I saw a picture on Pinterest (my primary residence these days) that said, “100% foolproof way to protect against coronavirus: Stay inside and read a book,” and honestly? That’s not wrong.
So as we all settle into quarantine, I wanted to give you some ideas of books to order (from an independent bookstore if you can!), borrow from your library, or read through the National Emergency Library created by Internet Archive that hosts over 1.4 million books for free (Sign up here).
This week I’m focusing on two particular categories on my recommendation list, and next week I’ll have a few more for you. I want to give you something to look forward to in this quarantine monotony!
Now, as an avid reader, I am very aware that there are different types of reading “moods.” Perhaps you want a book that’s light and fluffy, a sort of “brain break” to take your mind off the seriousness and stress of the world around you. Maybe you want a page-turner that will keep you up until the wee hours of the morning because your sleep schedule is messed up anyway. Maybe you’re in the mood to simply escape to a completely different world. Or maybe you prefer non-fiction and want to learn something about yourself or the world around you. Boy, have I got some recommendations for you.
Books that feel like eating a big piece of pie in your pajamas
The Royal We (Heather Cocks) – Gossipy and fun, this novel is loosely based on William and Kate. American girl goes to England, falls for the Prince, and drama ensues.
One Day in December (Josie Silver) – Imagine locking eyes with the man you just know is the love of your life through the window of the bus as it drives away. Now imagine the next time you see him you find out he’s your best friend’s boyfriend.
Books that make you want to turn off the Zoom camera so you can keep reading during class
Recursion (Blake Crouch) – What if one day you woke up and remembered your life but also had an entire additional set of memories that felt equally real of a life that you never lived…or did you? It’s called False Memory Syndrome, and an NYC cop and a scientist are the only two people who can stop it. So good that I had to go to 6 different Barnes & Noble to track it down and then I took it to the gym with me so I didn’t have to stop reading.
What Alice Forgot & Big Little Lies (Liane Moriarty) – Both of these are page-turners. Big Little Lies is a little bit darker, but both of them are completely exhilarating. I don’t want to spoil either of the plots, but they’ve got twists and turns and will have you reading a page at a time in between your classmates’ presentations.
Those are my recommendations for this week, and I hope you find at least one on the least that catches your eye. Go forth and hit your reading goal for the year!