Coming back from spring break, with copious amounts of time on my hands, I have gotten back to my regular reading habits. Nothing beats a good beach read, especially when the stress of being in the school environment is not on your shoulders.Â
Returning to my favorite hobby, after a short hiatus, I spent a lot of time trying to find new and popular books to read— easier said than done. As we move away from the age of paperback books, it’s been harder to find some hidden gems.Â
To save you the trouble of internet search and mindless sleuthing, here are five titles I think everyone should add to their to-read list:
“Defending Jacob” By: William Landay
This murder mystery follows a district attorney whose son is implicated in the murder of his classmate. This book will take you on an emotional roller coaster and will leave you with a lot of questions.
It will lead you one way just to bait and switch you at the last second. The best part is that it was transformed into a limited series with Chris Evans— though I beg you to read the book first.
The book far outweighs the show, as it usually is with literary adaptations. Â
“It Ends With Us By” by Colleen Hoover
This is a nation’s favorite and it has been circulating the book clubs ever since it was published. As an aspiring florist with a troubling past is looking for love while balancing her social life, things start to get rocky.
It’s a favorite for any Colleen Hoover fan and will not fail to give you a mix of romance and turmoil, as it is common with Hoover’s books.
“The Silent Patient” by Alex Michaelides
From the debut author Alex Michaelides comes “The Silent Patient,” which centers around a disgraced artist who has remained silent since the murder of her husband. The novel is written with alternating perspectives between a new psychologist whose mission is to get the painter to speak and journal entries leading up to the faithful day.
This book will keep you on your toes. If you think you know how it will end, think again; Michaelides is the next M. Night Shyamalan with his twists.
The best news is once you’ve finished you can read his newly-released novel “The Maidens,” which is equally as excellent.   Â
“I Found You By” Lisa Jewell
This mystery novel with three rotating perspectives will draw you in and never let you go. The story follows three strangers all in a predicament, none of which seem to align— or so you think.
With summer right around, this book would be a great beach read or perfect for the next nice spring day. There’s potential romance, murder and drama— the perfect trifecta.Â
“I Don’t Forgive You” by Aggie Blum Thompson
This new title is one you will not be able to put down. A photographer who recently moved to the outskirts of DC is caught up in a murder investigation, amongst other things, and she is trying to get to the bottom of her misfortunes. The twists and turns of this novel along with the surprise ending make this a great addition to any reading list.Â
Hopefully, these will save you the trouble of scrounging on the best reads websites, at least for the time being. Happy reading!