It’s our last edition for the term, and the long-awaited winter break is almost at our doorstep. I obviously can’t speak for everyone, but I don’t believe I’m the only one who has felt the stress and headaches that this term brought with it. But I’m hoping that this winter break will be rejuvenating and will provide us with some well-deserved fun and relaxation. And, most importantly, I hope it will be able to give us all some time to read! I know during the school year I have a hard time finding the motivation to read the books I want to when professors send so many required texts our way for class. But, for the next month and a half, we have plenty of time to read whatever we feel like! So, for this final edition, I’m going to discuss a few of the books I’m hoping to read during Winter Break. And, hopefully, some of the titles will pique your interest as well!
The first book on the list is Vicious, the first of the Villains duology by V.E. Schwab. From my understanding, our two main characters, Eli and Victor, are best friends in college and discover a way to bring out supernatural abilities in individuals. From the sounds of it, they’re almost making their own X-Men. But, during their research, something went wrong, and betrayals came to fruition. Now, years later, the two friends have become archenemies, and are determined to have revenge on one another. The idea of right and wrong becomes blurred as the two friends-turned-enemies clash from page to page. I’m extremely fascinated with this concept and have only heard good things about V.E. Schwab’s writing. Some might recognize her well-renowned novel, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, or her Shades of Magic trilogy – all of which are on my To-Be-Read list. If I end up loving Vicious, I’ll hopefully read the sequel, Vengeful, as well and recommend the duology to you all next term!
Another book on my Winter Break list is The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon. This one has amazing reviews, and I’m so excited to finally start it soon. The novel takes place in a fantasy realm, and has three, possibly more, different character perspectives. One is a queen on the brink of assassination, another is the magic-practicing mage trying to protect the queen, and the last is a dragon-rider. I’m intrigued to see how the various storylines will intersect with one another as the plot develops. My coworkers described the plot as mainly being “Sapphic with dragons,” so I was immediately sold.
I could go on and on about titles that I’ll hopefully get to during winter break, but then I would go way past the word count I’m allowed for this column. But if you end up reading anything I recommended, don’t be afraid to reach out over break to discuss them! That being said, I genuinely hope you all have a wonderful Winter Break. You all deserve some relaxation, not to mention a good book or two.