Recommendations for your next spring semester read

Growing up, I wasn't an avid reader. I always used to view reading as a school requirement and a means to prove my stellar reading comprehension, making it significantly less enjoyable.

But, a couple years ago I committed myself to reading more, now that I can freely select which books to read and thumb through the pages in my own time.

Now, reading has become not only an excellent destresser, but also one of my favorite things to do to pass time.

If you’re looking for recommendations, here is a list of the best books I’ve read throughout quarantine, many of which are well-known bestsellers:

"The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue" by V. E. Schwab

This beautifully poignant novel is set in various different time periods, starting in 16th century France. The story follows protagonist Addie LaRue who makes makes a deal with the devil to live forever, but in exchange, is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets.

She lives through centuries of historic shifts, trying to make her mark on the world and discover loopholes in her curse. And as painful as her plight is, Addie experiences life in all of its forms: love, treachery, longing, isolation, fear, abundance. It feels as though the author herself has lived multiple lifetimes and is bestowing all of her wisdom onto us.

Allow Addie to take you through her everlasting life, which is, as they say, merely a series of moments.

"The Vanishing Half" by Brit Bennett

This book has topped bestseller lists and sparked readers across the board. The plot centers on two Black twins, Desiree and Stella Vignes, growing up in impoverished, remote Louisiana town during the 1940s. Although they run away together at 16 years old, they are starkly different personalities and end up leading completely different lives separated by miles, race and class.

Bennett embeds the complexities of colorism and how race plays into family dynamics in a compelling story. The twins' plots capture a historic narrative of being Black in America, as well as passing and identifying with one’s roots. As any good author does, Bennett neatly weaves the story as the two sisters branch further apart and then back together in serendipitous ways.

"Beach Read" by Emily Henry

If you’re a sucker for rom-coms and angsty love stories, this read is for you. January Andrews and Augustus Everett, former college classmates, meet again as published authors, living in neighboring beach houses for the summer.

The two have virtually nothing in common — the former writes romance novels and the latter sells acclaimed literary fiction. To resolve their creative ruts — and prove the complexities of their work — they make a deal to write a book by the end of the summer in each other’s respective genres.

January works on a sardonic story about a cult while Augustus writes the next bestselling romance novel. Their views on love ostensibly clash as they learn to look at life through each other’s eyes, working through grief and unpacking past scars.

"Beach Read" isn’t just a cheesy romance novel, but one that showcases genuine friendship built on an understanding of loss.

"Red, White & Royal Blue" by Casey McQuiston

This novel is set in 2016 in an almost-utopia and centers on Alex Claremont-Diaz, the son of the first female president of the U.S., Ellen Claremont.

Alex lives quite the life as a student at Georgetown and a valuable member of the White House. But things get tricky when leaked photos of Alex confronting his British nemesis, Prince Henry, at a royal wedding emerge.

This prompts Alex to enter in a fake kinship with his rival, launching a clandestine love affair that has the power to hurt his mother’s campaign for re-election and diplomatic relations between America and Britain. This is one of the most heartfelt, passionate love stories I’ve ever read, coupled with family, race and LGBTQ+ issues. 

"Conversations With Friends" by Sally Rooney

After the successful adaption of “Normal People'' on Hulu, Sally Rooney’s name has been circulating for a while now. Hulu has picked up her work again, filming an adaptation of her debut novel “Conversation with Friends," which is slated to come out next year.

The book looks closely at adult relationships, specifically between two college friends and ex-girlfriends, Frances and Bobbi, as they form a peculiar relationship with a married couple, Melissa and Nick.

Rooney’s dialogue can take a little bit to get used to, but she writes with endearing precision and a sly sense of humor, capturing moments in all their awkwardness and obscurities.

While “Conversations with Friends” takes a different approach than “Normal People," with readers typically saying they like one more than the other, it definitely serves as a light read.

With all the demands of life in quarantine, finding time to read can be difficult, but I can promise that these recommendations are sure to get you hooked back into it!