The weather is finally warming up, and soon enough, we’ll be able to head outside and sit on a patio, with a coffee cup in one hand and a book in the other. With crisp spring air comes the need for a library refresh! In the literary world, 2020 seems to be a promising and exciting year with spectacular books. We’re ready for a decade that’s going to bring us all the genres we love.
In lieu of recent events, we want to encourage you to practice more self-love by shutting off the entire world and diving straight into a pool of compelling reads. Ahead, a tiny yet significant list of page-turners and addictive reads. Go ahead and immerse yourself in another world!
Long Bright River by Liz Moore
We’ll start you off with a crime novel – THE one you’ll absolutely lose sleep over (because you can’t stop reading, of course). If you’re looking for a page-turner with depth, pick up this novel that takes place in a Philadelphia neighborhood, in midst of an opioid crisis. The story follows two sisters, who were once inseparable, but now lead different lives; one’s an addict, the other is a cop. Moore’s twisted murder mystery is sure to keep you on the edge. P.s. One sister suddenly vanishes – that’s all we’re going to say.
Uncanny Valley: A Memoir by Anna Wiener
Reading a memoir is like reading history; every time you flip a page, you feel more and more immersed in the person’s mind. Anna Wiener made a huge change in her life, when in her mid-20s, she left her book publishing job to start a life in the world of big tech in Silicon Valley. We get a rare first-person glimpse at a falsely progressive world. Capture the rise and fall of Wiener’s dream with the book in your hand!
Hitting a Straight Lick With a Crooked Stick by Zora Neale Hurston
If you’re someone who has written about your life in a journal in the past, you may relate to this next one.
As a student studying anthropology at Barnard College in New York City, Hurston was the only African American student at her school. Hurston used writing as a way to express her feelings and emotions, and nearly 100 years later, her stories are now shared with the world. Her collection of essays includes stories of gender and class, racism, migration and love.
Here For It by R. Eric Thomas
A genuine and funny book is one of life’s simplest pleasures! If you’re in need of a laugh, this memoir about battling the feelings that come with loneliness, will do the job. It’s written by one of the most hilarious people on the internet, Elle.com columnist R. Eric Thomas. And if you’re looking to believe in a crazy little thing called hope again, this laugh-out-loud read will have you believing again.
Don’t be surprised if you don’t end up budging from your lounge chair – this outstandingly addictive book can be read in one sitting.
A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende
Such a poetic title and such an immersive read! It’s the perfect book to read on those sunny days when you just want to kick back and relax with your feet up, without a care in the world. Why? It’s a story that combines both love and survival.
A couple flees Barcelona at the end of the Spanish Civil War in 1939 to build a new life together in Chile. However, she’s a pregnant widow who’s married to her deceased lover’s brother – who was a soldier. 34 years later, the two find themselves endangered once again. To know what happens to the refugees next, you’ll have to pick up Allende’s transporting novel.
Which books will you add to your to-read pile? Let us know in the comments below!
