Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival by Laura Hillenbrand
The title of the book pretty much sums it up. This true story follows Louis Zamperini, a young man on his way to winning the Olympic gold medal for track when he was called into the service at the start of World War II. He ends up part of a bomber crew, but the plane crashes in the Pacific Ocean during a mission and Zamperini and two other survivors float on a life boat for 40 days with no food or water. They miraculously survive, but that is not even close to the end of the horrors they face. This book is really great because it's completely true, but also because it's just crazy to imagine how much these men, and Zamperini in particular, lived through. Truly an inspring story to sink into.
Snow White Must Die by Nele Neuhaus
If you like freaky mysteries, this one is for you. The story centers around a small town where years earlier, two teenage girl were murdered and the town's golden boy, Tobias, was found guilty of the murders based completely on circumstantial evidence, and sent to jail. In present day, two detectives, Pia and Oliver, find themselves in the middle of a strange investigation that leads them right back to the town. They start to think that perhaps Tobias was wrongly prosecuted and the murderer is still on the loose. I promise that if you enjoy a good thriller, you won't be able to put it down!
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
So if you've made the mistake of reading the first book in this series (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) and then forgot about the second two books in the series...then read them now. This one starts off right where the last one left off. Lisbeth Salender is in hiding as she has been accused of murdering a young couple who have been investigating a dangerous man and his gang. Along the way you are taken on a ride through lots of plot twists and turns, not to mention that you learn a lot about Lisbeth's past and the horrible things she grew up dealing with. And of course Michael Blumkvist is right there with Lisbeth to have her back and save her...or is it the other way around. Read to find out!
Still Missing by Chevy Stevens
I loved this one. It's super freaky though so just be prepared. It starts with a young real estate agent, Annie, who gets abducted while hosting an open house. She is taken by her captor into the middle of the mountains and forced to stay in the locked down cabin with him. She endures some pretty horrible things and that's all I'm going to say before I give anything away. Also, there is a big plot twist at the end so you'll have that to look forward to! It's super suspenseful and had a lot of psychology in it. For a psych major, this was a fun one. Definitely recommended as a good beach read.
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
Hmm this one is weird. It's also a psychological thriller, but it got a little too weird for me, which is hard to do since I usually enjoy the slightly scary mystery novels. It was Gillian Flynn's first novel, and since then she has written two fantastic books, Dark Places and Gone Girl (I talk about Gone Girl in this post). This one, however, follows a reporter, Camille, who's job forces her to go back to her hometown and investigate the murders of two little girls. The townspeople are convinced it couldn't be one of their own, but Camille isn't so sure. While dealing with her strange mother and half sister, Camille tries to investigate the murders without losing her own mental stability...which has certainly never been easy for her to attain. If you give this book a try, just know that I warned you about the cutting parts. Ugh yuck.
Dark Places by Gillian Flynn
Daddy's Gone A Hunting by Mary Higgins Clark
The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes
This is another really intense thriller. It's a really interesting story line that follows a serial killer from the 1929 who finds a mysterious house that allows him to travel forward in time to any year. He goes to different years and kills specific "shining girls"that he believes the house is picking out for him. After each kill he disappears back into the past before he can be caught in the future. That may sounds confusing but I promise it's really good. Definitely not realistic, obviously, but still suspenseful when one of his "shining girls" gets away alive and threatens to uncover his secret. This one is definitely a must read.
A Case of Redemption by Adam Mitzner
So finally we take a little break from the creepy psychological thrillers for this great one. It's about a high profile attorney who suffers a tragic family loss and leaves his practice indefinitely. Just when he thinks he's hit rock bottom with his life, hardly leaving the house and drinking every night, he is called back into his old job in order to represent a famous rapper-Legally Dead-who has been accused of killing his famous singer girlfriend. There's a love story, a little suspense, and definitely a surprise ending that I had actually called way early on, but then dismissed it as too crazy...I was wrong. It was pretty good though and gave a lot of interesting info about how the legal process works...at least in a fictional novel.
And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
This one is a little bit of a tear-jerker, but it's probably my favorite on the list so far. If you've read The Kite Runner or A Thousand Splendid Suns then this is a must read...and if you haven't read those two books then DO IT NOW. They are hands down some of the best books I've ever read. Hosseini writes such beautiful and heart-wrenching stories. As soon as I heard this new one had come out, I new I needed to get my hands on it...or buy it on my Kindle. I'm not quite done with it yet, but so far, it's been really amazing. There really isn't one specific story line, but instead it follows several different main characters. I feel like if I even begin to explain the story then I'm going to give too much away so I'm going to cop out and give you guys the summary from the book cover:
"Khaled Hosseini, the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, has written a new novel about how we love, how we take care of one another, and how the choices we make resonate through generations. In this tale revolving around not just parents and children but brothers and sisters, cousins and caretakers, Hosseini explores the many ways in which families nurture, wound, betray, honor, and sacrifice for one another; and how often we are surprised by the actions of those closest to us, at the times that matter most. Following its characters and the ramifications of their lives and choices and loves around the globe—from Kabul to Paris to San Francisco to the Greek island of Tinos—the story expands gradually outward, becoming more emotionally complex and powerful with each turning page."
