Five Good Books

I like books. I've been reading quite a few of them recently. Here are five of them, in case you need something to read.

1) The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Not that I ever doubted this book for a second, but I have this weird process with John Green's books, and it's similar to the way I read Neil Gaiman's stuff. I tend to put it down in the middle for weeks on end. I get bored. The ending always grabs me again, and I finish the book with newfound enthusiasm. The Fault in Our Stars took me instantly into the story. I never got bored. I felt every emotion ever. I cried a little. I laughed a lot. It was brilliant, and whether or not you like YA or have ever read a John Green book before, you need to go read this book. Right now.

2) Bossypants by Tina Fey

I'm not usually one for autobiographies. Especially ones by comedians. See, the same jokes that can be so funny when told onstage can fall flat and lifeless on the page. But Tina can write, and it was so interesting to read about how she broke into the business. Her life story isn't even close to over, but her journey thus far is definitely worth a read.

3) Is Everyone Hanging out Without Me (and Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling (AKA Kelly from The Office and one of the main writers for the show)

As brilliant as Tina is, I think Mindy's story was better. Her jokes were marvelous and made my friends and I laugh out loud (I read this to a few people while lounging around on the beach). Both she and Tina started as writers (and still are, to my knowledge), but Mindy seemed to be better at it. I think Tina's a better performer, but Mindy does writing like nobody's business. At one point she actually apologized for not being Tina Fey, and I wanted to give her a hug and let her know that no one wanted her to be. Mindy, if you're reading this (and I know you probably aren't), I love you just the way you are.

4) 250 Things You Should Know About Writing by Chuck Wendig

I spend a lot of time at work reading during my break, and this book is easy to pick up and read for a few minutes at a time. Wendig writes in a conversational style. He's witty, sarcastic, and straight to the point. It feels like a man's book to writing, and I imagine the hard copy is all black and blue. I imagine Bobby Singer (from Supernatural) would read the audio version of this book. I enjoy it, and the tips are practical and entertaining.

5) The Golden Lily: A Bloodlines Novel by Richelle Mead

This is one of my candy books. I don't mean to say that it's not as worthy as other books, but the way I read books like this is WAY different from the other four books on the list. I buy it, open it, and have problems putting it down. I immediately fall in love with the characters, develop crushes, and become invested. All within the first paragraph. I loved Vampire Academy, and I love this new series, too. Richelle Mead is just good at writing badass stories with badass characters. Granted, her adult series don't interest me in the slightest, but you can bet I'll buy every YA book she ever writes within days of its release.