All the Broken PlacesÂ
John Boyne
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Why I Love It: Gretel stayed with me because I'm a daddy's girl, and I couldn't stop thinking about what it would be like to discover that the father you loved was responsible for horrific things. She was only eleven, yet she spent the rest of her life trying to escape the weight of her father's sins. Her story made me think about guilt, love and what we carry simply because of the people we belong to.
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Dust ChildÂ
Nguyen Phan Que Mai
Why I Love It: This books changed the very way I think about the Vietnam war. I had never stopped to consider the Vietnamese women who fell in love with the American soldiers, or the children born from those relationships who were left behind. It showed me a side of history I thought I knew-and made me realize how much of the story I had never known.
Covered Buttons
Stephanie Saunders
Why I Love It: This one is especially personal to me. Stephanie Saunders trusted me with Covered Buttons before it was published, and I already adored her-but then I fell in love with her book too. She writes about our wonderful state of Arkansas with such richness, weaving unforgettable stories into its history and natural beauty. This book made me appreciate both the characters she brought to life on the pages and the place we call home even more.Â
We Are All Guilty Here
Karin Slaughter
Why I Love It: I LOVE Karin Slaughter, and this new series feels like a return to what made me love her writing in the first place. It's gritty, it's murder/crime/family secrets, and it's full of messy complicated women with real relationships who still know how to take care of business. These are women moving through season of life I recognize, and I loved seeing that the interesting part of their lives is far from over. Book Two is actually my favorite-but trust me, start here.
The Champagne Letters
Kate MacIntosh
Why I Love It: This book found me at exactly the right time. I was inspired by Madame Clicquot, a woman who faced obstacle after obstacle while fighting to keep her business and always found a way forward. Then, through her letters, another woman facing changes in her own life finds the courage to change her path. I was looking for a new purpose in my own life when I read it, and something clicked. This book helped inspire me to stop thinking about Boozy Bee and actually start it.
Some of My Favorite Books
I’ve loved a lot of books over the years—far too many to fit on one page. These are some of my favorite reads from the last couple of years: the ones I still think about, still talk about, and find myself recommending over and over again.
