Here were my favorites, in no particular order. (You'll notice that some of these are bit old. Whatevs.)
Real Friends
Shannon Hale
Despite working at Insurance with her husband, Dean, I've never read any of Shannon Hale's books (though I did watch the movie of Austenland, which was pretty good). Traci bought this graphic novel for 12-year-old Paige. I don't think she liked it too much — you might not appreciate a memoir about how cruel children and siblings can be when you're still a child — but I thought it was wonderful.
Old Records Never Die: One Man's Quest for His Vinyl and His Past
Eric Spitznagel
It's not unusual for guys to hit a midlife crisis and want to listen to all the records they had as a teenager. But instead of just buying replacements of his old vinyl, Spitznagel tries to track down the actual records that he sold over the years.
It's a heart warmer for anyone who's ever been in love with their record collection.
Goliath
Tom Gauld
It's a graphic novel and the premise is pretty simple. What if, instead of being a big, scary bully, Goliath was just a regular dude (an adminstrative assistant, in fact) who didn't really want to fight? It's a nice twist on an old tale. Took me about 20 minutes to read. Twenty minutes well spent.
Hostage
Guy Delisle
I've read a few of Guy Deslisle's graphic novels. They were okay. But this one, basically a biography of a dude working for Doctors Without Borders' who was kidnapped, was pretty compelling.
Snotgirl, Vol. I
Bryan O'Malley
After I fell in love with Scott Pilgrim series, I read all things Bryan O'Malley. His latest is Snotgirl, about a fashion blogger with a sinus problem. Gross premise, but I'm a sucker for any story that feels like it could be an episode of Gossip Girl or 90210. Can't wait for Vol. II!
The Sun is Also a Star
Nicola Yoon
Sometimes when I read books about teenagers I'm like, "These teenagers are so dumb." And then I realize that I'm almost 40 years old and still reading Young Adult fiction. Whatevs.
Despite me largely agreeing with the horrible parents in this book — the kids should worry more about college than teenage romance, silly kids! — this was a page-turner for me.
Everything, Everything
Nicola Yoon
After I turned all the pages of The Sun is Also a Star, I turned to Nicola Yoon's next book. Everything, Everything was even better than its predecessor. It's about a girl who can't leave her house because of a rare disease. But, uh-oh, a super cute bad boy moves in next door. You know what's gonna happen next. Or do you? Dun-dun, dunnn. I'd highly recommend this one.
Trump: A Graphic Biography
Ted Rall
Think Trump is crazy? Think Trump is crazy like a fox? This graphic novel is a quick crash course on who Trump was before he was the leader of the free world.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
John Boyne
Spoiler alert. When you read a book about Jews and World War II, crying is likely to follow — even when the story is told by a little boy. I've got the movie sitting in my Netflix queue, but I have to wait to watch it until no one is home, in case my eyes start sweating.
Confessions of a Latter-Day Virgin: A Memoir
Nicole Hardy
It can be tough to be a Mormon. And even tougher to be an unwed 40-year-old Mormon. This is a pretty honest look at the struggles single people face as they try to fit into a church that puts so much emphasis on marriage and family.
Tranny: Confessions of Punk Rock's Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout
Laura Jane Grace
If you're a punk rock fan, you know that Laura Jane Grace is the lead singer of the band Against Me! And you also know that before she was Laura Jane, she was Thomas Gabel. Fortunately, Thomas Gabel kept a daily journal for years that allowed Laura Jane to beautifully chronicle the transition. An added bonus, Tranny also offers a great look at the inner workings of a band who went from being loved by their fans to nearly killed by them. Crusty anarchy punks. Pfft.
Hostage
Guy Delisle
I've read a few of Guy Deslisle's graphic novels. They were okay. But this one, basically a biography of a dude working for Doctors Without Borders' who was kidnapped, was pretty compelling.
Snotgirl, Vol. I
Bryan O'Malley
After I fell in love with Scott Pilgrim series, I read all things Bryan O'Malley. His latest is Snotgirl, about a fashion blogger with a sinus problem. Gross premise, but I'm a sucker for any story that feels like it could be an episode of Gossip Girl or 90210. Can't wait for Vol. II!
The Sun is Also a Star
Nicola Yoon
Sometimes when I read books about teenagers I'm like, "These teenagers are so dumb." And then I realize that I'm almost 40 years old and still reading Young Adult fiction. Whatevs.
Despite me largely agreeing with the horrible parents in this book — the kids should worry more about college than teenage romance, silly kids! — this was a page-turner for me.
Everything, Everything
Nicola Yoon
After I turned all the pages of The Sun is Also a Star, I turned to Nicola Yoon's next book. Everything, Everything was even better than its predecessor. It's about a girl who can't leave her house because of a rare disease. But, uh-oh, a super cute bad boy moves in next door. You know what's gonna happen next. Or do you? Dun-dun, dunnn. I'd highly recommend this one.
Trump: A Graphic Biography
Ted Rall
Think Trump is crazy? Think Trump is crazy like a fox? This graphic novel is a quick crash course on who Trump was before he was the leader of the free world.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
John Boyne
Spoiler alert. When you read a book about Jews and World War II, crying is likely to follow — even when the story is told by a little boy. I've got the movie sitting in my Netflix queue, but I have to wait to watch it until no one is home, in case my eyes start sweating.
Confessions of a Latter-Day Virgin: A Memoir
Nicole Hardy
It can be tough to be a Mormon. And even tougher to be an unwed 40-year-old Mormon. This is a pretty honest look at the struggles single people face as they try to fit into a church that puts so much emphasis on marriage and family.
Tranny: Confessions of Punk Rock's Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout
Laura Jane Grace
If you're a punk rock fan, you know that Laura Jane Grace is the lead singer of the band Against Me! And you also know that before she was Laura Jane, she was Thomas Gabel. Fortunately, Thomas Gabel kept a daily journal for years that allowed Laura Jane to beautifully chronicle the transition. An added bonus, Tranny also offers a great look at the inner workings of a band who went from being loved by their fans to nearly killed by them. Crusty anarchy punks. Pfft.
And here are a few to add to the so-so pile.
- Origins, Dan Brown. This is basically the Da Vinci Code (and Angels & Demons and Digital Fortress) with different characters. Very long-winded and preachy.
- On Bowie, Rob Sheffield. I love Rob Sheffield, but I only really love Bowie for Labyrinth.
And here's one I hated.
- #GIRLBOSS, Sophia Amoruso. The Netflix series was lighthearted and fun. The book was bor-ring.
And here's one that I hated at first, but kinda liked by the end.
- Cat Person, Seo Kim. Read my post about it here.
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