During midterm season, I can barely manage to find the time to read my textbooks, let alone make time for reading for pleasure. As a notorious bibliophile, this has been completely unacceptable. Luckily, I’ve found some amazing reads that are easy to sneak into my hectic schedule, and offer a much-needed break from schoolwork.
Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
As a criminally popular HBO fantasy-adventure series, I had serious doubts about these books, especially considering their daunting length. Each book comes in at well over 500 pages, and functionally performs as a doorstop. A welcome change from textbooks for the fantasy nerd within, George R.R. Martin has created a complex, fast paced series about the struggle among noble families vying for control of the iron throne. Since each chapter is narrated from a different character’s point of view, it’s easy to read in small installments at a time (not that you’ll be able to limit yourself to just one chapter.)
A bonus factor? Since the plot of Game of Thrones is far removed from any situation I could ever encounter in my daily routine (… a lot of beheadings,) I find it easy to escape into a story in a completely different world. Thank you fantasy.
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The Last Chance Saloon by Marian Keyes
I am a sucker for hilarious chick lit, and I have not yet found a Marian Keyes book that disappoints me. Keyes writes a hilarious, smart, book for women, all while avoiding the clichés that turn me off of novels aimed at female readers. This story focuses on the lives of three childhood best friends and their life in London – a city far removed from their rural Irish roots. Best of all, this book does well in what so many chick lit authors fails to and offers an extremely realistic portrayal of the various relationships that we all encounter in our everyday life.
A breezy, very light book, that makes me literally laugh out loud? Sold. Since it’s such an easy read, I found the relaxation factor to be extremely high.
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The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Yes, The Hunger Games has been ridiculously hyped this past year.
And yes, The Hunger Games has been hailed as the “next Twilight”, which acts as a definite negative for many (… as a warning like that probably should.)
However, this dystopian tale is one book that I would claim deserves all the hype it is getting. A book that is absolutely impossible to put down, with a strong female protagonist and a fantastic story to boot, it is an extremely crowd-pleasing volume. Even better is that you’ll be able to brag that you read the book before the movie came out!
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Pretty Bones by Aya Tsintziras
Written while the author was an undergraduate at U of T, this book offers readers a tantalizing glimpse into the world of eating disorders. Tsintziras deals with an extremely difficult subject manner in a mature and thought-provoking manner, written in an absolutely gorgeous style. Filled with references to U of T throughout, this book comes in at under 300 pages, making it an easy fit into any study schedule.
Photo Sources
Photo Source (Game of Thrones): http://manly-but-bookish.blogspot.com/2011/10/game-of-thrones.html
Photo Source (The Hunger Games): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hunger_Games
Photo Source (The Last Chance Saloon): http://coverspy.tumblr.com/post/1680786981
Photo Source (Pretty Bones): http://ayatsintziras.com/books/pretty-bones/