Up until last year, I used to be the person who always said “movies over books,” and “I would rather just watch a show than read the series.”
I was never that one girl who read her book in the back of the class, hiding it under the bench so that the teacher wouldn’t notice. But subconsciously, we all would find ourselves wanting to be like her. Emerging ourselves into fictional worlds. Befriending strangers from stories that felt so close to our hearts. Learning about trust, acceptance, fear, and love. Escaping to another reality when we feel lost and confused. We all wanted those things, but somehow, we felt a negative block towards reading.
When the new year rolled around, I decided that in 2021, I would read one book per month. We all know how new years resolutions go, however. We follow them for the first 2 weeks, 3 if we’re lucky, and then go back to living just as we did. And so, I didn’t expect this year to be any different.
But that was until I came across these books. They changed my perspective on reading, and some of them even changed my perspective on life. Read at least one of these books, and I promise you, you will be able to experience all the feelings you have always desired to. You will become Your version of the girl who always reads in class.
Book #1: ‘We Were Liars’ by E. Lockhart
If you want to be torn apart and have your heart pulled straight out from your chest., read this. ‘We Were Liars’ is a story about a teenage girl, who every summer, goes to an exotic private island owned by her family. With her cousins and her friends, she spends the entire summer at the beach, listening to music, enjoying great food, and making lovely memories. One summer, an incident occurs but she cannot remember what happened to her. Everyone in her family refuses to tell her what went down that summer, and she has to try to piece the clues together all by herself. The summer after that, when she returns to the island, things seem really normal yet absurd. A very short read with brilliant metaphors, the plot twist will make you want to stare into space wondering what on Earth just happened. Definitely read this to experience that summer dream!
Buy we were lairs on amazon: https://www.amazon.in/We-Were-Liars-Lockhart/dp/147140398X
Book #2: ‘They Both Die at the End’ by Adam Silvera
This book is set in a dystopian future, where everyone gets a phone call on their last day, by a company called death-cast, informing them that by 11:59, they will be dead. The story is from two different boys perspectives, who get their death-cast call on the same day.
Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they’re both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: There’s an app for that. It’s called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure—to live a lifetime in a single day. This book has great queer and bisexual representation, and the characters are portrayed in beautifully realistic ways. You will be surprised at how the book with such a predictable ending (by the title) will make your heart flutter throughout the small but significant moments created by the characters, not to mention the heart wreck that comes along when you replay Rufus and Mateo's memories and realize to what extent our lives can change within a single day.
Buy they both die at the end on amazon: https://www.amazon.in/They-Both-Die-at-End/dp/1471166201
Book #3: ‘The Midnight Library’ by Matt Haig
This book follows the story of Nora, and touches the topics of regrets, choices, and embracing life. The Midnight Library is a space between life and death. The books at the library are portals to the different lives Nora could have lived if she had made different decisions. Every decision in life leads to different results in life, and those possible lives are reflected in these infinite volumes of books. At the midnight library, Nora experiences all the lives she could have lead, if even one thing would have happened differently. As she learns about herself, and her place, you will learn about the way the world works, and how you can navigate this human experience too. It truly changed my perspective and helped me question my decisions.
Book #4 : ‘One of Us is Lying’ by Karen M. Manus
This is the story of what happens when five strangers walk into detention and only four walk out alive. Everyone is a suspect, and everyone has something to hide. The students: Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule. Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess. Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing. Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher. And Simon, the outcast, never makes it out alive. The story follows all of their perspectives, and slowly reveals that each of them may have had a motive. It is beautifully written, and you are sure to fall in love and empathise with each of the characters in the story. It is a quick and fun read, one that will keep you looking for more.
Authored By: Zoya Bhargava
Edited By: Ananya Dutta
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