Reading is an amazing hobby. Not only can it improve your vocabulary, but it can also help your brain function and relieve stress. For many reading can act as an escape, where you can be absorbed into fictional worlds.
However, some have a hard time getting into reading. The best way to do so is by finding books in a genre you’re interested in, with writing styles that appeal to you.
Here is a list of books to get you into reading or out of a reading slump:
Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore
Genre: Magical Realism, Fiction
Goodreads Rating: 3.85/5
My Rating: 4/5
On Oona’s 19 birthday/New Year’s Eve, she passes out and wakes up her 51-year-old body leaving her young adult life behind. Oona finds out that every year during her adult life she jumps to a random year in her life, only remembering the years she has been to– whether it’s 51, 27, 32, or 20. She is living her same life, just out of order. This book can be confusing, in a good way, and may send you into a spiral about time. There are twists and this book will have you on the edge of your seat.
*Tip: If you don’t know what genre you may like, think about what Tv shows and movies you enjoy!
The Better Liar by Tannen Jones
Genre: Realistic Fiction, Thriller
Goodreads Rating: 3.45/5
My Rating: 4/5
Leslie’s father died, and 10 years before her sister, Robin, ran away. In their father’s will he put that the sisters must be together to claim the money. When Leslie goes to find Robin, Robin is dead. Leslie meets Mary, who looks very similar to Robin, and together they devise a plan to get the money. This is the book that got me into reading, it was so captivating. There was mystery, romance, and major plot twists.
Dear Martin and Dear Justyce by Nic Stone
Genre: YA Realistic fiction
Goodreads Rating:
Dear Martin 4.37/5
Dear Justyce 4.43/5
My Rating;
Dear Martin 4/5
Dear Justyce 5/5
Dear Justyce is the sequel to Dear Martin, and each book is about 200 pages each.
In Dear Martin, 17-year-old Justyce attends his predominantly white boarding school and faces constant racism by his peers. One day when visiting home, Justyce gets brutalized by police, and something unexpected happens that changes his life. Justyce learns what it means to be a Black man in a White America through systemic and interpersonal racism– and his letter to Dr. Martin Luther King. This book is funny, deep, and conversational. It was an interesting look at police brutality that will captivate you from page one.
In Dear Justyce, Quan is awaiting his trial after pleading not guilty to the shooting of a police officer. Quan’s story unravels through a series of flashbacks and letters to Justyce. This book is focused on the injustices in the criminal justice system. When reading this book you will feel so many emotions and want to reach through the pages and hug the characters.
If you like books such as The Hate U Give and Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas, this will be a good read for you.
*Tip: If you have a hard time reading for long periods of time, choose books with shorter chapters.
Everything After by Jill Santopolo
**Check TW
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Realistic Fiction
Goodreads Rating: 3.61/5
My Rating: 5/5
Emily has come so far since college. She is now a psychologist and married to a doctor. Her life is great until something happens that mirrors a little too close to her past, reminding her of the two passions she lost: her ex Rob and music. Emily begins asking herself if this is where she is meant to be in her life. This book is an emotional rollercoaster, with many morally-grey characters leaving you unsure who to root for. There is a dual point of view between a third person narrator and Emily’s past self. This book is so sweet and heartbreaking at the same time.
Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron
Genre: YA Fiction, Fantasy Fiction
Goodreads Rating: 3.73/5
My Rating: 4.25/5
It’s 200 years after the Cinderella fairytale is over, and there is the annual ball where the men of the kingdom choose their wives. Sophia, though, would rather marry her childhood best friend Erin than any of the men in the kingdom. She decides to run away, and she meets Constance– the last known living descendant of one of Cinderella’s stepsisters. Together the two girls vow to bring down the tyrannical king and change the kingdom forever. This book has amazing, loveable characters. It is a new take on the original story and not basic like some other retellings. There is magic, romance, and beautiful diversity.
