20 Best Books For Beginning Readers Adults (2023 Update)

You can find this review and other YA book reviews at: http://acasualreader.wordpress.com So I have heard a lot of talk about this book and how wonderful it was and I decided to buy it after seeing it on sale at my local bookstore. After the first 20 pages tragedy strikes. On a wet and snowy Oregon road Mia and her family are in a horrible car accident. As Mia watches from the sidelines she see the accident scene. She see the mangled bodies of her parents younger brother and of herself. Mia is stuck in-between life and death. It's up to her to decide it she should stay here on Earth as an orphan or move on to be with her parents in death. It's her decision should she stay or should she go? The accident in itself was horrific however since I wasn't invested in the characters yet and didn't feel much emotion for them this early in the book I wasn't distraught over it. It's only after you get to know Mia and her family later on in the book when you feel so sad that this has happened to this family. I loved Mia's family and how real they were. They were young parents who loved music and having fun and were a little on the wild side though they were still good parents. Mia was close to her family and enjoyed spending time with them. I adored Adam Mia's boyfriend. Forman showed how true and honest their love and relationship was. It was more than a high school romance. They loved each other for what they had in common music. Adam and his band who played punk rock and Mia who played Cello and love for classical. They loved each other more for their differences which brought them so much closer. The emotions that Mia's family and friends go though surrounding this terrible accident are so gut wrenching. It raw and painful honest. There is a scene or two with Mia's grandparents that brought a few tears to my eyes but the ending of the book had me crying like a baby. It was satisfying and you fully understand why she made the choice she didÖ I do have to mention that there will be a second book to this story told in Adam's POV which is due out in April 2011 called Where She Went. This book sounds like it's going to be just as fantastic as If I Stay. Also let me point out that after I finished If I Stay I read the synopsis to Where She Went and proceeded to cry my eyes out even more. This book left me raw with such emotion that I was in tears for about an hour. I would say that if you have not already read If I stay DO NOT read the synopsis to book #2. It will ruin the ending for you in If I Stay. I can't recommend this book enough. There are no words to describe how heartbreaking and beautiful this story truly is. This is a story you have to read!Loni

Gayle Formans writing has really impressed many, starting from If I Stay to Where She Went, which is the continuation of If I Stay, but with a twist, Where She Went is from Adams point of view. The way Gayle describes every moment really helps the reader feel as if they are in the book watching over the characters. Her writing opens up the readers imagination and allows them to picture every moment in their heads perfectly. Every action and position portrayed is specifically set up in the readers mind and they have a little movie playing in their heads. This isnt like most books with regular chapters, the entire story is set by times and has constant flashbacks from Mias memories with her boyfriend, Adam, her best friend, Kim, and her family. Almost half of the book consists of her memories randomly approaching into the mix. Starting with 7:09am If I Stay starts off introducing Mia, the main character, a devoted cellist, and her family. She has a little brother, Teddy, and not so average parents due to their rock n roll past. A snow day starts off the setting and school is cancelled which means her father is home as well because he dropped his crazy life style for his family and became a teacher. Mias mother decides to stay home too and they plan to visit old friends andhave dinner with their grandparents. At, 8:17am the family gets on the road and the only thought is what music should be playing. Of course her parents want some rock n roll while Mia wants Beethoven and Teddy, well he wants Spongebob. Completely unexpected, a huge truck crashes into the family car. I feel that after the crash everything has changed and Mia is now simply running around and chasing her body and her familys bodies around. When you begin reading, you will believe that this book is going to be happy with a few issues here and there, but that is obviously not the case. The accident along with the memories with her boyfriend, Adam, give off a sad vibe. It may be weird, but this book can relate to many, not in the sense where there was a car accident and we have a choice whether to stay or leave, but we make choices everyday. This choice is just a matter of life and death and on an everyday basis, we cant really choose to stay or leave our lives unless you believe suicide is the way to go with your life. We make hard decisions every second, whether it is how to help someone or whether to help them at all. Difficult situations could be like choosing to end a relationship. I can relate this book to a relationship because although you have troubles and many thingshave occurred, many will still try to make it work even though there have been so many troubles that have hurt the both of them. Leaving can seem like an easy choice but there is more pain in leaving if you do not want to actually do it or you will miss too much. Leaving can affect your life more intensely than imagined and hurt more than what the original problem was. I feel that she would want to die and leave with her family. Staying and dealing with the losses is more difficult than leaving with them. They can be together in the after life instead of her staying behind while her poor family has left the world. She believes she will be alone if she chooses to stay, but does not realize she has her grandparents, aunt, uncle, Kim, and Adam all by her side. There are more decisions that Mia has to make in the book; it is not only about life and death. She must decide whether she wants to leave for Juilliard, an amazing school that her grandfather told her to audition for even though she wanted to stay local to be with Adam and her family. If she does get expected, she has to decide whether she actually goes, if she can actually leave everyone behind for this amazing offer to be apart of one of the greatest musical schools that could open up millions of opportunities for her. Overall, I believe that If I Stay is great but has flaws that could have been improved. It is extremely sad for me but can also relate to many lives when they are put into a difficult situation and need to make a decision. I recommend this book to mostly teen readers because they are in the same age group as Mia and Adam.katrihovak

This book has a really sad story and I was genuinely intrigued by it. It definitely kept me on my toes and I love how they made a movie out of it as well! If you read this book, be prepared to cry because the characters are very relatable. I definitely recommend this book to other readers.amaya.m

I loved Frances books as a child and now I love reading them to my kids. That's a classic-a book enjoyed by all ages. Her humor and personality are priceless. Unlike too many current books for kids, she doesn't rely on crude/rude/lewd.jband3

Stop pleasing others and live your life! This is the main message throughout the book. A great account of how this lady managed to transform her life by changing her thoughts and behaviour. Sent as a gift from my daughter, I have purchased a further copy to send to my sister. A great message for all I feel. The religious elements were not really for me but I can understand why they were important to the author. A great read and would highly recommend.fairielady63

The chapters were a page and a half each and each had a different story. I only read about a quarter. I am assuming it all come together at the end for a profound meaning, but I found the stopping and starting of chapters hard to wrap my head around and I got bored. Not may books I havent finished. Too long of chapters is also horrible. But year, this book was very hard to read for meLou the avid readert

I am in awe of this book. Of Glennon. Of her story. Of her strength and her weakness and the way she owns it all. I genuinely want to be best friends with her. I feel like she is a fierce friend. Even if she doesn't leave the house. Honestly, that'd be the best thing because I don't really leave that much either. I think this book is a must-read. In a lot of ways, it felt like a conversation Glennon and I were having. Like we were sitting in front of a fireplace or in a coffee shop or at dinner and we were just talking about life and love and what the meaning of it all is, and this is what she was telling me. She was telling me her story, how she survived. How she almost didn't survive. This book is one that I am going to read over and over again for the rest of my life. I will keep it on my desk, next to my bed, in safe spaces to have close. To open when I need it and to just look at when I need a reminder. If I do anything more in this life, my goal is to be friends with Glennon. I think we'd be great.VERONCIA

There was so much hype over this book! I couldn’t wait for my library to release a copy to me. Now, I’m a quarter of the way in and it’s draaaging. There is way too much word salad. The characters aren’t very interesting. How many times can we hear about Gus’s crooked mouth. And the dialogue is so confusing. I’m constantly having to back track to count paragons to see who is talking. I’m going to power thru and see if I enjoy it a tad more and will update my review rating accordinglylori.c

Just finished this book and it was one of my favorites! Kept me engaged, so invested in January as a character and the two main characters in general, always kept me interested and wanting to pick it back up. Thank you for putting these words down, Emily, even when you felt like nothing was there to come out of your brain. An inspiration to keep going even when we think nothing will come of it ✨ I live in Traverse City, MI, and Emily just know someone or have a connection to Northern Michigan because it felt like you were painting a picture of Grand Haven or Holland, MI! I’ve been reading non-fiction mostly and this was a GREAT break. Such a great read – love!clairec

"Here's the thing about writing Happily Ever Afters: it helps if you believe in them. Here's the thing about me: I did until the day of my father's funeral." Beach Read is the first adult novel by American author, Emily Henry. A year ago, January Andrews had a perfect life: "Perfect (cancer-free) parents who called several times a week, tipsy on wine or each other's company. Perfect (spontaneous, multilingual, six foot three) boyfriend who worked in the ER and knew how to make coq au vin. Perfect shabby chic apartment in Queens. Perfect job writing romantic novels- inspired by perfect parents and perfect boyfriend- for Sandy Lowe Books." Now: "I was miserable, broke, semi-homeless, very single, and pulling up to a gorgeous lake house whose very existence nauseated me." Having quit Queens, here she is, at her father's lakeside cottage in North Bear Shores, Michigan for the summer, trying to pack away and sell all trace of her father's infidelity, while overcoming writers' block: she has to get her fifth romance novel written or her agent will seriously lose it. But inspiration is lacking: how can you write about something you are no longer convinced about? While she's made welcome at the village bookstore, the (so-far) faceless interactions with her grumpy neighbour don't help. Worse still, she discovers it's Augustus Everett, writer of serious novels, whose disdain for her genre has been clear since college. And who also seems to be missing his muse. The other little fly in the ointment is the presence of her father's lover in the little town, an attendee at the bookshop owner's "Red Blood, White Russians, and Blue Jeans Book Club" to which January and Gus are invited. How does it come about that January and Gus swap genres? A bet, a dare, a recognition that a change might do the trick and shift their writing doldrums? For five days a week, they each write in the genre they've never tried; on the sixth and seventh days, they show how they research their own,Cloggie Downunder

This book came just in time for my granddaughter to take it on a long car ride!! She was so excited to open the package!beckusjane-8

This little book about the reading life was an absolute delight! I read numerous reviews that contain the words charming, winsome, delightful, lovely, and witty to describe this enjoyable book with which I would wholeheartedly agree. My only complaint, which is not truly a complaint, is that my TBR pile grew greatly during the reading of this book. If you love reading and all things bookish I can highly recommend this jewel of a book. Happy Reading!Angie

Quick read for book nerds. It validated all the reasons I love to read and gave me "permission" to read what I enjoy, not what I think I "should" be reading. This would be a good gift for a reading buddy. Anne gives good book recommendations. If you haven't listened to her podcast, "What Should I Read Next," check it out. I haven't been disappointed in any of the books I've read from her suggestions and many are included in this book.Wendy

Anne Bogel's delightful essay collection speaks the language of book lovers, bookworms, and book people. If you have shelves overflowing with titles you love (and plenty you haven't loved yet except because they're pretty), if you are on a first name basis with the librarian or the a bookshop owner, if you start conversations extolling the virtues of the book you just finished that everyone else should read RIGHT NOW, you need this book in your life. Bogel tells stories of her own reading life, and of the lives of her readers, bringing us all into the best place in the world–among those who love reading. Beware, keep pen and paper (or Goodreads app) handy so you can document everything you will want to read next when done.lindsbrac

This book lived up to the positive reviews – it is a fun read with the book within the book within the book as its organiser. There are amusing red herrings and distracting layers that all come together well. Recommended!Annie

This was the most confusing book I've ever read! I had to go back and read the ending 3 times before I could figure out what happened, and I'm still unsure about who Leo actually is. I am not enamored of her writing style and probably wouldn't recommend it. Can someone send me a good review of this book? Thanks – you folks usually hit a home run! Although Women in the White House was another book that was poorly written, many spelling and grammatical errors. I was almost embarrassed to leave it in a little library in Georgia!Jackie

This was such an engaging, clever and original book. I read it very quickly as it's quite an easy read. The plot was incredible and I'm very happy with the ending as I did not expect it. Highly recommend to anyone looking for their next mystery.mollyj

Francine has done a phenomenal job in translating the book of Hosea in the era of the Gold Rush. This story is about redemption of a young woman who had little choices in life. The first edition of this story I think was the best. Other editions had changes that I felt left a more vanilla view. I would recommend this book as a good read for anyone but especially for those who want to understand more deeply the scriptures. I went straight to the book of Hosea and read the whole thing with different eyes!hooverjax

Redeeming Love is one of those rare books that, while relating the main characters' stories, also tells our own. Angel is a young woman brutalized by many and dismissed by the rest as a lost cause, but when Michael Hosea enters the picture, Angel is given the opportunity to change the future that she believed to be set in stone. Though beginning to love an entirely different kind of life, the past confronts Angel through Michael's embittered brother-in-law and her own unnerving suspicion that she will be found unworthy in the end. In a desperate move to remember who she was before she was given the name 'Angel,' she returns to the confines of the city, only to stumble upon a freedom and sense of purpose she never believed she could find. Unaffected and honest, Francine Rivers weaves a story of unconditional love at its finest, pulling readers in and convincing them, page by page, that it cannot be set aside.Alexandria M

Purchased this book many years ago in a Christian book store near Hilton Head while vacationing there. The sales agent said: If you love Christian fiction books, I promise you this one is one you will always remember…… I purchased it and could not put it down or get away from its message! Does God really Love someone like Michael loved Angel even when she is unfaithful time and again..? I could go on but the book of Hosea in the Bible will never be the same to me again after reading Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers… Highly recommend this book-I purchase it for gifts now….1964ski

I feel like this is just a book you need to have on hand. It was required reading for my youngest sister, but not for me (it hadn’t been out long when I was in HS). I’m happy I finally got around to reading it. I was engaged in the story and definitely wanted to know what was coming next. I can see this being most beneficial to young adults who are figuring out life’s next steps. But, it’s also got a nostalgic sense about it for middle aged adults (myself) as well.Tattooedbluebird

It’s a good read. Love it. I read it before but I wanted to read it again and have it in my bookshelf. The cover is a paper cover that moves around sometimes it might bug people. You can remove it and it’s a hard blue book underneath. It doesn’t bother me. I like it. I will buy more to give out as gifts.Kiki

Read this book in 2 days it was very captivating exciting journey from a boy who is a sheperd and decides to explore the world chasing his dreams coming in contact with wisdom from his elders mysteries and spirituality to discover. Most importNtly he discovered the power of his heart and why you should always follow your heart.nicguastev-0

One of the best movies I’ve ever seen. My family and I used to watch it the day after Christmas while eating leftover ham on sandwiches. Those are the memories I hold on to for dear life. My dad passed a week ago, so my reviews for the next few days are probably going to be sentimental and emotional lol. Sorry, cant help it! But it’s all true, this memory in my review is the reason I love the movie so much:)melissa paris.b

If by some weird reason you haven’t read this book yet, you really must. It’s so touching and wise and well written. It stays with you for a long time after you finish it. The novel won a Pulitzer Prize and became an American classic, no wonder they include it in the school program in States. Also, a wonderful film (starring Gregory Peck) was made out of it. Highly recommend both.katrina.m

Gosh, this is one of my new all time favorite books! It's just a shame that I will never be able to fully express how and why it affected me as much as it did. But I can try my best to at least write a few words to let you know what things I enjoyed (spoiler: I enjoyed every single word). This story deals with the very important and sensitive topic of racism and is told from the point of five of a little girl. I had my doubts if this combination would work out. But somehow, Harper Lee was able to create an incredibly compelling character, who understands and misunderstands just the right amounts to be realistic, and to get all the major points the novel is trying to make across. It would have been easy to write from the perspective of Atticus, the 'hero' of the story. But I think this wouldn't have been the right thing to do; it would have seemed far too self-indulgent and conceited. The characters themselves are all incredibly lovely. They just warmed up my heart. I'd love to give those three little kids, Scout and Jem and Dill, a giant hug. I'd like to shake the hand of Atticus and pay him my respects. I would go to Church with Calpurnia and find out more about her life. I would smile at Boo, to let him know that I accept him just the way he is, and while a simple smile might seem like a typical interaction to others, I'm sure it would mean a lot to Boo.anna.g

The Fallen series came in perfect condition and shipping was quick as always. Never had a bad experience with Booktopia. Highly recommend:)Tay

I loved Louna's romantic relationship with Ethan and her evolving relationship with Ambrose. These three characters and (discovering if) my hopes for their futures were the only things that made me continue reading the story. Although the plot to the story wasn't enjoyed by myself, I think many others would like it. My favourite part of the storyline was the ending, not because the story ended but it was what I hoped for and envisioned.S.E.N

A little slow at first, didn't see the Sarah Dessen spark, but I tell you what: She HITS you with it there at the end. Another complete hit.Court

I LOVE Sarah Dessen. I will read whatever she comes out with no matter how old I am. What I really love about her books is I am immediately taken back to 16 with every one. I thought this was a perfect summer read and very relevant to today's culture. I don't really understand why no one really liked this book, I think it is one of my favorites. Also let's talk about the names in this book because they are kind of strange Louna, Ambrose, Jilly, Michael Salem??? However, I did feel toward the end the book was dragging on. You already knew what was going to happen and were literally just waiting for Louna to stop being such a baby, but I understand. All in all, I really did like this book and I will continue reading Sarah Dessen even as a twenty-something female.brittany.r

This is the first book of a great trilogy. Author, Traci Chee, is a bold and inventive new writer of magic and fantasy. The story is full of sorcery, twists and golden realms. Teen and adults (myself) will enjoy.treefrogjohn

I loved this book. It had obviously been “pre loved” by several other readers but I was very glad to have found it on Wob at such a reasonable price.Victoria C.

This book is a true gem, and I love it. I had hoped to be able to give it to my daughter for her birthday, but it is not in good enough condition to do that. Alan Bennet's actual writing is nonpareilcarolweh_0

I loved this book. It had obviously been “pre loved” by several other readers but I was very glad to have found it on Wob at such a reasonable price.Victoria C.

This book is a true gem, and I love it. I had hoped to be able to give it to my daughter for her birthday, but it is not in good enough condition to do that. Alan Bennet's actual writing is nonpareilcarolweh_0

I bought this book for my 11yo son during the iso period to keep him busy and apparently, he has read this as part of reading prog in year 4! So he recommended that I've read it and I'm on the last chapter now. It's been decades since I burnt the midnight oil so I'm on the last chapter now before I can watch the giver movie by Meryl Streep! The book talks a community living in a "dome" where it's climate control, memories with held and lives a very structure livelihood akin to communism somehow but with supernatural powers. Reminds me bit of the Truman show by Jim Carey where it's all not true but a virtual world!JT

I have never read a Shari LaPena book but the blurb was intriguing, so I bit. I have always loved to read, but life was so busy I was down to reading only magazines. How I longed for the time to read a real book. Pandemic hit, I now had time, so I have bought several books now and have started enjoying being able to read real books again. This was a great story. Glad I bought it!madlib

What would you do if you got a letter saying that their son broke-in your house & snooping on your laptop? Another amazing suspense from Shari Lapena, Lately I have been very lucky with all my recent thrillers that I read & no doubt Someone We Know was also a 5 star for me. I love a thriller which is fast paced and moves right into action. We all do, right? This is exactly like that. A #whodunnit case which is gets complex with every page & it becomes a little difficult to know who did it until the last few pages. I loved how the story of other characters was connected & it gave a hard time to the police to actually keep up with new evidence & secrets emerging every now & then, they moved one step ahead & 2 steps backward arresting suspects but their theory didn't add up. There was so much secret between each family, like it was difficult to know if they were telling the truth. I love a story with so much happening in it that you just want to keep turning the pages faster and faster. I loved Olivia how she wanted to do what is right even if it could cause trouble for her own family. I would definitely recommend it Thank you Viking Books for gifting me a copy of this book.BookishAnki

A real page turner, kept me gripped from beginning to end & I had no idea who the killer was until it was revealed! Another fantastic book from Shari Lapena, she never disapointsJani