Walking into my first semester I brought a mound of books expecting to breeze through them and exchange for new ones during winter break. When break finally rolled around, I noted the layer of dust that had settled on the unread books that sat on my shelf. Between balancing classwork, a crazy schedule and a social life, my bookworm tendencies were among one of my many hobbies that got the boot in college.
Luckily, it’s spring break so what better to do than kick back and relax with a great book! Here are my top five book recommendations that will be sure to brighten your break.
1. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
(We could all use some quality YA in our lives)
Kell is the last magician of his kind able to travel between the parallel Londons known as Red, White, Grey, and the lost Black London. Each is distinct and vastly different. Kell serves as an ambassador from Red London but secretly smuggles magical relics from his London into others where Magic is a rare novelty.
Delilah Bard, a cut-throat thief with big dreams from Grey London, is not afraid to fight for what she wants. When her and Kell’s paths cross, both become entangled with a mysterious magical relic where danger threatens the different worlds. It is now up to Kell and Delilah to save them– if they can manage to stay alive.
2. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
(I won’t shut up about this memoir so please read it)
This memoir tells the story of Walls experience growing up in poverty with a dysfunctional family. With a dad who was destructive when drunk but able to capture his children’s imaginations when sober and a mother who was a free spirit, Walls and her siblings were on their own. This is a story of resilience and love that keeps you on the edge of your seat as the life of Walls family unfolds.
3. A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle
(Spend a year in Provence while spending a week at home!)
This book describes the author and his wife’s experience when they move to Provence, France. Mayle wittingly writes about the town, regional cuisine and many quirks that come with their new home. In Provence, life is lived by the seasons rather than days so the book is structured with each chapter being a different month of a year. This heartwarming story is the perfect book to sit back and relax with.
4. Reincarnation Blues by Michael Poore
(Honestly, this one gets weird)
Everyone gets 10,000 lives to try and achieve cosmic perfection, understand the “big questions”, and become one with everything. Milo has lived 9,995 lives and only has five more to join the cosmic soul, or else he will fall into oblivion. From being a fisherman in Florida to a prisoner in space, this story takes you everywhere. This comedy-filled story with a dark twist follows his final five lives, a path towards perfection and a love story with death, or as he calls her, Suzie.
5. The Female Persuasion
(Feel the girl power)
Greer Kadetsky is a college freshman who is smart, shy, and madly in love with her boyfriend, Cory. After listening to Faith Frank, and older women’s rights activist, a light sparks within Greer. To her surprise, Faith becomes her mentor and presents Greer with an opportunity to do something with her ambition. Her life takes an unexpected turn after this and leads her away from Cory and the future she imagined for herself. This book shows the importance of endurance and working to have your voice heard.