So, as it stands, we are about a month into social distancing or lockdown, and the end does not appear to be anywhere in sight. So while this can be quite demoralizing, it is crucial to keep ourselves busy and stay semi-productive during this whole situation. It can be pretty tempting to hide under your duvet and watch re-runs of Friends or binge Netflix for the future, but resist the urge! While watching TV is a great option, I have found that this time has also allowed me to dig my teeth into some books I’ve been meaning to read but haven’t gotten to. Losing yourself in a good book is just as good, if not better than re-watching Gilmore Girls for a fourth time. So, in case you fancied a change, here are my top 10 Quarantine Read choices to get you through the next…. week? Month? Year? Honestly, who knows at this point!
- Notes on a Nervous Planet by Matt Haig
-
Okay, so I’m starting off with the least escapism of the choices. Perhaps this isn’t everyone’s cup of tea if you’re looking to distract yourself. Still, this book is great if you’re looking to stay connected to the world and think about this whole situation on a broader picture. Haig uses personal anecdotes and stories to unpick ideas about social media, developing technology, and just generally how to cope with being a human and staying sane in strange times. Pretty relevant to the current situation!
- One Day by David Nicholls
-
You might have seen the film starring Anne Hathaway. If you have, I’d ask you to wipe out every memory you have of watching it and go back to the source. Not to be one of those people that goes ‘oh the film isn’t as good as the book. But really, the film isn’t as good as the book. One Day is an unusual story spread across twenty years on the same day each year. In this story, we follow two graduates, Emma and Dexter’s, as life pulls them into different directions. This book is definitely more than a love story, it’s more about the way that life pulls us apart and draws us together, and how to navigate the years. The fact that it starts with the two of them following graduation makes it only more relevant for people our age.
- The Defining Decade by Meg James
-
This one definitely has a scary title. My brother bought it for me for Christmas, and I’ve been too intimidated by the bright green title and scary caption to open it. But actually, now I discovered, this book is more helpful then it is scary. It’s all about how to get the most out of your twenties and achieve what you want. Because it is told from a clinical psychologist’s perspective, the stories told are actually stories she’s witnessed or lived. She does a scientific analysis, which makes her points more trustworthy. This is a great book to read during quarantine, where you’re stuck with too much time on your hands, in prepping you for the next few years of life, and how to make the most of them really.
- How do you like me now? by Holly Bourne
-
Holly Bourne is one of my long-time standing favorite authors. She usually writes for teenagers, and so I read her books a lot when I was younger. When I heard she was branching into novels for adults, it re-sparked my love for her writing. This debut adult novel keeps that flavor of youth that makes it especially relatable to readers our age, even though it focuses on a woman who’s just entering her 30’s. The book deals with pressures we face as women to stick to a certain timeline and the biological clock, and issues with the balance of a successful career and home life. Or what really is successful? Does it have to mean the same for everyone? The book also touches on emotional abuse in relationships. It is all-round just very empowering for women to live life by their own timeline and not anyone else’s. While the book is more about people in their 30’s, I actually found this book to be very relevant to people of all ages and how we deal with relationships and friendships.
- Chasers of the Light by Tyler Knott Gregson
-
If you are looking for something that is going to open you up and make you think without giving you too much of an existential crisis, this one is for you. (Though if you’re not one for poetry, you should probably skip this one). Gregson’s poetry is a combination of more traditional kinds, and the type you see when scrolling through Instagram. He discusses love, heartbreak, and, most importantly, how to be positives in situations that seem negative and find light in darker moments. This book is excellent if you need a little boost or feeling of hope and reflection during this time.
- Don’t you forget about me by Mhairi McFarlane
-
On the other hand, if you want something a bit lighter, McFarlane’s bestseller is the right choice for a chick-lit funny read, that still has a lot of grounding in it. Which is what I find to be important if I’m reading a book that is meant to be a bit light-hearted, it’s better if the book still attempts to take on something with a little bit more weight and isn’t all fluff. This book does this so well, it is humorous and quick to read. Still, it deals with important issues we face as women, such as (again) the pressures of the timeline, and serious topics like sexual assault. The story follows Georgina, a woman in her late 20’s, who hasn’t got to the place in life she hoped she might, and the events that unfold when someone from her younger age unexpectantly walks back into her life. It’s a reminder of how connected all our different versions are, even if we think they are different.
- Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
-
If you were disappointed with my previous dismissal of One Day’s adaptation, you’d be pleased to know this story is one whose movie definitely lives up to expectations. The film stars, Sam Claflin and Emelia Clarke, make the story as warm, funny, and heartbreaking as the book. Almost. Moyes’ story follows Lou Clark, a nice but somewhat safe young woman, and Will Traynor, a man who is living with a disability following a motorcycle accident. The two’s lives cross paths, and the story develops from there. Without giving too much away, if you want to laugh and cry, even at the same time, pick up this book ASAP. And then, do watch the film, it is good.
- Stuff I’ve been feeling lately by Alicia Cook
-
This is another poetry book, but the reason I chose this one is that the way it is formatted is really unique. Each poem is called a Track, at the bottom, it says the song she was listening to or related to. This means you can set up a playlist on Spotify of all the songs, and whilst you’re reading the book, listen to the partner songs, which definitely adds something to the experience. It’s one of my favourite poetry books. It connects with your past and your future, and the idea of where home is in relation to time. The book also has a section at the end called the ‘remixes’ which is a reinterpretation of each poem.
- It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
-
I am a big fan of Colleen Hoover’s work, I’ve read pretty much everything she’s ever written, but I don’t think any of her other books comes close to this one. This book is based on her own personal experience of her mother’s relationship with her father and deals with domestic violence. This makes the story both personal and touching, the more it unfolds. The book follows Lily, a woman who wants to be a florist in Boston, and the people who have been or are most central in her life. Again, this is one of those books I think every woman can learn from. I don’t want to spoil it, but the message this book carries is about honoring your own self-worth and knowing when to walk away from a situation, is universal and applicable in so many ways.
- You are a Badass, by Jen Sincero
-
This is a New York Times Bestseller for a reason. I’ve bought this book for myself, I’ve bought it for friends; it’s a great self-help kind of read without being too ‘self-helpy’ and preachy, if that makes sense. The book simply helps you embrace everything about yourself and where you are at in life. It gives you tips on how to make money, stop any sabotaging behaviors you have, and really just how to enjoy and get the most out of the life you’re living. If you want the kind of book that’s going to put a spring in your step for when this is all over with, and we can get back to our lives, this is a great place to start.
Happy reading!