With spring break coming up, everyone could use some time to destress. Reading can be a great way to escape the sometimes overwhelming world we live in and forget about upcoming assignments, interviews, etc. If you like to read or are thinking about picking up a book over break, below are a few of my favorite reads from this past year… I will admit I am a sucker for a strong female protagonist, so all of the books below highlight female voices from various backgrounds, but if the books below are not to your liking, try to poke around goodreads.com or if you’re a fan of Gossip Girl, check out this complete list of Rory Gilmore’s reads https://arapahoelibraries.bibliocommons.com/list/share/686770547/689349215 .
- Passing by Nella Larsen
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57640287-passing
Genre: Historical Fiction
Page Count: 141
What I loved about it: I could not stop reading this once I started, and easily finished in under a day because the growing tension between the characters made me not want to put the book down. This book focuses on the contrasting experiences of two mixed women during the Harlem Renaissance. Because of their ambiguous appearance, they are able to “pass over,” as the author puts it, into white-dominated spaces. The book covers racial identification and community membership, along with bits about the attitudes of different people during the time.
- Smoke Gets in Your Eyes & Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlyn Doughty
Genre: Nonfiction / Memoir
Page Count: 254
What I loved about it: Despite being about death, the book was not too dark at all. The author talks about her experience in the death industry and how she looks to help bring people peace during their loved one’s final moments. Her tone brought a voice to people in the death industry. She grew to understand more about why rituals are so important to people, and what helps to provide people the most peace when grieving. I found myself relating to her struggle to find her own place in the world as she tries to find her passion, and live out her goal of helping others process their grief even if that required her amending her dream.
- We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36492488-we-hunt-the-flame
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Page Count: 472
What I loved about it: If you love magical elements, assassins, sassy and oblivious characters, and a main character who is very selfless, then you will love this group who was thrown together on a quest to restore magic to their kingdom. The heroine easily had me hooked within the first few chapters because even though her community would punish her for being a “hunter,” she worked from the shadows to keep everyone alive. The story’s environment is amazing and the imagery had me vividly picturing the different settings. Only after reading did I learn it was based on ancient Arabia. The slow-burn romance was there just enough to always make you excited and root for the characters to be together without slowing down the adventure. Fair warning, this is the first book in a duology, and trust me, you won’t be able to wait long before reading the second!
- XOXO by Axie Oh
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54618808-xoxo
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Page Count: 352
What I loved about it: When my friends ask for a romance book suggestion, I start begging them to read this book. I loved getting to read from a woman of color’s perspective and learn about what is important to her identity and culture. While the heroine has roots in South Korea, she has never been before. While it was only a glimpse, I felt like I began to understand more about the values of people and how some aspects contrasted with the life I am used to through the first experience of the character. Unlike many romance novels where the female main character is very passionate about something but the reader never hears about it again once the romantic interest is introduced, the main character shows how she struggles to balance her passion with her budding forbidden romance with an up-and-coming K-Pop idol. If you like Romeo and Juliet plots and cheesy moments, this book is for you.
There are so many other good books out there for you to enjoy, and making sure that during spring break you take some time for yourself is super important even if it’s not in a book. Hopefully, there is something here for all of you and wherever your spring break takes you, a good book will bring you somewhere else too!