Franny and Zooey (1955/1957)

Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye was one of my first introduction to American Literature classics so I didn’t hesitate to pick this up. Franny and Zooey was one of the major plot elements in the Netflix adaptation of Dash & Lily and I have never heard of it before then, but I’m glad I finally read it.

This was one of my first reads of the year and remember devouring it within a couple of sittings. It was so good and philosophical and the characters felt so real… it felt like eavesdropping on real conversations between such interesting people! I don’t really want to spoil anything so I’m not going to say more than that!

The Screwtape Letters (1942)

One of my good friends got this as a Christmas gift for me in 2021 and I enjoyed it so much. Satire at its most ingenious form yet to date, C.S. Lewis executes the perfect balancing act of “playing the Devil’s advocate” and revealing the truth of the warfare within the spiritual world.

Agnes Grey (1847)

A story about a governess who experiences unbelievable cruelty is not promising on its own but Anne Bronte’s wit and wisdom is not to be missed. Along with the next entry, Anne Bronte solidified her place as my favorite Bronte sister.

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1848)

Sprinkled with mystery and romance, and equal parts haunting and inspiring, this is a must-read tale of a woman’s fight for freedom. Decidedly ahead of its time, it explores divorce, parenting, custody, and starting over again after a disastrous marriage.

The Way We Live Now (1875)

At over 800 pages, this brick of a paperback took me over a month to finish, but it was worth every page. This is the first Trollope I’ve read and I instantly knew I found a new favorite. I think I like him even more than Dickens…

With overarching themes of morality, greed, politics, finance, family and love – Trollope’s masterpiece has something to offer for everyone. I am impressed with the huge cast of characters, with more than just the usual one or two at the center. I am also quite shocked that the main part of the plot centers around a financial scandal – way before Charles Ponzi, Madoff, and ENRON.

Trollope truly knew how to weave complex characters into an entertaining, satisfying, and equally intricate plot.

The Age of Innocence (1920)

Besides Ethan Frome which I read in high school, The Age of Innocence is the first novel I picked up of Edith Wharton’s. Captivating and sensual without being explicit, the romance between the two main characters is still upstaged by Wharton’s apt observation of society – its hierarchy, its pretension, and its vices.

Only, I wonder—the thing one’s so certain of in advance: can it ever make one’s heart beat as wildly?

Edith Wharton, The Age of Innocence

The Importance of Being Earnest (1895)

This has been on my reading list since I first watched the 2002 film starring Colin Firth – like the film, it is wildE and hilarious – what a romp! You can never go wrong with Oscar Wilde. It’s a short one so I don’t really want to spoil the premise by giving it a synopsis.

Oh! it is absurd to have a hard and fast rule about what one should read and what one shouldn’t. One should read everything. More than half of modern culture depends on what one shouldn’t read.

Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886)

In less than 120 pages, this one is certainly a more enjoyable Halloween season read (compared to the unremarkable Dracula which drones on for almost 400 pages in very fine print). I’m proud to have read w the first book I think of when I hear the word “alter-ego.”

A Christmas Memory / One Christmas / The Thanksgiving Visitor (1956/1982/1967)

I absolutely adored this holiday short story collection by Truman Capote (not surprised because Breakfast at Tiffany’s is one of my favorites!) – I read this over my self-imposed Thanksgiving/Christmas break. It’s a delight to read about the author’s childhood and Miss Sook is sure to be a crowd favorite!

Of course there is a Santa Claus. It’s just that no single somebody could do all he has to do. So the Lord has spread the task among us all. That’s why everybody is Santa Claus. I am. You are.

Truman Capote

Seatmate (2022)

The third & final installment in Cara Bastone’s audible originals Love Lines series, Seatmate is by far my favorite. With a full cast led by Zachary Webber (one of two favorite male audiobook narrators) & Amanda Ronconi and centers around the connection formed between two people who happen to sit beside each other on the bus, it is cheesy & wholesome & has such positive vibes! You never think you’ll enjoy an audio-only romcom but I’m telling you, you can! I caught myself smiling so much while listening to this.

Heidi’s Guide to Four Letter Words (2019)

Another audible original on the list – this one was so entertaining! Heidi made me LOL so much with her clumsy/drunken confessions on a podcast she created on impulse. I almost recorded a podcast myself… but alas, I only have so much time!

The Miranda Obsession (2022)

Probably one of the greatest audible original productions, unsurprising considering the full cast is led by Rachel Brosnahan (of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), with special participation from Milo Ventigmilia (Gilmore Girls, This Is Us) – The Miranda Obsession achieves an incredible audio-exclusive performance based on a Hollywood true story like no other in under 3 hours. It still leaves you wondering, was it really all a hoax?

Part of Your World (2022)

Abby Jimenez was not on my author radar before this, but this one cemented her right to be on my list. Romantic comedy at its finest (yes, romcoms are alive and well, thank you very much), Part of Your World proves that romance is not dead and that romance isn’t always all fluff – I love how wholesome this one is. I felt the attention & love given to even the supporting characters and when I finished it, it felt like saying goodbye to good friends. Also important to note that I picked this up because it’s narrated by my top 2 favorite audiobook narrators – Zachary Webber & Julia Whelan. I really hope they do more audio projects together in the future!

The Wit and Wisdom of James Bond (2022)

If you’re looking for a quick read and is a huge fan of the James Bond film series like myself, you won’t want to miss this coffee table book collection of James Bond quotes from all the films!

Nothing More to Tell (2022)

It’s safe to say that any of Karen M. McManus works will be a thrilling YA page-turner. She’s one of my comfort reads when I’m feeling like a fast-paced plot that doesn’t take much effort but will be a sure entertainment. I’ve read all of her works since 2017’s One of Us Is Lying and I’ll continue to watch out for her new releases. I’m excited for the third installment in the One of Us series which comes out this year – One of Us is Back.

From Lukov with Love (2018)

I’m not particularly inspired by sports but one of my book blogger friends recommended this to me years ago and I finally picked it up. I’m so glad I did because this was everything I was hoping for! Jasmine & Ivan are so cute and I’m such a sucker for enemies-to-lovers romance! It’s slow burn and you’ll fall in love with the characters, not just with Jasmine and Ivan but with the people they love and who surrounds them with courage, inspiration, and humor.

The Hotel Nantucket (2022)

Although this is Elin Hilderbrand’s umpteenth summer novel set in her beloved Nantucket island, this is actually my intro novel to Elin. Got this from Book of the Month and I’m so happy I finally jumped the bandwagon both on joining BOTM and on reading Elin. What I loved about The Hotel Nantucket is that it’s multi-faceted with mystery and romance and a touch of ghosts which is really unexpected. I can’t deny I also loved the beautiful descriptions of the hotel and getting insights about the hospitality industry. I wish the hotel is 100% real with the delicious food by Chef Mario Subiaco + special cocktails + free minibar!

The Magnolia Story (2016)

I’ve watched a few episodes of Fixer Upper but I didn’t really have the Gaines on my radar until their Magnolia Hearth and Hand brand became one of my favorite things about Target! I picked up an audiobook of this narrated by Joanna and Chip Gaines themselves and I really became a huge fan – it’s an inspiring story on love, marriage, faith, dreams, and family. The kind of happy ever after you don’t feel envy of but is inspired by and feel is well-deserved by such hardworking people who put God and love and family at the center.

The Stories We Tell (2022)

After The Magnolia Story, I was ready to consume even more tales of love & family & faith from the Gaines and just in time, Joanna had a memoir up for preorder. I loved it! I sadly didn’t see a lot of good reviews about this but I, for one, enjoyed it immensely – I think Joanna writes beautifully and it inspired me to journal much more often. I also got my parents to read it and they also loved it (they’re a much more avid fans of Fixer Upper, which is how I ended up seeing some of the episodes), so they also ended up loving The Magnolia Story.

Nala’s World: One Little Cat’s Quest for Love and Adventure (2022)

I’ve been following the journey of Dean and Nala along with the rest of their 1M followers on Instagram @1bike1world so I naturally grabbed a copy of Nala’s World when it was released! It’s a touching tale of world travel, friendship, and doing good. I highly recommend for a quick, inspiring read!

Red Rising (2014)

Imagine Hunger Games but much more advanced and political and exhilarating. Farther from the YA genre. Admittedly this gripped me from when I first picked it up back in 2019… I won’t attempt to explain why it took me a few more years to pick it back up despite how much I was loving it. There are so many layers to this fantasy/scifi intro to the Red Rising Saga tackling serious discussions on power, politics, social hierarchy, and morals. Undoubtedly a 5-star read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Atlas Six (2022)

Originally published independently in 2020, TOR then picked the series to be traditionally published in 2022 after the original novel went viral on #BookTok. It’s a love it hate it type of novel, but you can certainly count me on the loved it half. It’s deliciously intellectual and morally gray and I couldn’t put it down! It’s sequel, The Atlas Paradox, was released later in the year, which was just as good! I am counting the days until the final(?) installment, The Atlas Complex, is released, sadly not likely until 2024.

It Ends With Us (2016)

When I saw this recommended over and over, I finally had to see what all the rave is about. As is often the case with the books I choose to read, I blindly plunged into the world of Lily, Ryle, and Atlas. It Ends With Us seems to start out like an average contemporary romance novel, but it ended up shifting my perspective immensely. It is not an easy read nor is it fluffy, but it is real. I hope the film adaptation gives it justice.