20 Books To Read in Your Twenties

I was reading an article recently and I came across this interesting list of books to read when you are in your twenties. Since  I am in my early twenties, I have more than enough time to read all of these way before I hit my 30s. What’s really interesting is that the majority of these books I have never even heard of! Granted,  there are so many books that come out on a monthly basis, it is impossible to read them all. (even if all you did was spent all your time reading, eating and sleeping, you still wouldn’t be able to catch up. Sad but true ). For those of you that are interested here’s the list:

• The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
  
• Catch 22 by Joseph Heller
• A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift
• The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie

                               

• Shake Hands with the Devil by Romeo Dallaire
  
• A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf
• Amrita by Banana Yoshimoto
• All My Friends Are Superheroes by Andrew Kaufman
• Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
• The Road by Corman McCarthy
• The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway
• Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed
• The Vagina Monologues by
• Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
• The Night Circus byErin Morgenstern
• Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
• The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (I’ve seen the movie but haven’t read the book yet)
• The Trouble with Islam Today by Ishad Manji
• In the Woods by Tana French
• Wool by Hugh Howey

 

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How many of these have you read? Surprisingly, I haven’t read any of these. 

Waiting on Wednesday: One Heart To Win

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

One Heart To Win by Johanna Lindsey

Publication Date: June 11, 2013

Publisher: Gallery Books

Synopsis (Goodreads): 

Some young ladies marry for money and social standing, a few lucky ones marry for love—but Tiffany Warren is marrying to end a feud. Honoring her mother’s promise, Tiffany reluctantly travels west to meet her estranged father and his enemy’s eldest son, rancher Hunter Callahan.Once the Warrens and the Callahans are united by marriage, both clans will stop squabbling over a disputed strip of land.

In the chaos of a train robbery Tiffany seizes a golden opportunity: By assuming the identity of her father’s new housekeeper she can live with the father she never knew and assess his true character, as well as that of the neighboring cowboy to whom she is betrothed. But, too late, Tiffany discovers that the rivalry between the Warrens and the Callahans has escalated when the Callahans steal the Warrens’ housekeeper as soon as she steps off the train! Now, Tiffany, who is pretending to be Jennifer Fleming, finds herself living in the enemy camp, under the same roof as her fiancé.

All too soon she learns her intended is a handsome, sweet talking charmer whom she has to fight off because he can’t keep his eyes—or his hands—off Jennifer. After Tiffany’s charade is exposed she refuses to marry Hunter to end the feud. As Hunter goes about claiming his rightful bride-to-be, he knows that although he loves two women—proper, elegant Tiffany as well as spunky, passionate Jennifer—he has only one heart to win.

Personal Thoughts: I haven’t read a Johanna Lindsey book in a while and I’m starting to get that need to read one. You know when you love an author’s particular writing style, plot lines or just know that you’re going to love the book so you need to pick up a copy soon? I have that right now. All of Lindsey’s books are great, promise laughter and a world to get away to.

It sounds like it is going to be an entertaining read full of mischief and love. It’s sad that it doesn’t come out for a few months though 😦 I don’t think I can wait that long!

Cover Reveal: Tragic

Tragic by J.A. Huss
Publication date:  May 20th 2013
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

 

Synopsis:

Rook Walsh is TRAGIC

Because life so far – just sucks.  Some girls get parents.  Rook got the foster care system.  Some girls get Prince Charming.  Rook got an abusive frog.  Some girls get lucky…

Rook got a second chance.

And she took it.  Because when fate throws you a bone – you grab it with both hands and run.

Antoine Chaput knows the minute he spies Rook in his photography studio that she’s got The Look.  The dark and desperate look he must have to land the exclusive TRAGIC media contract.

Rook is paired up with top model, Ronin, and he’s everything her abusive ex-boyfriend wasn’t. Patient, gentle, happy, attentive, and sexy!  He knows exactly what to do to make Rook blush for Antoine’s portfolio.

Rook’s luck changes in an instant and suddenly she’s the darling of the modeling world.  It’s a dream job to go with a dream guy and all she has to do is look pretty and follow directions. But there’s always a price to pay – and Rook is about to get the bill.

TRAGIC is a new adult contemporary romance.

AUTHOR BIO

J. A. Huss likes to write new adult books that make you think and keep you guessing. Her favorite genre to read is space opera, but since practically no one reads those books, she writes new adult science fiction, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, urban fantasy, and books about Junco (who refuses to be saddled with a label).She has an undergraduate degree in horses, (yes, really–Thank you, Colorado State University) and a master’s degree in forensic toxicology from the University of Florida. She used to have a job driving around Colorado doing pretty much nothing but shooting the breeze with farmers, but now she just writes, runs the New Adult Addiction and Clean Teen Reads Book Blogs, and runs an online science classroom for homeschoolers.

Movie Review: Admission

Straight-laced Princeton University admissions officer Portia Nathan is caught off-guard when she makes a recruiting visit to an alternative high school overseen by her former college classmate, the free-wheeling John Pressman. Pressman has surmised that Jeremiah, his gifted yet very unconventional student, might well be the son that Portia secretly gave up for adoption many years ago. Soon, Portia finds herself bending the rules for Jeremiah, putting at risk the life she thought she always wanted — but in the process finding her way to a surprising and exhilarating life and romance she never dreamed of having.

Personal Thoughts:

I went to see this movie a few days ago  with my fellow Toronto Girly Book Club members and it was an advanced screening. If it was one thing that I was expecting, it was that I was going to laugh a lot because Tina Fey was in it. I loved the interaction that happened between Portia Nathan (Tina Fey) and John Pressman (Paul Rudd). The chemistry worked between those two 🙂 It was classified as both a comedy and a drama and there was definitely elements of both present throughout the movie.

It was interesting to see the ‘admissions’ process and their thought process of how they go about either denying or accepting the applicant to the school. I think that the story line was done very well, but there could have been a bit more. If there was more emphasis on both Portia and John and their relationship, it could have been more interesting. It just felt a bit rushed and some scenes seemed to be cut short just when they were getting good. I don’t know if that was the directors intention or not, but by doing that, it cut away from the experience.

After the movie was over I was left with a feeling of  wanting more. Don’t get me wrong, it was a great and entertaining movie, but there is definitely room for improvement.

Here’s the trailer. Take a peek 🙂

ADMISSION

Book Review: What Would Emma Do?

What Would Emma Do? by Eileen Cook

Publication Date: December 30, 2008

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Source: Library

Synopsis (Goodreads): Thou Shalt Not Kiss Thy Best Friend’s Boyfriend…again…

There is no greater sin than kissing your best friend’s boyfriend. So when Emma breaks that golden rule, she knows she’s messed up big-time…especially since she lives in the smallest town ever, where everyone knows everything about everyone else…and especially since she maybe kinda wants to do it again. Now her best friend isn’t speaking to her, her best guy friend is making things totally weird, and Emma is running full speed toward certain social disaster. This is so not the way senior year was supposed to go.

Time to pray for a minor miracle. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s time for Emma to stop trying to please everyone around her, and figure out what she wants for herself.

Personal Thoughts: I loved this book! It was one of those books where a character would grab at you and not let go. My favorite would have to be Emma. The things that she goes through and the way that she handles things, especially towards the end, shows that things are not always what they are meant to be.  She knows what she wants and she knows what she needs to do in order to get it. The determination and dedication that we see from her for her love of track really reflects what kind of person she is. 

To be honest, the whole ‘drama’ thing that was going on throughout the book didn’t really do anything for me. It just felt silly and not that believable. I’m not saying it couldn’t happen in real life, but there were just too many loop holes.

Emma, Colin and Todd were characters that were truly developed throughout the book and I felt that I could relate to them. All the other characters, I felt,  were on a need to know basis and we just knew simple surface things about them. Eileen Cook did a great job with the pacing of the story and it never felt like the plot was dragging or being too slow. Right from the beginning something already happened and the our ride began.

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Cover Reveal: Twisted Summer

Twisted Summer
Lucy V. Morgan
Publication date:  March 31st 2013
Genre: Dark New Adult Romance

Synopsis:

You have to understand that we never meant for it to happen. We knew it was stupid. We knew it was wrong.

Eighteen-year-old Danni Warren has big plans for her last summer before college: a cool job, a concert she wouldn’t miss for the world, and spending time with her beautiful girlfriend, Esme. But after one hell of an argument, Danni’s mother packs her off to stay with her estranged step-uncle, Gabe, in his lodge on the coast. So begins a weekend of the worst punishment imaginable: no phone signal.

With his sunkissed good looks and sarcastic manner, twenty-nine-year-old Gabe isn’t anything like Danni expected. She wants to hate him—he’s her punishment for standing up to her mother—but between surfing lessons and beach hikes, they grow close. Maybe too close.

Now Danni’s questioning everything: old family secrets, her future, her strained relationship with Esme. One sun stained afternoon, Gabe and Danni go too far. And then everything else falls apart…

AUTHOR BIO

Lucy writes sharp contemporary fiction. She is a Lyrical Press author and a screenwriter. When not torturing her characters, she swims a lot and reads a lot more. She’s still trying to kick her dirty Pepsi habit. 

Lucy is working on two new novels and her paranormal television series, BLOOD FIZZ POP, has been optioned by Midsummer Films.

Initially, Lucy thought that talking about herself in the third person would seem pretentious, but finds she is DRUNK ON THE POWER. She will now be going for a lie down.

Personal Thoughts: The cover looks like it would be great for a summer read. 🙂

Waiting on Wednesday: All I Need

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

All I Need by Susane Colasanti

Publication Date: May 21, 2013

Publisher: Viking Juvenile

The last night of summer is only the beginning.

Skye wants to meet the boy who will change her life forever. Seth feels their instant connection the second he sees her. When Seth starts talking to Skye at the last beach party of the summer, it’s obvious to both of them that this is something real. But when Seth leaves for college before they exchange contact info, Skye wonders if he felt the same way she did—and if she will ever see him again. Even if they find their way back to each other, can they make a long-distance relationship work despite trust issues, ex drama, and some serious background differences?

Teen favorite Susane Colasanti returns to the alternating-voice style of her beloved debut When It Happens in this Serendipity-inspired story about summer, soul mates, and the moments that change our lives forever.

Personal Thoughts: This looks like it is going to be another great read by Susane Colasanti. I haven’t read too many books by her but there is still time to test the waters out before this one comes out.  I love the cover with the heart drawn in the sand by the water. 🙂