To Read or Not To Read

Walter Moers's The City of Dreaming Books is the perfect read for every book lover, whether we dedicate our lives to literature and books, or whether we're someone after a good read. This novel is immersive, imaginative, and immense. Full of adventure and illustrations, The City of Dreaming Books is a piece of art in more ways than one, and an automatic recommendation for me.  Walter Moers was born in 1957 and is a writer, cartoonist, painter, and sculptor. He is the author of The 13 and 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear, Rumo & His Miraculous Adventures , and A Wild Ride through the Night . He lives in Hamburg, Germany.  Optimus Yarnspinner has inherited from his godfather an unpublished manuscript by an unknown writer. He sets off to track down the mysterious author, who disappeared into Bookholm—the so-called City of Dreaming Books. Yarnspinner falls under the spell of this book-obsessed metropolis, where an avid reader and budding author can find any number of charming att...

A winding, mysterious tome of a book, The Magus is certainly some form of magic, for its ability to keep readers hooked through a story that arguably spans decades. Following a man determined to believe that life is more than it is, readers fall into a story of deception, one that makes us reevaluate what it means to be alive, and what the value of the truth is. John Fowles (1926-2005) wrote several widely acclaimed and bestselling books, among them the novels The Collector, The Magus, The French Lieutenant's Woman, and Daniel Martin .  This daring literary thriller, rich with eroticism and suspense, is one of John Fowles's best-loved and bestselling novels and has contributed significantly to his international reputation as a writer of the first rank. At the center of The Magus is Nicholas Urfe, a young Englishman who accepts a teaching position on a remote Greek island, where he befriends a local millionaire. The friendship soon evolves into a deadly game in which reality and...

Doerr's masterpiece Cloud Cuckoo Land tells the story of five characters that reveal all of what it means to be human. Doerr writes like he's revealing secrets, and if you pay attention, he'll reveal one of the biggest secrets of all: the ways of humanity.   Anthony Doerr is the author of All the Light We Cannot See , winner of the Pulitzer Prize, the Carnegie Medal, and the Alex Award, and a #1 New York Times bestseller. He is also the author of the story collections Memory Wall and The Shell Collector, the novel About Grace , and the memoir Four Seasons in Rome . He has won five O. Henry Prizes, the Rome Prize, the New York Public Library's Young Lions Award, the National Magazine Award for fiction, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and the Story Prize. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Doerr lives in Boise, Idaho, with his wife and two sons.  Set in Constantinople in the fifteenth century, in a small town in present-day Idaho, and on an interstellar ship decades from now, A...

A truly beautiful story about the power of perseverance and life, The Midnight Library has spoken to thousands of readers across the world. This novel's strength is in its ability to be poignant, both in its prose and in its honesty. A definite must-read for all of us, The Midnight Library is a special novel to be treasured as a contemporary classic. Matt Haig is the author of internationally bestselling memoir Reasons to Stay Alive , along with five novels, including How to Stop Time , and several award-winning children's books. His work has been translated into more than thirty languages.  Between life and death there is a library. Up until now, Nora Seed's life has been full of misery and regret. She feels she has let everyone down, including herself. But things are about to change. When she finds herself in the Midnight Library, she has a chance to make things right. The books in the Midnight Library enable Nora to live as if she had done things differently. Each one co...

An entertaining read, it is clear to see why The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo took the world by storm. Yet while entertaining, I felt something specifically lacking in the development of the story, which keeps it from reaching its full potential. Despite this, the novel still finds creative way to integrate discussions and themes of sexuality, fame, and found family. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is the perfect book for any person looking to get back into reading this holiday season.  Taylor Jenkins Reid lives in Los Angeles and is the acclaimed author of Malibu Rising, Daisy Jones & The Six, One True Love, Maybe in Another Life, After I Do, and Forever, Interrupted . Her novels have been named best books of summer by People, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, InStyle, PopSugar, BuzzFeed, Goodreads, and others. To learn more, visit TaylorJenkinsReid.com . Reclusive Hollywood icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she choos...

This charming and sexy contemporary romance novels is one of the best yet. It's clear why it was one of the Goodreads Choice Awards finalists in its category—with a fun yet relatable main character, intoxicating writing, and that perfect happily-ever-after, Bailey has crafted one of the most enjoyable contemporary romance novels to date. New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey aspires to three things: writing hot and unforgettable character-driven romance, being a good mother, and eventually sneaking onto the judging panel of a reality-show baking competition. She lives on Long Island, New York, with her husband and daughter, writing all day and rewarding herself with a cheese plate and Netflix binge in the evening. If you want sexy, heartfelt, humorous romance with a guaranteed happy ending, you've come to the right place. You can find more of my reviews of Tessa's works  here .  Piper Bellinger is a fashionable and influential, and her reputation as a wild child me...

A charming retelling featuring a slow-burn romance and a plus-size protagonist, If the Shoe Fits is one of those perfect by-the-pool reads during summer. Incorporating discussions of grief with the discovery of joy, Julie Murphy navigates all the difficult parts of life one faces after college graduation. A perfect fit for those who love reality TV narratives and Cinderella, If the Shoe Fits is a wonderful start to the Meant to Be series. Julie Murphy is the New York Times bestselling author of several books, including Dumplin',  now a Netflix original movie starring Jennifer Aniston. She lives in North Texas with her husband, dog, and cat. Visit www.imjuliemurphy.com  for more. Cindy loves shoes. A well-placed bow or a chick stacked heel is her form of self-expression. As a fashion-obsessed plus-size woman, she can never find designer clothes that work on her body, but a special pair of shoes always fits just right. With a shiny new design degree but no job in sight, Cindy mo...

Christina Lauren strikes again with another witty, heart-felt, hilarious contemporary romance novel. Against the perfect honeymoon location backdrop, combining two of the genre's most-loved tropes, and with this team's signature hilarity, The Unhoneymooners is the best book for a laugh-out-loud, relatable read if you're looking for a bit of a tropical escape this winter. Christina Lauren is the combined pen name of longtime writing partners/besties Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings, the New York Times, USA Today and #1international bestselling authors of the Beautiful and the Wild Seasons series, My Favorite Half-Night Stand, Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating, Love and Other Words, Roomies, Dating You/Hating You, and Autoboyography . You can find them online at christinalaurenbooks.com , @ChristinaLauren on Instagram, or @ChristinaLauren on Twitter. You can find more of my reviews of Christina Lauren's works here .   Olive Torres is used to being the unlucky tw...

An easy and entertaining read, it's easy to see why thousands of people have fallen in love with The Hating Game so much it recently made its way to the silver screen! With the much-loved enemies-to-lovers and workplace relationship tropes, along with quirky characters, The Hating Game is the perfect introduction to contemporary romance novels.  Sally Thorne lives in Canberra, Australia, and spends her days writing funding submissions and drafting contracts (yawn!), so it's not surprising that after hours she climbs into colorful fictional worlds of her own creation. She lives with her husband in a house filled with vintage toys, too many cushions, a haunted dollhouse, and the world's sweetest pug. The Hating Game is her first novel. You can find Sally on Instagram @sallythorneauthor or on Twitter @Sally_Thorne. You can find more of my reviews of her work here .  Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman hate each other. Not dislike. Not begrudgingly tolerate. Hate. And they have no...