist at the end even had me surprised! I thought I had figured it out… but I didn’t! I highly recommend this if you are looking for quick and enjoyable read!

2. Good as Dead by Susan Walter
Description: “Holly Kendrick’s husband is dead. Holly saw it all. In one violent moment, a hit-and-run accident turns Holly’s life upside down. Then a fixer for the high-powered guilty party approaches Holly with an offer she is in no position to refuse. Holly and her daughter, Savannah, will want for nothing, beginning with a luxury dream house—all for the price of their silence. But when their sudden appearance in privileged Calabasas, California, piques the curiosity of neighbors, the price becomes greater than they imagined. Because Holly and Savannah aren’t the only ones in the neighborhood with something to hide. Told from alternating points of view, Good as Dead draws together an unlikely group of people bound to one another by a crime, a cover-up, and compounding deceptions. As carefully constructed lives begin to crumble, how far will everyone be willing to go to bury the truth and protect the people they love?”
Why I love this book: This book truly left me SPEECHLESS. The ending truly was that surprising. I wish I could forget what happened and read it all over again. I also really enjoyed how the book was told from different points of view. Sometimes when authors do this, it’s either the same part of the story being told by different perspectives (which can be hard to do without be redundant) or there’s some type of flashback involved, which can get confusing. With this novel, for the most part, each person tells a different part of the story in chronological order. It’s really neat how the author pulled it off. If you are looking for a bit of a crime/thriller, I highly recommend this book!

3. The Duke and I by Julia Quinn
Description: “In the ballrooms and drawing rooms of Regency London, rules abound. From their earliest days, children of aristocrats learn how to address an earl and curtsey before a prince—while other dictates of the ton are unspoken yet universally understood. A proper duke should be imperious and aloof. A young, marriageable lady should be amiable… but not too amiable. Daphne Bridgerton has always failed at the latter. The fourth of eight siblings in her close-knit family, she has formed friendships with the most eligible young men in London. Everyone likes Daphne for her kindness and wit. But no one truly desires her. She is simply too deuced honest for that, too unwilling to play the romantic games that captivate gentlemen. Amiability is not a characteristic shared by Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings. Recently returned to England from abroad, he intends to shun both marriage and society—just as his callous father shunned Simon throughout his painful childhood. Yet an encounter with his best friend’s sister offers another option. If Daphne agrees to a fake courtship, Simon can deter the mamas who parade their daughters before him. Daphne, meanwhile, will see her prospects and her reputation soar. The plan works like a charm—at first. But amid the glittering, gossipy, cut-throat world of London’s elite, there is only one certainty: love ignores every rule...”
Why I love this book: First of all, the Netflix show Bridgerton is based off of this book. Let me just say, I really loved the Netflix show and so I decided to give the book a try. I loved the book as well, but it is very different from the show! This book is the first in a series of eight. So far, I have read the first three (and very much enjoyed all of them), but this one is probably my favorite. This was a super quick read for me. It was the type of book where you can’t put it down because you just have to find out how it ends. If you like historical fiction and romance novels, this is the perfect combination of both. If you’re looking for a romantic and passionate love story, I highly recommend this one!

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