#2 What? - #3 Why?

Title	Author	Summary
All the Light We Cannot See	Anthony Doerr	This is an amazing novel that takes place in World War II.  It weaves together the stories of two young people trying to survive the terror and devastation of a war.
Amusing Ourselves to Death	Neil Postman	This non-fiction book traces the history of mass media and its influence on our ability to think and process information.
The House on Mango Street	Sandra Cisneros	This book of vignettes chronicles growing up in poverty and the effects of culture on our life view.
The Things they Carried	Tim O’Brien	This novel addressed how soldiers deal with the effects of war.  It is a metaphorical tale of how men prepare and fight war and what they bring home.
The Giver	Lois Lowry	This young adult dystopian novel tells the story of Jonas, chosen to be the Receiver of Memories.  It is the story of how choices make life worth living.
Things Fall Apart	Chinua Achebe	This novel takes place in Africa and is the tell of how colonization affects Native African people.
Les Miserables	Victor Hugo	This novel traces the story of Jean Valjean, a Parisian peasant, in his life journey to become a good father.
Return to Oakpine	Ron Carlson	This novel is about four friends who come back to their hometown to find their friendship and support a dying friend.
Speak	Laurie Halse Anderson	This young adult novel addresses how rape affects a young girl and the school where it takes place.
Silence	Shusaku Endo	This novel tells the story of a young Catholic priest and his attempt to bring Christianity to 17th century Japan.
The Lost Choice	Andy Andrews	When a young boy finds a mysterious object in the creek near his home, it starts a series of events that could change the world.
The Secret Journal of Brett Colton	Kay Lynn Mangum	When Kathy Colton turns sixteen, she receives a journal that her deceased brother Brett wrote while he was battling cancer.
The Pillars of the Earth	Ken Follett	This book is a never ending struggle between good and evil, Church and State, brother against brother, and all centering around the construction of a magnificent cathedral.
The Fat Girl	Andre Dubus	This is a short story, well worth the time it takes to read. It dives deep into that vulnerable part of the heart that we all have-the one that deals with guilt and addiction. It also sends a powerful societal message. It had me nearly in tears.
“1984” with “Days of Rage”	George Orwell/Bryan Burrough	“1984” is a classic story that shows the world as it could be, should we become susceptible to certain philosophies. But by reading “Days of Rage” (a creative non-fiction)  immediately after, you’ll begin to see how the fiction in 1894 isn’t so far-fetched.
Testimony of Pilot	Barry Hannah	This is another short story that’s very powerful. It’s the story of Quadberry, a nerdy boy who becomes popular through his saxophone skills. Told through the eyes of his friend William, this story will make you think about your life.
Artemis Fowl (Books 1-5)	Eoin Colfer	Artemis Fowl is a genius who, through science and research, captures a fairy… but they aren’t your typical Disney fairies. War is coming…
366 Days in Abraham Lincoln’s Presidency	Stephen A. Wynalda	This is a non-fiction book. What do you know about Lincoln? Did you know he probably had depression, but overcame it? Did you know he loved poetry and anecdotes? This book is the best way to learn about one of the best presidents in our history.
“The Black Cat” and “The Fall of the House of Usher”	Edgar Allen Poe	“The Black Cat” is one of the most tense stories I’ve ever read, with a crazy twist at the end. “The Fall of the House of Usher” is another classic that deals a lot with guilt and has that classic Poe twist.
“The Scholar of Moab”	Steven L. Peck	Brother Peck is a professor at BYU-Provo. This book is a hilarious satire of Mormon culture, and is a harmless way to laugh at ourselves! It’s a great story to read about a man who encounters aliens, some Siamese twins, a mystic woman, and puts the entire ward in an uproar about the Gadianton Robbers teaming up with the Communists!
“Men Under Water”	Ralph Lombreglia	This is a short story that really comes together in the end, so don’t be discouraged or too confused when you start. Stick it out to the end, and you’ll be rewarded with crazy amounts of beauty. The story follows Flip, and his over-ambitious boss Gunther, while they try to get funding for a movie while they work to fix up Gunther’s apartment empire.
“Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”	Joyce Carol Oates	This is a short story that dives deep into human psychology. It’s a horrifying story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. This will move you.
“A Light In the Attic”	Shel Silverstein	We all have an inner child. I love Shel Silverstein’s poems and stories, and this is the one book by him I was actually able to own. Want to reminisce? These poems are quick reads with no purpose other than to draw a smile. Worth the time.
To Kill a Mockingbird	Harper Lee	This Gothic story follows the lives of two young siblings as they grow up in the deep south. Many of you have probably read this at some point, but I would definitely recommend it to anyone who hasn’t--it’s such a powerful story.
Out of the Silent Planet	C.S. Lewis	Although part of a trilogy each book can be read separately from the others. The novel follows a man named Dr. Ransom who is abducted and take to the planet Malacandra as a sacrifice to the inhabitants. Once on the planet Ransom escapes and risks his chances of ever returning to Earth while making shocking discoveries along the way about himself, Malacandra, and Earth.
Mistborn	Brandon Sanderson	This story follows the struggle of a group of rebels with magical powers in a fight against an all-powerful emperor who has lived over a thousand years.
Fahrenheit 451	Ray Bradbury	This book is set in futuristic America where books are banned and burned by firefighters. The story follows one of the firefighters, Guy Montag, as he discovers the importance of books.
Steelheart	Brandon Sanderson	Imagine a world where superheroes like Superman and The Flash are power-hungry, murderous tyrants enslaving humanity. This is the world Sanderson has created in this novel. The book follows a teenager as he assists a group of vigilantes in their fight to overcome Steelheart (the evil equivalent of Superman). Why is David so important? Because he is the sole survivor of Steelheart`s first mass murder and may hold the secret to his defeat.
Necronomicon: The Best Weird Tales of H.P. Lovecraft	H.P. Lovecraft	If you like a good mystery, horror story, or plain ol’ creepiness, then this anthology is for you. H.P. Lovecraft was the Stephen King of his generation, and has inspired many writers and directors. His work has been converted into many board games, movies, and spin-off stories. “Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn”
The Hiding Place	Corrie Ten Boom	A piece of Holocaust literature, Corrie wrote it as a partially assisted autobiography of her experience during WWII and her time in a concentration camp. It is a piece of nonfiction literature, but very uplifting and excellent to read.
Of Mice and Men	John Steinbeck	Steinbeck is one of the all time greats in my opinion. Of Mice and Men is a solid introduction to his work. He chronicles real life problems with so much detail that you feel the burden of these challenges as you read.
Frankenstein	Mary Shelley	A classic, a little hard to read if you don’t like British Literature, but it is worth it. I enjoy the story, as disturbing as it can be, and it is very thought-provoking.
Redwall Series (1-21)	Brian Jacques	The characters are all mice, hedgehogs, and the like. It might sound weird but the story and the writing is beyond fantastic. The stories started as the author told them orally to blind children in his local parts of England.
Tiger’s Curse series (1-4)	Colleen Houck	An 18 year old girl meets a tiger while working at a circus, who ends up being a century old cursed Indian prince. It’s a wonderful series, written in first person from the perspective of the girl. Clean, very enjoyable story.
Grace Notes	Brian Doyle	A non-fiction compilation of essays by a Catholic man.
Ranger’s Apprentice Series (1-12? 13?)	John Flanagan	Fun read, it’s not 100% necessary to read in order but you get to read and watch the characters grow up together. I don’t know if it counts as well-read thought.
Lioness Quartet, Wildmage Quartet, Protector of the Small Quartet	Tamora Pierce	Each quartet are set about 10 years apart from each other in the same universe, girl centric. It is medieval fantasy with knights and magic, and the first quartet is all about a girl pretending to be a boy so that she can become the first female knight in centuries. There are many more books in this universe, and many more in a different universe, but these are the best.
Fairest	Gail Carson Levine	A wonderful story of a girl who doesn’t fit in in society in very distinct and odd ways, and gets caught up in someone else’s deception and finds herself and her own confidence throughout the experience.
The Seer and the Sword	Victoria Hanley	Really good and emotional, and touches on some serious topics for a YA novel. This author has two other books set in this “universe” but this one is more stand alone and in my opinion enjoyable.
The Bartimaeus Trilogy	Jonathan Stroud	You have to read it for yourself to find out, but if you like magic and sarcasm, this is a good series with one or two stand alone.
A Mango-Shaped Space	Wendy Mass	The story of a girl with synesthesia and how she learns how to embrace her unusual ability. Awesome way to learn what synesthesia is like.
Seraphina	Rachel Hartman	Relationships between humans and dragons are taboo. Seraphina, being half dragon, has to figure out how to keep her secret hidden while working for the court composer. If you like fantasy, it’s a must read.
Partials	Dan Wells	First book in the Partials sequence. A dystopian novel with an interesting twist. Mankind has brought about their own downfall through their own innovation.
Howl’s Moving Castle	Diana Wynne Jones	I laughed quite a bit reading this book. Howl and Sophie’s antics are entertaining, and their relationship is highly unusual.
The Kite Runner	Khaled Hosseini	I read this book in the 10th grade and it changed my life.  Emotionally it was a difficult book to read, but I think it can teach people a lot about morals and humility.
“Don Quixote”	Miguel de Cervantes	This is the story of a man who has the best intentions, but ends up doing more harm than good. I love it because Don Quixote is an easily relatable character as we follow his chivalrous journey.
Ender’s Game	Orson Scott Card	This is a novel that is good for anyone who loves Dystopian fiction, but also loves sci-fi. It has some really intense battles and action sequences that you can really visualize in your mind. This is a story about a child who is turned into a weapon with no knowledge of it.
The Dresden Files	Jim Butcher	Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard PI, is open for consultation, paranormal investigations, and lost articles found. No love potions, endless purses,parties etc.
In the Forest	Edna O’Brien	A man with schizophrenia kills a man at a young age because the man killed his mother and it affects his entire life. Based on a true story in Ireland.
Katara and Lord Death	Martine Leavitt	(young adult) A fairytale that is the confliction between death and love.
To Catch a Pirate	Jade Parker	(young adult)A woman captures a pirate to help navigate through the sea’s until he kidnaps her and their journey continues in this sea adventure.
Thinking Fast and Slow	Daniel Kahneman	Non-fiction, talks about the elements of thinking and how we can better improve ourselves through the concepts of neuroscience and psychological experiences.
Picture Of Dorian Gray	Oscar Wilde	A book showing the consequences of sin, and the necessity of such consequences. The entire book struck me as an allegory for the journey of man, starting in the garden, and ending with it’s self destruction. Dorian Gray, a young man of society receives a beautiful painting of himself, and wishes that the portrait would age and he would not. The young man begins to notice the change, but those marks of vice that affects those who indulge in such also transfer themselves to the Painting.
Ashes (Ashes Trilogy #1)	Ilsa J. Bick	(young adult) Post-apocalyptic, an electromagnetic pulse erupts over the nation killing millions Alex, she leaves her home to survive taking care of a little girl and traveling with an ex-military man.
Letters From Skye	Jessica Brockmole	An author lives on the Island of Skye and receives letters from a fan back in America. Set during the World War 2 times and how her daughter tries to piece her mother’s story based off of her letters to figure out who her father was.
The Glass Menagerie	Tennessee Williams	This play tugged at my heart strings as Laura, one of the main characters, prefers solitude and is rejected for it. She has a miniature glass figurine set, and at the end her favorite one breaks. I love the symbolism of how much high expectations can break down others.
Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?	Joyce Carol Oats	I don’t want to give the ending away, but this short story starts off sweet and progressively turns bad. It gave me chills as I read along with my worst nightmare- the reason why I despise being home alone.
Animal Farm	George Orwell	Literature that confronts real world problems in an obscure manner holds great appeal to me. I love how Orwell tackles Stalin using animal characters in a very impactful way.
Fallen Angels	Walter Dean Myers	An eye-opening novel, it follows a group of soldiers in Vietnam. The most wonderful part is that Myers elaborates on the fact that they’re more than just soldiers- they’re very real human beings with worries, hopes, and dreams.
The Book Thief	Markus Zusak	Death is the narrative voice of this story, which is something you don’t find very often in literature. This point of view makes for a very moving and powerful read, one that had me in tears.
The Lottery	Shirley Jackson	This morbid story displays the struggle society has with breaking tradition. It has a Hunger Games feel to it, and is definitely worth reading.
The Bartimaeus Trilogy	Jonathan Stroud	This trilogy reminds me of other fantasy literature such as Eragon and Harry Potter- except with a darker twist. It’s very engaging and you get to see how the characters evolve throughout the story.
The Outsiders	S. E. Hinton	Outside of the fantasy genre, this is my all time favorite book. Which says a lot because all books are wonderful. It’s a bit challenging to write a plug on this one because I just assume that everyone holds it with high esteem as I do. I aspire to write in such a simple, yet moving way as Hinton does.
Dragon Rider	Cornelia Funke	One more in fantasy.Three unlikely friends band together in an adventure guided by a map. The language of this one is great for younger readers. A little different than Inkheart, but still good.
America’s Real War	Rabbi Daniel Lapin	(Non-Fiction) Rabbi Lapin addresses the attacks of secular society on religious values. He encourages Americans to return to the Judeo-Christian values the country was founded upon.
Listening Point	Sigurd Olson	(Reflective non-fiction) Sigurd Olson environmentalist  and wilderness guide in the Lake Superior area of Minnesota/Ontario has served 30 yrs. Pres. Wilderness Society. “Listening Point”,  written in 1958,  is about his experiences “on a bare glaciated spit of rock”. His words are thought provoking and his insights eye-opening.  *This is not a thriller.
The Unsettling of America: Culture and Agriculture	Wendell Berry	(Non-Fiction) Wendell Berry argues that good farming is a cultural development and spiritual discipline.Berry asserts that because of today’s agribusiness farming has lost its cultural context and we have lost vital contact with the land. Wendell Berry makes you stop and consider things in a way you never have.
The China Study	Dr. T. Colin Campbell PhD with Dr. Thomas M Campbell II M.D.	(Health & Nutrition) Examines the relationship between animal products and chronic illness through a 20-year study.
Agenda 21	Harriet Parke (Foreward by Glen Beck)	(Dystopian) A generation after the implementation of the UN-led program Agenda 21(an actual documented program), America is now known as “the Republic”. There is no government - just Authorities. There is no Freedom. Citizens have two primary goals - to create clean energy and new human life. A simple, quick read that is eye-opening.
The Iron Fey Series	Julie Kagawa	(YA Fiction - Fantasy) Meghan Chase is turning 16 and odd thing begin to happen. She discovers that she is the daughter to the Faery King - Oberon. (There are other characters from Midsummer’s Night Dream - which makes it fun) Half human - half Fey - Meghan must go into the world of the Fey to retrieve her half brother Ethan. Fun, thrilling and it includes a great love story. *disclaimer - there is a bit of language in this series
The Hourglass Door Series (3 books)	Lisa Magnum	(YA Fiction) This is a quick and fun read that includes time travel, bad guys and romance. It has two great follow up novels in the series.
Blackmoore	Julianne Donaldson	(Regency Era - Fiction- Clean Romance) Kate Worthington is 18 and society dictates that she needs to be serious about marriage, but her restless heart won’t let her settle. She dreams of travel and makes a bargain with her mother that may just cost her dreams. Easy read. She also has Edenbrooke and recently released Heir to Edenbrooke also Fantastic.
Kiss of a Stranger	Sarah M. Eden	(Regency Era - Fiction - Clean Romance) Crispin (Lord Cavratt) kisses an unsuspecting young women in a garden he is forced by her abussive uncle to marry he immediately. Eden also wrote two different series (The Jonquil Brother series and Lancaster series) and the same characters are mingled throughout both series. It makes every novel feel like a homecoming - very fun, easy reads.
Pride and Prejudice	Jane Austen	Elizabeth’s,a smart and independent woman,  mother, Mrs.Bennet, will do anything to get her daughters married off. After two of her Elizabeth’s sisters get engaged and Elizabeth refuses to marry both of the men who have proposed to her she finds that maybe her judgement was wrong.
Emma	Jane Austen	Emma is young matchmaker who finds no one is good enough for her.  After making the wrong judgements and hurting a friend, she decides to make some life changes and finally finds the one good enough for her.
Edenbrooke	Julianne Donaldson	Marianne Daventry will do anything to escape the boredom of Bath and the amorous attentions of an unwanted suitor. So when an invitation arrives from her twin sister, Cecily, to join her at a sprawling country estate, she jumps at the chance.Marianne finds herself embroiled in an unexpected adventure filled with enough romance and intrigue to keep her mind racing.
Artemis Fowl	Eoin Colfer	FR(Fun Read) - Young-adult fantasy novel. Basically, Die Hard with fairies. (according the author).
Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites (Series)	Chris Heimerdinger	FR - Jim, his friend, Garth, and his younger sister, Jennifer, discover a time passage and spend two months in the time of the Nephites, at the time of Helaman and Captain Teancum around 67 B.C.
Passage to Zarahemla	Chris Heimerdinger	FR - Two orphans on the run discover a time portal near a small town and, with the help of a warrior from the past, they try to stop its destruction from two warring armies.
Animal Farm	George Orwell	Basically, An allegory of the early history of the Soviet Union and, metaphorically, a story about the dangers and risks of the betrayal of any revolution.
Sense and Sensibility	Jane Austen	When Elinor Dashwood's father dies, her family's finances are crippled. After the Dashwoods move to a cottage in Devonshire, Elinor's sister Marianne is torn between the handsome John Willoughby and the older Colonel Brandon. Meanwhile, Elinor's romantic hopes with Edward Ferrars are hindered due to his prior engagement.
The Hiding Place	Corrie Ten Boom	(Biography) A brave Christian family comes to the aid of its Jewish neighbors during the turbulent war years in Holland.
Clockwork Angel - Infernal Devices Series	Cassandra Clare	(YA Fiction - Fantasy) Tessa Gray comes to London to live with her brother and finds herself a prisoner of the “Downworld” - home of every variation of the supernatural. She is rescued by a Shadowhunter, Will Herondale, and the romance begins and the excitement continues. A fun read that is a prequel of sorts to Mortal Instruments.
Epic	Conor Kostick	(YA - Sci-Fi) This novel is about a society whose judicial, monetary, religious, and political systems all operate around a massive fantasy video game. An interesting book that shows us what a world ruled by video games would look like.
Jurassic Park	Michael Crichton	Science Fiction. If you are looking for one of the ultimate examples of ecocriticism, then take a look at the book that launched the film series. The films did pretty well keeping the story similar to the book, though there is some background and explanations only available in the book.
Leviathan	Scott Westerfeld	(YA - Historical Fiction, Steampunk) If you know what steampunk is, or if you would like to find out, this novel is one of the best introductions you can have. Westerfeld has taken World War I and rewritten the history to include biologically engineered war-beasts as the Ally forces, while the Axis armies have advanced war machines.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy	Douglas Adams	(Science Fiction, British Comedy) If you like Monty Python and other British humor, then you will love “the greatest book in the galaxy.” This book shall have you pondering deep questions like “What is the answer to the universe,” “What is the question to the answer to the universe,” and “Is Vogon poetry actually the worst poetry in the universe?” (Yes, it is)
Elantris	Brandon Sanderson	(YA - Fantasy Fiction) Yet another novel by Brandon Sanderson. Elantris is a city in a fantastical land where people were randomly selected to become these demi-gods, who could create anything, do anything, and live forever. That is, until a strange tragedy occurred, where all of the Elantrians lose their power, become corpse-like, still live virtually forever, but continuously experience every pain inflicted on their body until they go mad. A story about rising above difficulties, selflessness, and magic. Highly recommended.
Quade 2400, Earth`s Eclipse	S.K. Briggs	(YA - Science Fiction) This book was written by my mother-in-law. It is the first of a five-part series, she is currently working on the last one now. Quade 2400 is about Dalin Quade, a boy who wakes up in a post-apocalyptic, dystopian world. He is without memories, has unusual characteristics, and is being targeted by a group of sharp-toothed, yellow-eyed, cannibals.
The Complete Sherlock Holmes Collection	Sir Arthur Conan Doyle	(Detective Fiction) It`s elementary that Sherlock Holmes should be included on this list. Doyle's books are wonderfully entertaining, intriguing, and have you trying to figure out the mystery before the great detective can. These books should be on the bucket list of anyone who enjoys mysteries or crime dramas.
Maps in a Mirror	Orson Scott Card	This book is a collection of sci-fi or fantasy short stories written by Orson Scott Card. Some of these short stories have been turned into full length novels. Warning! Some of these stories are not appropriate for young children! (Chandler Bowen)
The Divine Comedy	Dante Alighieri	Although most of y’all have heard of Dante’s famous work it is an epic poem that follows Dante’s literal and allegorical journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven.
Angels & Demons	Dan Brown	Robert Langdon is summoned to a Swiss research facility to analyze a mysterious symbol seared into the chest of a murdered physicist. He discovers evidence of the unimaginable: the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati who have returned to finish their vengeance against the Catholic Church.
Inferno	Dan Brown	Robert Langdon awakens in an Italian hospital, disoriented and with no recollection of the past thirty-six hours. With a relentless assassin trailing them through Florence, he and his resourceful doctor, Sienna Brooks, are forced to flee. Embarking on a harrowing journey, they must unravel a series of codes, which are the work of a brilliant scientist whose obsession with the end of the world is matched only by his passion for one of the most influential masterpieces ever written, Dante Alighieri's The Inferno.
Dracula	Bram Stoker	The story of Dracula's attempt to move from Transylvania to England so he may find new blood and spread the undead curse, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor Abraham Van Helsing.
Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History	Robert Edsel	At the same time Adolf Hitler was attempting to take over the western world, his armies were methodically seeking and hoarding the finest art treasures in Europe. The Fuehrer had begun cataloguing the art he planned to collect as well as the art he would destroy. In a race against time, behind enemy lines, often unarmed, a special force of American and British museum directors, curators, art historians, and others, called the Monuments Men, risked their lives scouring Europe to prevent the destruction of thousands of years of culture.
Cosmos: A Personal Voyage	Carl Sagan	The book covers a broad range of topics, comprising Sagan's reflections on anthropological, cosmological, biological, historical, and astronomical matters from antiquity to contemporary times.
The Last Lecture	Randy Pausch	The book covers Pausch's “last lecture” and discusses everything he wanted his children to know after his death due to pancreatic cancer. He repeatedly stresses that one should have fun in everything one does, and that one should live life to its fullest because one never knows when it might be taken.
The Once and Future King	T. H. White	It is the magical epic of King Arthur and his shining Camelot; of Merlin and Owl and Guinevere; of beasts who talk and men who fly, of wizardry and war.
The Blueprint of Christ’s Church	Tad R. Callister	Elder Tad R. Callister goes through every aspect of the Church that proves to be Christ’s true Church.
Color Code	Taylor Hartman	Dr. Taylor Hartman introduces a way to understand human motives and makes four color categories to be placed into. The book gives good insight on how to deal with others who are different.
To the Rescue	Heidi Swinton	This is the biography about President Thomas S. Monson, and it’s a fantastic read about his life and how decisions can really determine destiny.
Edenbrooke	Julianne Donaldson	Marianne is invited to visit her sister at Edenbrooke where Marianne finds herself falling into a romance with a mysterious stranger. Warning to the men: It’s suspiciously like a Jane Austen book.
A Tale Dark and Grimm	Adam Gidwitz	Hansel and Gretel leave their parents behind and find themselves inside other fairytale stories. This fantastic story is not what it seems and not for the faint of heart.
The Host	Stephanie Meyer	I know what you are thinking, but I really did love reading this book. It was an interesting outlook on “alien invasion” with of course a messed up love triangle going on. Don’t worry, it is better quality than Twilight.
Jane Eyre	Charlotte Bronte	Jane Eyre leaves her harsh childhood behind to become a governess for a Mr. Rochester in whom she find herself falling in love with him.
Much Ado About Nothing	William Shakespeare	This comedic drama is centered around Don John’s malicious plan to break up Claudio and Hero. Meanwhile, Benedict and Beatrice are trying to hide their love from each other.
Ophelia	Lisa M. Klein	You think you know the story behind “Hamlet”? Ophelia will change your perspective a little bit. This book is based on her perspective on what really went on in the castle.