“The Invisible Life of Addie Larue” by V.E. Schwab
Readers who enjoy historical fantasy novels or fictional biographies will enjoy this book. This is a novel about a girl who makes a deal with a god after dark to be freed from the life that she is destined to live in exchange for her soul. The god agrees, cursing her with immortality and telling her that her life can end when he comes to collect her soul, and she doesn’t want it anymore. However, what Addie does not realize is that she has now been doomed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. After learning this, she refuses to give up her soul. The book jumps ahead 300 years to modern-day New York City, when Addie finally meets a person who remembers her. The book has many time jumps as it covers Addie’s life. The reader glimpses many different periods throughout history and important events. Overall, it is a slower-paced character-driven book, which explores the importance of human connection and the meaning of life.
“Spies” by Marc Favreau
Readers looking to learn more about the Cold War or read a historical novel will enjoy this book. In this story, Favreau takes the reader on an exhilarating journey through time that explains a war fought with secrets. The Cold War is known for the sheer amount of deception, treason, misinformation and spying both the USSR and USA did to one another. It captures the key points and people in the Cold War and emphasizes the dangers people faced to keep both countries informed. “Spies” constantly grabs the reader’s attention.
“I Hope this Doesn’t Find You” by Ann Liang
Fans of young adult romance or comedies will enjoy this read. This is a fictional young adult romantic comedy about an Asian American girl named Sadie Wen. Sadie is a people pleaser who struggles with standing up to others when disrespected. In order to process her feelings, she vents about her classmates in email drafts. However, one day these drafts are leaked, and Sadie must overcome the conflicts that arise as tensions quickly form between her and her classmates. The novel focuses on Sadie’s character growth, illustrating the difficulties that she and her immigrant family have gone through as well as Sadie’s personal struggles.
“Crime and Punishment” by Fyodor Dostoevsky
I recommend this book to readers who enjoy classics or want to begin reading Russian literature. This is a Russian novel translated to English. It follows a law student named Raskolnikov who dropped out of school and now lives in poverty. Raskolnikov commits the crime of murdering pawnbroker Alyona Ivanovna and her sister. The novel follows Raskolinikov’s life after the murder as he becomes more and more tempted to tell someone about the murder and turn himself in. This novel is about Raskolnikov’s struggles to grapple with the immorality of his crimes. The reader follows as he struggles to deal with the guilt of the murder.
