I read mostly fiction and mystery from all around the world with a lot of non-fiction history and social issues thrown in. Anything that someone tells me is good. I am a sucker for peer book pressure.
Shane's Picks by Category: Mystery, Fiction & World Fiction, Non-Fiction, Kids & YA, For Eclectic Taste
All of Shane's picks here (in one giant list).
Shane's 5 Favorite Reads in 2018
I suspected every single character possible of being the killer throughout the course of the book. Everyone has their reasons and their reason to be the suspect. I thought it was brilliant. The characters are so wonderful and some of them are dastardly. The setting is perfect. I did not know that a dark sky park existed, but I want to go to one so bad! If you have a rational or irrational fear, this book will make you feel so comfortable with it (unless you are afraid of murder or the dark). Definitely a must read for your mystery pleasure.
The Great Believers will be a very strong contender for my favorite book of the year. The two storylines are equal in strength. This is a roller coaster of emotion. I had to stop reading because I could not read through my tears. I cannot recommend a book more that will break your heart.
Outside the Wire is a truly unique book with an inspiring story. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The names are familiar to anyone that has lived in Missouri for more than 5 minutes and the stories are soooo good. Some of the people in the book are people that I have had the pleasure of working with. Other people I have had the displeasure of working with (I will not tell you who). The amount of humor and compassion in this book show that Jason truly cares about voters and citizens and wants to make the world a better place.
This book gives an amazing new twist to spy fiction! Absolutely captivating and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Vera is such a unique character living so much of her life in secrecy. This book has been on so many anticipated lists, and now I see exactly why.
This is absolutely not just another book about addiction. Part memoir, part literary bio, part history, Leslie Jamison has the ability to really let you see all of her vulnerability. I honestly did not think I would be as drawn into this book as I was. It helped me to see a new side of humanity and art.
David Sedaris is a master of making you feel embarrassed for humanity. There is no line that cannot be crossed. There is no story too humiliating to share. Plus, he is just such a nice person!
This is amazing historical fiction about something that I did not know was so significant. The Atlanta cultural scene was deeply affected by one plane crash killing a large number of prominent citizens. This book dives into the ramifications of this accident and the many lives it affected. I loved the characters and felt so much compassion for their lives. A truly beautiful work.
Just when you think that you cannot read any more political essays/news, a breath of fresh air comes along. The View From Flyover Country is a collection of essays that give such thorough background on world politics with the hometown feel that is necessary. It explains so much about what I have been thinking and feeling. Very compulsive read!
Curtis' collection of short stories are perfect depictions of today's reality. The flaws of the characters are what makes them most relatable and incredibly realistic. It is hard to pinpoint which one story is my favorite. They are all so good.
I loved this book. I loved the absurdity and the roller coaster of emotion that Adrian provides us with. Collision Theory takes so many twists and turns that I never expected. I almost never expect aliens devoted to Elvis (this is not sci-fi though). Knowing that much of the book was written to Beck's Sea Change album really solidified the tears. Hearing that music as you read scenes packed with emotion made the book all that much more beautiful.
How far apart can two girls be and still keep their bond? Girls Burn Brighter might break your heart, but it will definitely leave you thinking about the story for weeks after. Poornima and Savitha are two incredibly strong girls that are put through the darkest parts of human experience. I don't want to scare you off from reading this remarkable book.
I LOVED THIS BOOK! There is a mystery at the heart of this book, but there is also a lot of math in that mystery. It almost feels like some sort of scavenger hunt that we get to go on with Hazel. This book will make you want to have all of your friends read it so that you can all discuss it. This is one of those books that will please just about any reader (and you will feel so smart).
I'll Be Gone in the Dark redefines the possibility of what a true crime book can be. The book is almost hard to describe because it has so much story behind the story. I have such an appreciation for Michelle and her dedication the story. I cannot wait to see what else happens with the story of the Golden State Killer.
Jewell Parker Rhodes is one of the nicest authors I have ever met. This book has so much emotion and empathy packed into its pages. It is a heart-breaking story that starts so many conversations.
Jenifer Lewis is amazing! Reading about her life and her fame is an inspiration for actors and non-actors alike. She fought and continues to fight to be the diva that she deserves to be. She is from St. Louis, so there is an added hometown feel to the book.
Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue is a rollicking romp through eighteenth century Europe. There are pirates, love, and plenty of "sightseeing". I loved Monty, Percy, and Felicity and all of their antics. I cannot wait for the sequel. This book is a new definition of "happily ever after".
First, do not read this book in its entirety after midnight on a creepy night. Second, do not read this book in an empty house that makes creepy noises when your boyfriend is out of town. Lastly, read this book in its entirety in one sitting and thoroughly enjoy the experience of getting to live in this world with these characters and one ghost and being thoroughly creeped out. You will appreciate the advice.
This will probably be my favorite book of the year (saying that in February is a bit of a risk). It is so perfectly timed where I neither needed the book to speed up or slow down. I took pleasure in every single minute of reading. The characters and the story is heartbreaking and beautiful. This is truly a book that Oprah and I will be telling you to read.
I am still trying to formulate my many thoughts into a blurb for this book. There is something so unique about Morgan and yet this book almost feels universal. She is so open and vulnerable that you feel like you really know her. I feel like she also has some kind of magic ability and insight to make difficult subjects and inject moments of humor into them. This Will Be My Undoing will leave you changed.
Rarely do I find myself reading the sources for a book. When I finished The Monk of Mokha, I was so fascinated with the entire book that I looked up the Frontline documentary and read much more on the topic of Yemen. Eggers chose an incredible subject with plenty of humanity. I worked in coffee for years and did not know much of what Eggers explains.
So dark and chilling! Everything about this book is so incredibly atmospheric. The story unfolds about two women that are so similar and so incredibly different that they are almost shadows of one another. Morocco and the world during this period are changing and that change looms through the whole novel. It was breathtaking.
I just imagine this book being made into a movie like an updated version of Alfred Hitchcock. It has all of the intensity and setup that you crave from Hitchcock with a very modern and timely shakeup. I listened to the audiobook on Libro.fm and loved the narration. It kept me on the edge of my seat!
This is truly an innovative look at a classic love story. The main characters (Claude and Suzanne) of this book were historically way ahead of their time. They were gender fluid pre-WWII!! As far as the secondary characters go, I kept looking up to find more information on these movers and shakers of the European art scene. But the thing that kept me coming back was the love story. It was so inspiring to see love conquer so many battles. This is a book that I will be reading again!
Everyone romanticizes Paris. This book has a way of romanticizing that romance in a way that feels original and mysterious. Truly a book for book lovers and lovers in general. If you have ever dreamed of writing a book or owning a bookstore, let this book show you one of the most bizarre ways to end up doing so.
Jellyfish are way more interesting than I ever imagined. If you need more random facts to tell your friends, this is the book. And Juli Berwald grew up here in St. Louis.
A book dealing with the murder of a child does not immediately scream staff pick, but trust me that this book is incredibly interesting and haunting. The author is completely immersed in the story so it is part memoir and part true crime. She was working with a firm that dealt with capital punishment cases when she first heard of this case. From there, it rocked her entire life bringing out her own past. It is definitely a book that will make you think deeply about your own feelings towards the death penalty.
Allende starts the book and you think it is going to be an innocent love story between two academics. Then she throws in a dead body in a trunk during a snowstorm in New York. Allende is a master of her craft. She is also the only author so far that has called me bossy!
This book altered my imagination! I don't read a lot of post-apocalyptic fiction, but I know that this is definitely on the list of must reads. It isn't even really post-apocalyptic in the way that you might be imagining. It is just like if women developed this ability and the world that we know immediately changes. This book is what happens when the whole world changes.
It won the Bailey's Prize for Women's Fiction which is quickly becoming my list of favorite books.