Tag: Reading lists

The Most Memorable Books of 2025

~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment

Looking back over the past year, 2025 was a banner year for reading. Not only had I finally gotten around to reading several authors I’ve wanted to read, but several books were true surprises.

My choices cover a range of genres from historical fiction to contemporary romance, from literary fiction to mystery and magical realism. I selected these books based on the following criteria:

* A compelling premise. Did the story hook me from the start?
* Strong main character (and not necessarily likeable either)
* Engaging storytelling that kept me turning the pages
* A satisfying conclusion that actually made sense for the story

Below are my top seven picks of the year followed by honorable mentions. How many of these stories have you read and enjoyed?

The Best:

The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes

This book had been on my Want-to-Read list for ages, and it did not disappoint. Based on a true event and set during the Depression era, the story highlights a group of women who volunteer to deliver books to poor residents in rural Kentucky as part of Eleanor Roosevelt’s traveling library. According to the marketing blurb on the back cover, it’s a “captivating tale of friendship, true love and reaching for what’s possible.” I’m looking forward to reading more of Moyes’ books.

The Sentence by Louise Erdich

Here’s another author I’ve wanted to read for a while. The Sentence takes place in Minneapolis over the course of one year from November 2019 to November 2020, taking readers through the narrator’s experience during the Covid pandemic and the George Floyd murder and ensuing riots. All the while, she deals with a capricious ghost haunting the book shop  where she works as well as her conflicted feelings about her marriage and her efforts to reconcile her own dark past. An intriguing character study of one woman’s life in turbulent times, and Erdich’s Native-American heritage brings an added narrative layer. I’m sure I’ll be reading more of her works.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Evelyn Hugo, a retired film star of the 1950s and 1960s, hires a novice magazine writer to help her draft her memoir. Over several ensuing weeks, the actress shares her life story, though she does so at her own pace and is determined to control the narrative. The hired writer wonders why she was chosen for the job because the two women have nothing in common. Hugo, by her own admission, is not the kindest person in the world and her relationships are fraught with tension. This was another fascinating character study, and the story stayed with me longer have I closed the book.

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

Fans of magic realism will enjoy this novel by Woods, set in Dublin where a vanishing bookshop casts its spell over three unsuspecting characters who have played minor side roles in their own lives. Told through two timelines and three characters’ point of views, readers follow them on their journey to self-discovery and self-empowerment. What I enjoyed most is the way Woods weaved and intertwined the characters’ lives despite the different timelines and how she created a magical bookshop that only a few could see.

The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict

In her novels, Benedict often features bright, talented young women whose career achievements are suppressed by the strong, dominating men in their lives. This story is no exception. Most people knew Hedy Lamarr as a stunningly beautiful Hollywood film star of the 1950s. What they don’t know is that she was also a scientist. She grew up in an aristocratic family in Austria, and through her marriage to an Austrian arms dealer, she often overheard conversations detailing the Third Reich’s  plans. After escaping to the United States and becoming a screen star, she used her scientific knowledge to design a communications system that would help the U.S. fight the Nazis. Except as a woman, no one would listen to her idea.

Murder Under the Tuscan Sun by Rachel Rhys

File this one under gothic romantic suspense. In some ways, the tone and storytelling of this novel reminds me of Daphne DuMaurier’s Rebecca. When a recently widowed woman responds to an ad for a companion to an ill aristocrat at his estate in rural Italy, she has no idea what to expect. While there is no actual murder, there is plenty of suspense as the widow experiences strange dreams, ghost sightings while she cares for her charge who doesn’t seem to want her help. Over time, the two grow closer even as he seems close to death. This was a surprising read that kept me turning the page.

The Day I Died by Lori Rader-Day

After reading two earlier works by Rader-Day (Little Pretty Things and The Black Hour), I fully expected another stellar novel. I was not disappointed.  From the opening pages, I was taken on a wild journey through the eyes of the story’s protagonist Anna, who has a unique talent of analyzing people’s handwriting. The local sheriff isn’t convinced of Anna’s abilities, but hires her anyway to help in his search for a missing boy. But to solve this mystery, Anna has to face her own fears about her past and her relationship with her own teenaged son.

Honorable Mentions:

The following didn’t make my best list but are all worthy of your time.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
I don’t usually read horror novels–I get too easily creeped out–but Garcia’s writing helped create a dark and suspenseful story. I just didn’t buy into the romantic relationship.

Book Lovers by Emily Henry
After hearing so much about Emily Henry, I had to check out one of her books. This was a solid, engaging story, but the more compelling story line was the relationship between the two sisters.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
I was fascinated by the premise of this novel. Imagine what your life would be like if you made different choices.

The Memory of Lemon by Judith Fertig
A mix of magical realism and contemporary romance, this story is about a young baker who has a knack for tasting people’s emotions and has the ability to sense which ingredients will touch her customers’ hearts.

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix Harrow
A young woman unwittingly uncovers a network of secret doorways to other worlds and explores many of them to find her father who had disappeared long ago. I don’t read many fantasy novels, but this was a surprising and entertaining read.

What about you? What books did you read this past year that impressed you most? Which books would you recommend?

Magic Realism Brings Charm to Reading Fiction

~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment
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Who doesn’t love a little magic with their reading? I certainly do. Lately, I’ve been fascinated by magic realism, a genre that’s been around for decades but is getting more exposure of late.

Popularized in Latin-American fiction, magic realism combines surreal and fantastical elements in realistic settings. Fantasy slips into everyday life seemingly as if they belong there. But they don’t exist simply for the sake of entertainment. The magical elements are intended to question or emphasize real-world situations, whether they be societal, familial or emotional, among other things.

The works of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Salman Rushdie and Isabel Allende are frequently cited as key players in this genre. Marquez’s book One Hundred Years of Solitude is considered a classic and a must-read for anyone who wants to explore this type of writing either as a reader or a writer.

What makes a story magic realism? Three key characteristics set it apart from other types of fiction:

  • The story is set in the real world, not in a make-believe setting.
  • The story contains magical and fantastical elements that have real-world implications, whether to question the political environment, society or familial environments.
  • The story is written as literary fiction but without traditional plot structure. The story may weave back and forth between the past, the present and the future.

Reading these types of stories requires an open mind. You have to be open to the nature of the fantastical and the surreal. Most important you need to suspend judgment about what is happening on the page.

I’ve read several of these stories over the past few years, from the light-hearted (Garden Spells) to the deeper exploration of a man’s identity (Song of Solomon). Some I liked very much; others not so much. But each one left me looking at the world a little differently. Isn’t that what writing is all about?

Are there any magic realism books you’ve read that you’d recommend? Share them in the comments.

Six magic realism titles I’ve read:

1.  Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen. One of the first magic realism books I’ve read. This one reminds me a lot of Practical Magic with its two magical sisters. I love the garden setting, especially the apple tree that throws apples at people.

2.  The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. I loved this book by Morgenstern that pits two magicians against one another in a battle to the death – until they fall in love with one another. The magical creations at the circus are incredible.

3.  Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman. I have always loved Alice Hoffman’s writing, especially with the way she plays with plot lines and story structures. Historically, she has played with mystical characters and situations. PM is on the lighter side of her collection of works. It’s the first of a series about the Owens family who have been cursed in love for several hundred years.

4.  Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquival. Charming story about the youngest daughter in a Mexican family who longs to be with her beloved Pedro, but can never have a relationship with him because of a family tradition in which the youngest must take care of her mother until she dies. Tita is only able to express herself when she cooks.

5.  Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison. The story follows the birth and life of Milkman Dead, who was born after a man jumps of a roof while trying to fly. It’s a strange journey for Milkman, who grows up stifled and alienated. His aunt Pilate, a bootlegger and a conjure woman, becomes a central figure in his life who helps him understand his family’s past.

6.  The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender. When young Rose bites into her mother’s lemon cake, she begins to taste her mother’s emotions – that of sadness and longing. She learns to navigate life with her strange ability.  
Six magic realism novels on my reading list:

1.  One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. When you talk about magic realism, Marquez’s book is considered a classic. It has set the standard that all other magic realism stories must live up to.

2.  House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende. Allende is on my list of must-read authors, and this title is considered a classic in the magic realism spectrum.

3.  The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey. This debut novel set in Alaska in the 1920s tells the story of a couple so desperate to have a child of their own that they create a child out of snow. The next morning the snow child is gone, but in its place is a real little girl, wild and secretive.

4.  The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. Imagine going to a library where one book tells the story of your current life, and all the other books describe your life as it could be if you had made different choices.

5. Land of Love and Drowning by Tiphanie Yanique. An epic family saga set against the magic and atmosphere of the Virgin Islands in the early 1900s. Orphaned after a shipwreck, two sisters and their half-brother are faced with an uncertain future, but each possesses a particular magic that will either hurt them or save them.

6. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. I’ve heard a lot of good things about Gaiman, so this title lands on my list. From Gaiman’s website, “This harrowing and bewitching tale of mystery and survival, and memory and magic, makes the impossible all too real.”



What’s Next on Your Reading List?

~ The Regal Writer ~ 2 Comments

Great American Read
Photo courtesy of The Regal Writer

March is National Reading Month

Reading a book is much like going on a journey. You travel along with the narrator or protagonist through numerous ups and downs they experience, which hopefully concludes with a happy ending.

But then, you are faced with a new dilemma: what should you read next? Do you pull a title from your TBR list (to be read)? Or do you search the nearby Little Free Library for something that grabs your interest? Or do you go somewhere else?

There are several ways you choose the books you read. You might go by the author. You’ve read their works before and want to read others because you know it will be a satisfying reading experience.

Maybe genre is more important to you. For example, mystery fans will gravitate toward other mysteries and thrillers, even if they haven’t read the author before.

Then there’s the third option for choosing books: the plot. When you read the inside flap or back cover, you get an idea of who your protagonist is, what conflicts they’ll be facing and perhaps, the possible payoff. You start reading with the promise of a strong compelling plot line and hope for another satisfactory conclusion.

There are a number of ways I choose what books to read. Usually, it depends on my mood. One day, I might be in the mood to read a memoir, then next I might be in the mood to be swept away in a romantic suspense novel. Since I like reading a variety of genres, it sometimes makes it difficult to choose what type of book I want to read next.

Sometimes, rather than choosing the book, I simply browse my shelf and let the book choose me. Here are a few other ways I choose a book to read.

* Someone mentioned the book in conversation. When a friend describes a book they’re reading and their voice is filled with wonder and enthusiasm, I usually see it as a sign that I should check it out too. When someone loves what they read, they’ll happily share their book choice with others.

* I avoid reading book reviews. Book reviews are meaningless to me because they tend to over analyze the story. I think to myself, “You got that much out of that story?” I have never been convinced to read a book based on a review. I prefer recommendations from people I actually know and respect who have already read the book.

* It’s an author I’ve read before. This is perhaps the number one reason people choose certain books to read. If the author has an extensive list of books they’ve published and I’ve already enjoyed reading some of those titles, I am more likely to read other titles by them. Several years ago, I read Kristen Hannah’s Winter Garden based on a recommendation from a Facebook friend. I loved that book so much, I’ve read several other titles of Hannah’s since then.

* I pay attention to book titles. Some titles automatically draw me in because they exude an air of mystery and intrigue. Once in a bookstore, I came across a title in the discounted section with a simply designed book cover – plain orange with classic, somewhat ornate writing. The Places Between Us had no book summary or marketing blurb on the back side or inside the front cover, so I had no idea what the book was about, which only added to its mystery. Strangely, I kept pacing past it. After glancing in its direction several times, I finally picked it up and read the first few pages. I wound up buying it, and it became one of the most fascinating reads, worthy of a book club discussion.

* I find authors or book titles I’ve always wanted to read. For me, that includes some old classics that I never read when I was younger. To Kill a Mockingbird had been on that list for several years. Only after its author Harper Lee passed away did I finally pick it up to read.

* I avoid current national best sellers. I’m sure there are some quality books among the current best sellers, but not all of them. I’d rather choose a book because I’m interested in the plot.

* I look for an intriguing plot or character. Recently, I read What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarity.  The plot line is what intrigued me most, though admittedly, I also wanted to check out Moriarity’s work since I had seen her name on bookstore shelves. The main character, Alice, heads to the gym one morning and wakes up in the hospital, only to learn that it’s ten years later, and she can’t remember anything that’s happened to her over that ten-year span. She can’t understand why her relationship with her sister is so strained or why she is recently separated from a husband she adores. The plot compelled me to pick up the book and keep reading, so I could find out how Alice pieces together memories from that missing time in her life.

* I consider bookstore staff recommendations. If unsure what to read next, you can always ask your favorite bookstore employee, or check out the bookstore’s staff recommendations section, if they have one. These folks are avid readers themselves and are happy to share their favorite books with you.

* I refrain from depending on book club choices. Sure, a title might be an Oprah Book Club choice, but don’t make that the main reason for choosing a book. Choose it because the title or plot intrigues you, someone you know recommended it, or your local bookshop owner recommended it. 

Remember, it’s helpful to develop your own criteria for choosing books to read. At the same time, don’t be afraid to experiment with new authors or genres. Every now and then, it can be fun to read something outside of your comfort zone. You never know when you discover new talent. 

No matter how you go about choosing a book, it’s exciting to know that we have so many choices available to us, more than we’ve ever had before. Half the fun of reading is deciding what to read next.