This was a tough one for me. I have read so many books through the years that have made an impression. Some of them were good, some of them terrible.
The Lake House by Kate Morton
Kate Morton is a fabulous writer. There is not a book that I have read of hers that did not plunge me into the story and leave me wondering when I put it down if there was a clue I had missed. The Lake House was the first book by Kate Morton that I read, and it was a good one to start with. The books that I have read have all taken place in England, which is a place I am fascinated with. I've never visited England, but someday I hope to. She weaves current day into history into her stories and when the story ends; it leaves a remarkable revelation. A few others that I have read by Kate Morton are The Clockmaker's Daughter, The Secret Keeper, and The Forgotten Garden. Most recently out is Homecoming, and I've picked it up but have not delved into it yet. I have high hopes that it's equally good as the other books I have read by this author.
Too Late by Colleen Hoover
This one shook me. It took me at least a week to unwind my brain from it. The book starts with a warning from Colleen Hoover about triggers. For people who have been through any type of psychological abuse, it could be a tough read. You can't help but to be drawn to the villain, even though his actions become increasingly frightening as he becomes more fixated on the main character. It is extremely graphic in some of her parts, some of which I could not get out of my head. To say it shook me may put it mildly. Although it was an excellent book, and a story, I would caution anyone who has been through a damaging relationship like she notes in the beginning. Reading it could be a trigger, but it was very well-written. I've read a lot of Hoover's books. They are quick and good reads. A few others that stuck with me are Layla, Verity, Without Merit, Confess, and Maybe Someday.
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
I have to admit that it has been quite a while since I have read The Night Circus, but this book is so colorful that you will want your own copy of it. A circus appears without warning and it contains two people who fall in love, but it isn't a romance novel. Read it. She just released The Starless Sea, which I also bought but have not read, either. It's in my big stack of books to read when I get to it.
Mudvein by Tarryn Fisher
This is possibly my favorite book, but I first read it on a Nook so I don't have a copy of it and it's been on my wishlist to buy ever since. If you like a good mystery, like Kate Morton, Mudvein would be a good one. It's about a novelist who wakes up on her birthday locked in a house in the middle of the snow with her kidnapper nowhere to be found. It will never end how you think it ends. You're probably thinking Misery by Stephen King, but you'd be wrong. It's nothing like it. As the author brings you through clues, you will not–I repeat–end how you think it ends.
These are the books that notably have left a lasting impression on me. There are countless other books and authors I have enjoyed thoroughly, and it would depend entirely on what genre or genres you like to read. I would like to think if you're reading my blog, you like romantic suspense and/or historical romance. I recommend Nora Roberts for romantic suspense. She's written quite a few memorable books that I have on my bookshelves. Historical romance is broad. It depends on how sappy or how much sex you want in your reading material. I would be remiss if I didn't mention Diana Gabaldon and her Outlander series, but those are very lengthy books. I take a long time to read just one. They are highly, highly detailed. Julia Quinn, Johanna Lindsey, Kathleen Woodiwiss, Connie Mason and Brenda Joyce are all good for historical romance. Happy reading!