Book Recommendations — Get Reading!

By Jilian Mihailovich ’25

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​Your parents probably say it all the time, “Why don’t you pick up a book and read?” Or maybe, it was a New Year’s resolution you haven't quite gotten to yet. Either way, reading reduces stress by 68%, is clinically proven to make you smarter, and keeps your brain more effective as you get older. If you ask me, it's something to consider.

Last year, I embarked on a journey to try to read over 30 books. Here are some of my favorites:
 
“The Secret History” by Donna Tartt - This is probably my favorite book from the whole year. If you love “The Dead Poets Society,” the book “Bunny” or “The Goldfinch,” I strongly recommend it. It follows a group of prestigious college students who are involved in a murder, but you’re not quite sure how. It’s full of twists, but can definitely be dense.
 
“Normal People” by Sally Rooney - I’m normally not a huge fan of romance books, but this one hooked me. Sally Rooney is known for her beautiful and real writing, and that’s evident throughout this story. The character development is really my favorite thing about this book, but if you are new to reading and want a bit of a “beach read,” this is for you.
 
“The Shadow of the Wind” by Carlos Ruiz Zafón - A pleasant surprise. Set in 1945 Europe, it follows a young man on a journey to find the author of a book he read when he was 12, and he unravels various mysteries and plot lines about Barcelona along the way. Definitely a page-turner. One of my favorites!
 
“A Walk in the Woods” by Bill Bryson -  Calling all nature lovers! This memoir is full of laughs as you follow two men “Thru-hiking” the Appalachian Trail. They start off incredibly unprepared and out of shape but soon learn to adjust to trail life.
 
“The Maid” by Nita Prose - I’m a sucker for a classic “whodunit.” If you're an Agatha Christie fan, love the movie Knives Out, or enjoy a good game of Clue, you're going to love this. It's a relatively new book and a page-turner. It follows the 25-year-old protagonist, Molly, whom you can’t help but sympathize with as she navigates her way through a murder investigation at the exclusive and opulent hotel where she works.