Finals may be coming up, but at least the sun is already out. If you’re like me, then you’ve probably already started procrastinating––so, why not do it in style? Here’s a list of classy reads to fill the time in between arduous paper-writing and group projects. For more recommendations, don’t forget to check out Jessica, Lexi, and Jenna’s equally awesome lists.
1. Fin & Lady by Cathleen Schine
Newly orphaned and pulled from his countryside home, a young Fin is thrust into the arms of his urbanite (and estranged) sister, Lady. Fin & Lady details the story of two siblings trying to survive the loneliness and isolation within themselves. Fin makes it his prerogative to find the ideal suitor for Lady, and she in turn does her best to raise him properly; their goal, eventually, to be something of a family. For history buffs, this book is also a subtle but great introspective into the dynamics of the ‘60s.
2. State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
When she learns her colleague has died at a research station off the Amazon River, pharmacologist Marina Singh agrees to enter the mystical unknown of the jungle to locate the elusive director of the lab, and coincidentally her old professor. This book was an incredible adventure tinged with Patchett’s haunting imagery of the Amazon, and one that keeps you questioning the characters’ motives even after the last chapter.
3. The Yonahlossee Riding Camp For Girls by Anton DiSclafani
Both YA and not, DiSclafani’s first novel centers around a teenager who has been exiled to a private school deep in the mountains. In taming the school’s horses, Thea Atwell learns the value of discipline and eventually must confront the unforgivable actions of her past.
4. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
Interestingly enough, this book––about a young girl from an obscure Japanese fishing village who, forced into the life of a Geisha, must contend against her vicious rivals, fight for her education, and somehow succeed in a dying and increasingly unappreciated trade––is written by an American man. His precision and research are impeccable, however, and reading this novel will teach you as much or more about Kyoto culture than anything shelved as nonfiction.
5. The Aviator’s Wife by Melanie Benjamin
Forever shadowed by the miraculous feats of her aviator husband (Charles Lindbergh, who was the first man to cross the Atlantic on a solo flight) Anne Morrow still manages to grow into an incredible personality that is constantly molded by her experiences with her husband and the tragedies they face together. This is a work of historical fiction that reads like an original story from a dedicated author.
6. Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt
One of my all-time favorite books, this masterpiece will leave you reeling with its unforgettable humanity. Young June Elbus is devastated by the death of her best friend and uncle, a celebrated artist. She is skeptical after being approached by a mysterious friend of her uncle’s, but must realize she cannot surmount her grief alone. You will literally feel all the feels.
7. The Snow Child, by Eowyn Ivey
Isolated in the Alaskan wilderness, homesteaders Jack and Mabel find their relationship crumbling when a mysterious child––seemingly out of a fairy tale––begins appearing in the woods around their house.
8. The Dog Stars by Peter Heller
Recounted in a fragmented, journal-entry-like narrative, Hig’s story of surviving the aftermath of an unnamed pandemic with his dog, Jasper, strikes close to the heart. He risks his life and that of his not-quite friend, Bangley, when he leaves the borders of their compound to seek out what may be another group of survivors.
9. Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward
Twelve days before Hurricane Katrina, Esch and her family hear word of a potentially dangerous storm brewing somewhere in the Gulf. Engrossed in their own problems––of poverty, a detached family, a litter of pitbull pups and a teenager questioning her sudden ailment––residents of Bois Sauvage, Mississippi only begin to realize the threatening reality of the storm when it is almost upon them.
Happy reading to all!