Since January of this year, I have read one hundred and sixty-one books. Yes, you read that right: 161 books, the titles of which I’ve organized in a color-coded spreadsheet. As the days turn colder, my favorite afternoon activity is to curl up with a hot drink and read a book. Below are my top five favorite books of the year so far; the ones whose titles I have underlined and bolded. They encompass a range of genres and topics, but all of them have changed the way I feel about the world (or just been a fun break from my homework).
- Long Story Short – edited by Marianne Gingher
This is a relatively obscure short story anthology, with flash fiction from sixty-five of North Carolina’s contemporary authors. As someone born and raised in the North Carolina Piedmont, someone who is minoring in Creative Writing, and someone who enjoys playing with conventions, these stories provided an interesting variety of perspectives.
- The Girls We Sent Away and The Last Carolina Girl – Meagan Church
I know, I know, listing two books together is a cop-out, but I genuinely could not decide between these two. Both of Church’s novels are historical fiction, set throughout North Carolina, that provide a very modern discussion of women’s and reproductive rights. Full disclosure: both of these did make me cry, but they did establish Church as my favorite author.
- The Cove – Ron Rash
Another author who focuses on historical North Carolina, Ron Rash has published several novels and short story collections set throughout Appalachia. The Cove is a historical romance set amid World War I, in which the characters have to grapple with the consequences of superstition and rural life.
- The Wild Robot – Peter Brown
I must admit, my twelve-year-old cousin recommended this book to me. This is a cozy sci-fi novel and, while technically written for children, was a very refreshing single afternoon read. It focuses on the connection between technology, nature, and humanity and was adapted into a pretty cute movie.
- A Psalm for the Wild Built – Becky Chambers
Another cozy sci-fi focusing on the connection between technology, nature, and humanity, Chamber’s novella centers around a futuristic religious society and a monk who dares to defy convention and journey to hear the crickets sing. The main conflict of this story focuses on the relationship between this monk and a refurbished robot, and this friendship is just super sweet.
Other books that are high up on my list include The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai, It Lasts Forever and Then It’s Over by Anne de Marcken, Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix, How to Love the World edited by James Crews, and The Day the World Came to Town by Jim DeFede. Amid hours of reading textbooks, articles, and stuffy classical novels, nothing feels more relaxing than allowing myself to indulge in a well-written story.