Recommended reads

An awesome reader at my Columbia MO library event last week asked for a list of my favorite reads. The list is long, and it changes frequently, so to keep things slightly more current, here are five books from the past three years that I think EVERYONE should read :)

HOW TO SAVE A LIFE by Sara Zarr (Little, Brown, 2011). Moving, and unflinchingly real. Sara Zarr truly writes character-driven drama.

CODE NAME VERITY by Elizabeth Wein (Hyperion, 2012). Pulse-pounding excitement, a tightly wound plot, and unforgettable characters. This book is just amazing.

DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE by Laini Taylor (Little, Brown 2011). Fantasy doesn't get any better than this. The characters are colorful and sympathetic, and the mythology is breathtaking.

JUST ONE DAY by Gayle Forman (Dutton, 2013). I'm a sucker for romance, and Gayle Forman's characters are irresistible but also just flawed enough to be real.  

ASK THE PASSENGERS by A.S. King (Little, Brown 2012). Like Sara Zarr, AS King does a superb job of letting her characters tell their stories. Beautifully written.

I hope you'll check these out - I assure you, you won't be disappointed!