The Booklist 2014

THE SEMESTER IS OVER! YAYYY!!!

I just finished exam week and am now heading into what I hope will be a relaxing and fun break at home with my family. Yippee!! Also, I am looking forward to catching up on some reading. This time of year, after I've finished all my work, I love to catch up on a few good books (any recommendations? Let me know!). These are some of my favorites that I've read this year, if you're looking for something to good to read this season:


YA

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton

This book reads like poetry or lyrics. The way the author strings words together is delicious and beautiful. The story is a fantastical fairy tale set in 1950-60s Seattle.

Out of my Mind by Sharon M. Draper

I am not a cryer and this book tugged at my heart strings. Oh man, this book is good. And it's not just for young adults. It's about a girl who has cerebral palsy and loves words but cannot communicate with her family until she gets a piece of assistive technology called an augmentative alternative communication device. My special education heart adored this book.

If you read The Fault in Our Stars by John Green and loved it, you should try Paper Towns or An Abundance of Katherines by him. He also co-authored a book with David Levathan called Will Grayson, Will Grayson, and personally, I think all three of these are better than TFIOS.

Non-Fiction

John Adams by David McConnell

For any international readers out there (hi! glad you're here), John Adams was the second president of the United States and this is his biography. McConnell is through. He analyzed the personal correspondence of Adams, his wife, family, and close friends (Thomas Jefferson) to create the book. Also, Abigail Adams was a kick-butt lady and mama. She is prominently featured throughout the book because many of the letters Adams sent were to Abigail. They were sweet and, at times, a little saucy!

Small Wonder by Barbara Kingsolver

This collection of essays was beautiful and insightful. I love everything Barbara Kingsolver writes. I cannot recommend any of her books enough. So, so good.

King Leopold's Ghost by Adam Hoschschild

I read a lot this year about enormous historical events I did not learn about in school, and this was one of them. King Leopold was king of Belgium and personally owned the Congo. And exploited it mercilessly. It's an international travesty-- one of the largest genocides of world history. I did not know a single thing about it until I read this book.

Fiction

The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri

This book, while fiction, covers a revolution in India (more historical events I did not learn about in school) that is factual. This is a story about two brothers, one who is a revolutionary, the other who is not, and how their lives are shaped by living in this time in their particular city. What I really enjoy about Lahiri's writing is that none of her characters are ever entirely likeable, but as a reader, you're still invested in their outcomes.

The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver

Barbara Kingsolver is one of my absolute favorite authors and someone I'd love to chat with over a cup of coffee. This book is another winner by her, it's about art and communism, and, without giving too much away, prominently features an awesome lady with a fantastic unibrow.

Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 

Adichie is another author I'd love to take for coffee. This novel is about the Biafran War (look! another historical event I didn't learn about in school!) from the perspectives of an Igbo woman, her husband's houseboy, and her sister's English boyfriend. These characters were what made the book so very good. If you're interested in learning more about Adichie, you should watch some of her TED talks. 

Happy Reading! 

Madelyn