Versailles was seriously one of the best parts of the trip. Absolutely loved it.
I can't believe we are halfway through 2015 - where is life going?! I have read a lot of good books this year (and okay some bad ones too!) and I wanted to share them just in case you haven't read them yet. The link up is for tomorrow but I wanted to have my cake and eat it too, aka Training for Tuesday is tomorrow.
So, Top Ten Mondays. These are just books I have read, not necessarily published this year.
1. Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson
It wouldn't be a list of books from Kristen if there wasn't some kind of regency romance on here. I loved this one because it was written for a modern audience and I think people would enjoy this even if regency is not their thing.
2. The Martian by Andy Weir
Why, yes I will recommend this book at every possible chance. If you can get a hold of the audiobook, even better - it helps to understand the sciencey and maths stuff. Love love love loved this book.
3. Wonder by R.J. Palacio
I think this should be mandatory reading for everyone.
4. The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
I really enjoyed this book (duh, or it wouldn't be on this list) though it's probably my least favourite on the list - that sounds bad, but I just mean it didn't stay with me as long as the others or change my life. But I still loved it.
I take that back. I was getting it confused with another book that I enjoyed but didn't love. I HIGHLY recommend The Storied Life. So good.
5. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
I wish I had read this years ago. Seriously.
6. The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult
I still randomly think about this book, and I read it in February. I don't know why, I just really enjoyed it.
7. The Promise of Stardust by Priscille Sibley
Ah, this book. This book. So many feels. Such a hard topic to think about, let alone read about (or write about, kudos to you Sibley). I loved this book, even with all the tears it made me spill.
8. The Royal We by Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan
Okay this list is about enjoyment not literary masterpieces, and I gobbled this book up like the fatty I am would gobble up cake. No shame in my Royal loving game. It's not technically about Kate Middleton, but details schmetails.
9. Still Alice by Lisa Genova
This wasn't an easy read for me because I like to live in my bubble and ignore things like this. I almost didn't want to read this book, but I got over myself and read it. I really, really loved it. It was so unbelievably heartbreaking and depressing. But I loved it. Which makes no sense, I know.
10. The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay
This might be my favourite book this year, tied with The Martian. Perhaps because with both of them, I went into it thinking 'well everyone else loved this but I doubt I will'. I also had no idea what The Sea of Tranquility was about before I started, but I absolutely loved it.
Linking up with The Broke and The Bookish.
Don't forget Training for Tuesday is tomorrow!
What's the best book you've read this year?
YAY! SO glad you're back and can't wait to hear all about your trip! Definitely going to have to check out The Royal We and like you, pretend it's about Kate haha!
ReplyDelete<3, Pamela
Sequins & Sea Breezes
Isn't Versailles just the greatest!! Also, I really want to read perks of being a wallflower - have you seen the movie? X Carly
ReplyDeleteI absolutely loved The Sea of Tranquility! I do believe that The Royal We will be the next book I gobble up! Glad you enjoyed your vacation and your gram photos were amazing!!
ReplyDeleteYou seriously read the best books! & thank you for the perfectly timed list - I need some beach reads for the long weekend ahead. Glad ya had a good trip and you made it back ok!
ReplyDeleteYay! I'm glad you made it back! You and Nadine got me on the Martian train, and I loooooved it! Seriously, best book I've read so far this year! Can't wait to check out the others!!
ReplyDeleteWELCOME BACK!! And hooray for another list of book recommendations I can bookmark! Especially since I'm traveling this week and should have some extra time to read on my trip. Perfect timing!!
ReplyDeleteGina || On the Daily Express
Hooray you're back!
ReplyDeleteI just loved Perks of Being a Wallflower. It is seriously one of my absolute favorite books!
Welcome back girl!! I'm so excited for your recaps!! xo, Biana-BlovedBoston
ReplyDeleteWelcome back!! I loved all your pictures on IG and look forward to hearing your full review of your trip. I went out and purchased Sea of Tranquility, I'm starting it today!!
ReplyDeleteI'm in the market for a good audio book. Have any suggestions? I'm almost finished with The Martian and I LOVE it.
ReplyDeleteI kind of just want to see the movie The Martian (is that bad of me?).
ReplyDeleteAnd I definitely agree about Wonder. I'm annoyed that I don't teacher 5th or 6th grade. I'd read it to my class. 4th might be too young...
The Martian really was amazing. I loved it so much! I'm finally, finally, finally able to read again a little bit...and I really loved Breathe by Sarah Crossen.
ReplyDeleteI am happy you are back. I have read Still Alice this year too and it will definitely be in my Top 10 too. After that pic I am even more excited for your upcoming post :).
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw the preview of The Martian in the theater I literally yelled out loud - KRISTEN!!!!! ... I think people may have thought I confused you with Matt Damon :) But the previews of the movie looked amazing!
ReplyDeletewelcome back!!!! I'm sure you must have the blues after returning from such a fun trip - booooo to real life!
ReplyDeleteGreat list of books, I wish I had time to read all the recommended ones I see on blogs!
YOU'RE BACK!!! And in your honor, I'm reading my first book of 2015 (!!!) I only get through about 15 pages a night before I pass out, but I think of you every time I open that book! (Wild by Cheryl Strayed)
ReplyDeleteWelcome Back!! It is so hard to pick a favorite!! I really like AJ Fikry so I am sad it's at the bottom of your favorites. I really want to own his bookstore. All The Bright Places and The Life Intended really stuck out for me this year.
ReplyDeleteWelcome back, friend!!!! I am so with you on The Martian being a top book this year. Certainly is in my eyes!!! I have a few of these other books on my summer reading list and the rest on my to-read list so I will be getting around to tall of them. I cannot wait!! I am just said I am done with The Martian. I am having a hard time moving on to another audiobook because that thing consumed my life for a week. I even had Laura binge listen to it!
ReplyDeleteYeah!!!! Can't wait to read your full recap and glad to know you had a fabulous time!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you're back! Judging from the pictures that made it to Twitter, your trip looked fantastic! Lol at The Martian recommendation. It's definitely on my list, and I'm adding Eldenbrooke too, because you need a good romance every now and again.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed a lot of these books too. Especially The Storyteller. Jodi Picoult is such an amazing writer.
ReplyDeleteHI HI HI!!! happy you're back! and i am reading sea of tranquility right now and ADORE IT. so so so good.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see and hear all about your amazing trip! And I haven't read any of the books on this list, but they sound like good picks. :)
ReplyDeleteExcellent! Adding more! (I'll be reading until i'm 40 at this point! haha)
ReplyDeleteTotally agree about Still Alice but haven't read any of the others! HUGE welcome back, lovely! YES you were missed and I cannot wait for a full photo dump :)
ReplyDeleteWELCOME HOME <3 <3 <3
ReplyDeleteSo the ones I've read on this list (Perks and The Storyteller) I agree with 100%. But you know that already because we've talked about them because duh. So, so good. I think about The Storyteller every now and then too, and I read it last year. And I have a few of these, as you know, on my list and really really really can't wait to get to them this summer. I'm on the fence about Still Alice though. Part of me really wants to read it, but part of me is really nervous it'll just hit too close to home (my grandmother died from Alzheimer's two years ago this summer). We'll see *shrugs*
yes to most of these recos! my fav on this list is wonder, fikry and the martian. i gave that book to my SVP because he's an engineer and a total science geek so i knew he'd like it.
ReplyDeleteWoooohoooooo, you're back!! Love this list, as always. :) I've been wanting to read AJ Fikry, so I need to move that up higher on my list! I loved the Sea of Tranquility. I'm not a big crier, but I bawled. It was so beautiful.
ReplyDeleteWelcome back!! I can't wait to hear about your trip! I loved all of the pictures I saw. Definitely not tired of them! I've never been to Versailles, but would love to go. As for the books, I've heard SO much about The Martian that I should probably just read it already. I know what you mean about Still Alice. That's going to be a tough book for me to read and then movie to watch too, but I guess life isn't always comfortable or easy. I'm still avoiding it right now though.
ReplyDeleteWelcome back, I can't wait to hear about your trip! Unfortunately Im not a big book person though.
ReplyDeleteYou're back! CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOUR ROME POST!! Don't think I realized you had guest posts...oops! haha.
ReplyDeletePerks of being a wallflower has been on my list for years! I need to just doo ittt!
ReplyDeleteI did a similar post last week. I have a few of these books on my list (oh, hey there, The Martian. What's that? Oh, I know I read you because Kristen insisted). A few, though, I've read in years past so I obviously couldn't include them in my mid-2015 recap :) like Still Alice and The Storyteller. EXCELLENT books, though.
ReplyDeleteI've been meaning to read Perks of Being a Wallflower for several years now - I'll get to it eventually but I'm glad you liked it and I have high hopes. - Svetlana @Life with a Side of Wine
ReplyDeleteThe Martian has now popped up on my social media/blog feeds at least 5 times in the last few days. I think it's time to read it!
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure the majority of the books you've listed are on my to read list (excluding The Martian; that's been conquered).
ReplyDeleteWelcome back!!! I loved seeing your pictures. Of course I'm jealous, it looked wonderful :) I also really enjoyed the Martian. I just started The Storied Life, seems good so far. I have to read The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard of a lot of these, like Edenbrooke, but a modern regency sounds spot on. I had a hard time with The Martian, because of all the science! I would get really into the parts that they showed back on Earth, and then they would go back to him doing science, science, science lol. I really love space movies, but I guess I never pay attention to the science particulars.
ReplyDeletePerks is a fave of mine that i reread annually. the martian is next on my list! i accidentally downloaded Martin Short, a comedian, instead of Martian, so i'm listening to his audiobook first.
ReplyDeleteI just gave the Martian to one of my friends to read so I'm excited to see what he thinks of it. I loved it too. Also, I was obsessed with the Storyteller!
ReplyDeleteI love Edenbrooke. Great picks.
ReplyDeleteGreat list! Thanks for sharing!
Here's my Top 10
And here's my $30 giveaway
Great picks! I liked Edenbrooke but unfortunately didn't love it, which is a shame because so many of the ladies in my book club adored it. I bought The Storyteller recently as I didn't get to finish the copy I lent from library before giving it back - I was about halfway through and loving it, so I really need to pick that up again soon. Happy to see I'm not the only one with Still Alice on their list - it was so incredible and made me a little teary; which is amazing as I don't ever cry at books.
ReplyDeleteHere's my TTT: http://bmariebooks.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/top-ten-books-ive-read-so-far-in-2015.html
I'm glad you're back-- and love that photo-- so much happiness captured! I can't wait for more trip details! Adding a bunch of these to my list!
ReplyDeleteyahh! so glad you had a great trip (as if you wouldnt!) anyhoo adding WONDER to my reading list. and still alice.. must make myself read that one. xo jillian - cornflake dreams
ReplyDeleteDang it. I just went on Amazon to order The Martian and got side tracked getting other books and forgot.
ReplyDeleteThe Martian made my list too. :)
ReplyDeleteCheck out my TTT.
My TBR list just got longer! I LOVED The Sea of Tranquility. I read it when it first came out and still consistently recommend it! My passport is feeling very jealous of your passport! I can't wait for your recap of your trip.
ReplyDeleteNice list of books!! Thanks for sharing your favorite reads of the year so far with us!! I have some new to me titles to check out and potentially add to my ever growing reading wishlist!!
ReplyDeleteHere's a link to my TTT post for the week: http://captivatedreader.blogspot.com/2015/06/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-books-ive-read.html
Ok well you know I could take or leave the books but I'M HAPPY YOU'RE BACK!!! <3
ReplyDeleteSome of my favorites from this year are on here!
ReplyDeleteWelcome back.
I missed you!!!
ReplyDeleteAlso, I've now added all of these novels (those that weren't already on my list) to my TBR list because, you know, I trust you with my book life and all.
Perks would def be on my "fav so far" list. I mean, I do use that very quote to sign my newsletter! <33 One of my favorite quotes ever. Seriously.
So glad your back!
I just need to know how you read SO many books so quickly!
ReplyDeleteI loved both The Storyteller and Sea of Tranquility. Both were amazing!!
ReplyDeletehttp://51500.blogspot.com/
I love the picture! Silly/goofy pictures are my favorites.
ReplyDeleteI definitely have a few of these on my "To Read" list ... It just keeps growing.
And to answer your question, if I had to choose one favorite book that I've read so far this year it would be The Enchanted by Rene Denfeld. I've read several that I really enjoyed, but this was the one that really stuck with me.
Still Alice has been on my list of books to read for a while. I've been holding off though because I've heard it's a tough read.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome dear!! You know I am travelling to LA next week, and organizing a book fair there. My event coordinator is working in arranging everything. Have you nay tips for me?
ReplyDelete