Tag: Out of the Best Books

I was tagged recently, so here goes. Read to the bottom to see if I tagged you!

List 10 books you've read recently that you'd recommend to others. (One stipulation--you CAN'T list any of the Twilight series books.){In no particular order}

These Is My Words by Nancy Turner-Written by an Arizona author and tells a fictional life of a woman living in the Arizona territories in the late 1800's. Every single person I know who has read this book has liked it--everyone.

Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult-I love Jodi Picoult, some of her books more than others, but I really like the research she does on her topics. This book dealt with the Amish culture and I learned tidbits about their religion I didn't know before. Although, since I recognize she's a real plot twister, I actually figured out the ending in the first chapter or so.

Nickel & Dimed on (not) Getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich- The author attempted to live on minimum wage at various locations around the country. The book really helped me to see how you could get stuck in your circumstances and not be able to rise above.

The Book of Ruth by Jane Hamilton- This book is a sad tale, but one that is told from a main character who doesn't recognize her own strength and abilities. Her life is incredibly unfair, but she's always willing to see the other side of things. Another book that makes you less quick to judge the other person.

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini- This author has the ability to create characters you can feel a part of whether that be a positive or negative relationship. He explores the lives of women in Afghanistan, something I was not terribly familiar with before. I've talked to some people who liked the Kite Runner and loved this book and others who felt this was a let down. I love them both.

Austenland by Shannon Hale- I only heard about this author just last year and was excited to read this book. This book is a hilarious, light read told from the perspective of a woman who has an obsession with Jane Austen's fictional characters. While I absolutely DETEST Jane Austen novels, I loved this book.

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult- I realize this is the second mention of Picoult, but this novel was so impactful to me that I thought about the characters and their decisions for about three days non-stop. It deals with a high school shooting and how teenagers feel in their "roles" in high school. It made me question if I could've been nicer to someone or how my influence affected those around me.

Honestly, I'm falling short of listing 10 books simply because I can't think of recent reads that I would recommend. There are several books that I love, but haven't read recently (East of Eden by Steinbeck, The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck, Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer, etc.) You can see the list of books I've read recently over on my Shelfari shelf, but I wouldn't recommend all of them as great literature.

There are some books I really want to get to, but still haven't. Two kids, swim lessons twice a day and pre-school three times a week is filling my schedule lately.

So, let's see...who to tag? I tag Stephanie, Lolly & Tina. What have you ladies read that you loved?