The days spent during summer vacations from college are fleeting moments that make you cherish being able to travel, sleep in, spend time with your family and, of course, taking a break from classes. While you may be dreading going back to school because of the amount of credits you are taking and the intensive hours of mundane textbook reading that are in your near future, remember to make time to read for fun. You will learn technical terms and abstract concepts from the $300 textbook you purchased for class, but you will travel to faraway places and meet characters who inspire you to confront your own fears and challenge you to examine your own biases by reading for fun. If you are looking for a great book to fall in love with this year, here are 11 books that you won't be able to put down.
1. "Room" by Emma Donoghue
Do you remember being five? While 5-year-old Jack shares the same creativity and want to explore the world around him as many young children, there is something unique about Jack's childhood - Jack has lived his entire life in one room. In this unique and fast-paced novel, Jack and his mother will let you into their lives and show you what it means to be brave.
2. "The Cellar" by Natasha Preston
Like many 16-year-olds, Summer loves attending parties, spending time with her boyfriend and hanging out with her friends. In this thrilling novel, Summer is kidnapped by an adult male with a strange complex. There is never a boring moment in "The Cellar." Summer transforms from a typical 16-year-old into a courageous heroine as she demonstrates patience and bravery while being held captive. This book will have you quickly flipping through pages and always looking behind you when you are walking alone at night.
3. "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins
After finishing "The Girl on the Train," I can agree with the critics who have acclaimed this novel as a "psychological thriller." This book will have your heart racing, your mind wondering and your thoughts spinning as you read about the secret lives of a couple that protagonist Rachel Watson passes daily on her train commute.
4. "A Man Called Ove" by Fredrik Backman
"A Man Called Ove" introduces you to an elderly man who is content with spending out the remainder of his solitary life at home. While Ove is described as being bitter, there is a reason for his quietness, for his strict principles and for his daily routines. When a new family moves in next door, pieces of Ove's story begin to become revealed to the readers who quickly change how they view Ove and begin to fall in love with his character.
5. "Innocents and Others" by Dana Spiotta
Meadow and Carrie are best friends living in L.A. in the 1980s. They are filmmakers who create a dynamic duo and a friendship that many readers will resonate with. When Meadow and Carrie meet an elderly woman with an innate ability and pastime of listening to others, they start to realize the beauty in having someone to listen.
6. Rich and Pretty by Rumaan Alam
Following two best friends living bustling and glamorous lives in New York City, "Rich and Pretty" has you envying life in the Big Apple. This novel explores the dynamics of friendship and provides insight into making friendships last.
7. "We Could be Beautiful" by Swan Huntley
In a spellbinding debut novel, Swan Huntley introduces readers to the luxurious life of Catherine West. West has spent her entire life surrounded by beautiful things and lives in an upscale apartment in Manhattan. She has a wardrobe that most of us could only dream of, has a personal trainer and gets weekly massages. While she appears to be the girl who has everything, money cannot buy West the one thing she wants most: love. Following two failed engagements, West is tormented by the recurring fear that she may never have a family of her own. Pick up this psychological thriller and learn what happens to West when she finally meets someone she thinks she can trust.
8. "Break in Case of Emergency" by Jessica Winter
Explore the delicate balance between modern work, friendships and family when you dive into "Break in Case of Emergency" by Jessica Winter. This novel explores the essence of workplace toxicity and feminism in the workplace. While humorously shining light on a serious situation, Winter illuminates the difficulties of working while maintaining a relationship.
9. "November 9" by Colleen Hoover
When protagonist Fallon meets Ben, it seems too good to be true. Ben shares a perfect reality with Fallon that leaves her questioning if he has fabricated the life he boasts about or if he truly may be Mr. Right. In this tangled, thrilling novel of love, life and honesty, will Fallon and Ben end up having the perfect love story she deserves?
10. "Broken Grace" by E.C. Diskin
Following a harrowing car crash, Grace Abbott wakes up facing a haunting reality: she cannot remember anything from her past. This plot-twisting novel will have you questioning character motivations, examining honesty from a new perspective and wanting to help Grace rediscover her past.
11. "Pretty Girls" by Karin Slaughter
Claire and Lydia are sisters who shared a loss when their younger sister went missing more than 20 years ago, and haven't spoken since. While Claire and Lydia live completely separate and very different lives, they become reconnected when Claire's husband is killed and secrets from their childhood begin to become unveiled. The two sisters are reconnected as they fearlessly search for clues into the disappearance of their younger sister in this fast-paced novel.
