Terrific Books That Will Make You Really Escape

It is evident from posts on social media that I'm not the only person escaping real life for a bit each day by diving into a good book. Since I'm always on the lookout for recommendations for great reads, I thought others might appreciate some as well. Here are some terrific books that will make you really escape what's going on in the world today.

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I've been devouring books in recent months. I'm on my 37th of 2020, and it is only the last week of May. Below are some of my current and past favorites as well as others that have been recommended to me in conversations with others on Instagram.

The Silent Patient is a thriller/mystery is about a woman who kills her husband and then refuses to speak another word. The story follows a criminal psychotherapist who tries to get to the bottom of the story. I couldn't put this one down!

The Alice Network is a historical novel about two women - one a spy in the real-life Alice Network during WWI, and the other an American searching for her cousin shortly after WWII. I loved the way the two women's stories came together. This is a must-read!

Where the Crawdads Sing is the story of an elusive "Marsh Girl" living in a remote part of the North Carolina coast who is accused of the murder of a prominent young man in the late 1960s. It is a story of loss, survival, hope, and love mingled with murder and mystery. I loved it!

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine is about a socially-awkward almost-30-year-old woman who lacks social skills and lives a very solitary life outside of her job after what we learn is a very troubled past. She and a coworker connect over a witnessed accident, and their lives are changed for good. This was a fun and quirky read.

If you're a fan of crime dramas and mystery, you'll love the Will Trent series, kicked off with the book, Triptych. This story is told through the perspectives of three central characters on the hunt for a serial killer in Atlanta. It is gruesome but highly entertaining. I've read the first six books in this series and can hardly put them down!

Another series that I've read from start to finish is the Flavia de Luce novels, starting with The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. Flavia is a young girl living in rural England in 1950 with an interest in chemistry and death. Following a bizarre series of events, which include finding a dying man in the cucumber patch, Flavia begins to investigate. This entire series is fun and enjoyable. You'll love the main character's personality.

This suspense story, Long Bright River, is the story of two sisters in a Philadelphia neighborhood plagued with drug problems. When one sister goes missing, the other, a police officer, struggles to find her while a serial killer targets homeless addicts. This is a story of addiction, love, family, and recovery.

This historical fiction novel moves back-and-forth from a small village in Nazi-occupied Poland during WWII and a modern story where a woman investigates a mystery in her grandmother's life as it nears its end. The two stories come together in a powerful, unforgettable way. The Things We Cannot Say is definitely worth your time.

All The Bright Places, soon to be a movie, is the story of a boy who constantly thinks about suicide and a girl who nearly attempts it and is "saved" by him. It is a contemporary story of how two teens who pair up for a school project change as a result of the time spent together. This was a compelling, heartbreaking story of the difficulties facing young people today.

I asked my Instagram followers to share their recommendations with me and had tons of great suggestions. You'll find those below.

"A deliciously entertaining novel about one woman's complicated relationship with her mother-in-law that ends in death. This one is perfect for fans of Big Little Lies." ―Good Morning America

"This love story between Lucy & Gabe spans decades and continents as two star-crossed lovers try to return to each other…Will they ever meet again? This book kept me up at night, turning the pages to find out, and the ending did not disappoint." ―Reese Witherspoon, Reese's Book Club

"This 'impossible to put down' #1 New York Times bestseller introduces Amos Decker, a gifted police detective with a perfect memory who must solve a mystery he wishes he could forget: his family's murder" ―Washington Post

"Perfect for fans of NBC's 'This Is Us,' Robin Benway's beautiful interweaving story of three very different teenagers connected by blood explores the meaning of family in all its forms - how to find it, how to keep it, and how to love it." ―Amazon

"A dark, shocking, and unputdownable thriller debut about a mother and daughter—and the lengths to which a daughter will go to find independence." ―Amazon

"Katherine Center's Things You Save in a Fire is a heartfelt and healing tour-de-force about the strength of vulnerability, the nourishing magic of forgiveness, and the life-changing power of defining courage, at last, for yourself." ―Amazon

A few additional important titles...

I've chatted with several of my blog readers recently about what I am reading right now as I learn from the current situation in the US, and thought it important to share some other reading that I think is really important right now.

And finally, one for use with your students:

I hope that you find something here to help you escape for a little while, although everyone has different tastes, and I provide no guarantee you'll love them as much as I did. Have a book you've loved recently? Drop it into the comments below so my readers and I can check it out! You might also be interested in the self-care ideas I share in these blog posts: