Winter break is over, and the spring semester is in full swing. Despite the few days off we might have, there is little rest for the weary.
But when you do find yourself with some spare time – don’t play on your phone! Instead, check out some of these book titles!
1) Now who doesn’t love John Green? He’s funny, smart, and his Youtube channels with his brother Hank are amazing.
He’s also a fantastic author and his latest book, Turtles All the Way, will blow you away.
2) Do you like reading about sisters? How about a set of triplets who are each a queen in her own right? And have magic powers? And also are in a contest of sorts to murder each other for the throne?
Then you’ll love the Three Dark Crowns series by Kendare Blake.
3) As an avid supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, I will say this wholeheartedly – there are not enough books about the topic. There are some, yes, but not enough.
So when I find one – like Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli – I’m a very happy person. Read it before the movie adaption, Love Simon, hits theaters.
4) Before the next Mary Poppins movie comes out in the next few years, have you read the original books by Dr. P. L. Travers?
It’s a bit dry and disjointed, yes, but it’s amazing. There’s a bit of British humor and some historical fact weaved into the novel also – a general knowledge of history is beneficial when you read this. And even better? There’s an 80th anniversary edition of Mary Poppins – you can read four Mary Poppins novels in one sitting!
5) I mentioned history – have you read Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys?
The novel follows a young girl in Luthania in 1941, who has the misfortune to be living under the Stalinist regime during WWII. And you know what’s even better about this absolutely heart-wrenching novel? The author loosely based it off of her own family history. Talk about personal connection.
6) In light of the rise in school gun shootings, I am including this book – How it Went Down by Kekla Magoon.
The book explores what occurs during a racially charged shooting, however, no two accounts of how the shooting happened are the same.
7) I feel like this article wouldn’t be complete without mentioning 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher.
This book, the TV series and the author himself have caused a lot of controversy, but with good reason. This book is about suicide, the show portrays graphic violence and rape, and the author has been accused of sexual misconduct.
I would proceed with caution while reading this book.
8) And along the same lines as the book above, a book by the esteemed Laurie Halse Anderson.
Groan all you want while you remember reading the book Speak – she’s only gotten better as an author. Her historical fiction? Amazing. And her YA novels – dear lord, they are good.
Her book Wintergirls, though nearly a decade old, is amazing. I would proceed with caution, however. The book deals with the topic of eating disorders, mental illness and suicide.
9) YA doesn’t have much diversity – it mostly deals with white protagonists and high school drama. I admit, I had trouble finding a book written by a person of color on my bookshelf – unless I count my textbooks.
But then there is this gem of an author, Joseph Bruchac, a Native American who writes about the indigenous peoples of the Americas during various points in history. One of his more contemporary YA books, Brothers of the Buffalo, tells the events of the Red River War in the U.S. from two points of view: a U.S. soldier and an American Native.
10) This book will be fun to read if you’re suffering from a cold or the flu: The Stand by Stephen King.
It explores what would happen if the government released a super-flu that kills 99% of the population – and the remaining population is left to fend for themselves.
Do note that depending on what edition you get of the novel, as it was written over twenty years ago, that some details and dates might vary.
11) And last but not least, The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood.
There have been a few TV series based off of this novel, but the written word will always be best. If you’re into reading about the destruction of politics and women’s social/political/physical rights in a not-so-distant future, this book is definitely for you.
There are so many books I couldn’t put in this article that are equally as good. Websites such as Goodreads and NY Times have fantastic reading lists for every reading level and age.