Spring break is coming up fast, and I don’t know about you, but I love having a few books to read while I’m lying out at the beach. Although the books that I read change every year, I find that I tend to pick similar books, ones that are easy reads, but still interesting enough that I can spend an entire day on them. The books I read fall into three general categories, and they successfully keep me reading all of spring break (and often well into the weeks following!).
#1- The cute, romantic story:
Who doesn’t like a little romance to keep things interesting during spring break, especially when the romance is entirely effortless for you? These books are usually quick, easy reads, good to spend a day or two on, but not much more. They’re cute, sweet, interesting stories that usually guarantee a happy ending for the couple you’ve been rooting for since Chapter Two. These books won’t often cause any emotional upheavals, but they’ll keep you entertained, and they never disappoint.
Examples: The Truth About Forever- Sarah Dessen; Two-Way Street- Lauren Barnholdt
#2- The utter tragedy:
This book might be better for a day spent by the pool, where no one can see you turn into a totally heartbroken fool. These are the books that tear your heart out of your chest, step on it a few times, and then try to squish it back into place using knives. They leave you a total mess, but you can’t help loving the book because it has brought out your emotions in such a vulnerable way. One of these tear-jerkers is usually read best immediately before or immediately after a cute, romantic story, so you don’t become emotionally traumatized. Personally, I love these books because they feel like such an emotional release. You get to really dive into someone else’s thoughts and escape your own drama for a day or two because the fictional drama is really just so much more interesting. An emotional investment in these books is crucial; otherwise, you aren’t letting them do their job.
Examples: The Book Thief- Mark Zusak; The Fault in Our Stars- John Green
#3- The “different world”:
This is probably the most generic category, just because it encompasses so many books. There are dystopian worlds, fantasy worlds, worlds from the future or in the past, and any blend of the three. These books are great over spring break because even if you’re stuck at home, you can be transported to any number of places. These books usually involve adventure of some sort, although even without any odd happenings, they are fascinating because of how different they are. No two worlds are ever the same; everyone changes something. There are countless magical worlds with different creatures and made up names, just as there are infinite time periods in our own world that can be explored by authors in new and exciting ways. My personal favorites are the dystopian society novels, because they show how even “perfect” worlds can go totally awry, and often do- or else there would be no story to tell. This genre can often encompass the previous two, because it is so general. They are fantastic though, because you can see and experience so many stories all from your couch, or better yet, your beach blanket!
Examples: Divergent- Veronica Roth; Eragon- Christopher Paolini; Game of Thrones- George R. R. Martin
Spring break is a time to relax for a bit, and for me, this always involves reading. I hope some of these recommendations help you enjoy your spring break reading as well! Happy reading!