We have finally made it—after a long semester, we have finally reached a much-needed winter break. One of my favorite ways to spend my downtime is reading. However, the hustle of the semester leaves me with little time to read simply for fun. Thankfully, winter break is the perfect opportunity to finally catch up on your ever-growing reading list.
- I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
Growing up, iCarly was one of my absolute favorite shows to watch. Sam Puckett, one of the main characters of the show, was played by Jennette McCurdy. I always found her to be hilarious—but behind the scenes, things were not so funny. McCurdy’s memoir explores the struggles and abuse of growing up as a child actor, and I am looking forward to understanding her from a new and more complex lens.
- Beach Read by Emily Henry
Emily Henry is a cult-favorite author. Shockingly, I have yet to read anything by her. It is definitely time for me to understand all the excitement and adoration that surrounds her novels, like People We Meet on Vacation and Book Lovers. I know they say to not judge a book by its cover, but the covers of Emily Henry’s books are so fun and whimsical that I have really high hopes for the actual books.
- My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
I read an essay by Ottessa Moshfegh titled “Jailbait” in an English course last year. I was immediately struck by Moshfegh’s sharp, intense, and raw writing style. My Year of Rest and Relaxation tackles heavier topics, like depression, so tread with caution. However, I am eager to read more of Moshfegh’s pointed and honest descriptions of what it means to exist in this complicated and messy world.
- Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney
Sally Rooney is another author that has consistently been on my list to read. I started reading Conversations with Friends near the end of the summer, and once school rolled around, I never finished reading it (oops). Nevertheless, I am hoping that winter break will fortify me enough to give Sally Rooney a fresh start. One thing to note is that Rooney does not use quotation marks when inserting dialogue, so there is a slight adjustment curve to reading her writing style.
- The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
My mom has been begging me to read The Year of Magical of Thinking for seemingly years now. I happened to read a couple essays from Joan Didion’s collection of essays, Slouching Towards Bethlehem, last year. Just like immersing myself in the words of Ottessa Moshfegh was powerful, Joan Didion’s words were similarly influential. As we approach the one-year anniversary of Didion’s death, it is especially important to me that I carve out time over winter break to read The Year of Magical Thinking.