“Gosh, I really need to read more”: a popular New Year’s resolution, or spring cleaning promise we make to ourselves time after time, but rarely ever pursue. That can all change if we want it to.
Earlier this month, November 5, marked National Book Lovers Day all across the nation. So why not kick off the holidays with a list of page turners that’ll have you pleading for more?
Whether you’re looking to get comfy and cozy, freaked out of your mind or spiritually inspired, this list has just the thing for each and every literary craving. Here are seven must-reads to seek out this November.
1. You Can’t Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have to Explain, by Phoebe Robinson
New York writer and comedian Phoebe Robinson is making bold statements in her very first book, a collection of personal essays dedicated to humorously addressing a multitude of subjects, including racial microaggressions, the NFL’s beyond sketchiness, prejudice in Hollywood and her love of “white people music.” If you’re looking to get political, intelligent and WOKE, but still upbeat, definitely put this one on for size.
2. The Vegetarian: A Novel, by Han Kang
Halloween may be long gone, but as the sun sets sooner each day, it’s never too late to keep the creepiness going. Centered around Yeong-hye, a married woman whose life at home goes awry after haunting dreams lead her to a life of vegetarianism, The Vegetarian promises to be a dark, bizarre and violent tale about one woman’s fight for independence.
3. Shaken: Discovering Your True Identity in the Midst of Life’s Storms, by Tim Tebow and A.J. Gregory
Tim Tebow is known for two things: football and Jesus. In his latest memoir, he combines the two once again to give audiences a look into his journey as a God-fearing man facing challenges at every corner. Complete with biblical scriptures and stories about his eventful career, Shaken is a book of humility, set to inform and inspire. Make sure to also pre-order Tebow’s Shaken Bible Study, out Dec.20.
4. Milk and Honey, by Rupi Kaur
In Milk and Honey, Rupi Kaur delivers a soft, yet poignant book of poetry that tugs at the heartstrings in the most relatable way, divulging into both the sweetness of love, and the pain of an earth-shattering breakup. Note to self: don’t read this in public. But on cold and rainy days, when the comforter is calling you, this one is guaranteed to warm the soul and awaken the feels.
5. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle: A Novel, by Haruki Murakami
An aethereal mystery novel written by renowned Japanese author Haruki Murakami, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle is set to give pretty much anyone a massive headache, but in a good way! It’s a story of suspense, complex characterization and imagination: perfect if you’re looking to get warped into a whole other world for the weekend.
6. The Christmas Train, by David Baldacci
Watching Freeform’s “25 Days of Christmas” is always a blast, but reading it sounds even better. Tom Langdon, a journalist traveling from New York to Los Angeles to visit his girlfriend for the holidays, accidently ends up living a long day of soul searching in this feel-good novel about romance, morality and a little Christmas magic.
7. Sweetbitter: A Novel, by Stephanie Danler
If you think back to the first time you ever watched The Devil Wears Prada, 13 Going on 30, Crazy, Stupid, Love or Sex and the City, don’t you remember getting all swept away in the city-life sophistication, big dreams and fancy drinks? Yeah, that’s what Sweetbitter is. Chronicling the life of a young woman who moves to Manhattan to pursue a career in the culinary arts, Danler gives us the perfect recipe: romance, drama, food and New York, New York.
So what are you waiting for? Heat up some tea, throw on some fuzzy wuzzy socks and indulge in some book-lover bliss!