More Books to Get You Out of a Reading Slump!
We all experience reading slumps now and then. And let’s be real, once you sink in the bog, it’s hard to emerge out of it. But we’ve got you covered with these fast-paced, exhilarating reads.
‘ Aristotle and Dante Discover The Secrets of The Universe’ by Benjamin Alire Saenz
Genre: YA, Self-Discovery, Happiness, Coming of Age, Family, Friendship
This is a lyrical novel about family and friendship from a critically acclaimed author Benjamin Alire Sáenz.
Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship–the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship, Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.
This is not just a book. It’s more of a tapestry describing a friendship blossoming into love with a melancholic young boy changing into a mature man. It’s filled with beautiful lines like a painting made with just feelings and thoughts. I would recommend this to anyone who feels unsure of who they are and what they want to become.
‘The Hating Game’ by Sally Thorne
Genre: Romance, Hate-to-Love, Drama, Adult
An impeccable plot? Check. Lovable, quirky characters? Check. A gripping storyline? Check. Yeah alright. This is a romance, has drama, so what? Why should you read it? Because it really is THAT good! I do not remember the last time I finished a book in literally 24 hours. The only times I’d move was to grab a snack from the kitchen or visit the restroom. I forgot what sleep was for a day, but it felt weirdly wonderful lol.
Oh, and I couldn’t stop thinking about the woo-worthy characters and the fleecy, bizarrely comforting storyline. The characters are unforgettably playful which keeps the spontaneity factor in the book alive. The dialogues, the cute occurrences, Lucy and Joshua’s clashing personalities- all of them just make sense! The good news is that it’s been made into a major motion picture and would be released soon. And to say that I’m excited, would be an understatement!
Lucy Hutton has always been certain that the nice girl can get the corner office. She’s charming and accommodating and prides herself on being loved by everyone at Bexley & Gamin. Everyone except for coldly efficient, impeccably attired, physically intimidating Joshua Templeman. And the feeling is mutual.
Trapped in a shared office together 40 (OK, 50 or 60) hours a week, they’ve become entrenched in an addictive, ridiculous never-ending game of one-upmanship. There’s the Staring Game. The Mirror Game. The HR Game. Lucy can’t let Joshua beat her at anything—especially when a huge new promotion goes up for the taking.
If Lucy wins this game, she’ll be Joshua’s boss. If she loses, she’ll resign. But there’s a twist of events that follow.
Maybe Lucy Hutton doesn’t hate Joshua Templeman. And maybe, he doesn’t hate her either. Or maybe this is just another game. Read it to find out.
‘The Vanishing Half’ by Brit Bennett
Genre: Adult, Fiction, Family Drama, Coming-of-Age
This is the kind of story that feels like it is moving fast, but it’s just really moving deep. Brit Bennett is one of my favorite writers. Her style, diction, spellbinding descriptions, the way her plot is so well-constructed, and the way her characters are profoundly round and real: I loved every bit of this gorgeous book. Delving into themes of love, race, identity, color, family, the coming-of-age, choices, and decisions, this book is a multidimensional portrait of deep clefts in a family created by the choices of the twin sisters, Desiree and Stella.
The Vignes twin sisters will always be identical. But after growing up together in a small, southern black community and running away at age sixteen, it’s not just the shape of their daily lives that is different as adults, it’s everything: their families, their communities, their racial identities. Many years later, one sister lives with her black daughter in the same southern town she once tried to escape. The other passes for white, and her white husband knows nothing of her past. Still, even separated by so many miles and just as many lies, the fates of the twins remain intertwined. What will happen to the next generation, when their own daughters’ storylines intersect?
Weaving together multiple strands and generations of this family, from the Deep South to California, from the 1950s to the 1990s, Brit Bennett produces a story that is at once a riveting, emotional family story and a brilliant exploration of the American history of passing. Looking well beyond issues of race, The Vanishing Half considers the lasting influence of the past as it shapes a person’s decisions, desires, and expectations, and explores some of the multiple reasons and realms in which people sometimes feel pulled to live as something other than their origins.
This book is deep, riveting, makes you think, and self-reflect. And for sure would help you get out of a perpetuating reading slump.
‘Untamed’ by Glennon Doyle
Genre: Memoir, LGBTQIA+, Self-Discovery, Relationships, Family, Feminism
Soulful and uproarious, forceful and tender, Untamed is both an intimate memoir and a rousing wake-up call. It is the story of how one woman learned that a responsible mother is not one who slowly dies for her children, but one who shows them how to fully live. It is the story of navigating divorce, forming a new blended family, and discovering that the brokenness or wholeness of a family depends not on its structure but on each member’s ability to bring her full self to the table. And it is the story of how each of us can begin to trust ourselves enough to set boundaries, make peace with our bodies, honor our anger and heartbreak, and unleash our truest, wildest instincts so that we become women who can finally look at ourselves and say: “There she is. She’s arrived!”
I loved reading every page of this book and couldn’t keep it down for even a bit. Right from the first chapter, I was completely mesmerized by Glennon’s life stories, her growth, and what she learned from them all. A must-read for everyone out there, but especially for girls who are in a pickle figuring their lives out. My daughter is getting a copy of this book, without a speck of doubt. I’ll make sure it’s our family heirloom.
‘We Were Liars’ by E. Lockhart
Genre: Fiction, YA, Family Drama, Friendship, Thriller-ish
The best part about this book is how strikingly it’s written. You know, how they say that there is depth in simplicity? That is exactly what “We Were Liars” stands upon. With the blurb of the book written like this, can we expect anything else? Also the twist at the end!!!! Ahhhh *applies the no-spoilers policy here*. The short, pithy, meaningful sentences really hit the right spot for me. Absolutely fascinating!
“A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.”
Disclaimer: Keep tissue papers by your side. You might shed a tear or two or maybe a stream. Who knows?
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‘The Undomestic Goddess’ by Sophie Kinsella
Genre: Chick-Lit (High-key hate this word though), Romance, Comedy
Sophie Kinsella’s books feel like a warm hug from your favorite person. No hyperbolizing here. Her books, to me, are the epitome of being the ultimate feel-good, I-had-a-crappy-day-at-work-&-need-some-pick-me-up ones out there. Be it “Confessions of a Shopaholic”, “Finding Audrey”, “Can You Keep a Secret?” or “The Undomestic Goddess”; Kinsella never disappoints with her humor and quirky characters. In a nutshell, this one is a fluffy, feel-good romance-come-comedy about a 28-year lawyer who works in her mom’s law firm. Fate plays its cards and she somehow lands as a family’s servant in the countryside where she meets the love of her life, Nathaniel.
Workaholic attorney Samantha Sweeting has just done the unthinkable. She’s made a mistake so huge, it’ll wreck any chance of a partnership.
Going into utter meltdown, she walks out of her London office, gets on a train, and ends up in the middle of nowhere. Asking for directions at a big, beautiful house, she’s mistaken for an interviewee and finds herself being offered a job as a housekeeper. Her employers have no idea they’ve hired a lawyer–and Samantha has no idea how to work the oven. She can’t sew on a button, bake a potato, or get the ironing board to open. How she takes a deep breath and begins to cope–and finds love–is a story as delicious as the bread she learns to bake.
But will her old life ever catch up with her? And if it does…will she want it back? This book surely wouldn’t teach you lofty ideas and morals about life, but with conviction, you will smile throughout. Read it for the kicks. It’s totally worth it.
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About two and half years too old to be good at technology, but a bit of a self-professed book-nerd! That is exactly how I’ll describe myself. With an undying passion for reading and writing, I’ve landed in RangeInn as a Lifestyle Author. Yeah, that’s my new gig and I’m super excited to be part of the team. My articles are mostly about pop culture, celebrity gossip, entertainment, fashion & beauty, personality & spirituality, food, life hacks, books, movies and basically anything & everything that piques my interest.
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