Recent readings {five favs}

I haven't done a reading update post recently, even though I've been devouring books like crazy on my Kindle during nursing sessions with Kate. (If you're in need of motivation to start reading some more...have a baby. It's helped me immensely.)

I thought I'd pick out 5 of my most favorite recently and link up with Mary for Five Favorites! so here goes!

1. Eleanor & Park 
by Rainbow Rowell

This book was fantastic. I saw it recommended to read if you enjoy John Green's works (like TFIOS or Paper Towns) and YA lit. I think you'll like it no matter what. It's a love story, told from the point of view of both Eleanor and Park, the two main characters.

It's not your typical high school love story, though. I was surprised by how great I found the book, especially because I was just looking for an entertaining read when I picked it up. I think it's in the works to become a movie but make sure you read the book before you go see it.

Also, the author is from Nebraska, and it's set in Omaha, so that's awesome.





2. Outliers
by Malcolm Gladwell

I know I'm about 6 years late on the Malcolm Gladwell train, but if you haven't taken the plunge and read his plethora of best-selling non fiction works, do it now on my recommendation. Outliers is an explanation of why different people become successful - what the real reasons are for success in any one person's life.

It was absolutely fascinating to me to read this book. Gladwell is one of those writers that takes something you've always thought about in the back of your mind, like how is that some people accomplish so much, and expands it into a fascinating book.

He's also a terrifically entertaining writer, packing his books full of information but not being too preachy or unreachable like some authors of this genre. I also recommend his other books but this one has been my favorite so far.



3. Girls in White Dresses
by Jennifer Close

I saw this book recommended on Pinterest (what a great literary source, right?) but had no idea what I was getting in to when I rented it. It's the story of a group of recent college graduates, told in little snippets from the perspective of each of them as they try to navigate the "adult" world - getting jobs, finding and breaking up with boyfriends, and getting married.

Sounds like a cliche sort of premise for a book, but I really enjoyed it nonetheless. Close does a fantastic job of making you actually interested in each character. She also has a very unique writing style, which definitely kept me interested.

If you're just out of college you will definitely identify with this book...I sure did.





4. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? [And Other Concerns]
by Mindy Kaling

Guys, Mindy Kaling has long been one of my favorite famous people. (Admit it, you all have favorite famous people. It's natural.) I loved her character on The Office, loved that she was an actor and also a writer, and of course fell in love with The Mindy Project. This book is what I imagine sitting down to have a conversation with Mindy would be like.

She is really, really funny - in ways that I didn't appreciate before this book - and also has great advice for pretty much any stage of your life. I've read this before but just rented it again because I knew it would make me laugh...David can attest to the fact that I laugh out loud re-reading it every night in the past couple days.

If you liked Tina Fey's Bossypants then this is right up your alley. Also she does one of my other favorite things which is talk about other famous people (Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Steve Carrell to name a few).


5. Paper Towns
by John Green

Forgive me, but this was the last John Green novel I had yet to read so I had to include it on the list. I have a hard time distinguishing favorites from among his works but this one was amazing. Seriously. I really loved it.

Green has this amazing ability as a writer to take your expectation as a reader and conform to them but also completely surprise and upset them all at the same time, and I think this work of his does it in the best way. (It's also not as depressing as TFIOS, although I'm not going to say it's the happiest book in the world.)

Also, I was an English major in college so although this list is compiled of rather light reads in comparison to what I read in college, it's still valid to read a book because you love it and not necessarily because it's high literature. To some people this is where Green fits in because he writes "YA lit," whatever that is, but I think he's great all the same. He's famously quoted as saying something like, "YA lit is just what they call books people actually buy."

What have you read recently? I'm in need of some new suggestions, so send them my way!
HG