If you’re like me and you’re sick of watching TV after a month of quarantine, it’s time to move on to books. I’ve recently discovered that I’m obsessed with my Kindle. I’ve had one for two years and I have no idea why it’s taken me so long to get over the whole “it’s not the same as a book” thing. Let me tell you, in quarantine, Kindles are everything. Not only is it way easier to hold a Kindle than it is to hold an actual heavy book while you’re being lazy lying in bed, but you also have unlimited access to all these books virtually and they’re so much cheaper than paper books.
In times like this when you can’t leave your house to go the library or Barnes and Noble, Kindles are really coming in handy, so I’ve been reading a ton.
1. When We Believed in Mermaids
When We Believed in Mermaids is such a great easy read that’s available on Kindle Unlimited. It’s about two sisters and it bounces back between present time and their childhood. The main premise of the book is that one sister faked her own death fifteen years ago and the other sister sees her “dead” sister on the news and starts her mission to find her. I finished this book in two days and I highly recommend it.
2. Where the Crawdads Sing
I know everyone is obsessed with this book, but they’re obsessed for good reason. If you haven’t read Where the Crawdads Sing I’m actually jealous of you because you get to experience reading it for the first time right now. Like When We Believed in Mermaids, it bounces back between the present and the past and tells the story of a young girl living in a North Carolina marsh.
3. Before We Were Yours
Before We Were Yours is another excellent read you should check out while quarantined. It’s based on real-life events that happened during the Great Depression involving kidnapping, illegal adoption, and an abusive orphanage. It’s definitely not a light and cheery book, but it’s incredibly fascinating.
4. Big Little Lies
Big Little Lies is probably one of my favorite books I’ve read this year. If you’ve seen the TV show, I still recommend reading the book because it really is an excellent novel. Plus, there are some pretty big differences between the book and the TV show. For starters, the book takes place in Australia and the TV show takes place in California. Anyways, if you’ve never heard of this book or watched the show before, it’s about a murder investigation and the events leading up to the murder at a school fundraiser.
5. Little Fires Everywhere
On a similar note, Little Fires Everywhere is another amazing book to read right now. Hulu is currently releasing new episodes of the TV show weekly, but the book is way different than the TV show. It’s a wonderful book about class struggles, racism, dangers of perfectionism, and motherhood. If you’ve already started watching the show, I suggest you stop for a second and read this book before you watch the next episode. There are so many differences it’s shocking.
6. Paris for One & Other Stories
If you’re looking for a quick lighthearted read, I recommend Paris for One & Other Stories. It’s a great feel-good story about a girl who never takes risks who ends up spending the weekend in Paris alone. The second half of the book is comprised of short stories by Jojo Moyes that are all equally as enjoyable as Paris for One.
7. Eligible
If you like Jane Austen or The Bachelor (weird combo), you’ll love Eligible by Curtis Littenfeld. It’s a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice that’s incredibly well-done. If you’re an English Lit nerd like me, this book is perfect for you. It took a little while for me to get into it, but once I was about half-way through I couldn’t put it down.
If you’re looking for your next great read, I recommend checking out one of these seven books. Comment down below and let me know what books you’re loving right now!
Authentically Linni 