Top 9 Books to Read while in Quarantine (Or Whenever)

Educated by Tara Westover:

This memoir sent chills down my spine. My fascination with Tara grew into an obsession to learn more about her. I found myself getting stuck in YouTube and Google search blackholes, digging for more evidence of her past and current life.

During an interview with Tara, Oprah said,

“This book, Educated, is liberating for so many people. I know that one of the reasons why people are responding to it in a big way is because you’ve shown so much of your own courage, vulnerability, and strength to find your voice and to find your own way out.”

Educated is about Tara’s life—beginning in the mountains of Idaho. Born to an extremely survivalist family, Tara lived anything but a “normal” life so to speak. Her father genuinely despised the government and all forms of healthcare. Tara was born without a birth certificate and never saw a doctor—even when she endured gashes, concussions, and burns (from working in her family’s junkyard).

She never received a formal education yet went on to be admitted to Brigham Young University. From there, her educational journey completely took off. She traveled to different continents, earning a Master’s degree from the University of Cambridge at Trinity College and was a visiting fellow at Harvard University.

The Holdout by Graham Moore:

This legal thriller had me on the edge of my seat. I could not put it down. The Holdout gives the reader a unique perspective often not thought about in the courtroom: the jurors.

Young juror Maya Seale convinces her fellow jurors that Bobby Nock, a black high school teacher, is innocent of killing a wealthy white female student. Then, 10 years later, a true-crime docuseries brings the jurors together again to discuss the case. Before filming, one of the jurors is murdered. Now, as a defense attorney, Maya Seale must prove her own innocence in this man’s murder.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman:

You’ll read this in a day. I am obsessed with the main character, Eleanor. She is extremely awkward (and somewhat relatable). Her brutal honesty and lack of social cues are funny at first until you realize why she is the way she is.

Eleanor lives a structured life with a mundane day job. Her weekly highlights involve vodka and pizza on Friday nights. But, everything changes when she befriends Raymond, the new IT guy at work. At first she finds him unhygienic and strange, but somehow his big heart eventually opens Eleanor up in ways she never felt before.

I think it’s worth noting that Reese Witherspoon endorsed Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine.

The Power by Naomi Alderman:

Naomi Alderman…Margaret Atwood’s prodigy. Need I say more? If you love feminism tied in with science fiction then stop everything and read The Power.

The Power gives readers a glimpse into what the world would be like if women were the dominant gender. This dominance is found when something vital changes. Young teenage girls develop the ability to release electrical jolts from their fingers, causing agonizing pain and sometimes death.

The Power is not only a scientific rollercoaster but also an awakening into what the world would be like if women were in control. It’s not as pleasant as you may think because the hunger for power oftentimes brings out the worst in people. But, you’ll have to read it to find out what I mean.

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng:

This is the perfect quarantine book because when you finish reading it, you can watch the mini-series on Hulu, starring Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington.

“To say I love this book is an understatement. It’s a deep psychological mystery about the power of motherhood, the intensity of teenage love, and the danger of perfection. It moved me to tears.” — Reese Witherspoon

Little Fires Everywhere takes place in Shaker Heights, Ohio. First you have Elena Richardson and her picture-perfect life—a huge home, successful lawyer-of-a-husband, and four teenage children. Then, Mia Warren moves to town. She’s a struggling artist and single mom to teenager Pearl.

Mia rents the apartment owned by Elena, becoming her tenant. Mia and Pearl then become more than tenants as Pearl befriends the Richardson children and Mia does housework for Elena. But, Elena’s obsession with Mia’s mysterious past drives a serious wedge in their increasingly toxic relationship.

There are so many different twists and side plots within this one, cunning novel that I feel me explaining it does no justice. But, this book reveals the unique obstacles of motherhood and what sacrifice looks like for different people.

The Wives by Tarryn Fisher:

Another thriller, because why not read something that keeps you up at night? Thursday’s husband, Seth, has two other wives. She originally was not interested in polygamy but loved this man so much she agreed to this strange marriage agreement.

Thursday never met the other two wives. Part of the agreement was that they remain anonymous to one another. That is until one day she finds a note in his jacket pocket, revealing something horrifying about the man she loves, inspiring her to learn more about and find the other two wives.

You might think this book is about an abusive husband/wives relationship. And maybe it is…maybe it isn’t. I will say The Wives took a plot twist I never saw coming.

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid:

The road to hell is paved with good intentions. This book proves that one of those roads is white racism disguised as acts of kindness.

Such a Fun Age features a black woman in her mid-20s, Emira, who works as a babysitter for Alix Chamberlain. While babysitting one night, Emira takes Alix’s daughter Briar to the local grocery store. Seeing a young black woman out with a white child late at night drives the store’s security guard to accuse Emira of kidnapping. A crowd naturally gathers and one man films the entire debacle. Then, the rest of the book uncovers Alix’s twisted plans to make that seriously fucked up situation right.

Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald:

I love nothing more than a classic by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Obviously The Great Gatsby is one that will never get old, but his other books deserve some credit, too.

I read Tender is the Night senior year of high school. I find it fascinating to re-read books from high school—interpreting the plot with a different perspective having experienced a little more life.

Tender is the Night takes place on the French Riviera in the late 1920s. Although we can’t travel right now, we can at least let books take feed our wanderlust. It tells the story of a tragic romance, involving young actress Rosemary Hoyt and the stylish American couple, Dick and Nicole Diver.

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley:

Another classic to bring you right back to your high school English class.

Brave New World is a dystopian novel set in a futuristic World State that’s inhabited by genetically modified citizens and an intelligence-based social hierarchy.

“It is a frightening experience…to discover how much of his satirical predication of a distance future became reality in so short a time.” — NY Times Book Review on Brave New World Revisited

Brave New World was published in 1932. Now, almost 90 years after publication, it’s interesting to see our modern-day technology stacks up with the futuristic world Aldous crafted in this science fiction masterpiece.

Top 9 Books to Read in Quarantine