Hello my dear friends!

Did you miss my recommendation posts? I admit I’ve been slacking a little regarding my recommendation posts, so I decided to bring you a few recommendations today!

I wish I could reread some books for the first time, because after I finished them I thought to myself “I wish I could experience this book again, not knowing what was going to happen”. There’s just something so beautiful about reading a good book for the first time and going through the rollercoaster with all the twists and turns throughout the pages. This is the true definition of living in the moment!

So that’s exactly what I’m bringing you today friends! These are a few books I wish I could go back in time to read again for the first time. I’m doing a two-part series for this, so today I will share with you 5 books, and in the second part (the next post), I will share 5 more books!

Oh, I just know you are curious! Let’s dive in, shall we?

This is today’s selection. You get a little of everything in today’s list – romance, thriller, science-fiction, fantasy, and literary fiction – so hopefully you’ll find something you enjoy from the bunch. I also added the respective synopsis below each book so you can learn more about each book – you’re welcome!

1. Leo (Preston Brothers #3) by Jay McLean

I immediately thought to myself how I wish I could reread this for the first time… right after I finished it. I’ll admit, this book took me by surprise! Compared to the first two first books in the series (“Lucas” and “Logan”), this book has a very solid, complete plot – and that’s why it felt so different from the others. 

For a 600-page book, I devoured it in time record! It was fast-paced and there was so much going on that I was entertained the entire time! I finished reading this book a while ago, but I keep thinking about how memorable it was, knowing it was supposed to be a smutty romance. I can’t say the same about the other two books even though I loved them. It’s full of romance, the plot is complex and very well developed, and there is the right amount of depth and surprises… it was just perfect!

Synopsis
“One single summer changed them forever, and one moment of devastating silence destroyed it all. 
Growing up with six siblings, Leo Preston has always struggled to find his voice.
While his brothers are loud, greedy, and somewhat obnoxious, Leo is forever the quiet one.
The thinker. 
The listener. 
He watches his life pass by as an outsider in his own world, absent and alone. 
Lost.
Until he finds her. 
For Leo, Mia Kovács is like a prize, a gift wrapped in passion and devotion.
And she’s his—his very own secret he doesn’t have to share. 
Together, they can overcome anything…
heartache and destruction, guilt and regret. 
Mia gives Leo everything he didn’t know he needed, 
including her fragile heart. 
The only thing she doesn’t give him… 
are secrets of her own.”

2. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Are you really surprised this book is here? The (obvious) reason why I would want to read this book again for the first time is because of the crazy, big plot twist. I was physically shaking when I finished this book. Yes, I agree, it sounds like an extreme reaction to have while reading a book, but this mystery thriller was absolutely insane. I just remember thinking “Where is this going” while reading… until the puzzle pieces were put together. I won’t tell you too much about this book because you’ll have a better experience if you go into it without knowing too much. Just trust me on this one. Just read it… you’ll thank me later. I still can’t believe how strongly that bomb hit me…

Synopsis
“Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word.
Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London.
Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations—a search for the truth that threatens to consume him….”

3. Ready Player One (Ready Player One #1) by Ernest Cline

Oh, how I wish I could read “Ready Player One” for the first time – not including the sequel, let me make that clear! It was seriously one of the most amazing reading experiences I have ever had.
I was fully immersed in this book in a way that only readers could know. The funny thing is I’m not even a science-fiction reader, but Ernest Cline created the most interesting world, full of retro video games and 80’s references. 
If you have never read this, my advice is to not compare it to the movie adaptation, because it has almost nothing in common! The book is rich! I loved all the world-building, the hunt, the clues, the 80’s references, the videogames mentioned. It was such a complex, detailed, piece of art that I wish I could repeat the experience. Even though it won’t be for the first time, I’m definitely reading this again one day.

Synopsis
“In the year 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he’s jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade’s devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world’s digital confines, puzzles that are based on their creator’s obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them. When Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade’s going to survive, he’ll have to win—and confront the real world he’s always been so desperate to escape.”

4. Damsel by Elana K. Arnold

Oh my God, this book… This was SO GOOD! This was one of the most interesting books I have ever read, and I wish it got more recognition and popularity because I never saw anyone talking about it. It’s a darker kind of book, but the basis is a very well-known typical fairytale – but with a feminist twist. Please read the synopsis below so you can see what I’m saying! It deserves all the hype, and I wish I could read it for the first time to be blown away once again! And before you ask, no this is not the book that inspired the Netflix movie with Millie Bobby Brown.

Synopsis
“The rite has existed for as long as anyone can remember: when the prince-who-will-be-king comes of age, he must venture out into the gray lands, slay a fierce dragon, and rescue a damsel to be his bride. This is the way things have always been.
When Ama wakes in the arms of Prince Emory, however, she knows none of this. She has no memory of what came before she was captured by the dragon, or what horrors she has faced in its lair. She knows only this handsome prince, the story he tells of her rescue, and her destiny to sit on the throne beside him. Ama comes with Emory back to the kingdom of Harding, hailed as the new princess, welcomed to the court.
However, as soon as her first night falls, she begins to realize that not all is as it seems, that there is more to the legends of the dragons and the damsels than anyone knows–and that the greatest threats to her life may not be behind her, but here, in front of her.”

5. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

My dear friends, I present you… my favorite book of all time. No, I’m not kidding, this is it. I can’t begin to tell you how much I love this book – so of course, I’ve thought many times of how I wish I could read it for the first time. It’s a wonderful book, with a beautifully written story that is engaging until the very end. I’m sure you have heard about this book at least once – or even heard about the movie adaptation! If you decide to read any of the books from this post, it needs to be this one! Let yourself enjoy this beauty for the first time because I wish I could do the same!

Synopsis
“A literary sensation and runaway bestseller, this brilliant novel presents with seamless authenticity and exquisite lyricism the true confessions of one of Japan’s most celebrated geisha.
In “Memoirs of a Geisha,” we enter a world where appearances are paramount; where a girl’s virginity is auctioned to the highest bidder; where women are trained to beguile the most powerful men; and where love is scorned as illusion. It is a unique and triumphant work of fiction – at once romantic, erotic, suspenseful – and completely unforgettable.”

And there you have it friends! As always, I hope you found this recommendation post interesting and I hope you found yourself some new books to read. 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! 🙂