It’s hard to find the time to curl up with a good book with all of life’s other responsibilities looming ahead. There’s a lot of bad books out there, so it can also be very time consuming to rummage through piles of books to find the ones actually worth reading. That’s where I come in, giving you five novels that are absolutely worth your precious time.
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng (2017).
When I thought about making this list, this book was the first one that came to my mind. Little Fires Everywhere has such a seemingly simple yet intriguing storyline. The characters, though not all likeable, will definitely peak at some point in the book. These characters explore a range of controversial topics such as motherhood, privilege, and abortions; all of which are handled with a sense of dignity and grace, written beautifully by Ng, who is obviously a natural storyteller. It’s the kind of book that will make you rethink everything you once knew and want to challenge yourself to venture outside of your comfort zone.
This is the book for you if:
You love a story about a small town that has big secrets.
Beartown by Fredrik Backman (2016).
This is a book about a rural town that’s obsessed with their local hockey team. Now, I know what you’re thinking;boring, right? Well, you’d be wrong, because Beartown is so much more than a silly sports story. It explores the toxic masculinity and blind loyalty that one may expect in a small community. Backman covers difficult topics such as homophobia and rape, specifically focusing on the victim blaming aspect of rape culture that slowly grows to form a dangerous mob mentality. While it delivers a timeless message of empathy and compassion, this book is especially powerful in today’s culture with the #MeToo movement. There’s also a sequel to this called Us Against Them, and if you have some extra time on your hands, it’s just as good as the one that came before.
This is the book for you if:
You love a story with a strong modern social commentary.
The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn (2017).
This is the one for all you thrill-seeking, horror-loving folks out there. I was truly blown away by this book, and I can guarantee that you will be as well. The storyline carries itself in such an ominous yet casual way that it allows anyone the ability to picture themselves in it’s situations, making it even more creepy. The characters were likeable, yet realistically flawed, (AKA: the best kind of characters). In fact, the main character suffers from a somewhat uncommon mental illness (agoraphobia: fear of open or crowded places, leaving one’s home, or being in a situation where one is unable to escape), which allows the reader a unique perspective into the lives of a marginalized community. This book also has a jaw-dropping, twist ending, so make sure you’re sitting down when you finish this one.
This is the book for you if:
You love a story that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up.
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee (2017).
This book is quite the journey – literally and figuratively. The twists and turns surrounding this seemingly normal family are jaw dropping, the characterization of each person is so brilliantly done that I felt like I knew each one personally. The ending is simple, but tied up all the loose ends very nicely. This book broke my heart and then glued all the pieces back together within the span of 479 pages, (and yes, I know that seems like a lot, but trust me—it’ll fly by). From the outside, Pachinko might seem intimidating to the average reader, but I truly think you’d be missing out on a beautiful story if you do not pick this book up.
This is the book for you if:
You love historical fiction that tugs at the ol’ heart strings.
A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza (2018).
While the protagonists are Muslim, this is must read for people of all cultures and religions because of the way Mirza effortlessly displays both the beautiful and cruel aspects of faith in this timeless story. I’ve never experienced characters so genuine that I grow to care for them as though they were actual family members. Mirza elegantly portrays themes such as family, culture and religion, and more importantly, the interconnectedness between all these factors of life. If you can’t find something to relate to in this book, you’ll definitely find something that you can learn from it.
This is the book for you if:
You love a character-driven story that tackles the struggles of faith.