Reading is something we usually say we want to do, or that we’ll eventually get to it, but never really end up doing. Whether it’s because of too much school work or just lack of concentration, reading has been something we have all strayed away from, but often think about doing.

It would be unfair to put this generalization upon every reader because some of you might be avid readers who don’t make excuses about why they haven’t been able to pick up a book in months.

In the summer of 2023, I read 18 books. Since the school year has begun, I am severely lacking. As someone who goes through reading slumps, I know that all it takes is the right book at the right time. If you relate to this in any way, here are four books that changed my life and I think everyone should read at least once in their life.

People We Meet On Vacation by Emily Henry

Emily Henry will always be ranked within the top three of my favorite authors. While “People We Meet On Vacation” is not my favorite books of hers and is not one of her top rated ones, it holds a special significance, because it is the book that got me to first start reading again. 
I was drawn in by a book with a bright orange cover and the illustration of two people on beach chairs in the summer of 2022. It had been years since I picked up a book to leisurely read and not just for class, so I was initially worried about buying something I might not finish; however, it was summer and I had plenty of time on my hands, so I decided to buy it.
That decision single handedly changed the trajectory of my life in regards to reading, because it got me into the rhythm of reading book after book. “People We Meet On Vacation” is the perfect best friends to lovers trope. Henry manages to keep a certain emotional depth that a lot of modern romance novels lack lately.
Alex and Poppy, the two main characters, have contrasting personalities but still find a way to come together in every situation. Fans of the book will now be able to visualize them even more as a movie adaptation will be released starring Tom Blyth and Emily Bader. 

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin 

This is the book that inspired me to write this list. I usually finish a book quickly, around two to four days depending on the length. “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow” took considerably longer, because in many instances, I had to stop reading and sit for a second to process. 

The story follows two friends over the span of decades. The best explanation of Sam and Sadie’s relationship is one from Goodreads that says “two friends – often in love, but never lovers.” The two work together to create a hit video game, all while exploring a kind of love I have never seen in a book before. Zevin also covers topics such as failure, redemption and betrayal. 
I never really fell in love with either of the main characters. With he constant back and forth between the two, there was never a moment to lean one way or the other. 

If you are looking for a book that will break your heart and make you rethink everything, in the best way possible, this one is a must. 

The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates by Wes Moore 

Everytime I went to the bookstore, there was something I would always avoid: nonfiction. It was something I could never get myself to read because I always preferred romance, fiction and fantasy. This was until I grabbed a copy of “The Other Wes Moore” and finished it in two days.
The current governor of Maryland wrote this book in 2010 about himself and the man he shares a name with. The two lived in close proximity to each other, had similar upbringings of a tough childhood and a fatherless home, but one ended up a Rhodes Scholar and the other one with life in prison as a convicted murderer.
Moore talks about his correspondence with the other Moore over the years and covers topics that deal with how guidance can affect where a person ends up. This is the book that made me sign up for not one, but two nonfiction writing classes. Moore’s storytelling abilities are above all others, and he made this memoir easy to read along with being one of the most impactful stories ever.
If you are looking to get into nonfiction or memoirs, I highly recommend starting with this one. 

Normal People by Sally Rooney

There will be no “Normal People” slander, since it is one of the books that changed my life. The book looked short enough to be a quick, easy read. While I finished it in two days, many hours were spent crying over what is considered one of the most realistic, modern romances of our time. 

Rooney takes this story and furthers the idea of poor communication by omitting all quotation marks when the characters speak. Over years, readers get to watch Marianne and Connell fall in and out of love with each other and other people. I often now find myself looking for those two in other books or in real people simply because their story hit so deeply. 
The hate towards “Normal People” comes from the normalization of grandeur we see in romance novels and stories. Most find Marianne and Connell’s story to be mediocre, because they are used to a book of love that ends in happiness in rainbows. “Normal People” tells, as in the name, a very normal story about regular people.
This story has definitely happened to other people that aren’t named Connell and Marianne. It’s a telling of life with hardships in love, lack of communication and the pressures of everything else in life surrounding it. I’ve read it twice and I think everyone should read it at least once.