Hi everyone!

I hope you’re doing well and you’re having a fantastic day! Today I’m starting a new fun little series on my blog – I’m calling it a series because I want to do more blog posts like this one in the future. 🙂

In this series, I’m going to share with you five books that – you guessed it! – have names in the title. I thought this would be a fun way of sharing random recommendations with you, with different genres and writing styles!

Let’s take a look at the books then!

And here they are! I just realized that for some reason I only picked female characters for this post – it wasn’t on purpose, I promise! But no worries, I’ll compensate with male characters in the next “Books With Names in the Title” post.

Some of them you may already know because I’ve talked about them for a while now, but some of them are new additions. So let’s go through them individually!

1. Michigan vs. the Boys by Carrie S. Allen

You have read it correctly: Michigan. Don’t think of the state folks, because the main character of this book is a girl named Michigan!
When I first read the synopsis (below), I thought this would be a “girl power” kind of book of a girl who bested the boys of her hockey team, but I was wrong. I’m not going to spoil it for you, but it’s a very serious book with some serious topics. It’s a story about bullying and perseverance, even when the world seems against you.
It’s heavy, but it’s a book that left a mark on me. I was left with very strong feelings and I know I will never forget about this book. I believe this book is extremely underrated and I wish more people gave it a chance! I highly recommend giving this one a try, just be aware of trigger warnings for abuse, bullying and violence throughout the book.

Synopsis

“When a determined girl is confronted with the culture of toxic masculinity, it’s time to even the score.

Michigan Manning lives for hockey, and this is her year to shine. That is, until she gets some crushing news: budget cuts will keep the girls’ hockey team off the ice this year.

If she wants colleges to notice her, Michigan has to find a way to play. Luckily, there’s still one team left in town …

The boys’ team isn’t exactly welcoming, but Michigan’s prepared to prove herself. She plays some of the best hockey of her life, in fact, all while putting up with changing in the broom closet, constant trash talk and “harmless” pranks that always seem to target her.

But once hazing crosses the line into assault, Michigan must weigh the consequences of speaking up – even if it means putting her future on the line.”

2. Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel

You guessed it, Rose Gold is the name of the main character for this book.

This book is a fictitious story based on Gypsy Rose Blanchard’s true story. If you don’t know Gypsy Rose, I recommend you do a quick Google search because this case was absolutely crazy and messed up!

It portrays a very toxic and intriguing mother/daughter relationship, and you get to see the way they talk to each other versus their thoughts – that was one of my favorite parts of this book. 

And by the way, this is in essence a thriller! It was very creepy and haunting, and I was very impressed with this book. It was really good and it was a very interesting approach to creating fiction through true-crime.

Synopsis

“For the first eighteen years of her life, Rose Gold Watts believed she was seriously ill. She was allergic to everything, used a wheelchair and practically lived at the hospital. Neighbors did all they could, holding fundraisers but no matter how many doctors, tests, or surgeries, no one could figure out what was wrong with Rose Gold.

Turns out her mom, Patty Watts, was just a really good liar.

After serving five years in prison, Patty begs her daughter to take her in. The entire community is shocked when Rose Gold says yes. And Rose Gold is no longer her weak little darling…

And she’s waited such a long time for her mother to come home.”

3. My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

Yup, Vanessa is the main character’s name for this book.
How to describe this book? I would say disturbing but important. I definitely took a lot from this book and I know I will never forget it. After finishing the book I didn’t know how to feel because even though I was very interested in it, I felt disgusted and uncomfortable at the same time.
This book is about a teenage girl who has a secret relationship with her English teacher. You would think this is a very obvious problem, but it’s not a straightforward and simple book to understand. The goal of the book is exactly that: to be confusing and to make you question things, and maybe encourage you to start a conversation about it.
I’m not going to lie, it’s a very uncomfortable, difficult book to read and you should keep that in mind if you decide to pick this up. But I honestly think it’s worth it and I highly recommend it.

Synopsis

“Exploring the psychological dynamics of the relationship between a precocious yet naïve teenage girl and her magnetic and manipulative teacher, a brilliant, all-consuming read that marks the explosive debut of an extraordinary new writer.

2000. Bright, ambitious, and yearning for adulthood, fifteen-year-old Vanessa Wye becomes entangled in an affair with Jacob Strane, her magnetic and guileful forty-two-year-old English teacher.

2017. Amid the rising wave of allegations against powerful men, a reckoning is coming due. Strane has been accused of sexual abuse by a former student, who reaches out to Vanessa, and now Vanessa suddenly finds herself facing an impossible choice: remain silent, firm in the belief that her teenage self willingly engaged in this relationship, or redefine herself and the events of her past. But how can Vanessa reject her first love, the man who fundamentally transformed her and has been a persistent presence in her life? Is it possible that the man she loved as a teenager—and who professed to worship only her—may be far different from what she has always believed?

Alternating between Vanessa’s present and her past, My Dark Vanessa juxtaposes memory and trauma with the breathless excitement of a teenage girl discovering the power her own body can wield. Thought-provoking and impossible to put down, this is a masterful portrayal of troubled adolescence and its repercussions that raises vital questions about agency, consent, complicity, and victimhood. Written with the haunting intimacy of The Girls and the creeping intensity of Room, My Dark Vanessa is an era-defining novel that brilliantly captures and reflects the shifting cultural mores transforming our relationships and society itself.”

4. Fable by Adrienne Young

This is a book I’ve recommended a few times here on the blog. The main character’s name in this story is Fable! Cool name, huh? But the best thing about this book is the really cool, atmospheric story! The way the characters talked and acted, the terms used, the scenery… Everything contributed to create a rich story in Fable! It’s definitely the type of book that you don’t know who to trust. Everyone acts suspicious and has an agenda here! I will say there were some points the story felt a bit slow paced, but not to the point that would bother me. Still, there is a lot of adventure, danger and secrets to unfold, so if you like pirate stories you are in for a treat!

Synopsis

“For seventeen-year-old Fable, the daughter of the most powerful trader in the Narrows, the sea is the only home she has ever known. It’s been four years since the night she watched her mother drown during an unforgiving storm. The next day her father abandoned her on a legendary island filled with thieves and little food. To survive she must keep to herself, learn to trust no one, and rely on the unique skills her mother taught her. The only thing that keeps her going is the goal of getting off the island, finding her father, and demanding her rightful place beside him and his crew. To do so Fable enlists the help of a young trader named West to get her off the island and across the Narrows to her father.

But her father’s rivalries and the dangers of his trading enterprise have only multiplied since she last saw him, and Fable soon finds that West isn’t who he seems. Together, they will have to survive more than the treacherous storms that haunt the Narrows if they’re going to stay alive.

Welcome to a world made dangerous by the sea and by those who wish to profit from it. Where a young girl must find her place and her family while trying to survive in a world built for men. Fable takes you on a spectacular journey filled with romance, intrigue, and adventure.“

5. The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman

The name of the character is – you guessed it again – Nina Hill.
This is a very fun, contemporary romance! The characters were sweet and quirky, and I loved their interactions. As the main character, Nina was a likable character and I related to her a lot. She is the kind of character who likes to stay at home and be quiet with a book in her hand – who doesn’t?
Still, my favorite thing about this book was the writing and humor! It’s a very charming and wholesome book, and there are so many funny references and dialogs that will make you giggle. I would recommend it for a fun read, with nice characters and humor!

Synopsis

“The author of Other People’s Houses and The Garden of Small Beginnings delivers a quirky and charming novel chronicling the life of confirmed introvert Nina Hill as she does her best to fly under everyone’s radar.

Meet Nina Hill: A young woman supremely confident in her own…shell.

The only child of a single mother, Nina has her life just as she wants it: a job in a bookstore, a kick-butt trivia team, a world-class planner and a cat named Phil. If she sometimes suspects there might be more to life than reading, she just shrugs and picks up a new book.

When the father Nina never knew existed suddenly dies, leaving behind innumerable sisters, brothers, nieces, and nephews, Nina is horrified. They all live close by! They’re all–or mostly all–excited to meet her! She’ll have to Speak. To. Strangers. It’s a disaster! And as if that wasn’t enough, Tom, her trivia nemesis, has turned out to be cute, funny, and deeply interested in getting to know her. Doesn’t he realize what a terrible idea that is?

Nina considers her options.
1. Completely change her name and appearance. (Too drastic, plus she likes her hair.)
2. Flee to a deserted island. (Hard pass, see: coffee).
3. Hide in a corner of her apartment and rock back and forth. (Already doing it.)

It’s time for Nina to come out of her comfortable shell, but she isn’t convinced real life could ever live up to fiction. It’s going to take a brand-new family, a persistent suitor, and the combined effects of ice cream and trivia to make her turn her own fresh page.“

And we’ve reached the end of the list! I hope you found this post (at least a little) interesting and I hope you found some new books. And once again, I’m always looking for book recommendations so let me know if you have any for me!

Thank you for taking the time to read this post! I hope you liked what I had to share with you today. I’ll see you in the next one! 🙂