We have all struggled to fit hobbies we enjoy into our chaotic schedules. As an avid reader, but also an honors student with a more rigorous work load, it is always so hard to find a book that is capable of being easy to read, enjoyable and not super complex. So, based on some books I have read and really enjoyed, here are some of the top eight easy books to read during a stressful school year.
- Red, white & Royal blue by Casey mcquiston
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This book became an immediate comfort novel for me. All of the characters were so well developed and they made my heart completely melt. I will not be afraid to admit I cried twice while reading it. The book was super easy to read as well and the author lightens the mood even more by adding adorable emails and text messages between the characters. Red, White and Royal Blue delves into the life of Alex Claremont-Diaz, first son of the United States female president. Alex has had one lifelong nemesis, Prince Henry of the United Kingdom. What happens when a secret relationship blooms between the two after a catastrophe at a royal wedding?
- the house on mango street by sandra cisneros
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This book was very unique compared to some of the other ones I have read. It is a lot shorter, being roughly 100 pages. The writing style is extremely artsy and inspiring. Cisneros decided to tell her personal story in a series of vignettes–which are short poetic stories. There were some that were completely joyous that made me smile dearly and others that I was completely heartbroken. The House on Mango Street delves into the story of the authors life when she was a young Latina girl, growing up in Chicago. She had little money in her childhood, yet she still made the world her oyster and invented herself how she desired, doing the things she loved most.
- Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz
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This book really tore at my heart strings and the single sentences at the end of each chapter really hit something deep within me. Aristotle and Dante are two young teenage boys trying to discover themselves in a world where there is cruelty, but also light. This very easy to read book has smaller chapters so it is not extremely stressful to take on.
- The love hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
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This book has to be my favorite romance book to this date. It is not incredibly long and as a slow reader myself, I flew through it and completely lost my sense of time. The character development between the two main characters, Oliver and Adam, was utterly adorable and it was such a light hearted read during my stress heavy senior year of high school. The Love Hypothesis introduces the main character Olive Smith, who is a third-year Ph.D. candidate. Olive is not super interested in her current boyfriend, but notices that her best friend and her boyfriend may have feelings for one another. Olive wants to make their relationship sail, so she kisses the first man she sees–the hotshot professor Adam Carlsen. From there, the whole book goes on a fake dating journey, or maybe it’s not so fake?
- They both die at the end by adam silvera
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I just finished this book recently and it got me through the first week of stress as a college freshman. It is super easy to comprehend and it keeps the story entertaining by switching points of view through over eight different characters. The finishing sentences for each section were so powerful and the words of advice to keep living and making everyday your best was utterly inspirational. From the start of the book, you find out that the two main characters, Mateo and Rufus, are going to die that day. You do not know how or even when, but you follow their journey on their last day living and what was most important for them to do on their final day. You will need a box of tissues for this one.
- The song of achilles by madeline miller
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If you are interested in reading more of a Greek tragedy with Greek heroes, I think this is the perfect fit. Yes, there are a few complicated names, but other then that it is straightforward. The storyline is not bland and does not go down a rabbit hole of greek mythology that will confuse you. I really enjoyed reading it during senior year even with my stressful schedule, plus it educated me a bit more on Greek mythology. In The Song of Achilles, Patroclus is an awkward and cast out young prince, who was exiled from his homeland after a shocking violent act occurred. Patroclus ends up meeting his new friend in the process, Achilles. But, a war surges and danger erupts, leading to absolute turmoil.
- The lion, the witch and the wardrobe by c.s. lewis
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I read this book in the early spring this year and it was such a cozy book. I would recommend this as book to read in the fall or winter especially. It was extremely easy to read and a perfect destresser in between my school studies, especially with a cozy blanket and some tea or coffee. This book is based off of the movie Narnia, where a group of siblings journey through a magical wardrobe that leads to a mysterious world. The group of kids join Lion Aslan to take on the evil witch who is destroying Narnia with her evil spells to regain the territory for good.
- The spanish love deception by Elena armas
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If you are looking for another basic romance book to comfort you during school, The Spanish Love Deception has my heart. It is a thicker book with about 500 pages, but Armas wrote it in a way that made it so easy to read and understand, I barely had to give it much thought. Also, the fact that this is the first book this independent female and Spanish writer has wrote, still puts me in complete awe. In The Spanish Love Deception, Catalina Martin is desperate to find a date to her sisters wedding back in her home country, Spain. Everyone she knows will be at the wedding, including her ex and his fiancee. Her office coworker Aaron Blackford comes into the picture to help her and offers to be her fake date. She would rather refuse this man she has a love-hate relationship with, but it is too close to the deadline. Catalina soon realizes he may be the best option for the job and that he may not be as horrific as she once thought he was.
