Book Shelves | Photo by Soham Parikh | Edited by Kayli Thomspon | The Wright State Guardian
We finally did it -- we finished fall semester and 2020 is nearly over. Whether this is your first semester at Wright State University (WSU) or you have been with us all year, it’s time to turn off your brain and relax this winter break.
Even if it was your best semester yet or one that could have gone better, here are some books that you should read depending on how you feel finishing this semester.
Relieved
You are just glad that it is finally over -- and aren’t we all? Regardless of how you finished, you are mostly relieved that it is over and you get a few weeks to relax. You are ready for something quick but engaging, and maybe something that you can chew on if you decide to continue in the series.
“All Systems Red” by Martha Wells is the first novella in “The Murderbot Diaries” where a self-aware and sarcastic droid (who refers to itself as “Murderbot”) travels with a team of scientists to a desolate planet only to discover that things are not as they seem. The first book is only 150 pages long, and you will absolutely fly through this tongue-in-cheek action-packed adventure.
Encouraged
Look at you! You managed to stay afloat even when things got tough and you are ready to take on the day. If you want to keep the momentum this winter break, try “The Queen’s Gambit” by Walter Tevis.
Recently adapted into a binge-able Netflix show, you can read the book before tuning in and be on the edge of your seat as you follow an orphan chess prodigy from her competitive childhood to her turbulent early adulthood.
Disappointed
We get it -- this was probably not the greatest semester for a multitude of reasons. It is time to take a deep breath, look to next semester and see what you can do better. But before that, it is important to be kind to yourself and understand that we are all trying our best.
If you are looking for something short and sweet, “An Enchantment of Ravens” by Magaret Rogerson will definitely fit the bill. When a human accidentally paints human emotion in a fae prince’s eyes, he must take her to his world to stand trial for her crime. This YA fantasy romance is short but filled with a breathtaking world and a slow, beautiful romance that will completely suck you in, at least for a little while.
Thankful
While this semester, and admittedly this entire year, has been a whirlwind, there is still a lot to be thankful for, and simply finishing the semester is an accomplishment in itself and you should be proud. Reward yourself with the touching memoir “The Magical Language of Others” by EJ Koh.
This is another short book that follows the author as she moves to America from South Korea and is sent letters she cannot fully understand until she finds them in a box and translates them years later. But be warned, this will surely tug on your heart strings.
