It is probably no surprise that reading is one of my favorite things to do. And I love to pass on recommendations for great books. Here are some of the most recent books that I’ve enjoyed and probably have wide cross over.
Midnight Library by Matt Haig was a unique combination of an easy fun read that had some depth and made you think about your life. I really enjoyed it.
The Map of Salt and Stars by Zeyn Joukhardar was outstanding. Adventure. Geography. Poetry. Current events and historical legends. Not only was it two wonderful stories, it also had some impactful insights … some of my favorites:
“How many Polaroids are there of places that no longer exist?”
“How stupid it is that acrylic paint dries so fast. Things change too much. We’ve always got to fix the maps, repaint the borders of ourselves.”
“That thirst never left him – for the distant places…the blank parts of his map.”
“I am a woman and a warrior. If you think I can’t be both, you’ve been lied to.”
“We rarely know when we try to go good if the outcomes of our action will actually be good. Perhaps God plans it that way to teach us that the planning is best left to him.”
“But the desert like a difficult year is alive with blessings.”
50 Words for Rain by Asha Lemmie was my favorite fiction book in the last year. It takes place post-World War Two Japan. I loved the characters and the story.
Red Lotus by Chris Bohjalian is a riveting book that takes place in both Vietnam and the United States. While it was written before the pandemic, there is a lot overlap. I didn’t love the ending but enjoyed the book enough that I still highly recommend it.
Wanderlust: The Best of 2019 Anthology was a fantastic collection of short stories. I highly recommend it for travel lovers.
Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles is absolutely wonderful. It is both long and a page turner so it is a perfect book for a plane or the beach. Everyone I know who has read it, loved it!
Life Kinetic Travel Research 