Reminder/ Caveat/ Disclaimer: This is my (hopefully) monthly list of books I’ve read and enjoyed. These are not reviews, I do not include books I didn’t enjoy because life is too short to speak badly of books!
Welcome to the Best Books to Read Now Book Club! My (hopefully) monthly blog featuring my reading list, my TBR pile and the books I think you and your best friends should be reading.
If you’re not sure whether you’ll agree with my recommendations, check out my blog post on My Reader Wheels and my podcast, Women With Books . Those should help you decide if you’re going to be into my recommendations.
The best book club recommendations for you and your friends!
This is kind of a mixed up month because I’m also posting my summer reading challenge books on the blog. Therefore, this might overlap and it might not with that list. Traditionally, I only put 4 or 5 books on my Best Books To Read Now post, even if I read more books that month because I’m trying to give visibility to the new releases or the ones I really want to share/ talk about. This month, just look at both lists if you’re looking for recommendations!
Sidelined by Suzanne Baltsar
Amazon || Apple Books
YOU GUYS. This book. This book is one those books that I wish I could pick up and re-read for the first time. It is sort of connected to Suzanne’s debut novel, Trouble Brewing, but it’s also a standalone. It’s about a woman football coach AND her assistant coach. It’s such a great romance and so perfect for the summer of #equalpay and Women’s World Cup excellence and Suzanne handles the battle of the sexes deftly. HIGHLY recommend.
Always accept your applause like Megan Rapinoe.
Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri
Amazon || Apple Books
THIS BOOK! I saw this recommended by Aarya of Smart Bitches, Trashy Books on Twitter and I one-clicked it. For a long time, I’ve been interested in reading more fantasy romance, but it feels like such a challenge to find ones that aren’t too out-there for a non-fantasy reader (like me) and have a female-centered gaze (which is what I prefer) AND have a guaranteed HEA (also my preference.) But Aarya guaranteed that this would be a good pick for someone with my requirements and I’m so glad I listened! This book is both a great fantasy novel, with all that entails (magic, world-building, villains) but it also has a slow-burn romance (with the HEA) and it’s loosely based on the Mughal Empire which I really enjoyed, too.
Life and Other Inconveniences by Kristan Higgins
Amazon || Apple Books
OKAY, THIS ONE TOO!
I listed this as a “comfort read” on the Women With Books Summer Reading Challenge and it is comforting, like a great multi-generational story can be. It deals with love, loss, choices, growing up, growing old, independence and how we take care of other people. I told Kristan in our Women With Books episode that this might be the best book she’s ever written. And that’s saying a lot.
Sapphire Flames by Ilona Andrews
Amazon || Apple Books
SIGH
Yes.
You know what I’m going to say, right?
THIS.
ONE.
It’s a well known fact that I stan Ilona Andrews. I. Love. Every. Word. They. Write.
But…. I’ll be honest. I wasn’t sure about them leaving Nevada and Connor behind and taking the Hidden Legacy series in a new direction.
That just goes to show that I’m dumb. They’re brilliant and so is this book. I can’t wait for their next one!
Me when I get a new Ilona Andrews book.
And yes, there were some books I did not love this month…. I’ll be talking more about those and why I think they didn’t connect with me in my newsletter this month.
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And what about you?
I’d love to hear what you’ve read and loved lately or what you’re looking forward to reading next! If you want these book recommendations (and a sneak peek at my TBR list and advanced reading copies) sent straight to your inbox, remember to sign up for my newsletter where I’ll be including all the best book club recommendations throughout 2019!
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