I am probably the farthest thing from what one would consider a “sophisticated reader.” I read a lot of the classics in middle or high school, and there was a time, right around the Scholastic book fair days, when reading used to be fun. I have found over the years that my love of reading didn’t stop; I simply grew up and had to find the genre that was more my speed. I crave the adventure, the romance and writing that takes me to a place beyond where I opened the book. I essentially want to feel like I am not even reading. I preface this article with this because if I were going to take a recommendation from someone, I would want to see the likelihood of it being something I am interested in as well.
I put a list of my top five current books on my TBR list, A.K.A. my “to be read” pile. Each book will also be accompanied by a description of the book as well as what intrigued me to want to read it. I hope you enjoy it and maybe even find a new world to escape into!
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
“Paulo Coelho’s masterpiece” follows the main character Santiago, who is an Andalusian shepherd boy longing to travel in search of a mystical treasure. His journey ends up leading him to discover something much different than initially anticipated upon finding the treasure. The Alchemist teaches readers to listen to our hearts, grab any and all opportunities given to us and that we should pay attention to bad omens along the way. Most importantly, we should follow our dreams.
Aside from all the raves on “BookTok,” the 18-22 age range (like the main character Santiago is in) is an impressionable place to be in, which draws readers into the premise further. A lot of us feel stuck in the majors we are in, feeling that this is our path in life now. Now and then we need a reminder to follow our dreams and heart. After all, 22 years old is not that old in the grand scheme of it all.
This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Published in 1920, this is the first novel by The Great Gatsby author F. Scott Fitzgerald. It examines the “lives and mortality” of young people navigating life post-WWI. The main character, Amory Blaine, is a student at Princeton University who is particularly keen on literature.
This book seems extremely telling on the struggle of class and love as well as the efforts of making a name for yourself despite what you were born with. What is left for you to make of yourself if you were not born with money into a high social class to provide a set life for you?
Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover
After spending five years in prison for a tragic mistake, our main character Kenna Rowan goes back to the town where everything first went wrong. She wants to hopefully reunite with her now-four-year-old daughter, but Kenna’s burned bridges are seemingly impossible to rebuild. Kenna is shut out by everyone else in her daughter’s life, despite how hard she works to prove herself. Kenna is left to find a way to absolve her past mistakes to heal and build a hopeful future.
CoHo (author Colleen Hoover) and I have a love-hate relationship. This woman has ripped my heart out with MULTIPLE of her books…I wish I was exaggerating. I pre-ordered this book back before its release date but haven’t had the chance to read it yet. I can say I like the idea of the character dynamics since it is different from her other books being in the POV of a young mother. This is a nice change of pace from her other books.
Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Midnight Library’s main character, Nora Seed, is forced to face all the endless possibilities of changing her current life for a new one, including what would happen if she had followed a different career, if old breakups had never happened or realizing her dreams of becoming a glaciologist. She must search within herself as she travels through the dreamlike land of the Midnight Library to decide what truly fulfills her in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place.
This book plays into the game of hypotheticals with questions like: how different my life would be if I did this instead of that, if I went to that party one night instead of staying home or if I had stayed in instead of going out? This author has another book written with the portrayal of time that has amazing reviews. I am very excited to see how he tells this story.
Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney
We follow our main character Alice, a novelist, who meets Felix, who works in a warehouse. The two end up traveling to Rome with each other. Meanwhile, in Dublin, Alice’s best friend, Eileen, is getting over a break-up and slips back into a flirtation with Simon, a man she has known since childhood.
Sally Rooney is another author I read on repeat. Her style of writing is a bit different because she does not use quotation marks, but once you get over that, I think you’ll find she can explain all the feelings you wish you had the words to say.
Thank you for reading this, and I hope you found a book to add to your TBR list. All of these books can be found on Amazon or at local stores like Midtown Reader. I say you should support local businesses like Midtown Reader; above it, upstairs, there is Argonaut Coffee, where you can enjoy your new book and a nice latte (1123 Thomasville Rd Tallahassee, FL 32303).
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