Winter break is here, meaning bookworms that were weighed down with school workloads can finally read as many books as they please. Here are a few personal favorites if you're stuck finding a new book.

1. Shadow Spinner

Based on 1,001 Arabian Nights, this story goes into what happens when Shahrazad runs out of stories and needs to protect not only herself but other girls in the community. She plucks another young storyteller, Marjan, out of the markets to memorize new stories for the Sultan. When the Sultan wants a specific ending to that story, Marjan must go on a perilous journey to track the original storyteller to keep peace in the kingdom.

Don't break the bank! Get it for less than $4

Best quote: "People take what they need from the stories they hear. The tale is often wiser than the teller."

2. Eleanor and Park

It might be a young adult novel, but this quick read is worth picking up. Through the magic of mixed tapes and comics, two students struggling with their identities build an incredible friendship and later love story. Unlike a lot of modern YA books, Eleanor and Park focuses on the struggles that many teens have to face today. Park is the only Asian American in his school while Eleanor deals with extreme poverty and abusive circumstances. This suspenseful love story picks up quickly when Park realizes saving Eleanor will take more than sharing his favorite comic books on the bus, but rather helping her escape the entire town.

Here is an affordable Ebook version if your shelf is overcrowded.

Best quote: "Eleanor was right. She never looked nice. She looked like art, and art wasn't supposed to look nice; it was supposed to make you feel something."

Warning: This book does include themes domestic and child abuse, bullying, and body image.

3. The Crucible

In honor of Time's People of the Year, a play based on the Salem Witchcraft Trials is a must. Not only is it strongly tied to true events making for some solid historical fiction, this play draws parallels to how many women are treated in assault trials now. During the trials in the play and in Salem, women weren't always being tried for witchcraft but rather the sexual misconduct of others. It was easier to blame it on witchcraft and "evil women" than take responsibility for the accusors' actions. Sound familiar?

Who doesn't love Winona Ryder? Watch the movie here . Not as good as the book, but close.

4. Water for Elephants

Tragedy strikes right before Jacob takes his final exam at Cornell's vet school. The unfortunate events make it so he can't pursue his dream career and result in him stumbling upon a circus job. He quickly finds himself falling in love with one of the married circus stars, Marlene. He distracts himself with caring for the show's only elephant. It is soon discovered that both the elephant and Marlene are being abused, but no one has the courage to fight for change except Jacob. Set in the 1930's this novel shows the harsh realities of animal treatment in circuses and why so many of them don't exist today.

You can find super cheap copies at Thriftbooks, but the amazing movie can be found here!

Best Quote: "Life is the most spectacular show on earth."

5. Ender's Game

Written in 1977, Ender's Game is an incredibly detailed sci-fi novel that blows the rest away. In a world where education is wrapped around the possibility of an alien attack, when Ender shows is genius capabilities he is whisked off to military school in deep space. The book details the intense training programs he goes through and his conflict with other cadets. After years of training, Ender and his fellow students are faced with the harsh reality of all the fun war games they got to play when they find out that the video games were so much more.

Get the book and the awesome movie starring Harrison Ford here.

Best Quote: "Perhaps it's impossible to wear an identity without becoming what you pretend to be."