I have loved reading since I was young. My father used to bribe my brother and me with iPods and new clothes if we finished 100 books in the summer. My passion for books started as a means to an end, but eventually, I claimed it as my own. By the time I hit middle school, I was the kid who read before every class and ignored my friends at the lunch table because I was too engrossed in the newest plot twist. Now that I’m in college, I don’t have the time for pleasure reading like I used to. Between the homework, class time and extracurricular activities, reading doesn’t make it into my top five activities for day-to-day life. But I still have a stack of books sitting in my room, waiting for me to pick them up, settle in and enjoy. Here are the nine books on my bedside table that are waiting for their time to shine.
- Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly
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I am working my way through Hidden Figures now, and it pleasantly surprises me every time I pick it up. I am a little more than 50 pages in, but I am enjoying it. Usually, I would choose fiction over nonfiction any day. But in an attempt to expand my mind and my knowledge of Black people in history, I decided that this would be a good read. I have never seen the movie in the entirety, so I feel like I am getting a true first-time experience of the novel.
- Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyers
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I am not ashamed to admit that I love Twilight. I read the original series, watched all of the movies and then forced my roommates to watch all of the movies. And, in case you’re wondering, I’m team Edward all the way. This is why I was so excited to see Midnight Sun on the shelf when I visited Books-A-Million a few weeks ago. Midnight Sun tells the story of Twilight from Edward’s perspective. I haven’t started the book yet, but something tells me I’ll be fangirling the entire time I’m reading it. I can only hope my roommates are prepared.
- Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote
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I first watched Breakfast at Tiffany’s when I was a sophomore in high school. It took me until college to figure out that it was also a book. Sad, I know. Luckily, my roommate owned the book and was kind enough to bring it back to our apartment for me to borrow. Right now, Holly, Cat and Paul Varjak are waiting for me to dive into New York during the 1940s, and I cannot wait.
- Tattoos on the Heart by Gregory Boyle
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My roommate gifted me Tattoos on the Heart for my birthday, and I have been excited to read it ever since. The book is a collection of stories from a man who has worked for a gang-intervention program in Los Angeles. It showcases stories about loving others and being compassionate, two tenants I aim to uphold in my own life. I fully expect that I will be in tears for at least half the novel. I am an emotional reader, after all.
- The Grace Year by Kim Leggett
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One of the things I love most about my boyfriend is that he has a mother who reads. While I was home one weekend, she gave me this book. The Grace Year is about a society that banishes girls into the wilderness when they are 16 so that they can come back purified and ready for marriage. However, while they are banished into the wilderness, they face numerous obstacles that threaten their return. If there’s anything I love more than fiction, It’s dystopian fiction. I’ve read the Hunger Games, Divergent, The Giver and several other novels of the sort. I’m looking forward to adding The Grace Year to that list.
- Love Poems by various writers
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I am a sucker for a good love story, especially if it’s poem form. That is why I felt obligated to pick up this book with love poems from writers like Walt Whitman, George Elliot, Emily Brontë and Isabella Crawford. I’ve already read a few poems. It’s a great book to pick up when you’re in the mood to be sentimental but don’t have time to fully engage with a novel.
- A Vindication on the Rights of Women by Mary Wollstonecraft
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While my heart lies with fiction, I try to make my way through the classic books regardless of whether they are fiction or nonfiction. That is how I came to purchase A Vindication on the Rights of Women. I heard of the book in numerous history classes and probably read a passage or two there as well. However, I never read the entire thing. But seeing as it focuses on female worth, education and rights, I can only see it bettering my perspective.
- I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak
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One of my favorite books of all time is The Book Thief. Subsequently, Markus Zusak is one of my favorite authors since he wrote it. That is why I was overjoyed to see he wrote another novel: I Am The Messenger. While this book is told from the perspective of death, I am still looking forward to it. The story follows the life of an under-age cab driver. An interesting premise, I know. I am looking forward to seeing what Zusak has done with this new character, and my fingers are itching to turn the pages.
- The Poetry of W.B. Yeats
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I won’t pretend like I know a ton about W.B. Yeats, but I picked up this book because I’d like to learn more. Yeats was an Irish poet who was highly influenced by his culture, folklore and fairytales. While I enjoy the occasional book of poems, I am hoping to fall in love with this collection from Yeats.
It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day tasks that must get done. But that’s why it’s so important to take time for ourselves to do something we enjoy. For me, that’s reading. I enjoy exploring a different time or a different life from the comfort of my bed. My mind usually thanks me, my wallet not so much.