If you are a college student, you probably do not have much time to read novels for fun during the semester. It is almost impossible. However, reading fiction is a positive way to reduce stress and it takes you to places without actually visiting them. During school breaks or the summer, it is a great idea to sit down with a sci-fi or mystery novel with a latte and relax!
1. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
If you are a reader of classic romance novels, you will be sure to fall in love with "The Great Gatsby." It is a fairly short novel compared to many of the classics and can easily be finished within a few days. Compared to many of the novels that are read in high school English classes, this is undoubtedly one of the best. If you have not already seen the film, read the novel first!
2. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
"The Hunger Games" trilogy, written by Suzanne Collins, was all-hype a few years ago when the movies premiered in theatres. This series focuses on the dystopian society of Panem, which consists of 12 Districts where inhabitants live in significantly poor conditions. In order to not starve to death, children ages 12-18 must enter themselves in the Hunger Games, in which two participants from each district are chosen. They must fight to the death, until one participant is left.
3. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
"Little Women" is another classic novel, written in the 1800s, that is a must-read. It is about four sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, who all have different personalities from one another. It focuses on their path to womanhood and the challenges they face with the gender constraints during this time period.
4. Paper Towns by John Green
Another novel that has recently turned into a mainstream film, the title "Paper Towns" explains the plot of the novel in a symbolic manner. The protagonist, "Q," has been in love with his next-door neighbor, Margo Roth Spiegelman, since childhood. In the middle of the night, she asks him to accompany her to get revenge on her friend group who has betrayed her. She believes that their town is "made of paper," since the people who live there are fake.
5. Looking For Alaska by John Green
Another John Green novel, "Looking For Alaska" is one of those books that are impossible to put-down after you begin reading. The main protagonist is Miles, otherwise known as Pudge, who attends boarding school and meets a beautiful girl named Alaska, who he falls in love with. She is impulsive and daring, which makes her a significant character throughout the plot. Tragedy strikes at the end of the novel which has great meaning when one finishes the book.
6. If I Stay by Gayle Forman
"If I Stay," written by Gayle Forman, begins as a typical day when a snowstorm strikes town. Tragedy strikes when a truck strikes the car of Mia Hall, her younger brother, and her parents. Mia is the only survivor of this horrific accident, but remains in a coma afterwards for quite some time. She has an out-of-body experience where she is able to see herself in the hospital, as well as her family and friends. At the end of the novel, she has to make the toughest decision of all: whether she lives or dies.
7. A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
The first novel in the Gemma Doyle trilogy, "A Great and Terrible Beauty" by Libba Bray is a fantasy novel that will have you wanting to finish the rest of the trilogy soon after finishing the first novel. Gemma Doyle, the protagonist, attends a boarding school in London where she meets three other girls who become her best friends. She discovers that she has visions that tend to come true and soon finds a diary of a girl who attended her school that had visions similar to the ones she has.
8. Wake by Lisa McMann
Another book that is part of a trilogy as well, "Wake" by Lisa McMann is one of the most suspenseful novels to date. High school student Janine Hannagan has an ability where she is able to see other people's dreams, which paralyzes her as she is viewing this dreams. Usually, the dreams that she is pulled into are very cliché, except for Cabel, one of her classmates. Soon enough, she is involved in a deeper situation than she previously anticipated.
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