It can be extremely difficult to find a balance between your hobbies and school, especially if your hobby is reading. When you are assigned multiple chapters and have an essay due for each class, it is nearly impossible to pick up a book and read. Here are some books that will keep you turning the page in half the time.
1. "Drown" by Junot Diaz
"Drown" is a collection of semi-autobiographical short stories by Pulitzer prize winner Junot Diaz. Each story takes you on a journey that explores life in the Dominican Republic and shows the struggles immigrants and their families face while traveling to the United States. These stories are related but are separated with different titles. You can read each story in about 20 minutes. Diaz also wrote "This Is How You Lose Her" (another collection of short stories) and the novel "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao." Throughout each book, the same narrator, Yunior, appears. These books will give you a new look on Latin America. They are comical yet still serious. They're definitely hard to put down! "Drown" sells on Amazon for around $9.
2. "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Steven Chbosky.
Now adapted into an award-winning film, this novel follows the life of socially awkward Charlie as he ventures through high school. Each chapter is written as a letter to a friend from Charlie. Whether you have or haven’t seen the movie already, the book is always better! I read this book in two days. It is easy to read, simple to understand and the characters are very realistic and relatable. "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" sells on Amazon for around $10.
3. "The Nightingale" by Kristin Hannah
This tear-jerking novel follows the life of Vianna Mauriac and her younger sister Isabelle during Nazi Germany in 1939. Their once peaceful town has turned into a war ground with bombings and soldiers possessing the streets. Vianna's best friend has been taken to a concentration camp, and children are being kicked out of the school she teaches at for being Jewish. While Vianna is forced to house a German soldier, her sister is joining the French Resistance. Both sisters put their lives in danger to fight for what they believe in. If you like historical fiction, this is a must read! It captures so much emotion and detail but is not dense or hard to read. "The Nightingale" sells on Amazon for around $11.
4. "The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway" by Ernest Hemingway
If you like to read classics, this for sure is a must have. Hemingway uses his famous iceberg writing style to bring you to different places. Some stories in this book, like "Hills Like White Elephants," are only a few pages long. These short stores allow you to indulge in a great read but are quicker than getting trapped in a full novel. You can pick it up and read as many stories as you want and save the rest for later. This is perfect for mid-semester escape reading. "The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway" sells on Amazon for around $15.
5. "Nineteen Minutes" by Jodi Picoult
This novel tells the tragic story of a high school shooting through multiple points of view. It is a wonderfully written, well-rounded story. Chapters alternate between the shooter, the shooters mother, a student in the school, the student's mother ( who is also the judge for the court case), the school officer and teachers in the building. As you read, you slowly figure out how everyone is connected. This novel is written in a way that is easy to follow and does a wonderful job expressing how huge, life-changing events can happen in just a few minutes. It's definitely one of those books that makes you think about your perspective. "Nineteen Minutes" sells on Amazon for around $12.
6. "Looking for Alaska" by John Greene
This suspenseful novel follows Pudge through his days at Culver Creek Boarding School. When he meets Alaska Young, who lives down the hall, his life turns upside down. This is easy to read and is so suspenseful that you won’t want to put it down. Personally, I think this is one of John Green's best novels. "Looking for Alaska" sells on Amazon for around $9.
7. "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D Salinger
This classic novel features Holden Caulfield as he tells the reader a story about this "madman stuff" that happened to him. He is a troubled kid who is kicked out of every boarding school he has attended. This is one of those novels you can read 20 times and still find something new. Holden’s voice is easy to read and understand. If you like reading banned books, this is a great one to start with. "The Catcher in the Rye" sells on Amazon for around $6.
