5 Books to Read Right Now

I’m a self-proclaimed bookworm so I’m all about any opportunity to discuss books and share recommendations. I was pretty quiet about my love of books when I started at STIK, not because I didn’t want to talk about it, but because it didn’t come up. Not sure if you’ve noticed that Tory and Christina are more TV gals. But once they discovered that I read 900 page books for fun, they’ve really had me pegged as their guru for all things reading.

So as the unofficial bookworm of STIK (and since quarantining = more time to read), there’s really no better moment to pull together a list of my recent favorites! Hopefully this list inspires you to pick up that book that’s been sitting on your bookshelf for months (or perhaps more likely, queued on your kindle), and start reading! 

Necessary People by Anna Pitoniak.

This one is fresh on my mind since I just finished it the other night, but wow. I actually couldn’t put this one down. Necessary People tells a dark, riveting story of a female friendship embedded in ambition, deceit, and rivalry. There are plot twists at every turn that make you question human nature and what people are truly capable of. If you’re looking to escape your current reality for a bit, this book is for you! 

City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert.

City of Girls brings you into the theater world of 1940’s New York City, following a young, lively girl on her journey of self-discovery. Friendships, sex, glitz and glamour, adventure, love - this book has it all. Elizabeth Gilbert elevates the coming of age narrative by infusing humor and lightheartedness and painting the characters so vividly that it's hard not to feel like you’re right alongside them experiencing the thrill and chaos of New York during the World War Il-era.

New York by Edward Rutherfurd

I’ll be honest, this one took me a while to get into. But I’m so happy I stuck it out. I never thought I’d be one to enjoy an intense history lesson on New York’s birth and growth, but Rutherford manages to turn it into a highly readable narrative. It starts in the 17th century as the first Dutch and other European colonists arrive and ends in the summer of 2009, with each time period told through the lens of a different family living in New York. I love how the families are all connected in some way, which is quite impressive considering the book spans many, many generations. Warning: it is nearly 900 pages long, so don’t expect to breeze through this one.

Tell Me Lies by Carola Lovering

I think this is the most relatable book I’ve read in a LONG time. And I probably finished it in a few days, because it’s seriously that addictive. I would say Tell Me Lies is an ideal beach read, but since most of us will not be going to the beach anytime soon, I’d recommend curling up on the couch and binge reading this for an afternoon. The storyline is all too familiar for many of us - smart, ambitious girl becomes entangled with a charming but deceitful guy, ultimately leading her to question her self-worth and spiral out of control. Obviously there’s a lot more that happens, but I promise you won’t regret trying this one out!

The Power of the Dog by Don Winslow

If you’re a fan of Netflix’s Narcos series, I think you’ll enjoy this one. Based on the DEA’s involvement with the War on Drugs, this crime novel offers a *very* believable story about the complex ties between the U.S. and the Mexican drug cartel. You quickly become invested in the main character, Art Keller, a tough DEA agent who struggles with pushing aside his conscience and moral sense in pursuit of the greater good. Yes, there are violent and gruesome scenes at times but they’re over quickly and the story is just so darn interesting!

Thanks for reading friends? Got book recs you want to share with us (because we need recommendations too) - tell us in the comments below!