Valley’s Winter Reading List

ShreelParikh.BooksEvery new semester comes with its fair share of books…a lot of books. Although usually assigned in the form of textbooks that take a large toll on our bank accounts, it’s all too easy to forget that there’s still time to read for fun! Winter weekends are the perfect time to curl up with a book and a mug of hot chocolate (when you’re not studying of course). These five books are sure to keep you entertained and interested when you’re not reading boring chapters that you’ll be quizzed on.

1. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chobsky

This book just became a blockbuster movie for a good reason. This coming-of-age tale follows Charlie as he starts high school, learning how to balance everything in his life. Although beginning during Charlie’s freshman year of high school, Perks deals with more mature topics like sex, drugs and first loves. His story is told through a series of letters to a friend and will make you laugh, cry and everything in between. Plus, it’s shorter than most books so you can feel accomplished knocking out this read in a day or two.

2. Juliet by Anne Fortier

This one’s for those who love historical fiction with a romantic twist. It tells the story of Julie, a women going on a hunt through Italy to find a family heirloom and finds her life linked with Juliet (the Juliet) from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Her journey gives a whole new meaning to “A plague on both your houses!” as she delves deeper into her family history and how it affects her today. But of course, where there’s a Juliet there must be a Romeo, and where there’s a Julie there’s a…well you have to read to find out!

3. Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

Sarah Dessen is great at creating relatable characters that have flaws like real people. Embarrassing moments from the past, not really “getting” people, people not really getting you—it happens to everyone. Dessen expands on this concept in Just Listen. It tells the story of Annabel, who finds a friend in Owen, an outcast. Annabel never saw herself befriending him, that is until Owen becomes the only one who will listen to her after an incident at an end-of-the-year party. Through music and honesty, he helps her face her past and present.

4. Bossypants by Tina Fey

Though the cover can be frightening, this deserves to be on the list because Tina Fey is an icon. More importantly, she is an icon who had an awkward phase just like the rest of us and wants us to know. Her novel is a commentary on her life but is more of a humorous, albeit self-deprecating, reflection rather than a memoir. She writes about her life previous to becoming the comedic star we know today. She leaves the reader with thoughts about beauty and life and the individual’s interpretation of it. It’s filled with nuggets of wisdom like “You can’t be that kid standing at the top of the waterslide, overthinking it. You have to go down the chute.” It’s funny, it’s poignant and it should definitely be on your reading list.

5. Anything by John Green!

John Green’s books always end up on any list of favorite young adult books. His sharp writing and great storytelling is always on point and resounds with readers. His most recent published work, The Fault in Our Stars, debuted in the top spot on the New York Times bestseller list. It is the story of Hazel Lancaster, who meets Augustus Waters at Cancer Kids Support Group. Though her cancer diagnosis has placed an expiration date on Hazel’s life, meeting Augustus has started a new chapter of her life that could change it forever. What’s different about Green is that he writes with honesty and wit that is unlike many other young adult authors. His other books include Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines and Paper Towns.

Photo by Shreel Parikh

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