I recently got back into reading for fun and I am obsessed. I go through a cycle of reading for fun nonstop and then life gets busy which leads me to stop reading for months or years. Then, I get back into it and the cycle repeats. I mainly read science fiction and/or supernatural books. I am one of those people where if I am not interested in the book, I will not be able to finish it. Even as a youngster, I loved to read, but if I was forced to read a certain book or forced to read once a week on a Friday at resource/study hall when I could’ve been doing my homework for the weekend (specific, because it happened and I’m still mad about it), I despised reading. Here is a list of my top fun reads to hopefully inspire someone to pick up a book once again.
Body of Work by Christine Montross
This book follows a medical student, Christine Montross, during the cadaver lab portion of medical school. One of my favorite quotes comes from this book, “separate the parts, do not cut”. I don’t know why this resonated with me at the time, but it really shook my core. I read this book in high school after my Anatomy/AP Biology/ Environmental Science teacher lent it to me. Second semester of senior year, I must’ve read all of this teacher’s fiction books she had in her classroom.
Shadow and Bone Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo
Netflix created a TV series based on these books recently. I saw the TV show and instantly loved the concept. I didn’t read the books though until this past December. I got the trilogy box set for Christmas and read the first two books in forty-eight hours. The first book corresponds to the first season and the production of the second season just started, so I am super excited to binge watch the whole season when it comes out. This book is under the genre of fantasy and is in the magical realm of books.
Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan
This book takes place during World War II and follows a teenage boy in his endeavors to help Jews escape the Nazis and become a double agent in the Nazi army. It is such a good book that I read it within a week over the summer last year after getting it in a book exchange. It is different from my usual science fiction/fantasy books, but it is definitely one of my favorite books.
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
To be honest, I read this one night in my senior year of high school which was three years ago. I do not remember much of the plot, but I remember being so enthralled by the book I just didn’t put it down until I finished. This book I would classify as science fiction. It takes place in a time after a plague that wiped out the majority of the human population. It is a part of a series, I believe, but I have only read this book.
Reading has always given me an escape from reality. It is different from watching TV or a movie because your brain is the one creating the images, which in my opinion makes it even better than watching a screen. Whenever something is wrong or I’m overwhelmed, it is nice to have something to turn to that can take my mind off of everything. Reading, for me, is also something I don’t have to feel guilty about doing since it is helping my brain by keeping it active. Overall, reading is something I hope everyone can enjoy.