Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Pace chapter.

As my motivation for reading commonly waxes and wanes throughout the year, I always find myself searching for specific books that will pull me out of this slump. Typically, after going months without turning a page of a new novel, I’ll quickly grab a short and sweet romantic comedy book that doesn’t require much thought, just general enjoyment of the plot and characters. At other points, I find poetry books spark a new fondness for reading and intense inspiration for writing. Perusing the display at Barnes & Noble has often been a quick remedy for periods of significant literary apathy, but sometimes I just need a good recommendation.

Love & Other Words by Christina Lauren

A second-chance friends-to-lovers romance that incorporates a whirlwind of emotional moments. This book was one that I finished within the same day of purchasing it, ignoring all of my other responsibilities because I was so invested in not only the characters as individuals but also the plot in its entirety. As far as reading slumps go, mine essentially ended as soon I opened the first page and started once more as I closed the back cover. The novel tosses readers through the past and present of the friendship between Elliot and Macy. The tense transitions of each chapter are natural and add more intensity to the ultimate end of the novel. Elliot and Macy had been best friends for a long time until feelings began to surface and an incident tore them apart. But when a happenstance meeting brings them together once again, old familiar feelings come back and the pair is forced to figure out how to move on from their shared history and figure out the future of their relationship.

Time Is a Mother by Ocean Vuong

Ocean Vuong’s language and use of storytelling through both poetry and longer forms such as novels always hits me with a larger understanding of the world around me and our relation to it. Time Is a Mother explores the difficulties of grief and the wonderings of how to move through it to get to the other side. Some of my favorite poems from the book are “Snow Theory” and “Beautiful Short Loser,” composed of lines like, “How else do we return to ourselves but to fold / The page so it points to the good part” and “The most normal things about me are my shoulders. You’ve been warned.,” respectively. As the goal of any poet or writer is to engage the reader and bring them into the depths of a story, Vuong offers a human and fragile hand acting as a guide for the reader, seeping through every page with vulnerability and realizations.

Rules of Civility by Amor Towles

Amor Towles is an author I had been dying to read for years now, and as a family vacation was soon approaching and I hadn’t read anything of interest in two months, I thought there was no better time to finally dive into one of his novels. In South Carolina, I spent my days on a balcony overlooking the beach completely addicted to this novel (and a beach setting is not very on par for this New York City socialite tale). Rules of Civility follows the character Katey Kontent as she moves her way up the ladder of New York City in the span of one year. While reading, I found myself turning the pages with such growing anticipation until the end was inevitably reached. Towles paints a captivating description of New York City life in the late 1930s while making the journey of witty Katey Kontent just as entertaining. This book, posed as a simple vacation read, ended with me contemplating the ways a person and their relationships can change over the course of a singular year, rooted in specific and intentional choices or, at times, rather innate timing.

The Roughest Draft by  Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka

I’ve come to the hard fact that the books I purchase on a whim are often the ones I become most invested in, as with the case of The Roughest Draft. This book involves most of the classic tropes that make for an easy and fun, yet tension-filled read. Previously friends but now enemies Nathan and Katrina are under contract to co-author one more book together and are stuck in the same house together until it’s done. The forced proximity of the two characters as well as the slow unraveling of their past falling out that readers come to learn, enables the chemistry and mystery to jump off the page. This book was so enticing I was scrambling to read more when it was over. Because of that, whenever I am in a reading slump for longer than a month, this is my go-to book to get me back on track.

Unmissing by Minka Kent

One of my recent discoveries on Kindle Unlimited, Unmissing by Minka Kent, is nothing short of captivating. The novel alternates between the perspectives of Luca Coletto’s perfect housewife Merritt, and legally dead ex-wife Lydia. Kent keeps readers turning the pages in anticipation as she untangles Lydia’s mysterious disappearance and eventual resurfacing. With each twist and turn, the novel becomes increasingly more disturbing and unpredictable. To say the least, I could not put it down. This book is highly recommended for readers who enjoyed the concepts behind Colleen Hoover’s Verity but are looking for a less controversial author to support.  

The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean

Truthfully, I didn’t expect much of Sunyi Dean’s The Book Eaters, as copies were piled high in the clearance section of the bookstore. This piece of speculative fiction, however, left me in awe and questioning the patriarchy, familial responsibilities, and motherhood. With characters that are emotional and messy, Dean enthralls readers with a society parallel to our own. Readers follow Devon and her son, Cai, as they attempt to escape the clutches of the Families — the social classes amongst book eaters. In a race to find an elusive drug, Devon grapples with love and loss, trust and deceit, and must ultimately weigh the implications of life and death. Both transcendent and apocalyptic, this piece takes readers to an alternate reality in which we can reimagine our own social structures. That is to say — like many of the critics who read The Book Eaters — I devoured it.

The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

Although I tend to stray away from longer novels, Turton’s piece demanded more and more of my attention with each chapter. The novel follows the narrator, Aiden, as he races to solve a murder while trapped in a time loop. Each day, he experiences time through the eyes of a new host — all of whom are guests at the manor in which the murder occurs. As readers become acquainted with the eight hosts and their personalities, Aiden’s anticipation becomes nothing short of infectious. When the murder at Blackheath is eventually solved, the audience is forced to ask themselves one final question: What does it mean to forgive?

Bunny by Mona Awad

I’m always on the hunt for a book that gives me a good case of mind-melt, and Bunny did just that. Protagonist Samantha navigates the social solitude that comes with a small MFA program. Eventually, she is invited to the Smut Salon — a creative workshop — by her cohort, which ultimately leads to her descent into madness. Awad’s fast-paced writing style is truly in a league of its own, as it leaves readers feeling like they are spiraling alongside her characters. I initially read this piece for a book club and, arguably, the best thing about the novel is that everyone had a different take on what actually occurred. Provocative commentary on the female experience, Mona Awad’s Bunny is a must-read piece of fiction.

Ashley Geiser is the Editor-In-Chief/Co-Campus Correspondent for Her Campus at Pace. She oversees all the writers on the team, manages the overall responsibilities and duties of the editors, and publishes the final copy of all articles on the website. She likes to work one-on-one with the writers, helping them gain confidence in their work and hosting monthly editorial workshops to get everyone familiar with Her Campus guidelines and AP style. Beyond her work with Her Campus at Pace, she works as a tutor at the Writing Center for Pace University and serves as an editor for the University’s student magazine, 'Aphros.' Some of her poetry has appeared in Pace University’s 'Chroma' magazine and placed in the English Department Writing Awards. She is currently a senior studying for her bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature with a concentration in Creative Writing, as well as working towards her master’s degree in Publishing at Pace University. Outside of her academic responsibilities, Ashley usually spends her time reading and writing all forms of poetry. She loves any type of romantic comedy movies, among her favorites are 'Made of Honor' and 'The Wedding Date.' She also enjoys baking; her favorite recipe is a chocolate chip mint cookie of her own design.
Emma Frederickson is a writer for Pace’s chapter of Her Campus. This is her second year writing for the magazine, and she consistently covers topics ranging from sustainability politics to pop culture. Emma is HC at Pace's chapter president for the 24-25 academic year. Outside of Her Campus, she is completing her undergrad as a Communication and Media Studies major with a minor in Peace and Justice, and hopes to eventually get a masters degree in Publishing. She is an active member of several other organizations including Pace Sustainability Initiative and the Pace Honors College. Emma hosts a weekly podcast, And They Were Roommates, on WPUB radio. In her spare time, she volunteers with the Bowery Residents’ Committee. In her personal life, Emma has a passion for clothing and can always be found thrifting somewhere in the city. She can also be found reading or doing yoga on days where she is not out and about. On the weekends, Emma enjoys curling up and watching a movie with friends. Otherwise, she can be found traveling home to Easton, Pennsylvania for a much needed visit with her pup!