Build your TBR list with your peers!
From attending back-to-back classes to cramming for quizzes, it can be difficult to read books other than your textbooks. But for many students, reading is the best way to spend time off campus.
We went around campus asking what Humber Polytechnic and University of Guelph-Humber students are currently reading and we can confirm the recommendations did not miss.
Here are some of the books to add to your TBR (to begin reading) list.
Good Citizens Need Not Fear by Maria Reva
For Emma Puppin, a third-year student in the creative advertising program, her current read comprises of Good Citizens Need Not Fear by Maria Reva, where the author explores life in Soviet-era Ukraine through a series of interconnected stories.
“It gives the reader a look inside the lives of a community living in an ever-crumbling apartment building. They are living through a totalitarian regime. It’s a story of survival, resilience and the day-to-day frustrations of individuals living in a bureaucratic nightmare,” Puppin explained. And the element of dark humour certainly keeps the stories intriguing.
As a student, reading during the semester can be challenging, but Emma makes sure to include some reading time in her day and devours a book for both educational and personal reasons.
She highly recommends the book, especially for casual readers.
“It’s not very long, which I know can be attractive to casual readers. I also feel like the comedic element makes you connect to the characters in an unexpected way,” she said.
Her other recommendations include:
- Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape by Jenna Miscavige Hill.
- Lives of the Wives: Five Literary Marriages by Carmela Ciuraru.
- They Called Us Enemy by George Takei.
- Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green.
- The Veldt by Ray Bradbury.
The Empyrean Series by Rebecca Yarros
Jayla Bailey is a third-year creative advertising student who is currently immersed in the fantasy world of The Empyrean Series by Rebecca Yarros, with her current read being Fourth Wing.
Following the world of danger and dragons, the story follows Violet, who gets forced into the riders’ quadrant at Basgiath War College, where she must learn how to ride a dragon and survive.
With a busy school schedule, Jayla reads whenever she can fit it in the time. “Probably once every couple of weeks,” she said with a laugh. “Once or twice a week if I’m lucky.”
Would she recommend this world for dragons and danger? Definitely!
“I think it’s a really well-written, engaging and immersive story that fantasy book lovers would appreciate. It’s also a little bit of a romance, so if they love a little bit of spice and romance, they’d love it too,” Bailey said.
Jayla also recommends The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath after being recommended the book by her coworker to continue her classic literature journey.
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney
For Jayden Parkinson, a second-year media communications student, reading is an everyday habit (even if the book doesn’t fully win him over).
“I’m currently reading Intermezzo by Sally Rooney, and I do not like it. It kind of sucks,” Parkinson said. “But I read pretty much every day, so I still stick with it.”
He picked up this book after enjoying a different book by the same author. “It’s pretty popular, and I liked Normal People, so I decided to try another one of her books.”
With a busy schedule that includes teaching skateboarding at an indoor skate park, Jayden always relies on his e-reader.
“It’s hard to read when you’re always on the go, so I bought an e-reader. It’s portable and you can carry multiple books at once,” he explained.
Threads of Suspicion by Dee Henderson
Julie Currie, a second-year management studies student, finds her reading time fits in perfectly during her commute.
“I read on transit as a way to fill time and get off my phone,” she said.
Her current read? Threads of Suspicion by Dee Henderson. The novel follows two investigators working on separate cold cases involving a missing college student and a private investigator.
“I’d definitely recommend it. It’s detailed, engaging and very different from other books I’ve read,” says Julie.
Reading helps Julie disconnect from screens and stay present. “A book also takes me longer to get through than binging TV shows, it keeps me engaged longer. It’s also a super helpful tool to get off my phone and be present,” Currie explained.
And she already has her next read lined up: Traces of Guilt by Dee Henderson as well.
What’s next on your list?
A common theme across campus? Reading as balance. Whether it’s e-books on the go or paperbacks on the subway, students are still making time to read (on their own terms).
Some students read to focus while others simply enjoy a quiet moment on a busy day, glimpsing into stories that shape student life beyond classroom walls.
So, the next time you are stuck finding something to read, ask around. Chances are someone is looking to talk about their new favourite book series!
Feature photo courtesy of Road Trip with Raj via Unsplash.
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