Let me just start off with saying that I love reading. Like, REALLY love reading. I honestly don't ever remember a time when I didn't like it. And I don't understand how some people hate it.

Reading is not only a way to pass time, but it is an escape into another world. I cannot even begin to tell you how many times I've sat down to begin a book and lost track of the world around me. I would say that I've wasted away entire days engrossed in a book, but I don't even see it as a waste. Not only to books give you this escape, but they also make you feel as though you are a part of the story, and that is something no movie could ever do.

Since I came to college, regretfully I've barely had any time to read. I do some reading online, but it's not often that I have an actual book in my hands anymore. But now at almost 21 years old, I really want to read more. After all, your twenties are the most important decade in your life, as they really determine how your life will be. Here's 20 books every 20 something should read. Some will help you shape these years of your life to the best they can be. Others will just make it a little bit easier (:

1. Just Friends

Okay this book as been circling on Twitter for awhile now. Honestly not 100% sure what its about, but I read one passage and knew I needed to read it. So, you do too.

2. The Defining Decade

Your twenties are one of the most important decades of your life. You graduate. You start your career. You might even start a family. This book shows you how to make the most of these years and set up the life you want.

3. A Single Man

One day in the life of a single man. Come on girls, you can't say you've never wanted to experience this. Well now is your chance, through this complex story of loss, grief, and joy that persists even in the most difficult of circumstances.

4. Exit Here

"Exit Here is not a happily-ever-after story, but it is an honest look at what happens when you realize your life isn’t exactly everything you’ve always dreamed it would be."

5. Fangirl

This is a RomCom about a girl coming to college and learning how to deal with everything that this entails. Since that was recently me, I think it would be very funny to read about.

6. The Bell Jar

"Twenty One is the age when the reality of graduation sets in. The Bell Jar captures the darker side of dealing with growing up and facing the world." Sounds interesting enough to me.

7. Life After Life

This one sounds trippy, as it centers on a girl who is given a second chance. Basically, she gets to keep living life until she gets it right, constantly changing things for the better. This is something I often wish I could do...

8. I Don't Care About Your Band

This memoir candidly reflects on "the good, bad, and ugly" of dating after college. If you've been on a date in your 20s, then this is something that you can relate to.

9. Let It Snow

This is a collection of three short stories written by three different authors, and they all intertwine as one. Centered around a blizzard on Christmas, this is the perfect book to curl up with by the tree.

10. The Marriage Plot

"The Marriage Plot wonders what happens when books, with their idealized depictions of love, and college, strange utopias that they are, come to an end." Very intriguing if you ask me...

11. Girls in White Dresses

This story follows a group of girlfriends in their 20s that have to deal with heartbreak, family issues, and watching everyone else walk down the aisle.

12. The Fever

This is a chilling story that captures exactly what it is like to be a teenage girl. Based on a real-life outbreak of unexplained physical ailments in teenage girls, The Fever unspools in a fantastical, creepy, frightening way.

13. Blackout: Remembering The Things I Drank To Forget

With such a chilling title, I was already intrigued. In this autobiography, the author bravely recounts her battle with alcoholism, and winds up teaching a very important lesson.

14. Wild

"A story of loss, disillusionment, and, ultimately, healing while on a 1,000-mile solo journey along the Pacific Crest Trail." Simple and sweet.

15. The Best of Everything

This is actually a bit older, written in 1958. It follows a group of young people who work together in New York, and comically depicts the struggles of the working woman.

16. The Opposite of Loneliness

"Shortly after graduating from college in 2012, Marina Keegan died tragically in a car accident, leaving behind a trove of beautiful short stories. The title essay is a look at the unique experience of college and, given the circumstances, a poignant reminder of the preciousness of life itself." Chills.

17. Graduates in Wonderland: The International Misadventures of Two (Almost) Adults

Yeah the title is a mouthful. But this is a story cowritten by two recent grads, and they take you through the story of life after graduation.

18. She's Come Undone

A #1 New York Times Bestseller, She's Come Undone depicts the story of a woman's struggles with family, weight, and relationships. Something anyone can relate to honestly.

19. The Art of Asking

"Learning that it’s OK to ask for help is one of life’s hardest, yet most important lessons. Your twenties are a difficult time. Better to learn that lesson now."

20. The Year Of Magical Thinking

This book is simple, and is just a reminder to appreciate the things you have in your life, and to seize every opportunity that comes your way. You never know how quickly your life can change.