01

PenPal - Dathan Auerbach

 

PenPal literally gave me chills with every page I read. The narrator switches between the past and present. Josh, is the best friend and has not been heard from in a while. The main character starts going through his memories starting with childhood to see if he can remember anything different to help track down Josh. 

The author does an amazing job at keeping the reader in the dark while keeping you hooked enough to want to read until the end. Speaking, of the end; it was crazy and so unexpected. The emotions I felt not only at what happened in the end, but also throughout the narration made this book number 1.

Explaining this book without ruining anything is just to difficult so just trust me and my rambling when I see this absolutely needs to be an ANYONE'S must read list. Click the image to buy the book and read for yourself.

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02

Bad Man - Dathan Auerbach

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Another amazing thriller from Dathan. This was the first book of his that I read but it took me a little longer to get interested which is why it is number 2 instead of 1. 

Five years ago, Ben took his younger brother Eric to the store with him. He only looked away for a second, but that's all it took for Eric to never be seen again. He's now twenty and desperately looking for a job. The only place willing to hire him is the very store that changed his life. As he begins to work, he notices very strange things within the store and with the employees, making Ben search even harder for Eric. 

I really felt for Ben. As an older sister, I too would never have stopped searching for my sister. Even if statistically there'd be no hope. Once the plot thickens, you feel the need to continue reading and wanting to help with the search.

The ending in this book also packs a punch. A huge one actually and it make you really think about all the people you miss by never looking. I definitely think this is a must read for any thriller fan. 

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03

Ready Player One - Ernest Cline

If you liked the movie, you will LOVE the book. If you didn't like the movie or even watch it, you will still probably like this book. Now as an avid reader, I have seen many movie adaptations of many books I've read and I don't like a lot of them, but I do like this movie. It's not exactly like the book, in fact they cut out a lot of things, but I understand since the book has so many details. But that what will make the movie watchers love this book even more. There was so much more going on within the game and behind the whole plan to find the ultimate prize. The characters are so amazing and the level of detail really transports you into the world. I finished this book so quickly and is currently sitting on my bookshelf with the other books I plan on reading more than once. 

This book also has something for any kind of reader. Mystery, romance, action, and so many 80's pop culture references. 

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04

Once Upon a Dream - Liz Braswell

For anyone that knows me personally, this book is definitely a shocker. Not only is it in my top ten list but it's also in my top five. I was even  shocked by how much I adored this book. This author is brilliant with her twisted fairy tale books. I love them all, and even though Beauty and the Beast is my favorite tale and Disney movie, this iteration of Sleeping Beauty slams. Liz begins the story at the end of the movie. Prince Charming kisses Aurora... but ends up falling asleep himself. This whole book takes place in Aurora's dream where Maleficent has made up a world where Aurora was a neglected princess and she is her savior. Maleficent becomes queen and adopts the princess. She becomes the hero by entrapping the castle within a shield of vines that keep out the poisonous air outside. Aurora realizes something is wrong and bumps into prince charming herself. Together they need to find a way to stop the queen and wake everyone up.

Now, this may seem cheesy but throughout the journey, Aurora realizes just how trapped she was, not just in her dream but also in the waking world. She deals with depression and it was written into the story very well. The way she battled it away when it became too overwhelming helped me fight my own depression. It was a very magical  book that fully fleshed out previously dull characters and touched on mental illness brilliantly.

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05

Happy Doomsday - David Sosnowski

Now let me just say this took me a bit to get into. I almost quit reading this but don't let that scare you away. Once I was completely hooked, I couldn't get enough of these characters and their journey. Happy Doomsday begins with everyone just dropping dead. one minute the world is full of life and the next, everyone is on the ground lifeless. Except for three teenagers. Dev, Lucy, and Marcus end up finding each other in the vast empty world and together they try to survive. Dev is an autistic boy who is absolutely content with being the only person alive. Lucy is a goth misfit, terrified of being alone and guilt ridden over a decision she made. Marcus is a Muslim football player, also guilt ridden and eager to get away from home. Give it chance and you'll be surprised.

 

06

The Boy Who was Raised as a Dog - Bruce D Perry 

One of two nonfiction books on this list. Bruce Perry is a psychologist who instigated a lot of change concerning child psychology and therapy. He was one of the first to question the behavioral diagnosis of some of the children he helped. There could be no possible way that every child who came through was just hyperactive or had any other behavior disorder. There had to be a reason and most  cases it had to do with the development or lack there of between the ages of birth and three. Bruce goes case by case, explaining his thoughts and how he changed general treatment to better help these children. He also explains things so easily that I was never confused about the scientific portions of this book. You can tell just how deeply he cares about his patients and how much he wants to change the view on children and their minds. They may be resilient but not as resilient as we actually think. They are very mentally fragile. 

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07

Tweak - Nic Sheff

Tweak is about the authors downward spiral into the world of addiction and drugs as well as the strength and want to get sober to lead a better life. This was emotional and very blunt. Nic doesn't hide a thing. He describes his benders as well as the emotional toll it had on him. He goes through the interactions he had with parents, rehab, and 12 step programs. He also delves into his many relapses and the reasons behind them. Nic is sober now, he has a great relationship with his father, and he is married. 

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08

Meridon - Philippa Gregory

Phillipa Gregory is probably most known for The Boleyn Girls (another great book), and other historical books based of very real historical events and people. Meridon is just a straight up historical fiction novel with no Tudor king or queen in sight. It follows the life of a young girl named Meridon, from early years to adulthood. This story begins when she is a young girl, sold by her father to a circus. What might have been a horrible situation turns into something opportunistic, shooting her life toward and end that she never would've expected. 

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09

Armada - Ernest Cline 

By the same author as Ready Player One comes another great novel. Armada is another novel that involves video games but instead of a VR game, it is a game that is secretly training people to fight against a possible alien invasion. Zach Lightman is one of the top players in the world so when Aliens actually start invading, he is immediately recruited to fight against them to save the world. This book only takes place within a short time period but the ending is unexpected and I even shed a few tears. I think making a movie out of this book would've been much easier and more interesting than Ready Player One so I'm still crossing my fingers that it could happen in a few years. 

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10

If You Could Be Mine - Sara Farizan 

This follows two young girls who are in love with each other in a country where homosexuality is crime punishable by death. When one girl is engaged to be married, the other desperately tries to find a way, any way, to make it possible for them to be together. The struggle is written clearly. I was emotionally invested in Sahar and really wanted her to find happiness. As a Bi woman, I couldn't imagine being in a country where being myself was could result in my death. A well written queer book that was real.