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It’s is that time of the year again. Time to start making your New Year’s goals. A common goal in many people’s lists (besides the obvious one of getting fit) is reading more. If you are a fellow bookworm looking for additions to your want-to-read list, then buckle up as I am about to tell you the five best books to add to your shelves.

“The House in the Cerulean Sea” by T. J. Klune

If you are looking for a new comfort book, “The House in the Cerulean Sea” might be the one for you. Klune does more than write a book. He offers you a warm, queer blanket as he tells the story of the caretaker of magical orphans.

Each of the characters is loveable. Although romance is not their main genre, the relationship between the charismatic Arthur and Linus will leave you swooning. Despite being a fantasy book, the relatable themes of chosen family and respecting others’ differences instead of hating on them out of fear reverberated throughout the novel. The true monsters are human, after all.

“The Night Circus” by Erin Morgenstern

How Morgenstern manages to create such descriptive and magical visuals is beyond me. Written from multiple viewpoints and by jumping between past, present and future, “The Night Circus” is an enchanting story. It begins when two grand yet totally different magicians making a bet on which of their young protegees will win the game of life on the circus arena. The two protegees, unknowingly, have been bound together forever, but the situation gets complicated once they fall in love. Utterly captivating and imaginative, “The Night Circus” is a must-read.

“The Song of Achilles” by Madison Miller

You do not have to be a big Greek mythology nerd like me to enjoy this one (but it helps if you are). Taking the classic story of Achilles and reinventing it as a rendition of Homer’s “The Iliad,” Miller writes a heartbreaking page-turner that will leave you in a puddle of emotions by the time you finish it. The relationship between Achilles and Patroclus will have you aching in beautiful pain. One of my favorite books thus far.

“The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time” by Mark Haddon

Forget everything you know about mysteries and murders. This novel follows the story of Christopher Boone, a 15-year-old autistic boy who simply wants to solve the murder of Wellington, the neighbor’s dog. Christopher goes through an unconventional journey to get to the bottom of the case while uncovering many secrets along the way. It is very creatively written as if Christopher’s point of view. Spoiler alert, the person who killed the dog was… 

“Poison for Breakfast” by Lemony Snicket

If you are looking for a quick read in between midterms and finals, then this book is perfect. The author of ‘A Series of Unfortunate Events’ does it again, this time in the form of a humorous yet deeply philosophical book. Written as a sort of mystery memoir, Snicket needs to figure out who poisoned him before he dies. Not your typical book, ‘Poison for Breakfast’ explores the topics of death and literature in a twisty way. The reading can be done in one sitting and will leave you feeling… bewildered to say the least.

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