Tuesday, August 7, 2018

Top Ten Tuesday: Some Favorite Adult Books

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's topic is...

Some Favorite Adult Books!


I read a lot, but I don't always read YA books. I actually enjoy mixing it up, and I have read some really great books outside of YA. I don't often scream about my adult reads, well not here on the blog at least, but there have been many deserving of my praise. Without further adieu, here are some of my 5-star reads from my adult shelf.

The Husband's Secret
Liane Moriarty
Series: n/a
Publisher: Berkley

To be perfectly honest, I only have one Moriarty book rated under 5-stars, so all are worthy of praise. This is a prime example of what LM does so well. The way she weaves all these people's lives together, and then hits you a twist, which leaves you with your jaw on the floor.

I've Got Your Number
Sophie Kinsella
Series: n/a
Publisher: The Dial Press

Kinsella is one of those authors, if she writes it, I will read it. I  became a fan via her Shopaholic books, but I think her stand-alones have been even bigger hits with me. This book had all Kinsella's signature elements, and I really loved how this search led to Poppy coming into her own.

I Let You Go
Clare Mackintosh
Series: n/a
Publisher: Berkley

I thought the way Mackintosh structured this book was brilliant. It amped up the tension and really kept me guessing. This one had me all over the place emotion wise. I shed a few tears, I gasped in horror, I bit my nails in fear. It's was fantastic!

The Kiss Quotient
Helen Hoang
Series: n/a
Publisher: Berkley

Believe the hype! This book was stupendous! This book so funny, so sexy, so sweet, so heartfelt, and just all around amazing. I was drawn into this story from the very beginning, and once I started, I found it really hard to stop.

Smothered
Autumn Chiklis
Series: n/a
Publisher: Wednesday Books

This book was so much fun! Lou's story was amusing, but also relatable, and it left me in high spirits. A delightful tale, which I think could appeal to both mothers and daughters, as well as new graduates, who are beginning their post graduate lives.


Love, Rosie
Cecelia Ahern
Series: n/a
Publisher: Hachette Books

I have a deep-seated love for characters, who share a lot of history, and this love story was spread out over 45 years! This book made me nuts, but I loved it! I spent so many years following Rosie, through her ups and downs, that I had really become invested in her well being. I cried for her. I cheered for her. I spat out cuss words for her. I wanted the universe to stop working against this woman. Most of all, I loved Rosie.

Love and Other Words
Christina Lauren
Series: n/a
Publisher: Gallery Books

This is another second chance type romance, where the characters had a storied history. This book was beautiful and heartbreaking and it just filled my heart with so much joy. Nothing but love for this one. 

After You
Julie Buxbaum
Series: n/a
Publisher: The Dial Press

I considered myself a solid Buxbaum fan after this book. I just really appreciate her storytelling. There is just something about the way she allows the story to unfold, and the way the characters react and interact. She does such a good job expressing the complexity of the relationships present in the story. She broke and mended and broke my heart again and again, and she did so in such a wonderful way.

One Plus One
Jojo Moyes
Series: n/a
Publisher: Penguin Books

I have enjoyed many books by Moyes, but this one still stands out for me. This is a story about family, and how it comes in all shapes and sizes. This is a story about not giving up, even when it looks like there is no hope. This is a story about survival, whether it be physically, mentally, or financially. This is story about being different, embracing those differences, and using them to your advantage. Most of all, this is story about love: love between siblings, parents and children, a man and a woman. A fun, "awwww" invoking read. I was smiling, laughing, and feeling pretty optimistic at the end of this one.

Letting In Light
Emma Davies
Series: n/a
Publisher: Lake Union

What a beautiful story! This was such a charming story of healing, love, forgiveness, and friendship. I was smiling and feeling all the feels during this book. This book was like a warm hug, and it made me all warm and fuzzy and happy inside.

What are some of your favorite adult books?
Let us know in the comments!

52 comments:

  1. The Husband's secret *nods*. I read this one right after Big Little Lies, and it was hard to top that one, but I really liked it. Between the two of them Moriarty became a must- buy author for me. And I've been meaning to read Mackintosh, I keep seeing good things about her stuff.

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    1. I have enjoyed all of Mackintosh's books. She was previously in law enforcement, and her experience shows in the details she includes in her stories. She writes a really great suspense-mystery. Totally recommend her.

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  2. Heh, adult books Sam, who knew ;) AND not to mention, some titles that sound lovely, and that I didn't know of before. Do you review adult books elsewhere, btw?

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    1. I mix it up, but I stay loyal to the WLABB vision by focusing on YA. My reviews are all on Goodreads. I recently started linking to any reviews I do not feature in my Sunday post

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  3. Oh I enjoyed some of these too. Loved the Husband's Secret, Kiss Quotient, One Plus One and Love and Other Words. I need to get to I Let You Go.

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    1. All Mackintosh's books were great, but her first still stands out. It left me a little dumbfounded when I realized what was going on. Loved it!

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  4. I just adored Love and Other Words. And I would like to read The Kiss Quotient. Sadly our library doesn't have it yet. :(

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    1. I listened to the audio fir TKQ via Hoopla, and it was really well done

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  5. I've read everything by Mackintosh and she constantly impresses me. Love and Other Words is one of my favorites, as is TKQ!

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    1. Mackintosh is definitely good at building the tension and throwing some curves

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  6. I have definitely been mixing it up with adult books. Lol I definitely read BLL but can't remember if I read the Husband's Secret. Even though I read they synopsis I am still not sure...
    Jen Ryland Reviews

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    1. I have read all LM's books, and I will continue to read them all, because they are fantastic

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  7. I wish more bloggers would talk about adult books. YA books tend to take over the blogosphere.

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

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    1. I read a lot of adult books, but most of them are romance. ☺

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  8. The Husband's Secret sounds intriguing! Here is our Top Ten Tuesday

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    1. It was great, but the ending!!!! It's just something LM does well

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  9. OMG I REALLY REALLY NEED TO READ THE KISS QUOTIENT!!! I've been hearing nothing but amazing things--I love light, fun romance reads. ♥ And I haven't read the book, but the Love, Rosie movie gave me ALL THE FEELS. I may or may not have watched it 5 times already. Heh.

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    1. I want to see the Love, Rosie movie, but I fear there will be tears. The book was really emotional for me

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  10. Fun topic. I love adult books. I own Love, Rosie and need to read it ASAP. I also have Smothered on my wish list so I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed it. :)

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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    1. Smothered is a good book to read if you are looking to laugh. Very, very funny

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  11. Wow, I've only read three of these but they are three good ones. Cecelia Ahern is a favourite author of mine anyway and I enjoyed Love, Rosie. And I've Got Your Number was a great Sophie Kinsella book, I've found some of her newer books haven't quite matched that standard. The one everyone can love though is The Kiss Quotient though. I will be rereading that one for years I think.

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    1. I am a solid Ahern and Kinsella fan. The later Shopaholic books were missing a little of Becky's charm, but I thought Surprise Me was great.

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  12. The Kiss Quotient is lovely. Especially if you just finish reading a bunch of dark YA books.

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    1. The book was really exceptional. It was so much more than I expected, and surprised me in the best way possible.

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  13. When I hear "adult books" the first author that come to mind would be Aly Martinez. She has a lot of beautiful, heart wrenching and emotionally damaging books. Fun times ;)

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    1. I think I have a book by here, but have not read it. She's really big among the romance readers I mingle with.

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  14. I enjoyed One Plus One way more than I thought I would. I generally love anything by Liane Moriarty and Sophie Kinsella!

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    1. Me Before You was my gateway Moyes book, but there was just something really beautiful about One Plus One. Without a dying character, you don't have the same level of emotion, but it did indeed pack quite an emotional punch.

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  15. Goodness, this list made me realize how many adult books I really want to read! I have yet to read anything by Liane Moriarty OR Jojo Moyes, and that is pretty sad. And I definitely want to read The Kiss Quotient! Funny thing, I have read Christina Lauren, Cecelia Ahern, and Sophie Kinsella, but all YA stuff. Which again, is a fail hah. One of these days, Sam. I'll get my act together! Fabulous list!

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    1. LM is so fantastic! I guess you could call her women's fiction, but there is always this air of mystery in all her novels. So good!

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  16. I haven't read any of these, but I've read one Moyes book. Maybe I'll have to read more of her in the future. :)

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  17. I don't read much adult fiction either, so this is a fun topic! Thanks for sharing :D

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    1. I try to read at least one adult book a week, but I have a bunch of favorite authors.

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  18. I've read some of these or other books by these authors. Fantastic list. I need to try Moriarty's book. I've loved others by her.

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    1. I am chomping at the bit for the new Moriarty book. It seems like forever since her last one.

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  19. I agree, The Kiss Quotient lived up to the hype! One Plus One is another favorite of mine! It was funny and at times heart wrenching! Wonderful list, Sam! :)

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    1. I think Moyes always does the blend of happy and sad well, but I really fell in love with the non-traditional family element of One Plus One and well, math for the win.

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  20. I need to read LM. I just picked up I've Got Your Number! It took me a minute to realize it took place in England. Haha.

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    1. I think all but maybe 2 of Kinsella's books (both Shopaholic books) take place in England. I always was an anglophile

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  21. You mentioned some of my favorites! LOVE The Kiss Quotient, obviously. I also have enjoyed all of Clare Mackintosh's books, but I think I Let You Go is my favorite of hers, too. I've Got Your Number is the cutest! I still have yet to read anything by Liane Moriarty, but I know The Husband's Secret is a favorite of lots of people whose reading tastes I trust.

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    1. LM is brilliant! I cannot scream about her books enough. I feel like the others are living in the shadow of Big Little Lies, but only one was less than 5 stars for me (it was 4)

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  22. The Kiss Quotient is the only one of these I've read so far, and I loved it. Almost all of the others are on my TBR though. Sounds like I have some good books to look forward to :)

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    1. Apparently, I have a thing for non-US authors. It's good that Hoang won one of the few US spots on my list.

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  23. I read lots of romance that I don't review. They are my fun reads. I do plan on getting to The Kiss Quotient but I'm SO bad with book hype that I'm waiting until I don't remember hearing anything about it lol

    Karen @ For What It's Worth

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    1. I say something about all the books I read over on GoodReads, but I am trying to respect the YA thing the WLABBers established here. TKQ was so wonderful. Seriously, just thinking about it puts a stupid grin on my face.

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  24. I will be picking up The Kiss Quotient at some point. It's starting to feel like everyone's read it but me.

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    1. I was expecting a normal, schmexy romance, but the emotional depth and the layers each character had was incredible. PLUS the ASD rep was so good. I loved it.

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  25. I have yet to jump into the adult fiction pond too much, but I might have to check out a few of these. They sound like they could a lot of fun. Great picks, Sam! :)

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    1. I have always mix, thought I must admit, most of my adult reads are romance book. Every once in a while some popular fiction will catch my eye, and I have found a few authors that are now must reads for me.

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  26. I haven't read any of these yet but I actually didn't know the Kiss Quotient was an adult read and not actually a YA! I learned something new from this post :D

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    1. Uh, The Kiss Quotient is VERY adult. It's about an autistic woman, who hires a male escort to help her with sexual encounters, but it turns into so much more. The emotional depth of the story really shocked me, and the ASD rep was excellent (as it was #OwnVoices)

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