A Handful of My Favorite Books

I've been reading book reviews by A Closet Writer and Frugality is Free, and thought I'd make a list of my Top Books.  Note: Don't forget to tell me your favorites!  

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.  This is, hands down, one of the most satisfying books I have ever read.  Set just after World War II, this novel is composed of a series of letters written between author Juliet Ashton and several residents of Guernsey, UK.  Shaffer and Barrows combine humor, romance, historical references, and a happy ending all into one story - trust me, you'll love it.  

How To Make an American Quilt by Whitney Otto.  This story is essentially like a quilt itself, combining the lives of several different women and revealing how, no matter the differences in personal experience, their lives overlap and connect with one another.  A beautiful tale, especially when read aloud.

White Oleander by Janet Fitch.   Astrid, a young girl whose mother is in prison for murder, moves through a series of Los Angeles foster homes on a journey to discover who she is, where she belongs, and how she must relate to her mother in order to survive. If you'd like to get a quick taste of Fitch's writing style, try out her blog.  She's currently doing a series of short stories, each based on a single word.

The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus.  If you're a regular reader of my blog, you've heard of this one on several occasions.  This is the humorous tale of Nan, a college-age nanny employed by the wealthy, self-centered Mr. and Mrs. X to basically raise their son Grayer.  I make a point to read this book every year, just because it is so funny.  (Warning: the ending is realistic and subsequently a bit sad, but the storyline is picked up the sequel so no worries!)

Beauty by Robin McKinley.  Don't be put off by the fact that this is written for a very young audience - you'll instantly forget you're reading a youth-oriented paperback the minute you begin.  McKinley takes the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast and sets it in an entirely different time period, adding a realistic, humorous spin and a whole new set of lovable characters.  This is also a great addition for a book club.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.  A classic that never gets old (I'll stop there - you've met the characters before, I'm sure).  To quote Meg Ryan's character in You've Got Mail: Confession, I have read Pride and Prejudice about two-hundred times.

Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss.  To sum up, book cover says: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation.  If you're looking for a refresher course on basic punctuation, read this book.  I laughed all the way through it.