Friday, March 20, 2015

on my bookshelf: recent current fiction



Living in Germany has me a few months behind on all the new releases. Usually, I hear about a new book coming out (or one that isn't so new, but is having it's time in the spotlight...) and then wait several months (or more) until it shows up in English in our public library.

I'm not complaining- I'm so grateful that we have English books here in the library and really don't mind waiting. It just means that when I hear about a new and exciting book that I'd like to check out I can't always rush out and get it. Instead it goes into my queue on Good Reads (so I don't forget about it) and I check with anticipation every time I visit our local library. Sometimes it takes a few months, and sometimes it doesn't ever come- we get a lot of novels by British authors here, and not so many out of North America. All this basically means that I read a lot of classics, or books that are already several years old and not exactly "hot right now".

That being said, I've read some new releases recently that I thought were worth sharing, in case any of you are looking for a good, engrossing fiction read! Here's what's been on my nightstand recently:

The Opposite of Loneliness Marina Keegan

Waldi bought me this beautiful collection of short stories and essays for Christmas. Written by a Yale student who tragically passed away in a car crash just days after her graduation, it's honest, bold and well written. 

Someday Someday Maybe Lauren Graham

I read this months ago now, but it's still pretty new and noteworthy. Plus re-watching Gilmore Girls while Waldi was away had me thinking about it again. A fun and entertaining read, I couldn't help but wonder while reading it, how much (if any) of the story was inspired by Graham's own experiences.  

Gone Girl Gillian Flynn

Again, not all that new, but I read this just as the movie came out in the Fall and everyone was talking about it. This book was insane. I could not put it down, and even though I KNEW there was some sort of major twist coming, I never in a million years could have predicted it. 

The Cuckoo's Calling and The Silkworm Robert Galbraith (aka JK Rowling)

I picked up the first book in this series at the library out of sheer curiosity. I don't normally read much crime (though you wouldn't know it from this list, I realize) but my goodness, this woman can sure tell a story. I'm intrigued enough that I'll probably read the next one too!

The Book with No Pictures BJ Novak

This is not fiction, but still worth mentioning. It's a really unique children's book that I paged through in a bookshop one afternoon. I love BJ Novak (I mean, who doesn't love The Office) and was excited to hear he'd started writing books. Also, I hear there's a collection of short stories, which I'm hoping to be able to find soon.

Me Before You Jojo Moyes

Oh gosh. This book. I actually read this in German, finding it at the library and recognizing the name of the author from recommendations on various blogs and instagram. I had no idea at all what the story was about and it swept me up almost instantly. I could not stop thinking about this story for days after finishing. (Warning: best to read at home, unless you don't mind being seen crying your eyes out in cafes...)


So what new(ish) releases or popular reads am I hoping to get my hands on next? Well, in terms of fiction I'm excited to read both The Goldfinch (Donna Tartt) and Us (David Nicholls). Aside from that, I'm also hoping to soon get ahold of a copy of both Wild (Cheryl Strayed) and Yes Please (Amy Poehler).

And, of course, I wanna know! What are you guys reading recently? Do you read new releases or pop fiction? And do you have any recommendations...in this or other genres? I read a pretty wide range of books and love to hear your suggestions!

1 comment:

  1. I'm working through the Count of Monte Cristo as I eage await the release of my husband's book: Mortom, by Erik Therme. It's available on Amazon and is a fun quick read!

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