This fall, if your mind isn’t ready to read a “classic” or dive into required reading after coming back from summer break, try these five books to ease into the semester.
Good Material by Dolly Alderton
Read When: You need a break from serious homework
This stress-free read will change your perspective on rom-coms, relationships and breakups. The novel follows Andy, a struggling stand-up comedian in London, who is dumped by his long-term girlfriend. While the breakup story may at first come off overdone, Alderton takes the cliche and turns it into a hilarious but poignant observation of love, friendships and growing up. Good Material will leave you feeling both nostalgic and inspired.
Normal People by Sally Rooney
Read When: You’re ready to feel cozy fall vibes
This book recently skyrocketed to fame online for its poetic prose and quiet love story. The novel’s main characters, Connell and Marianne, might remind you of yourself or someone you know. Rooney uses understated, but vivid writing to describe relatable characters and their bittersweet relationship. Readers are transported to another college campus across the ocean — the cozy academic setting of Trinity College Dublin in Ireland. As autumn approaches, every college student should read Normal People.
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
Read When: You need an escape from reality
For fantasy lovers, Ninth House should be at the top of your list. Bardugo delivers a powerful fantasy epic set at Yale University that focuses on Alex Stern, a freshman who has a secret: she can see ghosts. Though Bardugo is known for her young-adult fantasy novels, Ninth House is mature and complex, set in a place where magic is just as real as homework and characters are flawed but loveable. Bardugo builds a world designed for the reader to get lost in ivy-covered dorms and ghost-filled corridors. The best part is that Ninth House has a sequel, Hell Bent, so don’t worry about cliffhangers.
Real Americans by Rachel Khong
Read When: You can’t decide what to read
If you love a family saga, Real Americans is the book for you. Khong’s novel spans generations, decades and genres, centering around the theme of nature versus nurture. Beginning in New York City in the early 2000s, the book transports readers to the present before yanking them back to Mao’s Cultural Revolution in communist China. It’s part mystery, part family drama, part romance and part science experiment — featuring alternating perspectives and time skips. Khong’s writing tackles societal expectations of race, class and privilege without being dense or pedantic. With intricate plot lines and fast-moving pace, Real Americans can be finished in one sitting.
Funny Story by Emily Henry
Read When: You’re in a reading slump.
This rom-com is the perfect distraction from your fall classes. Notable Emily Henry books such as People We Meet on Vacation and Beach Read are classics in the rom-com genre, and Funny Story carries on their legacies. Main characters Daphne and Miles are both dealing with recent breakups, but that’s not the worst part — their exes become engaged. In this story, opposites attract in a heart-warming, hilarious way. For anyone looking for a new literary couple to obsess over, Funny Story is a must- read.
