What to read next

I had planned to write a post soon after the New Year to give all of my “what to read next” recommendations but here we are two months in to 2016 and I’m finally getting my list together. At least I’ve read even more books so there’s more to chose from.

Last year I set a ridiculous reading goal for myself on Goodreads and read like a crazy person as the year came to a close because I hate losing, even though I’m not actually competing against anyone. I have not set a new reading goal for this year and am enjoying choosing books without worrying how many pages they have and calculating my number of books read per month. Everyone does this right? I promise I did not enter them into a spreadsheet.

With my end of the year book-reading marathon came many titles to choose from when deciding on my favorites to pass along to year. I’ve finally narrowed it down and here are my picks for what you should read next…

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

Following the high school days of Simon, a teen struggling with his sexuality, this book gives a unique perspective on the struggles gay teens face when deciding to come out and the surprising support as the world slowly gets better at acceptance. I wanted to reach through this book and give Simon a hug and write long, mushy letters to all the gay people in my life because of all they’ve had to endure just to be who they are.

Sleep Toward Heaven

I’ve read Amanda Eyre Ward in the past and forgot how much I loved her. If I had read the description alone I probably wouldn’t have picked this one up since it’s set in a women’s prison and I’m generally a wimp. Because of the author I have it a shot and I’m so glad I did. So so good, read it. You won’t be able to put it down and then you can come back and tell me what you thought.

The Nightingale

Okay I know this is on everyone’s list but I read it and loved it so couldn’t leave it out. If you haven’t read it yet, listen to the thousand different sites that have recommended it and pick up a copy.

The Short Drop

The Short Drop is not my typical genre of book but I was up for a suspenseful book and it was free and a short read when I needed to meet my year end goal so I tried it out. It’s a political thriller full of blackmail and backstory that will keep you turning the pages until you figure out what in the world is happening. Definitely glad I have it a chance, it was a great departure from my usual reads. (I think it’s on sale again this week on Amazon.)

The Sky is Everywhere

You know those books where you want to highlight every other sentence and write the quotes in loopy handwriting on something so you can save them forever? That is The Sky is Everywhere. It is overwhelmingly beautiful and tackles the storyline of a grieving family in a raw, honest way. I can’t wait to read another one of Jandy Nelson’s book but felt the need to space them out, her writing is just too good, it’s like saving yourself a present to open every few months.

A Monster Calls

Just reading this title again made my stomach twist. I read this one in a day and cried my eyes out but omg was it worth it. Everyone should read this book. It’s magical and poetic and tackles a child dealing with his mother’s cancer in such a unique way that I’m not sure I can even give a description to do the book justice. Read it.

Emmy & Oliver

I’ve been hooked on YA since my first John Green book and this one was no different. Emmy & Oliver tells the story of two childhood friends, one who returns after being kidnapped by his father at a young age. The storyline was so unique and the characters were so real that I felt like I might run into them at Starbucks.

All the Bright Places

Another YA book I couldn’t put down. All the Bright Places is beautifully written and eloquently tackles the subject of mental illness. I appreciated that things don’t get tied up into a pretty bow in this story yet the writing and vivid characters make it one you can’t stop reading. I wore out the highlight function on my Kindle with this one.

The Perfect Son

I appreciated this book in a way I can’t say I have with many other books. Although her son has much different needs, the main character in this book struggles with many of the same feelings about her special needs teen as I have with mine. The “I can never die” thought process is very real as the mother, who knows her son’s school needs and manages his every doctor appointment, becomes unable to take care of him. The story plays out much differently than it would with an autistic child but it kept me turning the pages and I appreciated how it tackled such a unique emotion.

China Rich Girlfriend

I’m not even sure why I liked this book so much other than the fact that it was a fun read that provided me with a mental break when I needed it most. It’s a little bit like Real Housewives yet set in China and with an even closer look into the character’s lives and bank accounts. Apparently there is a book before this one, Crazy Rich Asians, that I should have read first but am looking forward to reading second.

What are your favorite reads of the last few months? Have you read any of these? If you do, make sure to come back and let me know what you thought.

If you’re interested in my previous book recommendations you can find them here, here and here.

This post contains affiliate links. I make a small amount of money off the purchases made on Amazon if you click on one of the links which would be really nice so I can say I actually make money off of my blog.

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