Photo by Nicole Honeywill on Unsplash
As a certified bookaholic, I’m a firm believer in the idea that everyone is a reader— it just takes the right book to make you one. Like movies and music, the choices are endless between which books to read and sometimes that can make it hard to find the right one. What’s even harder is finding the time to read. Juggling class, two jobs, a sorority, and being part of an organization leaves little room for me to read for fun. I try to make reading at least 30 minutes per day a priority, but sometimes that priority falls to the wayside.
If you’re anything like me and you love to read but you can’t find the time, or you want to read but struggle to make time, don’t worry! I’ve compiled a list of books I’ve found were fun, addicting, and, most importantly, fast.
1. Warcross by Marie Lu
“When a game called Warcross takes the world by storm, one girl hacks her way into its dangerous depths. For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down players who bet on the game illegally. When Emika hacks into the game illegally, she’s convinced she’ll be arrested, and is shocked when she gets a call from the game’s creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. He needs a spy on the inside of this year’s tournament in order to uncover a security problem … and he wants Emika for the job.” Marie Lu builds a colorful and exciting world which makes Warcross hard to put down but easy to gravitate to. Her world is alive and breathing which makes it easier to sink into.
2. The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
“Natasha: I’m a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I’m definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won’t be my story. Daniel: I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store—for both of us. The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true?” If you are a hopeless romantic at heart, this is the perfect read. It takes place over the course of one day and has the right balance of realism and daydreams to keep you on your toes.
3. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
“Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr. But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.” This is a must read for anyone and everyone. The Hate U Give is being made into a movie and it releases this month on October 19. Raw, eye-opening, and its brutal honesty is just a couple factors of what makes this book so addicting. Its contents are more relevant than ever and even if you don’t read the book, you have to see the movie. Once you pick it up you’ll know why it took the world by storm.
4. The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh
“One Life to One Dawn. In a land ruled by a murderous boy-king, each dawn brings heartache to a new family. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Each night he takes a new bride only to have a silk cord wrapped around her throat come morning. When sixteen-year-old Shahrzad’s dearest friend falls victim to Khalid, Shahrzad vows vengeance and volunteers to be his next bride. Shahrzad is determined not only to stay alive, but to end the caliph’s reign of terror once and for all. Night after night, Shahrzad beguiles Khalid, weaving stories that enchant, ensuring her survival, though she knows each dawn could be her last. But something she never expected begins to happen: Khalid is nothing like what she’d imagined him to be. This monster is a boy with a tormented heart. Incredibly, Shahrzad finds herself falling in love. How is this possible? It’s an unforgivable betrayal. Still, Shahrzad has come to understand all is not as it seems in this palace of marble and stone. She resolves to uncover whatever secrets lurk and, despite her love, be ready to take Khalid’s life as retribution for the many lives he’s stolen. Can their love survive this world of stories and secrets?” A retelling of A Thousand and One Nights, this is the perfect mix of fantasy and romance. It will have you questioning what is true and if you can trust yourself.
Like anything else in the world, what I liked may not be what you like, but I hope you find something you do like that gets you reading again. And if you go to buy one of these books, please shop at your local bookseller if you have one nearby!