10 Books That Made Me Fall Back In Love With Reading
10 Books That Made Me Fall Back In Love With Reading
Reading is ultimately a hobby, and it’s one that can get exhausting. You are constantly putting yourself into different worlds, lives, minds, and experiences, which can be hauntingly beautiful and tiring. That said, there are some books that draw you in and save you from a horrid reading slump, and I have compiled a list of 10 books that did that for me.
Talking at Night by Claire Daverley
I read this book just when I needed it. It provided depth that a lot of other books just don’t. It spoke of death, grief, and times when love isn’t enough by itself, which rings true to plenty of people’s real lives. Although reading is an escape, sometimes the need to escape ruins the experience of reading, and this book allows for that escape while reflecting on our own pain.
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A Stage Set for Villains by Shannon J. Spain
Caraval meets hunger games with this devastatingly beautiful debut novel. Let’s just say, Shannon J. Spain became one of my auto-buy authors from this book. It forces you to escape your world because of just how immersive it is, and then it makes you question everything you knew. It’s entirely a standalone, which adds to the heartbreak of finishing it, and it was so incredibly good that I just sat and stared at a wall for an hour after completing it.
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Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton
I have never, EVER, read a book like this one. It is definitely a dark read - with discussions of PTSD, the hardships of refugees, grooming and school shootings. I especially recommend this to UK readers, as it takes place in the UK and it hits so much harder when it forces you to recognise this could happen. The immersion, the detail and the realism it includes is astonishing.
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Storm and Fury by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Okay, okay, you have heard me talk about this series enough… But if you want to dive into a good fantasy series with minimal experience, this is it! There isn’t the typical 100-page confusion that usually happens with a fantasy series, which can be super overwhelming, but the worldbuilding is still phenomenal. Go read it.
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Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
I am very hesitant to say that a book lives up to the hype, but this one does. I am not a scifi reader, but this one got me hooked. The contrast between the end of the world, and the teamwork to prevent it just hits me. The friendship, the problem-solving, the pure humanity. It’s perfection and gives you so much to think about.
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The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
This is the first book of a 4-part series (as of now), and they have become my ultimate comfort reads. They give off such a specific vibe when reading that I don’t believe can ever be replicated by any other author. It’s like criminal minds with teenagers - and they actually act like teenagers which SHOULD be the bare minimum but unfortunately isn’t. Even though I am older than all of The Naturals, it feels like a time machine back to when I was that age.
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It Should Have Been You by Andrea Mara
Andrea Mara in general is an amazing author for diving into mysteries and thrillers, but this one in particular struck a chord for me. Her ability to make something so mundane, if not embarrassing, into a life-or-death psychological mystery is fantastic.
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This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune
This is summer in a book, with the beach town energy, the shucking and the friendships. It is just perfection. It single-handedly pulled me out of a month-long reading slump in which I felt dead inside, and every time I feel one coming on now, I grab This Summer Will Be Different.
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Normal People by Sally Rooney
Normal People is a story about two people that love each other throughout the years, as they get pulled away from each other and brought back. It asks you if love is enough, and then forces you to reckon with the fact it might not be. It’s definitely one of the more popular books on this list, and with good reason.
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Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood
Likely the most popular book on the list, Ali Hazelwood is just unbeatable with her portrayal of STEM romance, showing the good, the bad and the spicy. As summer is coming around, this is a reminder to go get your Hazelwood books and a pina colada and have some fun with these romances!
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