It’s okay to like pumpkin-spice lattes again, so let’s celebrate Ya Basic -- the books that are mainstream and probably a little candle-y, but we still crave.
The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins: Look, it’s no surprise this book became a movie series because it reads like an action movie, and that’s okay. Katniss gets things done while being blown up -- more than once. But I also like to read it when I’m feeling depressed. There’s something about overthrowing dystopian governments that’s comforting. I even like the third book, which disappointed a lot of fans. -- AK (Save on Goodreads)
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton: Crichton believed climate change wasn’t real and manipulated data to back up his belief, and I remember some xenophobic undertones in Rising Sun. I think Michael Crichton would have made a great villain in a Michael Crichton novel. Still: Dinosaur thriller! -- AK (Save on Goodreads)
This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen: Sarah Dessen may be one of the most popular names in YA, but she doesn’t get the amount of acclaim that she deserves, so this is my bitter addition to Ya Basic. This Lullaby is my #1 Dessen book. It has everything I love: navigating family relationships, kick-ass friendships, and a romance built on kindness and warmth. Dessen is an amazing writer who is expert at weaving storylines together, and anyone can pick up one of her books and find something they can relate to. -- MK (Save on Goodreads)
My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella: There! I said it! I really like Sophie Kinsella! Her adult books are funny and make me feel good. It doesn’t matter how predictable they are, or how many of her main characters are copy-and-paste (sorry, Sophie!), I always grab a Kinsella book when I need a pick-me-up rom-com. -- MK (Save on Goodreads)
The Life-Changing Manga of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo: I did not have the patience to read the original book. But make it a comic book? I get it now! The manga gives it a plot, with a young woman who hires Marie Kondo to help turn her dump of an apartment into a nice place to live. I think the big thing I took away from this was the practice of taking time to imagine your ideal, what makes you happy, and then bring that into your life. For the protagonist, it was a pleasant moment at a cafe. And they built from that. I think it was manga-ized to appeal to younger readers, but it worked for me. -- AK (Save on Goodreads)
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern: This is a Staff Recs staple where I work as a bookseller, and it’s not hard to guess why. There’s mass appeal that comes with its vivid, magical circus imagery, darkened at every edge with a sinister mystery. It’s not particularly ingenious, but that’s okay. The Night Circus is too fun of a read to pass up. -- MK (Save on Goodreads)
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel: Many, many people have read this book, and there doesn’t seem to be an in-between of loving or hating it. I obviously loved it. A story about relationships and how those relationships create our civilizations, all with a hint of sci-fi? Sign me up! -- MK (Save on Goodreads)
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