There is nothing better than having a whole month off from school with no homework, no responsibilities and just loads of free time!! Instead of cramming your schedule with hours of binge-watching Netflix, this holiday break you should pick up a good book. I mean I know I am not the only one who loves snuggling up in bed early in the morning or late at night with a cup of hot chocolate reading.

Books, in general, are a great escape. They are a great way to lose yourself in someone else's work and live in a world that is not your own. Once you find that great book, you never want to put it down but you also never want it to end. I have had this experience with many through my years of avid reading and have developed such strong feelings for these characters, a piece of me feels missing when I finish (OK maybe a bit dramatic but seriously that's how good these are).

Here are 8 books I highly recommend reading ASAP.

1. All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Ok, by far one of my favorites. The topics this book explores are deep and serious but make for a fantastic story that leaves you wanting so much more from the characters. Finch and Violet meet unexpectedly on top of a ledge at school at the end of senior year while everyone below them is happy and excited for their possibilities in their life to come. Their blossoming relationship brings light to one another's eyes, but for some the aching is just too much to bear. It becomes their ultimate goal to seek all the bright places even when darkness seems to surround them.

2. Looking For Alaska by John Green

Miles Halter is bored of his predictable life and makes the decision to attend a new high school for his junior year in order to find more for himself. There he finds Takumi and Alaska Young who instantly make his life more interesting. The story is split into two parts: before and after Alaska Young goes missing.

3. 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Clay Jenson receives a package with no sign of who it is from. Upon opening the package he finds cassette tapes from the girl whom he had a crush on, and who also just happened to commit suicide two weeks ago. Listening to the tapes and learning to her address each person who contributed to her story has Clay in panic waiting for his name to come up.

4. Just Friends by Billy Taylor

August and Ethan have been best friends since they were young and we see their friendship grow and develop as they get older and chase their dreams. Putting aside the grammar in this book (considering it was never really published and you must order online) the story that unravels and the memories and times these two share leave us wishing for that "fairytale" love.

5. Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen

Best friends Halley and Scarlett could not be more different. Halley is quiet while Scarlett is outgoing. Scarlett has always been the one who knew what to do and whom Halley could turn to, but when Scarlett's boyfriend is killed in a motorcycle accident and she finds out she is carrying his baby, it is Halley's turn to be the rock in this friendship.

6. Boomerang by Noelle August

(Well I just found out that this book is the first of a trilogy so I will 100% be reading the next two) Mia and Ethan both have aspiring dreams to work at the new dating site Boomerang.com. When the two unintentionally meet at a bar and spend the night together, they find themselves taking the same taxi to the same place going for the same job. The two begin to develop a strong connection but the problem is Boomerang has a strict policy against dating in the work place and they are competing for the same job that only one will get once the summer ends.

7. Hello, Goodbye & Everything In Between by Jennifer E. Smith

The perfect novel for any highschooler who is in a relationship right before college. This book is filled with worries and laughs and memories that any two in love at such a young age can relate to completely. The entire book is a course of one night between a couple on their last night together sharing memories and fears for their future and how college will change everything (cried multiple times throughout this book: HIGHLY recommend).

8. The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

So, after the previous book, I fell in love with this author and this book was just as amazing as the last. This book is all about timing. Fate brings the two together almost instantly while life may drag them apart.

Happy Reading!!