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Leisure Reading

A guide designed to promote use of the Libraries' leisure reading (best seller), personal development and other collections of note.

Recommended Reads from the Mount Libraries' Student Staff

Voices cross the Caribbean like restless tides of memories. Celia's letters grow with salt-bridge longing and unbroken faith. Generations drift between island dreams and American shadows. Revolutions echo in the heartbeats of mothers and daughters.

Dreaming in Cuban by Cristina Garcia

Fall 2025-Spring 2026

If you're looking to reconnect with your childhood self and dive back into the lore of Pixie Hollow, this is the book for you! When you're ready to [re]watch Secret of the WIngs, this book will add an extra layer of emotional depth to your movie watching experience.

Wings of Starlight by Allison Saft

Fall 2025-Spring 2026

For the Wicked fans: Get a look into the life of the infamous Wicked Witch of the West. Everyone has a story, dive into hers. It will make you rethink who the true villain really is.

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory MaGuire

Fall 2025-Spring 2026

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is about Charlie, a shy kid who feels a little lost until he meets friends who finally make him feel like he belongs. The story is real, emotional, and easy to relate to. It talks about growing up, dealing with hard feelings, and finding people who truly get you. It’s the kind of book that makes you think, makes you feel seen, and stays with you long after you finish it. It’s honestly worth the read.

Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Fall 2025-Spring 2026

The Shining is a story about a family in a quiet hotel where strange and creepy things start to happen to a family. If your a fan of psychological thrillers and supernatural fiction it's a perfect story with ghosts and mystery.

The Shining by Stephen King

Fall 2025-Spring 2026

This book tells the story about a chef and his daughter, who run a restaurant and create meals from customers' cherished memories. I recommend this book to readers looking for a comforting and relaxing experience. Readers can sense how each meal resonates with customers, bringing back either fond or lost memories.

The Restaurant of Lost Recipes by Hisashi Kashiwai

Fall 2025-Spring 2026

With the scorching sun, he noticed that the world still spun, His life was his to claim, And ignore society's need to shame, He did whatever he desired, Regrettably five shots were fired, He was seen as a danger, The alien, The reject, The stranger.

The Stranger by Albert Camus

Fall 20025-Spring 2026

hey took his life, but not her voice. She carries truth in her chest, rage in her hands, and hope in her eyes. She screams at silence, pushes against fear, breaks the walls that try to hold her down. And when she speaks, the world cannot look away.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Fall 2025-Spring 2026

This book is a really attention grabbing story with a really cool concept. If you are a fan of dystopian stories like "Divergent" or "The Maze Runner" I really recommend reading it. The characters are really nicely written and the action is amazing. The love story in it is unique too.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Fall 2025-Spring 2026

Honor by Thrity Umrigar

Fall 2024-Spring 2025

This book is very relatable to any first generation Mexican-American individual having to go through high expectations from their parents and family. It helps you navigate through your Mexican roots, American dreams and imperfections. But most importantly it teaches you, you do not have to be perfect. I would recommend this book to any individual having a hard time, to understand you are not alone.

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez

Fall 2024-Spring 2025

If you are a horror fan, you should check out Night Shift. Night Shift is a collection of short horror stories. There are 20 short horror stories ranging from suspenseful psychological horror to supernatural events and supernatural creatures. I recommend this book because all the different subgenres in horror fit into it, so it's easy to have favorites. If I had to describe this book in one word, I'd say Horrifying.

Night Shift by Stephen King

Fall 2024-Spring 2025

Edna Pontellier’s journey in “The Awakening” captures the deep struggle of a woman seeking her true self within society’s expectations. Her story resonates with anyone drawn to themes of freedom and self-discovery, making it a compelling read for those exploring self-identity and independence.

The Awakening by Kate Chopin

Fall 2024-Spring 2025

Two lonely people sitting in a room without a word But don’t laugh at them They see the irony too And don’t blame them They just don’t know how not to be lonely anymore You see They have been lonely for so long They have been eating lonely food, breathing lonely air and drinking lonely soda for so long No wonder they are lonely And they did all of them alone They ate alone, breathed alone, and drank alone Sometimes they might have wept alone too But who's to say because no one was there to see I wonder who they talk to? And I wonder what they would talk about? I’m sure they don’t just talk about being lonely all the time Maybe they talked alone too To themselves In whispers

The Lost Art of Listening by Michael P. Nichols

Fall 2024-Spring 2025

This book follows a young boy as he navigates mischief and his own thrilling adventures along the Mississippi River. It is a fun, nostalgic read that leaves its mark with humor and memorable characters.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

Fall 2024-Spring 2025

Includes more family history and character backgrounds than the film. The short chapters are entertaining and perfect for quick study breaks! Very excited to rewatch the movie!

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

Fall 2024-Spring 2025

16-year-old Holden Caufield is expelled from his prep school and in retaliation, travels by himself to New York instead of going home. Throughout his journey, join Caufield as he discovers and fights against the “phoniness” of the adult world at The Big Apple.

Catcher in the Rye by J.S. Salinger

Fall 2024-Spring 2025

This book has two short stories told in one book, and both stories tell the stories of two individuals and how their lives changed instantly. Both stories are heartwarming and explore the feelings of grief through food, family, and community. I recommend this book because it explores the reality of experiencing loneliness and how it is important to find hope to keep living.

Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto

Fall 2024-Spring 2025

A thorough application of attachment styles to adult relationships. Although this book is focused on romantic relationships, the concepts may also be applied to platonic relationships. Recommended for psychology and child development students to expand their knowledge of attachement styles.

Attached: the new science of adult attachement by Amir Levine and Rachel Heller

Fall 2024-Spring 2025

Gender Queer is a great book to educate yourself on people of the LGBTQ community. If you have ever felt different from everyone else or have had identity issues, this book is very relatable in that sense. It is a short sweet story that is very validating for LGBTQ individuals who are also BIPOC. In one word, this book is Validating. My favorite quote is “I don't want to be a girl. I don't want to be a boy, either. I just want to be myself.”

Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe

A Graphic Novel

Fall 2024-Spring 2025

Fahrenheit 451 follows the story of Guy Montag, who is a firefighter. In this book, firefighters burn books and are in charge of capturing people who secretly have books. This book is important for people to understand the importance of books and knowledge, especially knowledge found in banned books

Fahrenheit 451: the Authorized Adaptation by Tim Hamilton and Ray Bradbury

A Graphic Novel

Fall 2024-Spring 2025

Call me by your name is a "a book that was made into a movie starring the famous actor Timothee Chalamet that explores a teenager named Elio, a journey of figuring out his sexuality when he is drawn to his father's assistant Oliver. Oliver was supposed to live with Elio’s family that summer but also finds himself figuring out his sexuality. They spent the first part of summer not getting along but then realized they both had feelings for each other. We get to see a coming-of-age in Elio's view as he navigates what these feelings are for him and what's going to end at the end of summer. Soon readers will get hit with a big shock when finding out the end game for Oliver and Elio.

Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman

Fall 2024-Spring 2025

This book gives insight on how to cope with your emotions in different situations you find yourself in. This book provides different examples on how the author coped with negative situations and made them positive. In this book, you will learn to make the best out of any situation no matter if it's a positive or negative, you are to keep thriving and not let anything stand in your way. No matter how big or small you will overcome your battles and tribulations. This book taught me to always find a positive in any negatives I come across because I cannot let my battles define who I am and take over. Neither should you.

The Comfort Book by Matt Haig

Fall 2024-Spring 2025

For those who wish to go further into the issues of race, war, language, family, identity, drug misuse, same-sex relationships, and most importantly, what it means to live and be human, I heartily suggest this award-winning novel. It celebrates familial relationships and the expression of love, regardless of how flawed they may be. The story is formatted as a letter written in English from a son to his mother, all full of truth, secrets of the past, and concealed confessions of love and gratitude, remaining eternally hidden away behind foreign letters.

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

Fall 2023-Spring 2024

If you're looking for a book that accurately represents the Black LGBTQ+ experience, this is it. I love this book because it was able to capture how it is to be a queer Black woman in America.

The Stars and the Blackness Between Them by Junauda Petrus

Fall 2023-Spring 2024

within you, yet unknown. / Unlock the secrets of your soul, / Let dreams guide you, make you whole. /,In the journey of life, be the alchemist true, / And watch your wildest dreams come into view.. I recommend this book as it examines the value of self-discovery and shows that pursuing one's aspirations might have greater rewards.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Fall 2023-Spring 2024

This story gives readers a sad but important perspective of the way a Black woman gets treated in society.

Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley

Fall 2023-Spring 2024

There is a focus among the essays, meditations and speeches collected in this volume on subjects that are now affecting people on national and even global scale.

The Source of Self-Regard by Toni Morrison

Fall 2023-Spring 2024

Neon Genesis Evangelion (v.1-3) is the manga adaptation of the acclaimed anime series. NGE ells the story of Shizi Ikari, a 14-year-old boy who is thrust back into the eyes of his absent father in order to save Earth from foreign invaders known as "Angels." This manga is a science fiction story that borders on psychological horror.

Neon Genesis Evangelion by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto

v.1-5

Fall 2023-Spring 2024

It's about Percy Jackson, son of Posidon, who needs to do three quests in order to get letters of recommendation to go to school. The book follows his first quest to find a missing chalice that can grant immortality.

The Chalice of the Gods by Rick Riordan

Fall 2023-Spring 2024

This is a great book for those who want to learn how to be a more positive person. The author gives guidance on how to use the four agreements so you can change your life for the better. Overall, it's a good book to start your transformation to a carefree and positive life.

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

Fall 2023-Spring 2024

This is a very famous dystopian society book that focuses on the loss of knowledge through the extinction of books. I highly recommend this book because it spreads the dea about how imporant individuality and education is.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Fall 2023-Spring 2024

A timeless classic that follows a teenage boy through his first-person pint of view while recounting his experiences in NYC while he explores the complexities of growign up through the eyes of an angsty, self-alienated, impulsive, teenager rushing to be treated like an adult while simultaneously mourning his childhood.

Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

Fall 2023-Spring 2024

This is a short story with a powerful message. The Characters feel realistic and famliar at the same time. The main characters are criticized by society and their own conscience. One of them is "perfect" and the otherone is "questionable." I personally disappoved of the cat because the sassy narrator influenced me. However, I did feel the redemption arc.

The Swallow and the Tom Cat by Jorge Amado

Fall 2023-Spring 2024

This book is about providing hope during the bad days when you feel like there is no hope left. This book can help just about anyone who is feeling low and needs help with picking themselves back up again. It teaches you how you can look at the negatives in a positive light and to have hope that you will feel better by the advie and wise passages that Matt provides throughout the book. I learned ways to overcome the sadness by taking some steps in a more positive direction. The book mentions that this is achievable by first finding hope; being more present in the moment and acknowledging that we are enough; which are some powerful things to keep in mind during difficult times.

The Comfort Book by Matt Haig

Fall 2023-Spring 2024

This book gives the reader chills and suspense. Beatriz goes through a series of events as she discovers the haunting of the Hacienda. It also ties into old Mexican folktales.

The Hacienda by Isabel Canas

Fall 2023-Spring 2024

A captivating story about a woman who is connected to her anestors in a horrific way as she is forcefully time traveled to the Antebellum South to save a young plantation ownder and ensure that her family tree is not interrupted from the mid 1800's and so on.

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

Fall 2023-Spring 2024

This book helps psychologists better understand their (Filipino) mindsets, upbringing, identity. It's a book that helped me identify with my upbringing and culture.

Filipino American Psychology by Kevin Nadal

Fall 2023-Spring 2024

Ada is our protagonist. She has spirits trapped inside her. Through her spirituality, Ada can experience being between both worlds (the spiritual realm and the real world). She moved from Nigeria to the USA to attend college. She gets trapped in a sexually abusive relationship with Soren. The events that follow are the reaction the spirits and her go through. She tries to process what happened to her. This is a trauma book that explores mental illness.

Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi

Fall 2023-Spring 2024

Solid disability representation great expression of the intimacy found in lifelong friendships. Full of sorrow, strife and success. You will like this movie if you like the movie Ladybird. I do advise looking up the content warning prior to reading.

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

Fall 2023-Spring 2024

An empathetic, enjoyable withdraw for readers who are interested in moral issues, bringing together ideas of love and grief with a bit of adrenaline.

One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle

Fall 2023-Spring 2024

This was a fascinating book for learing about the power of mindset. The book can help arents, teachers, coaches, businesses, students and relationships. Dweck teaches you how to achieve your goals, deal with tough situations, and approch people differently. You can learn to impact all aspects of your life and unleash your potential.

Mindset by Carol S. Dweck

Fall 2023-Spring 2024

This book is a beautiful celebration of trans love. Every page is swimming with magic and metaphor.

When the Moon was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore

Fall 2023-Spring 2024

Book Recommendations from News Sources

Book recommendations and reviews are courtesy of the Libraries' awesome student employees. Feel free to use the Suggest a Purchase form to recommend other books to us.

For additional book reviews, check out Access World News, New York Review of Books and Women's Review of Books.

Just click Books and Authors under Suggested Topics on the Access World News Homepage!

COE LIBRARY
Chalon Campus

Charles Willard Coe Library
12001 Chalon Road
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310.954.4370

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213.477.2750

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