5 Best Reads

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more things that you learn, the more places you will go.” – Dr. Seuss

The first book/series I’d like to mention is…. ok don’t judge, it’s the Twilight Saga. I’ll admit that I was one of those young teens who was absolutely smitten by the love story of the human girl who moves to a small town to live with her father and falls in love with the mysterious boy who catches the eye of every girl in said town and is hiding a huge secret. He’s a vampire who has been waiting to meet the love of his life. These books have a bit of everything for lots of different readers. Romance for the romantic, action; as there are battles between vampires and werewolves, and even comedy; as the male lead’s brother has a sense of humor. And let’s not forget the love triangle between the boy who is her best friend, but who clashes with her boyfriend. The author Stephanie Meyer really did a great job in writing strong characters and a storyline that grabs your attention and is easy to follow. The series has 5 books and now 5 movies as well. I’ll admit, I was team Jacob; the human girl’s best friend. The first time I read the books, I wanted him to end up with her, but as I grew older and read the books a few more times, I began to realize that Edward wasn’t so bad. So what if he’s technically dead. He loved her and would stop at nothing to protect her. The books had a thing about them where you didn’t want to put them down. You wanted to read till the end, but when the end came, you wanted to keep going. I can honestly say that this series is one that I will read several more times.

The second book I read that was great was called “The Silent Patient” by Alex Michaelides. A woman who was a great painter and was married to a famous fashion photographer has been put in a mental institution because she supposedly murdered her husband. She hasn’t said a word since that fateful day. This book does a great job of setting the scene and giving you a vision of the storyline. This book flips from different time settings and perspectives but is easy enough to follow. The story has twists and turns all the way through and will have you shocked. I know I was when I got to the end. It took me some time to piece together everything but once I did, I saw it was carefully thought out and put together. While I was reading this book, I was also listening to the audiobook. There’s something about a mystery and a British accent. This book was one of those that made you want to keep reading because each chapter was strategically shaped so that you’re left wanting to binge read them. I thoroughly enjoyed this book because I’m a reader who loves twists and turns and will gasp out loud even in a room full of people. I recommend reading this book for anyone who likes modern mysteries.

Another book I read that I found interesting was called “The Family Upstairs” by Lisa Jewell. This story is about a woman who comes into possession of a very expensive home that once belonged to her parents. It flips through different timelines and perspectives of her siblings. Most of this book involves characters so well written, I almost didn’t finish reading it. They were vile, loathsome characters whom I wished would meet their demise at some point in the story. As much as I disliked their characters, the storyline was quite interesting. Lisa Jewell really did a great job of developing the characters. We get to see them starting off as children and learn more about them as they grow into adults. Each character is different from the next, it gives the story dimension. I recommend this book to anyone who likes mysteries and has a stomach for evil characters. Really a great read.

Another great read for me was called “The Nanny” by Gilly Macmillon. A young girl grows up to have a daughter and returns home to the house where her nanny used to take care of her. One night, she finds that her nanny has left, and she always wondered why. Now that she’s back home, there are a lot of things she’s finding out, about people and events from the past. This story does a great job of keeping you guessing. You may think you have your nose on something, and then it turns out to be something completely different. I liked this book because the estranged characters finally learned a lot about each other and became close. This book has twists and turns and also makes you feel sympathy for the characters. This book also flashes from the past to the present, giving you a backstory to the main characters. The events that happen in this book go to show you that you may think you know someone, but they may be hiding their true self. If you want a read that will keep you on your toes, choose this one.

The last book I’d like to recognize is called “Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief” by Rick Riordan. This is actually a series of about 5 books, all based on ancient Greek myths, monsters and heroes. The first 2 books were made into movies and I wished the actors had continued. I feel that Rick Riordan did a really good job checking his facts and history. The books are told from the perspective of the teenage hero Percy, who lives in New York with this mom and stepfather. He learns that he is actually part god and goes on all these amazing quests. I really enjoy these books because I love Greek history, and also the author uses teenage humor throughout the series. It’s completely relatable. Rick Riordan also has other book series with other heroes and myths, and I plan to read them all. These books are for young adults, but I still read them for fun and I’m in my mid 20’s. I tell you, I don’t know if there has ever been a series I liked more than this one.

These are just a few books I wanted to share. I hope you guys have a chance to read them. They’re not the classics, but they are on a level of their own.