With autumn around the corner, students everywhere are getting ready for a new school year. The college campus, with its academic ideals and new freedoms, is an ideal setting for novels in all sorts of genres. Even if college is long behind you, check out these books for a trip down memory lane.
1. Fangirl: A Novel by Rainbow Rowell
Freshman year is scary. Shy fanfiction writer Cath thought that she would at least go through it with her twin sister, but Wren decided they needed to branch out on their own. In Fangirl, Cath goes through the ups and downs of freshman year, discovering friends and romance as she comes into her own as an adult. This book is pure nostalgia for former awkward English majors and a fun peek into the subculture of fandom.
Source: Amazon
2. The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach
Five people find their lives intertwined after a disastrous event at a college baseball game. Henry Skrimshander is a star, but he may not have the confidence to take what destiny has given him. Sex, love, and ambition lead them all to unexpected places and they must learn to rely on each other for support. College sports aren’t as common in literature as other tropes, so The Art of Fielding brings a different angle of the college experience to light.
3. The Magicians by Lev Grossman
Of course, there has to be at least one magical school on this list. Quentin knows magic isn’t real. That is, until he is accepted into an exclusive college of magic and spends five years in rigorous magical training. While Quentin’s studies might be more fantastical than your average college student’s, his struggles and triumphs are a relatable mirror to those faced by his non-magical counterparts.
Source: Amazon
4. Just One Day by Gayle Forman
Allyson is a good girl who yearns to break out of her shell. So, when a charming Shakespearean actor invites her to spend one day in Paris with him, she immediately says yes. They spend an unforgettable day together and when Allyson wakes up the next morning, she is alone in Paris. Just One Day follows Allyson through her first year of college. Over the year she tries to come to terms with what happened. She also tries to juggle the expectations of her mother and her best friend while deciding what she really desires out of life. Gayle Forman has a gift for description and it genuinely shines in this book.
Source: Amazon
Let us know in the comments, what types of books (besides textbooks) did you love reading in college?
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Featured image via Her Campus
