It's that time of year again,
remembering some of the best books I read this year. I've been doing this since 2017, when the editor/publisher of MyVeronaNJ.com asked me to put together a list since I read so much. I've been happily doing so every year since then. But I also like to share here so...Surprisingly (at
least to me), there was quite a bit of non-fiction on my list. (I'm much
more of "fun fiction" reader.) I've read a lot of great books
this year and have pared this list down to 20; 12 fiction and 8
non-fiction.
Fiction:
A Serial Killer's Guide to
Marriage by Asia Mackay: I flew
through this one because it was so darned good. Killers meet and fall in love?
How could they not? They are meant for each other, even as they have completely
different backgrounds. But then they start a family and have to settle down. Or
do they?
After Life by Gayle Forman: I read this earlier in the year
and quickly decided that it was going on this list... The main character,
Amber, is dead, but after 7 years she returns home. Is she alive? Her mother
refuses to accept her, her atheist father sees her as a miracle. How did the
death of a 17 year old girl affect so many people? And what is the real
miracle?
The Berry Pickers: by Amanda Peters: The tale of a brother and
sister and how their lives changed when she disappeared one day. A glimpse into
what it is like to be Native American and how prejudices and lies can shape
lives.
The Memory Collectors by Dete Meserve: Enthralling...each character
draws you in. I could barely put this down (even though I had to). I knew
nothing about this book before I started and I'm glad I didn't so I would have
no preconceived notions; which is why I'm not saying much about it. Each character
is flawed just like a real person. You may feel like you know where these
characters are going, but you may be surprised. The highest praise I can give
is that I loved his book as much as I love the books/stories of Jack Finney.
Love & Saffron by Kim Fay: I stumbled on this when I was visiting the
library and I'm so glad I did. Loved this book which does have the
"flavor" of 84 Charing Cross Road, as it is told through
letters. (Although I think this is better.) It is perfect to just sit down and read.
(Although you may get hungry.) The women in this novel are true; they are
individuals living through the past that we know and growing. This made me want
to find a friend to sit down and write to.
Junie by Erin Crosby Eckstine: Junie is a
slave in Alabama. She works in the house and looks after (and is friends
with) her owner's, Violet. She spends her nights secretly roaming through the
forest, grieving the death of her older sister, Minnie. Although we will never
know exactly how it really was to be a slave, this has got to come as close to
it as possible. The pain, the suffering, and yes, love. This needs to be read.
It needs to be understood. And we need to learn. (Why won't we learn?)
A Map to Paradise by Susan Meissner: An excellent story that takes
you not just to Hollywood and the "red scare" of the 1950s, but makes
you feel and understand each woman: the widow, the "star" and the
immigrant. Things are rarely black and white and this book really brings that
home.
A Quiet Life by Ethan Joella: A beautiful story about love and
loss and finding something more. Each character is exquisitely written; flawed
and true. My heart ached when I read this. At the end I felt happy and sad...or
maybe just wistful. It also gave me hope for humanity, even though these
characters are fictional. (Oh, and I also loved that it was set, for the most
part, in the Lehigh Valley...it definitely brought me back there.)
The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick: This book, like The
Feminine Mystique, which is the basis for the book club in the novel, needs
to be read and discussed. I find it hard to believe what these fictional women
had to go through (only birth control for married couples and both needed to be
present, a married woman not being able to open her own bank account without
the permission of her husband), but I KNOW that it is true. And I think of what
my life might have been like if these "advances" hadn't happened. Or
what it might be like if someone tried to take these rights away. (As if some
haven't already been.) Read it AND The Feminine Mystique and
THINK.
My Friends by Fredrik Backman: In a famous painting there three
tiny figures sitting at the end of a long pier, but most people don't see it.
However, Louisa, an aspiring artist does and she is determined to find out the
story behind it. I found this incredible novel emotionally draining, but also
uplifting. My heart broke for the friends (the ones on the pier) and it
was written in such a way that I could see and feel the art.
Never Flinch by Stephen King: When it comes to Stephen
King, you know you are going to be scared/unsettled Never Flinch seems
all too real. The characters could so easily be pulled out of any news
headline. And that makes it all the more horrifying. Kudos again to Stephen
King who continues to be an incredible storyteller. (And don't tell anyone that
I was "sneak reading" at work.)
Like Mother, Like Mother by Susan Rieger: Excellent read about several
generations of women who are stronger than any woman need be. Their history and
stories shape their lives and they have incredible stories to tell. I was
sorry when I got to the end. I wanted more! (I don't know how it could have
been extended, but it was good enough to want more and more.)
Non-Fiction:
Receiving Jesus: The Way of Love & How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive
Moments in Life and Faith by Marianne Edgar Budde: No, I'm not
trying to ram religion down your throat. It's just that I found both
books to be a balm to soothe the soul of chaos. I read both slowly (I'm
still not completely finished with How We Learn to Be Brave) and
found them to be soothing.
Cher: The Memoir, Part 1 by Cher: I like some of Cher's music. I
like some of her films. But I'm not a huge Cher fan and I had no real
reason to read her memoir. With that said I was surprised at how much I
liked this. Cher really has a story to tell and she's not done yet. (I'm
looking forward to part 2). Her memoir really impressed me. And I'm sorry that
part 1 is done and that I'll have to wait for part 2!
Vagabond: A Memoir by Tim Curry: I've long been a fan of Tim
Curry. (I have all of his albums...do you know how many there
are?) This memoir is good and insightful into his life and work. However
if you're looking for lurid details, particularly on his live/sex life you will
be disappointed. That's not what this book is about.
A Change of Habit: Leaving behind My
Husband, Career, and Everything I Owned to Become a Nun by Sister Monica Clare: How does one become a
nun? The journey isn't always an easy or straight path. If
life is a journey, Sister Monica Clare has certainly had one. This was thought
provoking and I know I will keep thinking now that I have finished. A brave
story; a "real" story and I'd encourage friends (even those who are
not "religious") to give it a read.
Desi Arnaz: The Man Who Invented
Television by Todd Purdum: You may
love Lucy, but what do you know about "her other half"? If
you are a fan of Desi (and you should be) or Lucy, you may know some of what is
written here. (I knew much from the TCM podcast The Plot Thickens Season 3.)
But this is an excellent view into the life of the much underrated (and
underappreciated) Desi Arnez which is well worth the read.
Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the
Rent Judi
Dench: Theater kids this is for you. Love Shakespeare, this is for
you. Love Dame Judi Dench, this is for you... love history, this is for you.
Who Is Government? The Untold Story
of Public Service by Michael
Lewis (Editor/Author): A good question. Government is a
"thing," it's the people. The people who do the work.
This book of essays captures just that. If you ever needed to know WHY
public service is so important and WHY the people involved in such
organizations as the IRS and FDA are ESSENTIAL to our lives. (I was
particularly moved by the final essay...and if you're not, then you are NOT
human.)
Finally, if you're STILL looking for
something to read, here are a few books that didn't quite make the "best
books" list, but are worth a read:
The Secret History of Audrey James by Heather Marshall: Very moving; very
painful fictional account of what it was like in Nazi Germany. The truth is
painful. History is painful. But I needs to be told, remembered and hopefully
(prayerfully) learned from.
A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner: Two stories that are
eventually tied together: one that takes place in 1911 and one that takes place
in 2011. Stories of love and loss and how things are not always as they seem.
North Woods by Daniel Mason: Eerie and compelling with
the "main character" being the land. I was drawn in as
"people" came and went. If this would have been a film, David Lynch
would have had to have directed it. It's got that vibe and I loved it!
The Autobiography of Miss Jane
Pittman by Ernest J. Gaines:
FINALLY got around to reading this. (It was published in 1971; hasn't
EVERYONE heard of it? I HOPE so.) Better late than never.
Don't just watch the move with the incredible Cicely Tyson, read this.
(In my opinion it should be required reading.)
Three Days in June by Anne Tyler: This was a very short novel (novella?)
and I wish it was longer because it was so good. It's a tale
of Gail Baines, the mother of the bride navigates the days before and
after her daughter's wedding. Ann Tyler doesn't disappoint.
Happy reading in 2026! (And if
you've got something that you think I should read, my eyes [and years] are open!)
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