The importance of reading is pressed into people’s minds before they even learn how to read, and for good reason. Reading improves concentration, increases knowledge and strengthens the brain, and these are just a few of the many benefits of reading. However, I have found that it has become extremely difficult to sit and focus on small words on pages since I’ve become accustomed to momentary visuals on social media. But all it takes is one page-turning book to completely change your reading habits. These are the books that had me hooked from the first sentence and made me fall in love with reading, and they will do the same for you.
1. “The Song of Achilles” by Madeline Miller
This book is written from the point of view of Patroclus, a figure in Greek mythology who was a close companion to Achilles. The author, Madeline Miller, re-tells the epic stories of Achilles in Greece with her beautiful and decorative imagery. She allows readers to feel and experience everything Patroclus does, reeling them into the book even more. “The Song of Achilles” is filled with sentences that will be ingrained in your mind forever. I vividly remember reading the last sentence and the stream of tears that followed. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone because it is truly captivating.
2. “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Life in old Hollywood seems full of dazzling glamor, but actress Evelyn Hugo’s story shines a light on the dark side of it. Readers follow Hugo from a young age to her height in Hollywood and her seven husbands. Yes, she really had seven. From the beginning, Reid writes that there is a puzzling question to be answered. When I finished “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” on a spring break trip, all of Florida heard my gasp. If you choose to pick up this book, the reveal is so worth it.
3. “Educated” by Tara Westover
Most, if not all, books I have read are fiction, but “Educated” was my first autobiography, and I cannot recommend it enough. “Educated” was assigned to me as summer reading, and it was probably the only summer reading book I truly enjoyed. Tara Westover recounts her childhood living in a survivalist Mormon household, her experience getting out of it and navigating “the real world.” Westover writes in a way that places you in her past self, feeling every moment and truly hearing every word being said.
4. “The Silent Patient” by Alex Michaelides
If you love all things true crime and mystery, this book is for you. A woman murders her husband and a psychotherapist seeks to uncover the story by working at the psychiatric unit she lives at. There are crazy twists and turns in every chapter, which makes this book the ultimate page-turner. I got my mom to read “The Silent Patient,” too, and it was so fun to talk about the small details that make sense at the end. Note that this book contains themes of murder, guilt, obsession, psychological treatment and familial trauma before you read.
5. “Crazy Rich Asians” by Kevin Kwan
I was unsure about reading this book because I was never a fan of comedy, but I seriously could not put this down. Kwan writes his story about a relationship between an extravagant and wealthy family from Singapore and a middle-class American woman. How different could they be? The witty conversations and funny contrasts of culture make “Crazy Rich Asians” a must-read if you want a good laugh. The movie adaptation is great but the book is always better.
It is definitely not easy to pick up reading as a hobby, especially in a fast-paced, Internet based world. But all it takes is one page-turning book to completely change your reading habits. Once you read that one special and compelling book that hooks you from the start, you will find yourself searching for another.