Library Picks: My "Must-Read" List

Every once in a while, a book comes along that ends up on nearly every reader’s “Must Read” list.  You know the ones: The Help by Kathryn Stockett; Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen; The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger.  The list could go on and on.  These modern classics shape our culture and bring us together.  Here are three books that are currently on my “Must Read” list.  I have a feeling at least one of them (if not all three) are destined for modern classic status.  Read with me and let me know what you think!

Beautiful Ruins

By Jess Walter

It’s not often that a book receives both critical acclaim and widespread popularity with general audiences, but Jess Walter’s sixth novel is doing just that.  When reading reviews of this book, I ran across praise such as “masterpiece” and “best book of the year.”  Taking place over the course of fifty years, the story begins in 1962 when Dee Moray, a beautiful American actress, meets a young innkeeper in a small Italian village.  Pasquale, the innkeeper, falls in love with her, and as the story alternates between the past and the present, we see him journey to Hollywood to find his lost love once again.  The novel takes the reader from Italy to England to Idaho to Hollywood and explores not only the lives of Dee and Pasquale, but also the dreams and disappointments of other characters whose lives have somehow been touched by Dee and her arrival at the tiny Italian inn so many years ago.  I can’t wait to get my hands on this one.

Casual Vacancy

By J.K. Rowling

After stumbling upon a Harry Potter movie marathon flipping through channels a few weeks ago, I found myself inspired to pull my Harry Potter books off the shelf for another read.  Even though this is the third time around, I’m finding myself drawn back into the magical world that J.K. Rowling so painstakingly created over the course of seven increasingly complex books.  So I have high hopes for Casual Vacancy, Rowling’s first novel for adults.  The book will be published on September 27^th in the U.S. and the U.K.  Very few details have been released, but here’s what we know so far: when a seat on the parish council opens due to the untimely death of Barry Fairbrother, the seemingly peaceful town of Pagford is turned upside down.  The publisher describes the book as “blackly comic, thought-provoking and constantly surprising.”  Trust me, this one will be popular.  Get on the hold list at the library now!

Gone Girl

By Gillian Flynn

There is a ton of buzz surrounding Gillian Flynn’s latest psychological thriller.  It’s on the top of the New York Times Hardcover Fiction list and Amazon named it as a best book of June 2012.   When Amy Dunne disappears on her fifth wedding anniversary, her husband Nick becomes the prime suspect.  There are many clues that point right at Nick, from a loud fight heard by a neighbor the night before the disappearance, to Amy's purse, that turns up in a town where he was spotted, but he swears by his innocence.  When Amy’s disappearance becomes a media obsession, things look continually worse for Nick, who can't seem to look genuinely distraught about his missing wife. The book alternates between Amy's diary entries and Nick’s points of view, but who can we believe is telling the truth?  Reviews hint at a frighteningly dark plot with lots of twists; sounds like a real page-turner for a stormy night!

I’m always looking for suggestions of books to read.  Let me know what’s on your “Must Read” list.