Quarantine: we’re all doing it. And for better or worse (leaning towards worse, considering the amount of people one paycheck away from financial disaster, if they even have a paycheck anymore) that means that we have a lot of extra time on our hands. Although reading a book might not help with a monetary crisis, maybe it can help you relax and keep anxiety away in trying times.
These are books that I personally enjoyed. These books did not come out recently, but still I think they are easy, satisfying reads. They are not numbered in any particular order of which I thought was most satisfactory or otherwise.
1. Genius by Leopoldo Gout
The title sums it up pretty well. This is a book of geniuses battling geniuses in a game devised by a young Indian CEO and follows a young Nigerian engineer, a Mexican-American programmer, and a Chinese activist known only as Painted Wolf. It’s a very entertaining read.
Visit his website here.
2. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Book Thief is one of my favorite books of all time. Set in Nazi Germany, we follow Liesel, our titular Book Thief, as she grows up during WWII and all events that happen in between. There’s a fantastical element to the novel, too— our narrator is Death, and Death leads us through a grand adventure that will keep you reading and reading.
After all, “When Death has a story to tell, you listen.”
Visit his website here.
3. The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
If you like mystery, then you will love to read The Westing Game. 16 unlikely people gather to play a game: the winner will win the Westing fortune. Of course, things always become more complex when you’re playing with, among other people, a burglar, bomber, and a person that isn’t supposed to be there in the first place.
4. The Devouring Gray by Christine Lynn Herman
The Devouring Gray is a fantasy novel with horror elements. This is a book that has you entranced by the first page or, if not by then, then certainly by the first chapter.
The story follows Violet Saunders as she returns back to her mother’s childhood home of Four Paths, where she discovers all is not well once she is pulled into an elusive force referred to as ‘the Gray’. It is beautifully written and will have you peering over your shoulder whenever you’re alone.
You can visit her website here.
5. The Girl From The Well by Rin Chupeco
Oh, the amount of praise I have for this book. Or the amount of praise I have for anything Rin Chupeco writes, really.
The Girl From The Well is a horror story following Okiku, a ghost based off of the Japanese legend based off of the same name, and Tarquin, her human companion. It is a wonderfully written story that will send chills down your back. Trust me— you won’t be able to put it down.
The only thing better than The Girl From The Well is that it has a sequel, most aptly named The Suffering, which is definitely due for a re-read.
You can visit her website here.