Are you sick of studying for midterms and doing assignments? Are you feeling burnout just from scrolling through your Instagram and Twitter feeds or your TikTok “For You” page?
Well, why not pick up some books you have been dying to read for a while but have been sitting on your to-be read list?
If you have been meaning to get back to the reading swing of things but don’t know where to start, here are my top five picks (in no particular order) to add to your TBR:
1. We Were Liars by E.Lockhart:
With spooky season upon us, why not bypass the traditional horror picks of Dracula or Carrie and go for a lighter yet mysterious YA thriller instead? The book is centered around the Sinclair family who spend every summer together on a private island. But seventeen-year-old Cadence is forced to relive and remember a tragic incident from two years ago over the summer from her old friend group-the “Liars.” A sleeper hit, it has eventually grown in popularity on “BookTok” and is a quick read at 256 pages.
2. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
If you’re looking for a deeper read, The Vanishing Half focuses on twin sisters Stella and Desiree in their small town of Vignes. They run away at sixteen years old in search of a better life, but years later the sisters are separated. Stella abandons Desiree to live life as a white-passing woman due to her lighter skin tone, while Desiree returns to Vignes with her daughter from a failed marriage. Weaving across generations to their daughters Jude and Kennedy, the book not only explores the issues of race and passing, but of family, societal expectations and what it meant to belong in 1990’s America.
3. Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas
For the fantasy lovers out there, this book could be for you. The first of an epic six book trilogy (eight if you count the prequel book and spinoff novel), the first book is essentially about Cinderella but if Cinderella had a sword…and was a deadly assassin who was sent to prison. But in this case, Celena Sardorthien is given a get out of jail free card as she is chosen to be the prince’s champion in a tournament to become the King’s right-hand man. But along the way, romance and mystery murders also crop up. If you’re looking to get stuck into a new YA series, then it’s worth reading.
4. Heartstopper by Alice Oseman
This last pick is for graphic novel lovers out there-it can also be read easily online through comic websites like Tapas or in its original webcomic form on Tumblr. Heartstopper is also set to come to Netflix soon as a TV show. Set in the UK, it follows an openly gay Charlie Spring as he befriends rugby jock Nick Nelson. They eventually fall for each other and support one another through the challenges as they navigate their school days in an all-boys school. Currently, four volumes are published with a mini novella but if you’re looking for a LBGTQ+ love story that tackles bullying, homophobia, eating disorders and what it means to come out, grab the tissues and get comfortable with some snacks because this is the perfect read for you!
