If you’re here for the outfit deets, here they are, linked for all your pretty faces! These flats are THE comfiest, and I’ve had them on repeat. For only $27, I’d say they were a super steal! If you’re here for the books, read on friends!
Tonight I’m sharing a few of my favorite books that I’ve read/listened to over the past year. And I’m trying to narrow it down to ten, which was really hard since I read/listened to so many!
Two years ago, I took a job that required a lot of travel in the car. Up until that point, I spent minimal time in the car, my previous job had been 6 miles from my home, thus not requiring much travel time. When I took on my last sale job, my office was located 2 HOURS from my home, and I often traveled out of state.
Can I just tell you guys that before this, my brain would just shut off in the car if a trip was longer than 40 minutes. It didn’t matter if I had just woken up from 8 hours of good, solid sleep: my brain would just shut off and I would have trouble staying awake. All this driving was going to be the death of me. So I decided to get an Audible membership and start listening to the books I wanted to read, instead of physically reading them. (I still occasionally read a book on my Kindle or in print, but I feel like audio books really allow me to multitask!)
If you’re a Science Fiction or fantasy lover, I’m sure you’ll like this list. I grew up watching Sci-Fi channel and Star Trek with my dad, and I’m a bit of a self-proclaimed sci-fi nerd. I also have a hobby of reading a book, and then watching the movie, so you may see a few book-to-movie choices on this list, too.
As I mentioned, I read way more than 10 books last year. (I usually go through 4-6 a month) but I’ve just chosen the ones I feel were worthy of recommendation. Also, I’m not fancy enough to write an amazing review for each one. I’ll keep it to a few sentences, as the pubisher’s summaries are quite long and I feel like if you guys are interested, you can look the book up yourself. For sake of ease, I’ve linked each book to both Amazon AND Audible if you want to purchase. (If you have a kindle and prefer an e-book, this option is available on the Amazon link). I hope you guys enjoy this post- I know it’s something different but would love to have some feedback!
So in no particular order, here we go!
This one had me laughing out loud. If you’re looking for a light-hearted and quick read, this is it. Teddy Telemachus (a con- artist) and his telepathic wife Irene, have a family of uniquely talented children. Their grandson comes into his “power” and tries to hide it from the government.
Genre: Fiction-> Humor
You. Guys. I couldn’t stop with this one. It was SOOOO good. The publisher’s summary doesn’t do this one justice, because to be honest, I wasn’t really sure I wanted to read it after reading the summary. It was the reviews on this on that convinced me to read this one. I’m glad I did!
Cager Fenton is preparing to end his life when a spaceship lands in his front lawn. He helps the space crafts occupant, who gifts him with the knowledge of time travel. Cager travels back in time to his 10 year old self, trying to set certain events in his life right.
Genre: Sci-fi -> Contemporary
The first book I read by Neil Gaiman. I seriously just love this guy’s writing style. (Since this book, I’ve read the American God’s series as well). Gaiman is so witty and does a fabulous job of making the story believable- in fact, the main character doesn’t even believe the fantastical things happening to him, so we can relate to him.
Richard Mayhew is just a regular Joe until he stops to help a bleeding girl on the street. His small act of kindness turns his world upside-down, literally. He is plunged into an underground world of fantasy and mystery in another version of his home city that he never knew existed.
Genre: Fantasy-> Contemporary
This one was thought provoking and timely appropriate, not to mention a cool concept. A genuine sci-fi lover’s dream.
In the near future, the inhabitants of Earth have destroyed the planet and depleted all it’s natural resources. An expeditionary space craft leaves Earth carrying a proto-virus in search of a new planet to inhabit and colonize. Something goes wrong and the craft lands on an Earth-like planet. The virus which was meant to expedite the evolution of primates, instead effects spiders who become intelligent and have interaction with the humans, thousands of years down the road. Sounds hokey, but it’s well written and I LOVED IT. (And I DON’T love spiders).
Genre: Sci-fi -> Comtemporary
This planet and characters are beautifully described. I just discovered that there are two more books in this series, which I will be reading for my next books!
A space craft crashes on a faraway planet with two survivors who procreate. The “Family” grows to a tribe of 532 individuals who’s family history has now morphed into ancient myth. John Redlantern breaks the rules of Eden and leaves the clan to explore the rest of the planet and take his people on a dangerous, yet enlightening adventure.
Genre: Sci-fi -> Comtemporary
So, I didn’t even read the description of this book before purchasing. All I knew was that it was Sci-Fi, and that it was written by Andy Weir, the same author of “The Martian”. I also saw that Rosario Dawson was the narrator for this one, so I took a leap of faith and purchased it. I was pleasantly surprised as it was more of a fiction with a great story line that I had anticipated.
Set on the city of Artemis, the first city on the moon, Jazz Bashara is a smuggler. She smuggles goods to and from Earth, and not all of her activity is legal. When a prominent business man makes her an offer for a mission she can’t refuse, she sets of a series of dangerous and potentially life-ending events.
Genre: Sci-Fi -> Comtemporary
Octavia E. Butler is one of my FAVORITE authors EVER. I first read one of her books when it was gifted to me by my sister years ago. (Fledgling, also amazing and if you like this one, I highly recommend that one too- vampires and all that good shiz). I only have a few of her books left to read, and they are on my wish list!
Doro is a spirit, for lack of a better term, that can inhabit human bodies. He has survived for thousands of years by jumping from body to body, but his trick is, when he enters a body, there is only room for one soul, and the body’s original owner dies. Set in 1690 Africa, Doro becomes lonely over the years as he is the only one of his kind. Until he meets Anwanyu, the yin to his yang.
Genre: Sci-Fi -> Comtemporary
WOW. This series had me SHOOK, y’all. SOOO good. When I added Wild Seed to this list, it made me think back to this series (Xenogenesis Trilogy) and how much it sucked me in. Butler always has a strong black woman as her lead character, which is totally cool, too.
Post apocalyptic Earth, humans have depleted the Earth and it’s natural resources (way different story line than Children of the Earth tho, kids) Aliens finally make contact with humans, and it is to try and help save the last of the dying human race. Lillith and the last of the humans have been kept by the alien race, the Oankali, asleep on the their ship for hundreds of years while they study planet Earth. When they are awoken, the Oankali genetically blend themselves with their human hosts, and create a new race to re-inhabit the earth.
Genre: Sci-Fi -> Classic
Here’s one of those book-to-TV series. You may have seen this on SyFy. You guys. If you’re a Potterhead, you’ll like this series. Lot’s of magic, but totally different than the Harry Potter series. (This one is for you Erica Montgomery, you’re welcome!)
Quentin Coldwater is just a normal high school kid, going through the day to day motions of life, wistfully dreaming that the magical world of his favorite childhood book was real. Then he is recruited by a magical college and discovers that magic is real.
Read the books, then watch the series on TV, you’re welcome!
Genre: Fiction-> Literary
Another book-to-tv series. I listened to this one on audiobook, and subsequently read all of Gregory’s books in this series: The Plantaganet and Tudor Novels). She also wrote “The Other Boleyn Girl”. Her unique writing style took me a few chapters to get into, but once I did, I was hooked. In addition to having a sci-fi fetish, I have a bit of a thing for period-dramas, BBC original series and basically any show with British characters. This one checks all my boxes.
This story is inspired by Elizabeth Woodville, the common woman who captures Kind Edward IV’s heart and rises to the thrown of as the Queen of England. When she becomes Queen, the court is outraged and Elizabeth rises to the challenge of being monarch. She is strong, calculating and manipulative to save her family from ruin.
Genre: Fiction -> Historical
So there it is kids! I’d love for you to comment your favorite recent reads below, I’m always looking for a good read, so recommend away!
I just finished my favorite course at Harvard to date–a science fiction course that counted as a science credit, so I am so excited by your post. I’m sure you’ve already read the classics (canticle for leibowitz, foundation trilogy, dune, anything by Ursula le guin) but they are all worth revisiting if you havent read them in awhile
Kind of geeking out that a Harvard student read my read- list! Lol! I haven’t read canticle for Leibovitz, but I’ve read Dune and lots of Ursula. Have you read any Octavia Butler? She’s probably one of my top 3 authors! Thanks for reading Vam! Xoxo
Lol, I love her so much, I’ve launched a campaign trying to force Cavan to read Dawn. Can’t wait for the tv adaptation to come out!
What!?! It’s going to be a series!?! I am so excited I haven’t seen any of the trailers. If you run across one would you send me the link?
Try “An Unkindness of Magicians” by Kat Howard. I think you will love it if you liked Harry Potter and The Magicians. I also really liked Caraval by Stephanie Garber and The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.
Hi Kelly! I’ve actually red Caraval and Night circus both! I’ll look up the other two and add to my wishlist! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
I cannot wait to start on this list! Always looking for ideas others have read. Thank you.
What do you usually like to read Kat? I like other stuff too, so I have a long list if you need some recommendations! <3
Seveneves is a solid tech heavy Sci fi story about the moon blowing up. It will stick with you!
Oh and it’s nearly 900 pages so you can enjoy it for longer than your average read.
Gonna look this one up right now, Tom. I forgot about your love of Sci-Fi! I hope you and the fam are doing well!
If you don’t have Parable of the Sower by Octavia Spencer on your list, add it! One of my favorite series is the MaddAddam series by Margaret Atwood. I just finished The Passage by Justin Cronin and am starting the next in the trilogy. I also liked Armageddon’s Children by Terry Brooks. I’ll have to check out some of the others you listed!
Thank you Kristin! I’ve read Justin Corbin’s passage series but will add the rest to my wish list! Looking forward to seeing you next week, let’s pick a day!
Many great reads I’ll have to check out for sure. You should check out the Brilliance Trilogy by Marcus Sakey. Not quite done with the third myself so fantastic.
Also I want to read the novels that preempted Altered Carbon on Netflix. The show was great so I can only imagine the books are terrific
I’ve watched Alrered Carbon, and I was a little sad that I found out after that it was a book series. I wish I would have known and I would have read them first! Thanks for the recs Kyle I’ll check them out!