Today is World Book Day (or it was when I wrote this), so I think it makes sense for me to write this article! I’ve been a bookworm since practically the moment I learned how to read. This year I’ve started to keep track of all the books I read, for no reason at all except to see how many I can read in a year. Usually I don’t like the books I have to read for my classes, so I when I have free time I try to read books of my own choosing, which usually consists of contemporary young adult books (because contrary to popular belief, young adult books can be enjoyable at any age). Here are some of the books I’ve read and liked so far this year.
The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood
While this book isn’t contemporary and could be considered a classic, I really enjoyed it. It is set in a dystopia where women are forced to live as handmaids and their sole goal is to produce a child for their master and their sterile wives. It kept me intrigued throughout the whole plot and has some really chilling moments in it. It has been adapted into a TV series on Hulu as well. I’ve only seen the first couple episodes, but it has won an Emmy and received great reviews.
(Photo from https://www.storenvy.com/products/19891613-the-handmaids-tale-by-margare…)
Turtles All The Way Down – John Green
I’ve been a John Green fan since high school and never understood why people hate on his writing. I love all his books and this one is not an exception. The main character, Aza, has OCD and it is such an accurate and non-romanticized portrayal of a mental illness. It also has an interesting plot and highlights how important friendships can be.
(Photo from https://www.amazon.com/Turtles-All-Down-John-Green/dp/0525555366)
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao – Junot Díaz
I actually read this book for one of my contemporary literature classes this semester. It’s so much easier to read for school when you enjoy the book, and that was definitely the case with this one. It tells the story of a Dominican boy named Oscar and all the things he faces in his short life as well as the expectations and pressures that come with being a Dominican boy. I felt really connected with all of the characters in this book and I didn’t want it to end.
(Photo from http://quarterlyconversation.com/the-brief-wondrous-life-of-oscar-wao-by…)
History Is All You Left Me – Adam Silvera
If you want to read a sad book, this is the perfect book to read. I can’t even come up with any other word to describe this book except sad. Every page gave me a different reason to cry, and it felt like my heart was breaking through the whole thing. It’s about a boy named Griffin who is dealing with the aftermath of his ex-boyfriend’s death. Even though it was sad, it was still a very well written book that had a lot of plot twists. I think every book that makes you feel something is a book worth reading.
(Photo from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25014114-history-is-all-you-left-me)
Salt Houses – Hala Alyan
This was another book that I read for my contemporary literature class. It follows four different generations of the same family through the progression of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The author is a poet as well, which is evident in this beautifully written novel. It shows how this one family is affected by what is happening around them in terms of history, but it also touches upon things like relationships, religion, family dynamics, and cultural identity.
(Photo from https://www.amazon.com/Salt-Houses-Hala-Alyan/dp/0544912586)