Off The Shelf

Today marks the second "Best of" list of 2015. Having revealed my Best Autobiography / Memoir / Nonfiction books yesterday, today will be the Best Historical Fiction. None of the novels on this list were a disappointment, in fact I had a very difficult time deciding which spot each would take.  A God in Ruins was just as intricate and spellbinding as its companion novel, Life After Life . The Secret Life of Violet Grant was the perfect vacation read -- full of adventure and drama. I was completely invested in Anita Diamant's beautifully feminist book, The Red Tent , and was pleased to find that her most recent novel, The Boston Girl , was just as thrilling. The novel you will find at #1 is the perfect combination of all of these books -- its story is both elegantly written and undoubtedly important.  Top Historical Fiction of 2015: 8. Beloved , by Toni Morrison 7. The Poisonwood Bible , by Barbara Kingsolver 6. The Secret Life of Violet Grant , b...

Happy holidays! With only four days left of 2015, it's time to list both New Year's resolutions and the best books of the year. This first post in a series of three is devoted to ranking the 5 autobiographies, memoirs, and nonfiction books I read this year. Although most were for school assignments, I thoroughly enjoyed each one.   Be sure to come back tomorrow and Tuesday for the Best Historical Fiction and Best Fiction books of the year!  Top Autobiographies, Memoirs, and Nonfiction of 2015: 5.  The Return of Martin Guerre , by Natalie Zemon Davis 4.  How to Read Literature Like a Professor , by Thomas C. Fowler 3. Reading Lolita in Tehran , by Azar Nafisi 2.  Unbearable Lightness , by Portia de Rossi 1.  I Am Malala , by Malala Yousafzai I Am Malala is the remarkable tale of Malala Yousafzai, who at 15 was shot by the Taliban for standing up for girls' education in Pakistan. In this incredibly enlightening and ...

Not sure what to get your friends and family this holiday season? When in doubt, books make the perfect gifts! They are inexpensive, easy to wrap, and enjoyable time and time again. So whether you’re shopping for your mom, dad, best friend, or Secret Santa, you won’t go wrong with one of these! For Your Mom: Go Set a Watchman , by Harper Lee Your mother most likely read To Kill a Mockingbird in high school, so let her experience Scout’s world all over again with Harper Lee’s much anticipated sequel. At age 26, Scout returns home from New York City to visit her father in Maycomb. Set against the backdrop of civil rights tensions, Scout’s homecoming is full of surprises and truths about her family and hometown. The Nightingale , by Kristen Hannah Named the best Historical Fiction book of the year by Goodreads.com, The Nightingale illuminates an intimate part of history seldom seen: the women’s war. The story follows two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle, as they stru...