Books To Add To Your Bucket List/ Books

I have recently read an enjoyable book called The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty. I loved it! I loved it so much that I'm insisting it goes on every body's bucket list of books and I'm not going to say a word about it. Must. Read.

A talk with a few friends recently got me thinking that I must write down all of the books I love and continue to recommend to people. So here goes.........

(The following is in the order I read them and not in ranking order) 

The first book is On The Island by Tracey Garvis-Graves. I have read this book three times and would happily read it again tomorrow. I'm not sure what it is in particular that I'm so infatuated with.......the beautifully highlighted by-the-sun setting? The characters? Their journey? I just love it so much.
I first read it a long while ago (when I was at an age when I thought reading 'wasn't cool') and I remember how I was utterly gripped. 
Highly recommended. Must Read. 

(No photo, unfortunately, I do not own the physical copy of the book)

The next book that holds a place in my head and heart is The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins. For this post I am going to focus on the first of the three, easing you into the extraordinary story. I am sure you've heard of this story or seen the books but I cannot stress enough how brilliant the books are. It is told from the perspective of Katniss: a young girl who lives in a poor district where she is the core provider for her family. She lives in one of the 12 districts that provide supplies for the dominant Capitol. As well as supplies, each district has to offer one boy and one girl (ages 12-18) to 'fight 'til the death' in an arena once a year; leaving one remaining victor. The boy and girl are to be chosen at random from a fishbowl of names. 
When explaining this plot to friends I realize how monstrous and frightening it sounds but believes me this book is absolutely captivating.
Every now and then I will hear or see something and it will remind me of a moment in the book and think about that fact makes my heart warm. It's even better when you're with someone who's read the book and you both react to the same thing.

(The tattered cover is because I bought the book from a charity shop #NoRegrets)

Much like The Hunger Games book (where I see/hear things that remind me of the story) this next book does much the same. I even find myself referencing parts in my everyday life or mishearing things because they sound like a word/name from the story, for example, someone says 'That's ridiculous' or 'Are you serious?' and I hear 'Riddikulus!' and 'Sirius'. You may have guessed it, the next book I adore is Harry Potter by J.K Rowling. My absolute favorites from the series are The Prisoner Of Azkaban and The Half-Blood Prince. I've spoken about these two on here a little bit recently so won't say too much now.
I remember the final day of reading these two and on both of those days I read a few chapters in one go; if you've read them you will know that these chapters are long. When reading the Half-Blood Prince I actually got a sunburn on just my reading thumb*. Good times.

Another book that warms my cockles (i don't 100% understand what that means but it's just another term for 'makes me happy') is On The Other Side by Carrie Hope Fletcher. This is the first ever book to make me cry. 
It's about Evie who passes away and is taken to the after-life which, in her case, is the stage of her life where she was at her happiest. She gets to the doors of her 'haven' but can't get through the door to the other side. Evie realizes that she must lighten her heavy soul and 'unburden herself of three secrets'.
I've had this book in my grasp again recently (to take the below photo) and it's made me want to read it again. 
This book has been classed as Adult Fiction and includes magic realism. Shouldn't everybody, young and old, have magic in their lives? That's rhetorical, you know we should.

(Isn't the front cover absolutely beautiful!)

The second book ever to make me cry and one of my favorites is Billy And Me by Giovanna Fletcher. It's such a lovely read and recommended after reading something heavy. 
It's about Sophie, she lives in a small village and, I feel I'm right in saying, she is a little stuck in her ways. Enters famous actor Billy Buskin who arrives in the little village, instantaneously shining the spotlight on the quiet and quaint town and turning around Sophie's day to day life. 
When in the midst of reading this treasure I remember thinking 'i wonder how those characters are getting on?' and 'i just want to get back to those characters'.
This book is just as wonderful as the author. Without hesitation, highly recommended.

The final book I am going to mention is All That She Can See by Carrie Hope Fletcher. I have recently collected this book from the pile of joy to help me in my recent project (more on this soon!). Like On The Other Side, it's made me really want to read it again. It's similar to On The Other Side in the way that magic realism is incorporated. This book focuses on mental health and gives each issue a mental image in the form of a creature. 

Cherry, the main character, is a baker. But, she is no ordinary baker. She is able to see emotions in physical monstrous forms, called Meddlums. Cherry infuses good feelings into her bakes and gives them to people in need of a certain ingredient, shrinking their negative emotions (aka Meddlums) and healing the receivers heart. 

It's a truly magnificent book and I find that the actions Carrie has given to the Meddlums just make so much sense; you will understand what I mean after you have read it. Ugh, I just adore it so much!

I thought it was only right to end this by mentioning the book I am reading at the moment which is The Forever House by Veronica Henry. I have got to a stage where my heart has settled from the book before (hmm......still not 100% over it but can let that rest) and I am well into this story where it's not too new; I'm getting to know these characters. 
I am fully enjoying this book. It's nice to read something that's not so heavy (figuratively). It already has my stamp of approval and is at the ready to be recommended in my next book chat. I do Love books!

(Do excuse me if any information about the books is incorrect. These are books I've read in the fairly recent past and so trying to remember bits and pieces was a little difficult). 

*Reading thumb: the thumb holding down the page and, in this case, in the view of the sun.