The last two decades have seen a 40% drop in reading for pleasure among Americans as digital media proliferates and attention spans shorten. Whether you’re looking to combat the statistics, better your emotional well-being or simply read something that wasn’t assigned to you, these four novels will kickstart your reading renaissance.

‘Better Than the Movies’ by Lynn Painter 

Whenever I’m in a reading slump, I turn to romance. Feeling particularly bogged down by schoolwork last year, I picked up Lynn Painter’s “Better Than The Movies,” which follows uptight, clumsy Liz and relaxed, popular guy Wes, two childhood enemies that happen to live right next door to each other. Over the course of the young adult novel, the two discover their mutual romantic feelings — with many pranks, shared adventures and deep conversations along the way, making for an easy read with funny characters and guaranteed butterflies. I was sold immediately, turning what was supposed to be a quick evening reading session into an all-nighter.

— Skylar Boilard, Arts Editor

‘This Time Tomorrow’ by Emma Straub

This novel’s fast pace, time-traveling story and short chapters can entice any reader. Set in New York City, it begins with Alice on the eve of her 40th birthday, reflecting on her life: Her jobs and relationships are only satisfactory, and her father’s deteriorating health looms over good memories. When Alice wakes up the next morning, she’s suddenly 16 — it’s 1966, and she’s greeted by her younger, healthier father in his 40s. Given the opportunity to redo her whole life, Alice considers what she could have done differently — will her father live longer if she convinces him to curb his smoking habits? With chapters that jump between past and present, the structure of this novel makes it hard to put down. Readers are left anticipating how changes in Alice’s youth will butterfly into her adulthood.

— Siobhán Minerva, Editor-At-Large

‘Sunset at Zero Point’ by Simon Stålenhag

I was already an avid fan of artist Simon Stålenhag’s signature retro-futuristic style — but what got me hooked on his newest novel was simply the plot. Against the backdrop of an exclusion zone caused by a catastrophic military experiment in rural Sweden, “Sunset at Zero Point” explores the changing relationship between childhood friends Linus and Valter. As the pair navigates life beyond the zone’s distorted landscapes, Stålenhag utilizes innovative sci-fi concepts to provoke novel emotional responses in the characters. With minimalist yet evocative storytelling, Linus’ narration flows between first and second person as he recollects his scattered memories of Valter. Layered, nuanced and emotionally rich, “Sunset at Zero Point” is Stålenhag’s writing at its most personal, and a great introduction to the science fiction genre. 

— Kaleo Zhu, Staff Writer

‘Schoolgirl’ by Osamu Dazai

Navigating the journey from adolescence to adulthood, there couldn’t have been a better time in my life to pick up Osamu Dazai’s “Schoolgirl.” In a moment where I found myself reading less, this novel of about 100 pages reminded me of my love for reading. An approachable introduction to Dazai’s works, the novella follows a day in the life of a young Japanese schoolgirl confronting grief, resentment toward her mother and the quiet pressures of growing up. Dazai takes the reader into the unnamed main character’s consciousness, rawly depicting the character’s desire for attention, judgment of others and hyperawareness of their surroundings. Though written in 1939, the book’s introspective exploration of alienation and selfhood remains equally relevant and relatable.

— Macey Zhang, Contributing Writer