Many college students reminisce the days where they read novels upon novels for pleasure. With all the reading mandated by classes, it can be hard to find the time and mental energy to pick up a good book and read is only for one's own enjoyment. In the recent months I have found myself with a few extra hours on my hands and have slowly phased back into reading for myself daily, and the trick is to take it slow!

If you're anything like me, at first you may get frustrated that you aren't as engaged in the book as you would like to be, or that you aren't reading as fast as you used to. The most important thing to remember here is that reading is fun! Somewhere amongst the heavy classics and endless science journals that spark you once had to pick up a book turned into a sigh and a chore, and the whole point of the exercise is to relax and dive into another world, not stress yourself or finish within a certain time frame. Keeping this in mind will help you put your college-trained mindset aside and enjoy the experience of reading for what it is.

With that being said, here are 4 books, each of a different theme, that I recommend to get you started:

1. Diary of an Oxygen Thief

Courtesy of Barnes & Noble

Author: Anonymous

Genre: Fiction

Page Count: 151

This book is a sort of autobiography from the anonymous author, who takes you on a journey that will unfold his rather twisted approach towards romance. It is certainly not a romance novel by any means, the author talks about love in the most not-gushy way. With its brevity and colloquial language, it will be an interesting narrative to follow.

2. The Alchemist

Courtesy of Amazon

Author: Paulo Coelho

Genre: Fantasy

Page Count: 171

Yes, this book is seen as a 'classic' and one's first belief is that those are hard to digest and not worth the mental strain. Coelho writes simply; there are no ye's and thy's and you won't find yourself lost in a 3-page description of some dark castle. This book is all about a boy who listens to the signs of the universe to discover his destiny. It is a novel that will inspire you to live your best life, and change your outlook on everything that surrounds you.

3. November 9

Courtesy of Amazon

Author: Colleen Hoover

Genre: Romance

Page Count: 306

This is the sort of novel that reignites your hope for love. The basic premise is that a guy meets a girl, and because of extenuating circumstances they can only see each other one day every year, November 9. With switching perspectives and refreshingly relatable conversations, the novel goes through its story by year so you can easily follow the progression in the relationship and the individual's experience.

4. American Street

Courtesy of Amazon

Author: Ibi Zoboi

Genre: Fiction

Page Count: 352

American Street follows the life of a young girl who has just moved to America from Haiti. Reading this book gives you an insight into the culture shock that many experience when immigrating, as well as some of the familial, social, political, and economic struggles they may face. However, the book in my opinion is a much more riveting way to gain this perspective as opposed to a textbook or lecture, because you get to be thrust into the shoes of the immigrant herself.