A while back, I recommended a book to a friend. The book was Bangkok 8 by John Burdett, and it’s a thriller. Not a genre I often read, but I’d stumbled upon this one somehow and really loved it. My friend loved it too, and like me, she’s gone on to read the sequels. And then she recommended the book to a friend.

And this made me think about how important word of mouth is for books. I often choose to read a book because I’ve enjoyed other works by that author. Sometimes a blurb catches my eye. But frequently I end up reading something because a friend recommends it to me–maybe a friend with tastes similar to mine. And of course I don’t hesitate to give advice about stuff I’ve read and enjoyed.

I guess this is why Goodreads and similar sites are popular, but those sites have their downsides too.

I thought I’d share here a couple of my favorites and books I’ve recently enjoyed. I could easily make this list way, way longer, and I certainly don’t mean to exclude anyone. These are just a few books I loved.

1. The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker–Wonderful historical novel with magic and lots of heart.
2. Thick as Thieves by Tali Spencer–Funny and sweet. You’ll never look at a unicorn the same way again.
3. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak–Only book that ever made me burst into tears.
4. Gives Light by Rose Christo–Interesting setting and intriguing characters.
5. King Perry by Edward Manning–Complex, with lots of layers.
6. The Mating of Michael by Eli Easton–Well written and funny, with endearing characters.
7. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman–Let’s face it; I love everything by Neil Gaiman.
8. Nor Iron Bars a Cage by Kaje Harper–Beautifully written, nicely angsty characters.
9. Bird Meets Cage by Anyta Sunday–If Ray Bradbury wrote gay romance.
10. Transformation by Carol Berg–Sweeping world-building and tortured MC.
11. To Kill a Mockingbird–Best book ever. If you haven’t read it lately, you should.

Well, that’s a good start, isn’t it?

In the comments, will you rec a book or two that you think everyone should read? Doesn’t have to be m/m or romance. Just some reading happiness you’d like to share. Maybe include a sentence or two about why you love it.

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