With regular internet and electricity outages in El Nido, podcasts and books are my main sources of entertainment. I have to admit that I do miss high speed internet, Hulu/Netflix (I don’t watch tv at all anymore), and going to the movies, but this will probably be the only chance in my life where I can truly unplug, so I’m trying to appreciate and take advantage of this opportunity.

I didn’t read a single book the first 4 months of this year, but I’m making up for lost time and have been reading up a storm lately. These are some of my recent book recommendations — 7 are nonfiction/memoirs and 5 are fiction (though one of them is a trilogy so it’s technically 7 books).

june books

1) When Breath Becomes Air (2016) – Brilliant young neurosurgeon Paul Kalinithi started writing this book after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer, but he wasn’t able to complete it before his untimely death. Kalanithi and his wife decide to have their first child when his first course of treatment appears promising; he could have 1 year to live or he could have 10 and he wrestles with what to do with the rest of his life when he doesn’t know how much time he has left. He is an equally gifted writer as he is a neurosurgeon, and his story will leave you inspired and heartbroken.

2) Blackout – Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget (2015) – Sarah Hepola shares a look back at her life as an alcoholic writer in New York City, focusing on the blackouts that regularly left her with chunks of no memories. A smartly written, brutally honest, and self-aware memoir, I think many people will be able to relate to Hepola’s story and struggles even if they aren’t alcoholics.

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3) Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness (2013) – 24 year old New York Post reporter Susanah Calahan contracts a mysterious and rare brain disease that attacks her mind and her body. She wakes up in a hospital bed with no memories of how she got there, but is able to piece together what happened through video footage, journals and interviews with her family and boyfriend. Brain on Fire is terrifying for the hypochondriac in me (she miraculously gets the right diagnosis eventually), but this is a page turner that will keep you hooked until the end. 

4) Coming Clean (2014) – Kimberly Rae Miller’s memoir is about growing up in Long Island appearing completely normal to outsiders, but hiding a secret squalid home life with parents that are hoarders. I’m drawn to books where the characters overcome adversity, and I really enjoyed Miller’s story. The author’s compassion towards her parents reminded me of another must read memoir, The Glass Castle.

5) Scar Tissue (2005) – I grew up in Los Angeles and I’ve always been a huge Red Hot Chili Peppers fan. Lead singer Anthony Keidis has led one crazy life — it’s amazing that he’s even alive today! Lots of drugs, sex, and rock and roll, and a very entertaining read. (Check them out on Car Pool Karaoke and if you’re not watching this regular James Cordon feature yet — the best thing on late night tv! — you must!)

6) 438 Days (2015) – I love survival and adventure memoirs like 438 Days. This is the true story of a Mexican fisherman who survived 438 days drifting at sea by eating turtles, birds, and fish. It is truly unbelievable and shows just how strong a person’s will is to live.

7) Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage (1959) – Another survival memoir, this book was actually first published over 50 years ago. It tells the tale of how Captain Shackleton kept his men alive both on and off the ship Endurance in Antarctica for over a year. It’s truly an incredible story and a must read.

8) The Art of Racing in the Rain (2009) – The Art of Racing in the Rain is a novel told from the perspective of Enzo, the dog with an old soul, who believes he is destined to be reincarnated as a human in his next life. As a dog lover I loved Enzo’s insights on people and their lives. The title of the book refers to Enzo’s master’s passion and profession and while all the talk about car racing got a little slow to me after awhile, the book was still very enjoyable.

9) Me Before You (2012) – If you haven’t read this hugely popular novel yet, it’s great as a summer beach read. It’s not light and fluffy, but it is a page turning, albeit heartbreaking, love story.

10) Red Rising Trilogy (2014) – This was recommended to me on the boards and it did not disappoint! I pretty much read each book in one day. If you’re a fan of science fiction or The Hunger Games, you will love this trilogy.

11) Mr. Mercedes (2014) – I hadn’t read a Stephen King book in over 20 years and wanted to check out his more recent books because I’ve always been a fan of his writing. This is a smart, suspenseful thriller that I really enjoyed, and I’ll definitely be reading more Stephen King books in the future!

12) A Man Called Ove (2014) – This is a sweet story about a grumpy old man you can’t help but love. He finds that his life is not worth living after the death of his beloved wife, but this curmudgeon eventually finds meaning through helping the random assortment of characters that live in his neighborhood.

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I recently found out that Mr. Bee and I could share Kindle libraries, as well as add 2 kids to our family account. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that before because I had a lot of unfinished books under his account! This is what’s currently on my Kindle reading queue:

Books I’ve started but haven’t finished yet because they’ve started a little slow, but I know I just need to power through.

Highly rated books that I had on Mr. Bee’s Kindle account. I know I will love The Boys on the Boat because it’s right up my alley.

Purchased because I was interested in reading them (I’m more of a nonfiction gal):

Purchased through Amazon Kindle sales ($2-$4) because Kindle purchases can really add up! Some are bestsellers I never got around to reading and some I wouldn’t have discovered if it weren’t for sales:

And I have a bunch of classics whose copyrights have expired that are available for free on Kindle (great books like A Tale of Two Cities and Jane Eyre!). Also check out this database which has over 50,000 classic books for free download! When I moved here I said I would read one classic for every fun book, but I have to admit I’ve only been reading my fun books. But I’m on a mission to reread some of my favorite classics, as well as tackle ones I never got around to reading.

I’m always looking for more recommendations, so please share yours in the comments!