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woman holding a book and a cup of coffee on a bed
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SBU | Culture > Entertainment

Winter Break Reads: Hits, Misses, and Some New Favorites

Abigail Taber Student Contributor, St. Bonaventure University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SBU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

While away on winter break, I was able find time to relax and enjoy my favorite activity: reading.

When I wasn’t working, I was trying to find time to curl up on the couch, find a cozy coffee shop, or go to the bookstore to satisfy my literature cravings.

I was able to finish 12 books and made progress through a 13th. So, to continue my trend of writing a book review every time we get back from a break (so many that my friend called it my “niche” for Her Campus), I want to share some of what I read.

To save you from reading a horrendously long article this week, here are just a few I read and what I thought about them:

House of Flame and Shadow (Crescent City #3) by Sarah J Maas

This is the third book in the Crescent City series. It is a fantasy series that follows Bryce Quinlan as she tries to save her loved ones and the city.

I went into this read knowing that I would not love it. I didn’t like the first two books of the series and that set my expectations for this book really low. It did not disappoint. It was too long, too confusing, and too repetitive. It was definitely better than the second in the series but that is not saying much.

I only made it though this book because of the connection to another series by the same author. Characters from that series appeared in this book and connected the two worlds and timelines. But the connection felt forced and didn’t add anything to either series.

The ending was cliché, expected, and predictable. It may just be Maas’s style, but it felt just like all the other endings to her books.

Don’t even get me started on the main character. I have never felt so passionately about a female main character. She is awful. She is selfish and never really thinks about anyone but herself (and maybe her boyfriend… sometimes).

Overall, the book felt like a pointless read and lived up to my very low expectations.

My rating:2 stars out of 5

The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells

This is not typically a book I would pick up but I’m glad I did. It’s a classic science fiction novel and I can see why. It starts with the main narrator telling us about how a mysterious object crashes into earth. From this object, aliens emerge, and chaos ensues.

The writing was beautiful and engaging and I loved the combination of action and philosophical thought.

However, it was a bit hard for me to get through. I think that’s just because I am not a huge action fan.

But it was powerful and the last line left me shook.

My rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano

This book is about 4 sisters and their lives interacting with each other and the world around them. The story starts off by following the oldest sister and her marriage to a shy man named William. From there, we follow the characters through most of their lives.

I loved this book. This was another that I wouldn’t typically reach for, but it gripped me from the first couple chapters and I finished it in no time at all.

I loved the character development and the time jumps. The way that one of the main character’s depression was written about was skillful and felt very authentic. The best way I can describe Napolitano’s writing is mesmerizing.

The ending was a bit cheesy but still felt very human and authentic as the rest of the novel.

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Stoner by John Williams

This is my favorite book of all time.

I loved this novel. It was bleak and depressing and wonderful.

The novel follows William Stoner as he begins college and falls in love with English Literature. He decides to take up the scholar lifestyle and spends the rest of his life in higher education. But through the years, Stoner is met with many disappointments, and we are dragged along through the rest of his relatively uneventful life.  

The fact that this book is about a stoic man whose life isn’t particularly interesting, but somehow managed to grasp my attention and not let go, speaks to the impact William’s writing had on my senses.

Everything that would typically make a novel like this boring was avoided by Williams’ masterful prose that felt like it was dripping off the page.

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Abigail Taber

SBU '27

Abigail Taber is a third-year writer for the St. Bonaventure chapter of Her Campus. She enjoys writing about culture, entertainment, and the happenings in her college life. Abigail is excited to be the editor for her chapter this year and to be a part of such a cool organization that centers around the work and interests of women.

Beyond Her Campus, Abigail is the Editor-In-Chief of the literary magazine on campus, The Laurel, the President of SBU College Democrats, the Vice President of the Book Club, a tutor at the Writing Lab, and a volunteer at SBU Food Pantry. Abigail has had her creative writing published in both her high school's and university's literary magazines. She is currently a junior at St. Bonaventure University, triple-majoring in English, Literary Publishing and Editing, and Women's Studies.

In her free time, Abigail, or Abbey to her friends, enjoys reading, listening to music, and thinking of her next tattoo. She is a music trivia master and a known enjoyer of any and all romance books. She hopes to work for a publishing house editing novels in the future. Growing up in a small suburb of Buffalo, New York, Abbey hopes to embody the city-of-good-neighbors attitude.