This has been a banner year for books. From sentimental journeys to fast-paced thrillers, I’ve been overwhelmed with the number of amazing books released this year. I simply don’t have time to write reviews for all the novel’s I’ve fallen in love with (and in a few cases, eloquent masters of the craft have already written glowing reviews—I’m talking about you Margret Atwood reviewing Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep).
Some of the books below are new releases, some have been out a few months. Those library wait lists can take a while. All are highly recommended.
by Elizabeth Gilbert
Spanning much of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the novel follows the fortunes of the extraordinary Whittaker family as led by the enterprising Henry Whittaker—a poor-born Englishman who makes a great fortune in the South American quinine trade, eventually becoming the richest man in Philadelphia. Born in 1800, Henry’s brilliant daughter, Alma (who inherits both her father’s money and his mind), ultimately becomes a botanist of considerable gifts herself. As Alma’s research takes her deeper into the mysteries of evolution, she falls in love with a man named Ambrose Pike who makes incomparable paintings of orchids and who draws her in the exact opposite direction—into the realm of the spiritual, the divine, and the magical. Alma is a clear-minded scientist; Ambrose a utopian artist—but what unites this unlikely couple is a desperate need to understand the workings of this world and the mechanisms behind all life.
Quick thoughts: Don’t go into this holding onto any memories of Eat, Pray, Love. The two works cannot compare. The Signature of All Things is a complex historical tale, in which Gilbert skillfully weaves family saga, the world of botany, and a pioneering woman’s journey to discover herself. Though not quite as lyrical, it reminded me of Isabel Allende’s mesmerizing novels.
by Rainbow Rowell
Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan, but for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.
Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.
Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.
Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.
For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?
Quick thoughts: This story could have been about me. I’ve never gotten into the world of fan fiction, and Harry Potter (whom I assume Simon Snow is based on) didn’t swoop in on his broom until I was an adult, but Rainbow Rowell has expertly captured the quiet yet deeply-felt world of the bookish clan. Those of us who would rather sit home with a good book or a pen in hand instead of donning stilettos and hitting a frat party will instantly bond with Cath. Rowell nails it.
Allison Winn Scotch
What happens when you think you have it all, and then suddenly it’s taken away?
Willa Chandler-Golden’s father changed the world with his self-help bestseller, Is It Really Your Choice? Why Your Entire Life May Be Out of Your Control. Millions of devoted fans now find solace in his notion that everything happens for a reason. Though Willa isn’t entirely convinced of her father’s theories, she readily admits that the universe has delivered her a solid life: a reliable husband, a fast-paced career. Sure there are hiccups – negative pregnancy tests, embattled siblings – but this is what the universe has brought, and life, if she doesn’t think about it too much, is wonderful.
Then her (evidently not-so-reliable) husband proposes this: a two-month break. Two months to see if they can’t live their lives without each other. And before Willa can sort out destiny and fate and what it all means, she’s axed from her job, her 12 year-old nephew Nicky moves in, her ex-boyfriend finds her on Facebook, and her best friend Vanessa lands a gig writing for Dare You!, the hottest new reality TV show. And then Vanessa lures Willa into dares of her own – dares that run counter to her father’s theories of fate, dares that might change everything…but only if Willa is brave enough to stop listening to the universe and instead aim for the stars
Quick thoughts: What happens when an established, traditionally published (and much beloved) author goes indie? She puts out a kick-ass story, sells a zillion copies (I hope) and readers win because the book is on Amazon for only $2.99!
by Stephen King
Stephen King returns to the character and territory of one of his most popular novels ever, The Shining, in this instantly riveting novel about the now middle-aged Dan Torrance and the very special twelve-year-old girl he must save from a tribe of murderous paranormals.
On highways across America, a tribe of people called the True Knot travel in search of sustenance. They look harmless—mostly old, lots of polyester, and married to their RVs. But as Dan Torrance knows, and spunky twelve-year-old Abra Stone learns, the True Knot are quasi-immortal, living off the steam that children with the shining produce when they are slowly tortured to death.
Haunted by the inhabitants of the Overlook Hotel, where he spent one horrific childhood year, Dan has been drifting for decades, desperate to shed his father’s legacy of despair, alcoholism, and violence. Finally, he settles in a New Hampshire town, an AA community that sustains him, and a job at a nursing home where his remnant shining power provides the crucial final comfort to the dying. Aided by a prescient cat, he becomes “Doctor Sleep.”
Then Dan meets the evanescent Abra Stone, and it is her spectacular gift, the brightest shining ever seen, that reignites Dan’s own demons and summons him to a battle for Abra’s soul and survival. This is an epic war between good and evil, a gory, glorious story that will thrill the millions of devoted readers of The Shining and satisfy anyone new to this icon in the King canon.
Quick thoughts: Wowza. I was terribly worried this book would disappoint. Most sequels leave you shaking your head in disappointment. The Shining reigns as one of King’s greatest works—how could he pull off a sequel that would instantly draw us back into Danny’s world and make us grip the pages wondering what comes next? No need to be worried. This book was like catching up with an old friend—granted, he’s a damaged old friend who sees dead people, can tell when you’re going to die, and battles a horrifying clan of child-killers, but you’ll love him just the same. Make sure you’ve read The Shining first—even if it was twenty years ago. It will all come back to you.
by Daniel Silva
When a beautiful young British woman vanishes on the island of Corsica, a prime minister’s career is threatened with destruction. Gabriel Allon, the wayward son of Israeli intelligence, is thrust into a game of shadows where nothing is what it seems…and where the only thing more dangerous than his enemies might be the truth…
Silva’s work has captured the imagination of millions worldwide; his #1 New York Times bestselling series which chronicles the adventures of art-restorer and master spy Gabriel Allon has earned the praise of readers and reviewers everywhere. This captivating new page-turner from the undisputed master of spy fiction is sure to thrill new and old fans alike.
Quick thoughts: So many of my favorite mystery and thriller series have petered out lately and I’ve wistfully given up on them. But in Silva’s sixteenth spy story, the stakes are still astronomically high, the characters sharp, and the pacing whisks readers through the world of international intrigue. The English Girl is a smart thriller that will challenge your views on international politics—and leave you wondering about this underground world people like super-spy Gabriel Allon inhabit, saving us from from the bad guys out there we can’t even imagine.
How about you? Which books make your fall must-read list?
Reading Theory of Opposites now and really enjoying it. I know everyone is into Gilbert’s right now, but I can’t decide if I can commit to diving in.
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