Books to Read During the Holidays

Books to Read During the Holidays

The last holidays of the year are around the corner, and you may have planned everything out down to the cost of presents on Black Friday to the pit stops chosen on your trip to your in-laws. What you don’t have is anything to read during the holidays, and I have a list that can not only finish your Goodreads goal by the end of the year while exploring new genres. I promise you this list is meant for people who have too much or too little time for themselves and want to enjoy the least hectic part of visiting or hosting families and friends. Isn’t that what Christmas is all about?

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

For when you want to solve a mystery

Aiden Bishop has eight days to find Evelyn’s killer; the only cost is that he has to reenact the same day as a different person each time. Aiden does not know who he is or why he’s sent to the Hardcastle residence, but with the help of his guests, he will solve the mystery before it’s too late. For a whodunit thriller, this is the most interesting plot I’ve read and I can’t stop recommending it to anyone with a pulse.

Someone Who Will Love You in All Your Damaged Glory by Raphael Bob-Waksberg

For when you want to read short stories that will make you laugh hysterically or cry a little

From the creator of BoJack Horseman comes 18 short stories that are as captivating as the one before. From wedding planning and goat sacrifices to lonely people connected on a subway ride that never stops, Bob-Waksberg brings a series that gives a mix-bag of emotions in every ending. You won’t put the book down until you are 100% finished reading it.

What If? Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions by Randall Munroe

For the liberal arts major in a family of scientists

A webcomic series turned Goodreads Nominee for Best Nonfiction is a fantastic book about the most arbitrary hypothetical situations only a former employee of NASA can solve. It is not the research that will make you read, but the ease at which you can understand the process of solving these scenarios, such as when (if ever) did the sun set on the British Empire. I happened to listen to this audiobook, but I still found it easy to follow and the narrator was perfect for the book.

How to Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie

If you think your family is bad, read this

Grace Bernard is in prison for a murder she did not commit. She did, however, kill several people before she was incarcerated. The rest of the world will never know she killed her father’s family for leaving her mother to die penniless, but Grace will tell you how she did it. If you read ‘You’ by Carolina Kepnes and want more of a ‘eat the rich’ vibe, then this book is perfect.

Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Li

For families who visit movie theaters as part of their tradition

A mysterious benefactor from China reaches out to Will, a senior studying art history at Harvard, to do the impossible. Steal back five priceless Chinese sculptures stolen from Beijing centuries ago. Ocean’s 8 meets five Ivy league students comes a story that proves you don’t need a degree to make history.

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston

All romance, some mystery, and no detectives

August does not believe anything will happen to her after she moves to New York to complete her last year of college. Those magical, life changing moments are only found in movies, not in her apartment with her eccentric roommates or the new diner while waiting tables. She believes that until she meets Jane every morning on the way to her classes. Jane, the most unforgettable person with the most charming smile, has a bigger mystery when August realizes that Jane has not left the subway since the 1970’s. August has to dive deep into Jane’s past inorder to figure out how this happened and how to save Jane from the impossible. I did not read it when it was published but now that I have I believe McQuiston was robbed of Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Romance, kidding. Jokes aside, McQuiston will be your new favorite author after reading this.

The Martian by Andy Weir

For when you feel trapped, but not literally

Mark is stranded on Mars after his crew evacuated during a storm believing that he had died. Despite being alone with limited resources and everyone believing he’s dead, Mark isn’t ready to give up yet. Relying on his knowledge and relentlessness brings a positive twist on a story about the loneliest person on Mars trying to get back home. This is the best sci-fi survivalist story for anyone who doesn’t like reading books with intense plots because there is always something to laugh about in the story.