Y’all… I read a lot, I mean A LOT, of non-fiction books. And sometimes, a try-hard girl just needs to get lost in a story. Here are eight fiction books/memoirs I recommend when you just want to relax, escape, and imagine yourself in a different world.
The FCC requires that I tell you that I’m an Amazon Affiliate, which means I earn a bit of commission on each sale. But don’t worry there’s no added cost to you! Also, all “About” descriptions are taken from Amazon.
The Book of Polly by Kathy Hepinstall (fiction)
About: “Willow Havens is ten years old and obsessed with the fear that her mother will die. Her mother, Polly, is a cantankerous, take-no-prisoners Southern woman who lives to chase varmints, drink margaritas, and antagonize the neighbors—and she sticks out like a sore thumb among the young modern mothers of their small conventional Texas town… The Book of Polly has a great blend of humor and sadness, pathos and hilarity. This is a bittersweet novel about the grip of love in a truly quirky family and you’ll come to know one of the most unforgettable mother-daughter duos you’ve ever met.”
Why you should read it: It’s funny, endearing, and suspenseful. I mean, what is Polly hiding about her life before Willow? Why won’t she go back to her hometown of Bethel? You find yourself rooting for both Willow and Polly, soaking in the sweetness of an unconventional mother-daughter relationship.
Eat Cake. Be Brave. By Melissa Radke (memoir)
About: “I wrote this book because when I turned 41 I made a decision to be brave. To live brave -bolder and freer. You see, I thought our lives were supposed to change when we turned 40… but mine didn’t. Yet every piece of it changed when I turned 41; when I set out to prove that it wasn’t too late for me, that careless words wouldn’t stunt me and rejection would not stop me. And maybe, just maybe, it will take you reading about the journey I took to finding my sense of self-worth in order for you to rightfully believe in yours.”
Why you should read it: Melissa shares her struggles with infertility, betrayal by those closest to her, and body image issues. She’s loving, funny, kind, and points you right back to Jesus. You can read more about Melissa when she did an interview right here — just for you.
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman (fiction)
About: “Meet Eleanor Oliphant: She struggles with appropriate social skills and tends to say exactly what she’s thinking. Nothing is missing in her carefully timetabled life of avoiding social interactions, where weekends are punctuated by frozen pizza, vodka, and phone chats with Mummy. But everything changes when Eleanor meets Raymond, the bumbling and deeply unhygienic IT guy from her office. When she and Raymond together save Sammy, an elderly gentleman who has fallen on the sidewalk, the three become the kinds of friends who rescue one another from the lives of isolation they have each been living.”
Why you should read it: You should read it because at the start of the book Eleanor Oliphant is NOT completely fine and you want to know why. What makes her tick? What happened in her past? What’s going on with her horrible, terribly unkind Mummy? When you read the book description above, you might think this is a book of cliches about a hermit who gets to know the joys of social interaction, but it is so much more than that. This novel is tender, sweet, complex, heart-breaking, and uplifting.
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng (fiction)
About: “‘Lydia is dead. But they don’t know this yet.’ So begins this exquisite novel about a Chinese American family living in 1970s small-town Ohio. Lydia is the favorite child of Marilyn and James Lee, and her parents are determined that she will fulfill the dreams they were unable to pursue. But when Lydia’s body is found in the local lake, the delicate balancing act that has been keeping the Lee family together is destroyed, tumbling them into chaos.”
Why you should read it: At it’s heart, this book is about truth: how oppressive life is when we don’t live in it, how desperately we desire it, and how hard it is to speak out. Ng writes with a level of detail that’s astounding, and the novels she writes show humanity at its core: broken, flaw, and constantly pursuing hope + love.
Everything We Keep by Kerry Lonsdale (fiction)
About: “Sous chef Aimee Tierney has the perfect recipe for the perfect life: marry her childhood sweetheart, raise a family, and buy out her parents’ restaurant. But when her fiancé, James Donato, vanishes in a boating accident, her well-baked future is swept out to sea. Instead of walking down the aisle on their wedding day, Aimee is at James’s funeral—a funeral that leaves her more unsettled than at peace.”
Why you should read it: Well, for starters the opening line is this, “On our wedding day, my fiancé, James, arrived at the church in a casket.” Kerry, I’m hooked! You will be too as you find yourself wondering what is true and what is just grief doing wishful thinking. If you like a page turner, this book is for you.
The President is Missing by Bill Clinton and James Patterson (fiction)
About: “Set over the course of three days, The President Is Missing sheds a stunning light upon the inner workings and vulnerabilities of our nation. Filled with information that only a former Commander-in-Chief could know, this is the most authentic, terrifying novel to come along in many years.”
Why you should read it: Even if you don’t like Bill Clinton… Even if you’ve never read a James Patterson book… I can almost guarantee that you’ll like this novel. Cheesy? Yes. Easy-to-read? Yes. I found myself saying, “Just one more chapter” and then reading three more. You’ll do the same.
Sparkly Green Earrings by Melanie Shankle (memoir)
About: “Written in the familiar, stream-of-consciousness style of her blog, Big Mama, Sparkly Green Earrings is a heartwarming and hilarious look at motherhood from someone who is still trying to figure it all out. Filled with personal stories―from the decision to become a mother to the heartbreak of miscarriage and ultimately, to the joy of raising a baby and living to tell about it―Sparkly Green Earrings will make you feel like you’re sitting across the table from your best friend.”
Why you should read it: You should read this because Melanie is an Aggie, a Texan, and she loves Jesus. Oh, and she thinks motherhood is hard. Enough said. (That’s not true… Melanie did an interview just for you, and you can find it here.)
We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter (fiction)
About: “It is the spring of 1939 and three generations of the Kurc family are doing their best to live normal lives, even as the shadow of war grows closer. The talk around the family Seder table is of new babies and budding romance, not of the increasing hardships threatening Jews in their hometown of Radom, Poland. But soon the horrors overtaking Europe will become inescapable and the Kurcs will be flung to the far corners of the world, each desperately trying to navigate his or her own path to safety.”
Why you should read it: If there’s one book to add to your reading list, this is it. Inspired by the true story of the author’s family, you find yourself wondering how each member of the Kurc family will escape what seems to be inescapable circumstances. The story will cause you to celebrate the life you’re living.
Still need more to read?
- Here’s a list of my favorite books from 2017.
- Want a book to throw in your knitting bag or front seat as you wait for carpool? Go here.
- Ready to learn a lot? Check out these 10 books.
- Here are the best books for spiritual growth according to your personality type. (Pssst… it’s a reader favorite!)
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