Hello, hello! I’m sure you noticed Facebook taking a brief unplanned vacation this week, and struggled to find something to occupy yourselves with. How were your roommates? Are they good people? When Instagram finally came back up, we here at Bookstr asked you guys what you read to entertain yourselves and damn guys, I’m impressed. You had some interesting choices! Here are our favorite book recommendations when we have a bit too much time on our hands.
The Devil Makes Three by Tori Bovalino
This is a fast-paced YA novel in the gothic horror genre, perfect for the month of October! It follows two schoolkids who accidentally release a demon trapped in a library book, and have to deal with what follows. Any classic lovers or fans of dark humor out there? You’re probably going to love the character Elliot, who does super relatable things like asking the school librarian to check out over a hundred books in one go and try to make himself a Mr. Darcy instead of a Mr. Collins. I’d tell you whether or not he succeeds but that’s a spoiler! Check it out here.
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
Who doesn’t love a good fake-dating trope with the asshole hiding a heart of gold? This book features a Woman in STEM protagonist, and it gave me so many emotions. It has frazzled young adults on college campuses so most of y’all can probably relate, and the relationships between the characters are so realistic. Smoothly shifting between hilarity and good old, soft gooeyness, this is the book to read if you need cheering up. Fun fact: It started out as a Reylo (Rey/Kylo Ren) fanfiction so Stars Wars fans will definitely enjoy this. It’s like the book version of a pumpkin spice latte! Check it out here.
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
Listen, sometimes we all want to go a little feral and stomp on patriarchy like an ant under a boot and that’s perfectly valid. If that’s you right now, check out this book! It’s a historical fantasy novel that highlights the lives of different women instead of locking them in the kitchen. It has time travel, magic, and mystery, but what I loved was that it explored the rich inner lives of women faced with a variety of problems, and shows the strong bonds of sisterhood that tie us together throughout. Check it out here.
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Since the beginning of Covid, post-apocalyptic novels have appealed to me far more than usual, because I want to see stories of people who survived. Who made it out, and now have to deal with the scars they acquired, living through this upset, whether mental or physical.
This book is about a society that has collapsed because of a global super-flu and follows a group of actors and musicians who have formed a travelling troupe. Unlike other dystopia novels, it’s filled with hope and exploration. It’s about how no one is alone, and how banding together to help and support your community is so important right now, and how the arts and entertainment can bring joy to people. A super uplifting read, all in all! Check it out here.
As a final recommendation that I probably don’t need to introduce to you, several readers said they’d gone back to the classics with Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen although personally speaking, I prefer the movies. I’m so glad I’m sitting behind a screen so you can’t throw tomatoes at me right now. Happy reading y’all!
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