High school is supposedly the best four years of your life—make sure you’re not missing out on them! However, don’t skim through your assigned English class readings; who knows? You might just be surprised by how relatable they are! On the other hand, if you have already graduated, you’re in luck. Here are a handful of books chosen by local high schooler, Shari E., that you can use as a guideline to in order to catch up on your reading.
1. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
A conflict arises between the working-class “Greasers” and the upper-class “Socials” in this classic novel. The two rivaling sides don’t know how to get along, and eventually, push each other to their breaking points. This story will put you back into the shoes of a high schooler, much like the one who wrote this book (it was published when the author was only 18 years old)!
2. We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson
A high schooler, Henry, struggles with being an outcast at school and with refilling the hole left in his heart after his boyfriend’s suicide. He finds himself romantically entangled with his sworn enemy from school. After forgetting weeks at a time and convincing himself he was being abducted by aliens, he finds a different boy at school who challenges him to discover the universe from different perspectives. In the end, Henry must ultimately decide if his world is worth saving.
3. Violent Ends by Shaun David Hutchinson and others
Kirby, a good kid from band class who has never been troubled before, finds himself committing a school shooting at his high school. Follow the journey of this 16-year-old boy as the days lead up to the most terrifying event of most of these students’ lives. This book is told by the viewpoint of his several victims.
4. Ascending the Boneyard by C.G. Watson
The main character, Caleb Tosh, is obsessed with a video game on his computer called The Boneyard, which is basically about proving he is worthy by going on various missions. The story is a blend between reality and the game, making it difficult to distinguish which is which at some points. If you’re looking for an action-packed book that keeps you up on journeys late at night, look no further.
5. The Red Dragon by Thomas Harris
An FBI profiler named Will Graham comes out of retirement to search for a famous serial killer who has been going after families. The FBI profiler thinks these families weren’t just random targets; the killer knows this and is therefore extremely interested in the investigator. This mysterious book tells the story from two different perspectives: the killer and the FBI agent, which makes for a crime series that’s to-die-for (pun intended).
6. The Cellar by Natasha Preston
This thriller begins with a backstory of a young man’s life being “ruined” because his father cheated on his mother with a prostitute. As he grew up, his mother had always told him how perfectly pure and elegant flowers were, and after she died, he took these words to heart. He began kidnapping women and renaming them after flowers like Lily, Rose, Poppy or Violet. As they misbehaved, he would kill them and kidnap another girl, renaming her as the same flower. Outside of the cellar, he acted as if he lived a normal life with a good job. When he went out, he would bring home prostitutes and kill them to “cleanse the earth,” making the other girls clean up after his mess. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.
If at least one of those titles didn’t spark your interest, then I can only assume you’re one of the crazy people these authors are writing about…but I have faith that you’re into good books. So, grab your peppermint mocha and cozy up by the fire, you’ve got some reading to catch up on.