- Normal People by Sally Rooney
Normal People tells the story of Marianne and Connell, two people whose lives are intertwined over several years. This novel touches on coming of age, class, sex, relationships and more. It’s a great, slow-paced read that will tug at your emotions. If you like this one, I’d also recommend the Hulu adaptation.
- My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Otessa Moshfegh
This book, set in New York City in the early 2000s, features an unnamed (and widely disliked) narrator who decides to enter a drug-induced year of sleep with the help of her unstable psychiatrist. If you’re okay with unlikeable narrators, this is the book for you.
- Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney
This is one of my most recent reads, and I read it in two days, which is unusually fast for me. This novel shows love in all of its forms and is a great coming-of-age story. It has LGBTQ represenation, vivid imagery, and morally ambiguous characters. I couldn’t put it down and it’s still on my mind long after finishing it.
- Almost, Maine by John Cariani
This novel is based on a play of the same name and from the same author. It tells nine different love stories that all take place on a snowy night in the town of Almost, Maine. With so many stories, there’s something for everyone in this book.
- The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
This one is a classic for a reason, and it’s much better when you’re not reading it for a school assignment. It’s a stream-of-consciousness writing, meaning we’re hearing Holden’s thoughts as they come up, and it’s a great depiction of a character with serious mental illness.