The end of the semester is finally upon us. It is now time to break out those reading wish lists, and settle into another world. And while we are all still coming down from our “Hunger Games”, If I Stay,” and overall John Green highs, all the while keeping our love (or lust) for “Fifty Shades of Grey” a secret from our friends, it’s nice to be introduced, (or rerintroduced) to books that have yet to gain as much media attention, but will make us smile all the same.
A break from the tediousness of textbooks is always welcomed. Here is a list of five books to relax to, plus, we’ve included songs to enter into Pandora that will tie together the overall feelings that a great read can give you!
If you like Coldplay’s “Yellow,” check out “Along for the Ride” by Sarah Dessen.
Dessen pulls us into the nightlife of insomniac Auden West during the summer before her first semester in college, and takes us on a ride of a lifetime. When Auden meets fellow night owl Eli, we’re taken through the dark streets that lighten us to the idea of family, friendship, love, and overall second chances. The stars of the night start shining for Auden and Eli, and in the yellow of the stars, we are able to ride along.
Giving credit where credit is due, we must give thanks to Morgan Matson and Roger for the next pairing. In her debut novel, “Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour,” Matson introduces us to once-childhood friends Amy and Roger, who have only a few days to make it from one side of the country to the other. Both Amy and Roger are carrying baggage, other than their physical luggage, and together, decide to extend the trip just a bit. Paired with the uplifting beat of Jack’s Mannequin “The Resolution,” we ride through the nation with Amy, all the while knowing that everything that we once knew will end, and change us for the better. But, in the meantime, it doesn’t hurt to have a cutie by our side to lean on when needed.
Lorde have mercy, this girl is on it. Lorde‘s rendition of Tears for Fears’s “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” is a great pairing to Barry Lyga’s “I Hunt Killers.”
For all the ladies who appreciate a good crime novel, Lyga creates a world of chaos when he introduces us to Jasper Dent, the son of the world’s most notorious serial killer. In the first book of a thrilling trilogy, we follow Jasper around the small town of Lobo’s Nod and he fights against the killer instincts that have been instilled in him growing up in order to catch the town’s newest killer. As Jasper clings to what he feels are the decent parts of his sanity, Lorde provides us with a song that beautifully reflects the demons that live inside him.
Up and coming poet Lang Leav and singer/songwriter Sara Bareilles come together to make up the dream team of this list. Even though they are short, the poems that Leav has included in her books “Love & Misadventure,” as well as the newest, “Lullabies,” bring out emotions that we can all relate to. Love that is new, love that has been lost and found, love that we must let go of – it is all there in between the one-sided pages of these books. It can also be found in (the majority of) the songs of Sara Bareilles, but more specifically in “Gravity,” and “Manhattan” from her albums Little Voice and The Blessed Unrest, respectfully. The beautiful ballads bring a background to the poems that completes whatever setting and atmosphere that you find yourself in.
In between quizzes and exams, after you’ve written the five page essay on the parallelism of Anton Chekov and Shakespeare, remember that reading is meant to be enjoyed! Now that the textbooks are gone, and the required reading is done, you get to indulge in books that you’re sure to love. Every word, every story is meant to bring out an emotion. Give these books a read whenever you find that you may be forgetting the wonderful journey that reading is meant to take you on; and, for an added affect, crank up your stations, and give these songs a try! Have fun, collegiettes.
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