dear book nerd,
we asked 10th grade’s biggest book enthusiast for recommendations, just for you!! here are some books recs for you to start with:
Memoir
Know My Name by Chanel Miller
Chanel Miller, formerly known to the world as Emily Doe stunned millions with a single letter. Brock Turner was sentenced to only six months in county jail after he was found sexually assaulting her on Standford’s campus. Her victim impact statement went viral and was translated globally; it inspired changes in California law and the recall of the judge. She gave thousands the courage to speak up about their sexual assault experiences for the first time. Chanel Miller reclaims her identity with this novel to tell her story of trauma and the power of words. Her struggles of isolation and shame reveal the tumultuous and oppressive recovery journey—even in the most perfect cases. She points out the culture that is biased to protect these perpetrators, criticises the justice system that is designed to fail the most vulnerable, and ultimately brings the courage she needs to move on and live a beautiful life.
Romance
Confess by Colleen Hoover
Auburn Reed desperately needs to fix her mess of a life—this time, she can’t make any mistakes. In a search for a job, she wanders into an art studio but she doesn’t expect to fall in love with the studio’s mysterious owner, Owen Gentry. For once, Auburn listens to her heart, only to discover Owen has been keeping a big secret. The magnitude of his past could destroy everything Auburn loves, and the only way to save it is to cut Owen out of her life. But does she have the heart to do it?
Fantasy
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Kaz Brekker, a criminal prodigy with a gift for nearly impossible escapes, is offered a chance to pursue a thrilling heist that could make him richer than he ever dreamed of being. Together with a convict full of thirst for revenge, a sharpshooter who can’t reject a wager, a spy known as the Wraith, and a heartrender who uses her magic to survive the slums, Kaz attempt this impossible heist. This crew is the only thing that might save the world from destruction, as long as they don’t kill each other first.
Thriller
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
Alicia Berenson lived a seemingly perfect life: a famous painter married to the most popular fashion photographer, living in a grand house in London’s most desirable location. One day, her husband Gabriel returns home, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face. Ever since that day, she hasn’t spoken a single word. Her strange action catch the attention of the public while she remains hidden away from the tabloids at a secure forensic unit called the Grove. Alicia’s case piqued the interest of criminal psychotherapist Theo Faber. His desperation to solve this mystery and unravel the mind of Alicia Berenson slowly begins to consumes his life…
Mystery
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
On his 5th wedding anniversary with his wife Amy, Nick Dunne finds himself to be the number one suspect in the case of Amy’s sudden disappearance. Amy’s friends claim that she was scared of Nick, that he kepts secrets from her; police examination shows strange searches and persistent phone calls but Nick denies everything. Under immense pressure from the media and the police—also Amy’s incredibly involved parents—Nick is carried through a rollercoaster of an investigation. So, what really happened to the beautiful Amy Dunne?
Historical Fiction
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
The Vignes sisters have always and will always be identical. They grew up together in a small, southern black community and both ran away at sixteen. Years later, one twin was back in the very town they tried to escape with her black daughter. The other passes for a white woman, keeping her past a secret from her white husband. As their lives get separated through webs of lies and many many miles in distance, their fates remain closely intertwined. Their lives change as their daughters’ lives intersect…
Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Set in late 60s Los Angeles, this fictional story of two rock and roll stars is told in a transcript format, giving each of the characters room to voice their opinions. Daisy Jones is enjoying the rock and roll life full of music and partying. By the time she’s 20, her voice is getting noticed and her beauty captures the attention of many. At the same time, a band called The Six led by Billy Dunne is also on their road to fame. Daisy and Billy (and the rest of the band) cross paths when a producer released the combination of the two will be a recipe for success.
Magical Realism
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
In a small and hidden alley in Tokyo, a quaint café has been serving carefully brewed coffee for years. But, it is not your typical coffee shop because it offers its customers the opportunity to travel back in time. Throughout the novel we meet four visitors hoping to travel back in time: a woman wishing to confront the man who left her, a women hoping to receive a letter from her husband whose memory had been taken by Alzheimer’s, a girl wanting to see her sister one last time, and someone desperate to meet the daughter they never got the chance to know. However, this journey through time comes with its own rules and risks. The customer must sit in a particular seat, they can’t leave the café, and they must return before the coffee gets cold.
Literary Fiction
Normal People by Sally Rooney
Connell and Marianne don’t know each other. Or at least, that’s how they must act in school. Connell is the popular and the star of the school soccer team, while Marianne is lonely and intensely private. The pair forms a strange yet beautiful bond when Connell comes to pick his mother up from a housekeeping job at Marianne’s house—a connection they desperately want to hide. Years later, they’re both studying at Trinity College in Dublin and their roles at school seem to be reversed, but they always seem to be irresistibly drawn back to each other. As Marianne begins to go into a downward spiral and Connell explores possibilities elsewhere, they must confront a difficult question: how far are they willing to go for each other?
Contemporary Fiction
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
Alix Chamberlain is shocked when her babysitter Emira Tucker is confronted while watching her toddler one night. The store security guard, seeing a young black woman out late with a white child, immediately assumes Emira is in the wrong and accuses her of kidnapping the little two-year-old, Briar. This incident gathers a bit of attention and is filmed by a bystander, making Emira both furious and humiliated. Alix is determined to resolve the issue and fight for justice; however, Emira is not so convinced about Alix’s desire to help. At 25, Emira’s life was not going the smoothest. When the video of Emira uncovers someone from Alix’s past, both women reconsider everything they know about one another and themselves.
if you love these book recs, you can also follow @rachelsrandomreads for more books to read in your free time!
xoxo,
dear letterbox