I’m always reading something, but every once in a while, a book sticks with me long after I’ve finished the last page. These four have done exactly that this year. They’re completely different stories, but each left me with something I’m still thinking about.
The Women by Kristin Hannah
Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, especially when it makes me realize there are pieces of history I somehow missed. I felt like I knew quite a bit about the Vietnam War, but I had no idea how the women who served were treated when they returned home. I didn’t know they were essentially invisible.
That part of Frankie’s story really affected me. These women served, sacrificed, experienced unimaginable things, and then came home to a country that often refused to even acknowledge they had been there. I finished this one feeling like I had learned something I should have known all along.
The Things We Leave Unfinished by Rebecca Yarros
OMG. THE ENDING. That’s really all I should say because I refuse to ruin this book for anyone.
I love a story within a story and the dual timelines had me completely invested. Then came the ending. I literally couldn’t start another book for two days. I needed time to get myself together. If you know, you know.
Theo of Golden by Allen Levi
This was probably my biggest surprise. It’s a quiet, beautiful story about kindness, connection, and how seemingly small acts can profoundly affect another person.
But the portraits are what initially pulled me in. I absolutely love photographs and portraits. I value the way a photograph can capture a person, a moment, or an entire story. Having portraits at the heart of this book made Theo’s story particularly special to me.
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
This book made me want to start writing letters. Actual letters. On paper. With a pen. What a lost art!
There’s something so intimate about getting to know someone through their correspondence, and I loved watching Sybil’s story unfold through the words she exchanged with other people.
Four very different books, but all four stayed with me after I closed them.
