What to Read While Stuck in Quarantine
Right now, many people (myself included) are stuck inside and social distancing due to the Hell that is considered our world because of Corona. As a fun activity for myself and in the hopes of maybe helping a few people through this weird/uncomfortable/stressful/whatever other negative phrase you want to use time, I thought I’d compose a list of books that may occupy your time. I’m going to try and stick with completed series or stand-alones so that in addition to everything else you’re not miserable you have to wait for a new book.
Similiar to my Non-Horror October reads post, I’ll add the Goodreads link so you can check out ratings and such!
So...here is my list of books that might help get you through the dumpster fire that is our current situation!
(I am aware some of these are very popular but I’m adding them anyway in case someone hasn't read them)
Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas
After serving a year in a slave camp, Celaena Sardothien is granted the chance at freedom when the crown prince chooses her to be his champion in a competition to find the new royal assassin.
If you haven't read this series yet and love YA fantasy please do yourself a favor and get it. Katie and I love it so much
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas
A loose retelling of Beauty and the Beast; Feyre is dragged off as a prisoner to a magical kingdom after killing a faerie while hunting in the woods. She comes to learn that maybe her captor, a beautiful Fae trapped in a mask, might not be as terrible as she thought.
I’m not even going to lie this was difficult to give a two sentence summary of. The first book is great but 2 and 3 are exponentially better and Feyre is just the badass woman we all need.
The Iskari Trilogy by Kristen Ceccarelli
Asha is the Iskari, responsible for hunting dragons in her kingdom. Engaged to a man she will never love, she is given the opportunity to prevent her marriage by killing the most ancient of all dragons.
All three of these books are interconnected but each one follows a different main character. They were all AMAZING, but book two (The Caged Queen) was my favorite
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
In the country of Ravaka, cut in half by a darkness called The Shadow Fold, Grisha are an elite magical group. After learning of her own abilities during an attack on the fold, Alina Starkov is taken away to learn to harness her power while under supervision of their leader, The Darkling.
I put off reading these like an idiot and finished them a few months ago and absolutely loved them. King of Scars is a continuation but maybe wait until the second one comes out to read it because I’ve been struggling getting over it and anxiously waiting for any news about it.
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Kaz Brekker is one of the most notorious criminals in Ketterdam. When offered a job that will make him rich beyond his wildest dreams, he gathers a crew that can help him pull off a deadly heist.
This book has an array of diverse characters and a lot of excitement and hijinks. Takes place in the same universe as Shadow and Bone, so I would recommend reading it after them, but it can be done on its own.
The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw
The small town of Sparrow is located on the coast of Washington and has a troubling history. Every summer witches possess three mortal girls and use their bodies to lure boys into the ocean and drown them. When a new boy arrives Penny doesn't know if she will be able to protect him from her sinister home.
I read this one in a day and absolutely loved it. Easy and entertaining read.
The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller
Alessandra is tried of being in the shadow of her older sister so she devises a plan: make the Shadow King fall in love with her, marry him, and then kill him and take his kingdom.
This book was described as a ‘slytherin love story’ and I was all about it. It was an easy read and definitely kept me intrigued in the story.
All adults disappear, along with cell phones, internet, and any other way to get help. Teens are left to pick up the pieces in this sic-fi story.
I read this series a pretty long time ago but it was SO GOOD. Grant did such a great job sucking you in, to this day I will still recommend it to people.
The Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning (Book #1 is Darkfever)
When her sister is murdered, MacKayla travels to Ireland in search of answers. While there she learns she is able to see beyond the human realm, into the real of the Fae.
Honestly this series was so wild and I remember there being some unnecessary erotic stuff but it was still SO DAMN ENTERTAINING. A good way to escape the humdrum of quarantine life.
Anything by Gillian Flynn
If you need a thriller, murder mystery, etc just honestly pick Gone Girl, Sharp Objects, or Dark Places. They're all so good.
Caraval by Stephanie Garber
Scarlett has always wanted to participate in the fantastical performance that is Caraval. She gets her wish when an invitation arrives, but then regrets it when she learns the performance centers around her sister Tella, who has been kidnapped by Caravel Master Legend.
I love these books. Scarlett and Tella are both amazing in their own way and the mystery and not knowing what is real and whats part of the game makes it so fun to read.
These Rebel Waves (Stream Raiders) by Sara Raasch
Adeluna is a soldier that helped free her home island of Grace Loray from its oppressors, the kingdom of Argrid. Devereux is a pirate, sailing the waters of Grace Loray and collecting its magic plants and selling them on the black market. Benet is the Crown Prince of Argrid, unsure of his father’s beliefs and methods after watching his uncle and cousin burned to death after practicing magic. Their fates are intertwined as they all search for peace between Grace Loray and Argrid.
Katie and I both just read this and they were so good. The beginning is a little slow but the history you get on all the characters is great.
Angelfall (Penryn and the End of Days) by Susan Ee
Angels of the Apocalypse have fallen to Earth. Streets are ravaged and life as we know it is over. When Penryn’s little sister is taken by Warrior Angels, she's willing to do anything to get her back, even make a deal with an enemy angel.
I looked for a hard copy of this trilogy everywhere and couldn't find it, so finally gave up and got the kindle books. I loved it, the end of world sci-fi and enemies-to-lovers tropes were wonderful.
The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking) by Patrick Ness
Todd Hewitt lives in a town of only men, where everyone can hear each other’s thoughts. He stumbles across a girl in the swamp, the only one he’s ever seen and it sets off a chain of events that can't be stopped. On the run and hunted by the only people he's ever known, Todd tries to discover the dark truth of his world.
This series was so well written and just sucked you in. Even if it seemed like nothing was happening or was going to happen soon, I couldn't put it down. The books are all long too so thats a plus for quarantine reading.
And if you need something to bring you back to a time when things were simpler, may I recommend rereading some old favorites, two of mine are:
Harry Potter by J.K Rowling and Percy Jackson and the Olympians (also The Heroes of Olympus) by Rick Riordan
These don't need links, but they were two series that I loved when I was younger. The Goblet of Fire was the first big chapter book I ever read on my own and PJO just was so fun. I just read all the PJO graphic novels because I found them when I redid my bookshelves and it was a nice little escape.
Honestly, I have more recommendations but I feel like this is a long post already so I’m going to stop here and maybe I’ll do another one.
Anyway...happy reading, I hope this helps someone. It definitely improved my mood. Just remember High School Musical and hopefully we’ll get through this soon.
