I am a mood reader, through and through. My favorite genres are psychological horror and dystopian, but I dabble in everything under the sun. Sometimes I can’t help but cry with a moving memoir; other times I giggle and kick my feet with a cheesy romance, but no matter the genre, there are always books that stand out. These are my current top 10.
The In-Between by Hadley Vlahos, RN
The In-Between is a heart-wrenching memoir that recounts some of the most memorable and inspiring moments Vlahos has had while being a hospice nurse. She remembers her clients with love and devotion, all while coming to terms with her own religion and past beliefs.
The audiobook is read by the author and provides intel on just how connected she is to each of her patients and the care she once provided them.
Rock, Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney
Every year Mr. and Mrs. Wright exchange gifts on their anniversary in accordance with the traditional theme. From paper the first year or tin the tenth year, Feeney spends a webs or twists and turns that has the reader guessing from start to finish.
I appreciated the representation this book presented without the distasteful ableism that often occurs in horror or thriller novels. I was not ready for the end of this book, and I have been an avid reader of Feeney since.
Hymn of Ashes by Andrea Anderson
This debut romantasy from everyday romance author Andrea Anderson follows the sidekick. The one who is 30 years old and just discovered there is a magical realm where her best friend is the chosen one.
It is full of sass, humor, and amazing one-liners while delivering a fun and engaging enemies to lovers ramnce. Be warned: this is an open-door first half of a duology that leaves you waiting for the second book to publish.
Nice Girls Don’t Win by Parvati Shallow
When she won Survivor, Parvati Shallow was thrust into fame and fortune, but not in the way that she thought. Many fans of the Survivor show found Shallow to be polarizing and loved to tell her to her face how much they hated her on her season.
Combine that with the trauma of living in a cult, and learning to be the ultimate people pleaser, and you have the ingredients for an amazing memoir.
To Cage a Wild Bird by Brooke Fast
In this dystopian world, the wealthiest hunt prisoners for sport. The more you survive, the more perks you may get, but the higher the chance that you’ll be targeted as a trophy hunt.
Raven Thorne has now placed herself at the top of that list as she gets herself arrested and tries to save her brother from the impenetrable Endlock prison. She will have to decide if she is ready to take a stand, who to trust, and if the handsome guard is worth the risk.
What the Night Sings by Vesper Stamper
Gerta has finally been liberated from a Nazi concentration camp, but she has lost everyone she has ever loved and has nowhere left to call home. This beautiful historical fiction has some of the most poetic and gut-wrenching sentences to transport you back in time to when Nazi Germany was disbanded, but the racism and prejudice still reigned on.
Shout by Laurie Halse Anderson
In a collection of poems, this memoir explores the aftermath that occurs after sexual assault. Anderson rants, condemns, and calls people to take a stand against “it” and not to shy away from important conversations.
Though they are sometimes raw and uncomfortable, the only thing we protect by avoiding such topics is our own personal comfort. For others, it can be the difference between advocating for themselves and silencing a victim.
10 to 25 by David Yeager, PhD
10 to 25 discusses behaviors and the real motivations behind said behaviors in an honest and digestible conversation. With examples and strategies that cover those in the classroom, at home, or through sports, by the end of the book you’ll have a clear understanding of how to improve relationships with the adolescents around you. There is no pretense or fluff; it is purely about providing ways you can cultivate connection and understanding with those ages 10 to 25.
Cinderella is Dead by Kalyn Bayron
This YA fantasy brings a new twist to the classic Cinderella story. For the last 200 years, every maiden must attend the Annual Ball where men will select their brides.
Sophia, however, decides to take her fate into her own hands. She runs away and breaks tradition. While hiding, she meets the last known descendant of Cinderella, a pair of step-sisters, and a truth that is sure to rock the very foundation that she has grown up on.
How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis, LPC
This book is for anyone who has ever felt overwhelmed by everyday life. It gives you permission to not be perfect. It gives you permission to have a few chores left undone. It gives you permission to ignore the list of the never ending to-do list.
It also gives you a list of strategies to use when you need to get stuff done, but are frozen in fear by the task at hand. Take away the guilt, and get back to just living.
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