As a student at a liberal arts college, chances are you read often and consistently––textbooks, historical documents, academic texts and more. Now when I have free time, I feel less inclined to spend it reading novels. Personally, it takes time for me to get to the point in a novel where it’s easier for me to keep going than to put the book down. Some books, however, allow you to get to that point of inertia quicker than others. Here are my recommendations.
- Any Gillian Flynn Novels
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If you haven’t read Gone Girl, you’ve probably seen the movie. I recommend reading it anyways. Sharp Objects and Dark Places are equally unsettling and difficult to put down.
- Into the Water by Paula Hawkins
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Into the Water is a story of complicated family relationships set in a British town where women keep drowning. The mystery of these women is uncovered throughout the novel.
- The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
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Set in France during the Second World War, this book tells the story of two sisters and how they deal with life under German occupation. It’s engrossing and heartbreaking.
- My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
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The story of a woman who basically decides to undergo a year of drug-induced sleep. You know, to reset. It’s an interesting read, but definitely approach with caution. There’s a lot of drug abuse, and I wouldn’t recommend reading it if you’re not in a good mental space.
- Americanah and Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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I’m cheating here a bit because these are two books, but Adichie’s writing is phenomenal. Both these books tell love stories in vastly different settings. Americanah follows the story of a young woman who immigrated from Nigeria to the United States. Half of a Yellow Sun is set during the Biafran War and tells the stories of multiple characters from different backgrounds.
- Crazy Rich Asians Trilogy by Kevin Kwan
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You’ve probably seen the movie, but it doesn’t matter. These books are like pure candy. They’re the perfect mix of designer luxury, Southeast Asian culture and decadent family drama. Kwan includes footnotes that give further details about the culture, food and languages used in the book.