Fall in Love with Reading (Again)

This Valentine’s Day, rekindle your lifelong love with reading!

As with any lifelong habit, my commitment to, or engagement with reading will often ebb and flow. I know this is just the natural course of things. Some days I’m devouring a book a week, others… not so much. If you find yourself in a similar pattern, fear not! The encouragement of a love of reading is a personal, but very fulfilling journey that sometimes just needs a kick start. Below are some books I highly recommend for getting back into the groove — books that remind you what wonders books can really be.

Written by Colleen Callery with contributions from Julia DeVarti

My Sister the Serial Killer, Oyinkan Braithwaite

This one is a lot of fun! I don’t read books about murder very often actually, so this felt like a great introduction to the genre. It moves fast and is seriously witty. A great read to get out of any slump. Besides, what’s more exciting than the possibility of getting away with murder?

The Pisces, Melissa Broder

If you’re looking for something a little sexy, and a lot of fun, Melissa Broder’s The Pisces is like a muddy, four-wheeler ride through a mermaid parade. Messy and visceral, and definitely not for the faint of heart. I couldn’t read this one fast enough and was literally screaming at certain parts. Highly recommend reading this one with a friend so you can scream together.

The Parables, Octavia Butler

I read the Parables breathlessly and then just kept going. It’s like Margaret Atwood meets Toni Morrison – truly prophetic. I also highly recommend pairing these with the Octavia’s Parables podcast that helps with summaries and gets deep into her themes and influences. It’s like being in the most fun English class and I loved every minute.

There are only two books in the Parable series (though it was meant to be three) so if you need more, the Lilith’s Brood or the Patternist series are also amazing. There’s no shortage of work – Octavia was prolific – and I think the world would be a better place if more people knew her writing.

Homegoing, Yaa Gyasi

This is my go-to handsell for anyone who needs a really good read. Sweeping, layered, and really just beautiful. It traces eight generations of descendants from two half-sisters in Ghana, one forced to marry an Englishman, the other captured and sold into slavery, to modern day America. Gyasi is one of my favorite new writers and is completely worth the hype.

Beach Read, Emily Henry

I love to recommend this one to anyone looking to dip their toes into romance for the first time. It follows two writers, a “serious” literary fiction author and a romance author, who reunite after years and decide to swap genres for the summer. It’s meta in all the best ways, and I couldn’t put it down. Fun, smart, and sexy! (Julia)

Wow, No Thank You, Samantha Irby

I have literally never laughed out loud at a book as much as I did reading this highly entertaining essay collection. Irby’s writing is smart, it’s funny, and it’s also extremely relatable. This is definitely the kind of book you can pick up any time you’re feeling bored, and Irby’s way of writing about the world will instantly entertain you. (Julia)

Severance, Ling Ma

I found this book by accident actually, when I noticed a copy was damaged on the shelf in the bookstore, but man am I thankful for this kismet. Severance sort of became the It Book of the early pandemic as word started to get out how good it was, and of course, was about a deadly pandemic where the protagonist was somehow still going to work up? It may be a little too spot on for some, but I promise this book teems with quiet brilliance and an acute understanding of the world that will stay with you.

Recitatif, Toni Morrison

This may be an obvious one, but Toni Morrison is a must-read and will do a lot in terms of re-engaging you with the written word. I can’t believe it took me so long to read her, but now I’m hooked. In a word, her writing is captivating. Her stories will destroy you (insert *emotional damage* TikTok) in the best way possible. Her latest publication, her one and only short story, Recitatif, is available on Libro.fm with an hour long introduction by Zadie Smith. It’s only 2 hours of listening total and is so completely worth every second. A story of two friends who meet in a shelter as girls, one is Black and one is white, but we never learn which is which. It’s a fascinating experiment where we, the readers, and all our assumptions and curiosities, are put to the test.

Fight Night, Miram Toews

Fight Night wins Best Character Award, hands down. But it’s a tie between 9-year-old Swiv and her grandmother Elvira. This book made my heart grow three times in size. The writing is impeccable, the voice is masterful. It’s raw and tender and the perfect book to help us remember how precious even imperfect family bonds are.

On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, Ocean Vuong

If you are unfamiliar, Ocean Vuong is an actual genius. I am continually blown away by his understanding of the world and his skill with language. This is a heartbreaker of a book, but one that will rearrange the molecules of your soul. Look out for his next poetry book, Time is a Mother, coming in early April, which promises more of the same.

Crying in H Mart, Michelle Zauner

Zauner has taken the book world by storm this last year with her breakout debut memoir, Crying in H Mart. Lyrical and remarkably honest, she recounts the struggle of forging her identity after the unimaginable loss of her mother. This book will make you feel all the feels – it was our bestselling book of 2021 for good reason!