When I worked last summer at a book store, I had to be quick to recommend books to people I had never met and whom had no idea where to begin in their book search.
Basically, I had to cultivate a strong mental list of options based on genre.
So, when people ask me for book recommendations, these are ones that I provide for thrillers, general fiction, historical fiction, and magical realism / speculative fiction. Although there is nothing wrong with the typical recs given on any website or blog (i.e. The Silent Patient), I try to add a bit of variety to the norm.
Why I Recommend it:
- Fun for local (KC) readers because the setting is in Kansas
- Interesting protagonist – an 18 year old character has spent her entire life as a prisoner in her home under her father and is free now that he’s dead
- Constant suspense and rapidly moving plot
- Considers the effects of trauma and the development of PTSD
Why I Recommend it:
- For those passionate about animals and the environment
- Beautifully atmospheric (the Scottish Highlands!)
- Genuinely suspenseful – will keep readers on their toes
- Dark, rugged vibes with a hint of romance
- Considers the relationships between humans and nature
- Warning: graphic scenes and sexual assault
Why I Recommend it:
- Different take on the traditional dystopian story
- For fans of The Hunger Games and The Handmaid‘s Tale
- Explores what happens when young women and their “magic” are targeted by patriarchal society, as well as what happens to the human psyche when people are pitted against each other to survive
- Suspenseful
- Technically is categorized as young adult, but can be enjoyed by anyone teenage through adult
- Warning: graphic violence and killing
Why I Recommend it:
- Time travel aspect (this creates an interesting dynamic to consider the choices we make and how we view the lives we live)
- A mother seeks to understand what led her son to kill a man in front of their home
- Reflects on how well we truly know our loved ones
- Suspenseful; filled with strong plot twists
- For fans of science fiction (just a hint, though) and crime mysteries
- Great book club pick
Why I Recommend it:
- Intimate look at marriages and what you really know – or don’t know – about your partner; struggling marriage adds intrigue
- Great winter read (snowy Scotland = atmospheric!)
- Husband has face-blindness, which is an added element of interest
- Suspenseful and straight-up creepy at times
Why I Recommend it:
- Psychological thriller that tackles nature-vs-nurture; as the mom starts to feel like she’s going crazy, so does the reader
- Reflects on issues of postpartum depression
- Although it’s a slow burn, it keeps you hooked to see what the child does next
- Acknowledges the struggles, and sometimes evils, that parents find themselves dealing with (potentially relatable)
- Warning: graphic and disturbing
Why I Recommend it:
- Prose is beautifully written and it’s short – which is a plus!
- Explores the complex issues of immigration (from war-torn Colombia to the U.S.)
- Opens up the heart to consider what undocumented immigrants face and the trials of deportation on a family trying to survive
- Beautiful look at love in the midst of a family torn apart by matters of survival
Why I Recommend it:
- Readers fall in love with the main character, Klara, who is an Artificial Friend (basically a robot)
- Considers “what does it mean to be human?” and “how do humans continue to evolve in a technologically changing world?”
- For those who like books with a strong perspective that affects how the story is read
- Although quietly observant of the world around her, Klara presents poignant thoughts about human nature and relationships
- For science fiction and dystopian fans; for those interested in A.I.
Why I Recommend it:
- Lovable characters: Lenni – 17 year old girl in the terminal ward of the hospital; Margot – 83 year old in Lenni’s art class in the hospital
- Great for readers who love to genuinely feel emotion in their books – both happy and sad
- Ironically, offers plenty of laughs
- LGBTQ+ representation
- Makes readers consider the intricacies of what it means to live life well
- Beautiful, unexpected friendship
Why I Recommend it:
- Addresses the intricacies of religious and cultural feuding between Muslims and Hindus in India
- Allows readers to experience the issues of another country through the observant eyes of the protagonist
- Deeply sympathetic toward women faced with misogyny in long-held traditions and customs
- Follows the emerging love of Smita, the main character and journalist, and an Indian man she meets along the way (asks: how does love transcend differences?)
- For lovers of literary fiction and world affairs
- Warning: brutal and disturbing violence / murder
Why I Recommend it:
- Super easy and quick to read
- Although heavier topics – like death – are present, it’s written in quite a light manner
- Out of the three perspectives present, the most unique one is Marcellus – the octopus!
- Lovable characters (especially Marcellus and Tova, the elderly custodian)
- Great book club pick for all ages
- Element of mystery present to solve the case of Tova’s missing son
- For those wanting to read about friendship, animals, and family
Why I Recommend it:
- Filled with interesting facts about the Deaf community and even has diagrams to learn some American Sign Language!
- Looks at several perspectives on the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community and the challenges each individual may face
- Great for people interested in education and especially teachers
- Eye-opening about a topic not often represented in books
Why I Recommend it:
- For readers interested in genealogy and reading
- Strong female character that perseveres despite prejudices against her
- Presents interesting history on both the Blue People ancestry of Appalachia and the Pack Horse Library Project of Kentucky (a Works Progress Administration project!)
- Great book club pick
- Warning: Sexual assault
Why I Recommend it:
- Follows the story of three female code breakers in World War II
- For lovers of war fiction, feminist themes, and multiple POVs
- Three female characters are all very different (several opportunities for readers to connect!), yet they are all strong women in their own ways
- Although longer, the writing style reads easily and feels like watching a movie
- A hint of royal romance (ohh la la!)
- Great for readers tired of traditional WWII novels, but still wanting to read historical fiction
Why I Recommend it:
- Presents a unique perspective: what if Jesus had a wife? What would her perspective have been?
- Filled with historical perspective of Jesus’s life and the time period he lived in, but well-balanced with the fictional aspects of the story
- Feminist perspectives and retellings are unique and challenge pre-existing notions
- Sue Monk Kidd is a strong writer who researches her topics well
- Don’t need to be religious to enjoy this one
Why I Recommend it:
- Gracefully explores colorism and the paths identical twin sisters take in their lives based on where they live and if they present as “passing” or not
- Really puts into perspective how individual choices and the unavoidable obstacles and influences throughout life can lead to vastly different results
- Reveals generations of trauma from the 1950s through the 1990s and from the South to California
- Asks: What truly constitutes one’s identity? How does visual perception and environment affect how our identity’s form?
Why I Recommend it:
- Follows Evelyn Hugo – a talented, glamorous, bad-ass, flawed character – that readers will fall in love with
- Explores fame, love, friendship, and ambition for women in a time period filled with misogyny in Hollywood
- Beautiful LGBTQ+ representation
- Each husband represents an era of challenge and growth for the protagonist
- Quick, easy read, yet explores a full range of emotions
Why I Recommend it:
- Considers: What would it have been like if the Underground Railroad was literally a railroad underground – complete with engineers and conductors – helping people escape slavery?
- An interesting twist on history (yes, blends between historical fiction and magical realism)
- The presence of a slave catcher in the plot creates suspense
- Colson Whitehead’s writing style is poignant, yet easy to read
- Explores more than one perspective
Why I Recommend it:
- Short, easy read yet powerful and empathetic to the immigrant and refugee experience
- Uses magical realism (i.e. magical doors that transport people away from war-torn places) to reimagine the experience of escaping turmoil
- Lyrical prose reads sensual and serious
- Follows lovable, yet complex characters and realistically explores complicated love in the midst of trauma
- Purposefully vague about setting location so that the theme transcends throughout the world
Why I Recommend it:
- For lovers of atmospheric, gothic fiction (and haunted house stories!)
- Suspenseful and truly creepy
- Secrets to uncover are woven well into the story
- Strong female protagonist
- For fans of Rebecca
Why I Recommend it:
- For fans of “found family” tropes
- The twins spontaneously combust into flames – yes, really!
- The events that occur are so cute and legitimately laugh-out-loud funny
- Explores what it means to love and be a strong family, as well as accepted within one’s family
- Great on audiobook
Why I Recommend it:
- Timely and reminiscent of the pandemic, yet a new take (what if everyone received boxes with a string inside that measures exactly how long one’s life will be?)
- Great book club pick
- Although there are many characters, they all connect in a creative way
- For lovers of dystopian fiction, political conversations, and multiple POVs
- Read if you liked The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin
Why I Recommend it:
- Simple in plot and characters, yet super intriguing and unique
- Mysterious atmosphere (takes place inside a magical labyrinth!) keeps readers wanting to understand what’s going on
- Shorter book that packs a punch
- Great for lovers of mythology and the uncanny
- The main character – although naïve – is one that readers root for so that he can be free of the labyrinth’s walls and the only other known character, The Other
- Sparks conversations on knowledge and its use for good and evil
Why I Recommend it:
- Magical library contains books that allow the person to see the different routes each potential life path could’ve taken them
- Great for readers who struggle to stay focused; each chapter explores a new life path for the character
- Relatable for many readers, especially those dealing with mental health challenges
- Provides perspective on choices, regrets, and life’s challenges through a magical lens
- Warning: suicide and mental health
Archetypes & Anecdotes 
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