Even busy moms need time to relax and do something enjoyable sometimes. For me that means curling up with a good book. I especially love reading this time of year when the days get colder and night falls sooner. After the kids go to bed I sometimes grab a novel and plop myself down in the comfy chair by the fireplace. Reading is my way to unwind and think about something interesting and different from my life as mom and preschool teacher.
There are so many good, popular books out there that everyone seems to have read…but what about those hidden gems that are not as well known?
I decided to share some of books I’ve stumbled upon and LOVED that are similar in style or theme to more popular books. Maybe this list will spark some new ideas about what to read next…and trust me, you deserve to take a break and relax with a good book!
If you liked Gone Girl (2014) by Gillian Flynn
you should try Rebecca
(1938) or My Cousin Rachel
(1951) by Daphne du Maurier.
Both of these books by du Maurier are sharply written psychological thrillers involving women who may or may not be what they seem. In Rebecca, a young woman marries an older widower she barely knows and goes to live with him at his large estate. There’s a sinister housekeeper and questions about the first wife’s character and demise looming over the narrative. In My Cousin Rachel, tension abounds as the main character falls in love with a woman who may or may not be trying to slowly poison him. In both novels the reader is constantly trying to guess at the characters’ motives and the truth as the plot twists and turns.
If you liked Divergent
(2011) by Veronica Roth you should try Wool
(2011) by Hugh Howey.
Both of these books are the first in a series of dystopian, post-apocalyptic books. In Wool, the world outside has become uninhabitable so people live in an enormous underground silo. It’s a fear based society with the punishment of “banishment to the outside” hanging over everyone’s head. There are power struggles, secrets, and a quest for truth in this original, imaginative story.
If you liked The Book Thief
(2005) by Markus Zusak then you should try I Am the Messenger
(2002) by Markus Zusak.
I am a huge Markus Zusak fan! I even got to hear him speak once and get my copy of The Book Thief signed. His writing is so brilliant that it’s a shame so many have read The Book Thief while ignoring his other great work. His novel I am the Messenger raises questions about the meaning of life as the main character Ed begins receiving mysterious playing cards in the mail along with cryptic messages. He ends up fulfilling these “missions” and his life begins to transform. Meanwhile the reader is wondering who is behind these unusual circumstances, and the ending is quite surprising.
If you liked Harry Potter
(1997) by J.K. Rowling then you should try Sabriel (1995) by Garth Nix.
Sabriel is the first in a trilogy that combines magic and death in fascinating ways. The story centers on a talented necromancer who, instead of raising the dead, helps put disturbed spirits at rest. Traveling into the spiritual realm is full of risks as Sabriel the 18 year old heroine discovers. This book is an enchanting twist on the good vs. evil theme and contains a completely imagined, detailed world much like Harry Potter.
If you liked Unbroken
(2010) by Laura Hildebrand then you should try My Hitch in Hell
(2007) by Lester Tenney.
Unbroken is a true story of war that reads like a movie plot. The same is true of Tenney’s description of how he was captured by the Japanese in the Philippines in 1941 and survived the nefarious Bataan Death March which killed a large percentage of prisoners. He also endured 3 years in the most atrocious POW camp. His story of survival is mind-boggling and inspiring.
If you liked The Fault in Our Stars
(2012) by John Green then you should try The Housekeeper and the Professor
(2003) by Yoko Ogawa.
This is a beautiful story of a young housekeeper (and her son) who care for a math professor who suffers from extreme short term memory loss. Their relationship evolves as they navigate the difficulties of his situation, including the need to be reintroduced each morning! This is a very unique and touching story of connection and loss.
And here are a few more general suggestions:
If you like crime thrillers you should try The Pledge
If you like unusual, unpredictable reads then you should try The Sisters Brothers
If you like courtroom dramas (with a touch of Alfred Hitchcock) then you’ve got to read The Lifeboat
Before you rush off to buy any of these or other books, I want to remind everyone that Amazon.com has a charitable foundation called AmazonSmile. Participation in the program is FREE, and you can select from thousands of charities. When you start shopping from smile.amazon.com, (which is just a different entry point to the regular Amazon.com website) a percentage of all your purchases is donated to the charity of your choice. It may not seem like much, but every little bit adds up to support great causes. Since we are entering a season of giving, this would be a great time to sign up.
Do you have any books you’ve enjoyed reading this year?
Share in the comments!
For more book recommendations, visit these posts from our archives:
**Disclosure: Amazon affiliate links were used in this post for easier reference.
Just ordered a bunch of these on Audible! Thanks for the recommendations.