The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins
Just try keeping up with Katniss Everdeen as she masters Panem’s Hunger Games series and tries to defeat President Snow and the Capitol. The first three books are quick reads, and an excellent choice if looking for your next series to dive into. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a little more slow moving, but the backstory it provides makes you want to read the first three in the series all over again.
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
The beach is a great place for merging things together, and set on the shores of the south, this book works to blend ecology and fiction. A professional and renowned wildlife scientist, Delia Owens is known in ecology circles for her non-fiction work on wildlife and ecology. With Where the Crawdads Sing, she masterfully blends her knowledge of nature into a beautiful coming of age with strong, irresistible romantic elements.
American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
In a rush to escape Acapulco with their lives, Lydia and her son Luca flee the Mexican drug cartels who killed all of their family. Emotionally, it’s a tough read that may not be for everyone. However, those who do read it will be captivated and invested—you will find that you simply must know what happens next, even if it’s a scary and turbulent experience.
To Kill A Mockingbird: A Graphic Novel Adapted and Illustrated by Fred Fordham
For those who don’t have time to re-read the entire novel, try this graphic novel out for a change. I admit that I was skeptical at first, but it is a decent adaptation and tries hard to stay true to the original work. What I love most is that this version opens the book to younger readers who may not have the opportunity to read, or be taught, the full novel.
Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult
A nurse is told not to touch a baby because the parents don’t want a black nurse touching their white child. But then, that same baby goes into cardiac distress and the nurse they didn’t want is the only one around. Small Great Things explores why holding onto one way of life is so dangerous to those around us, and how we can grow to become more than that.
The Handmaid’s Tale: The Graphic Novel by Margaret Atwood and adapted by Renee Nault
If you have watched the Netflix series of The Handmaid’s Tale but never read the book, go read this version! It’s a fascinating, quick read and has beautiful illustrations. I had trouble reading the original The Handmaid’s Tale because I couldn’t visualize the society or setting. This graphic novel version was the perfect fit for me, and it actually brought me back to the original novel.