Olive Kitteridge
by Elizabeth Strout

"I remember reading this novel on the Ponte Vecchio Bridge while studying abroad in Florence, when an older gentleman walked up to tell me, 'Olive Kitteridge is one of the best novels this time has to offer.' A recipient of the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, this novel is globally respected as an honest work of literature. In the provincial town of Maine, Strout follows Olive Kitteridge through 13 stories of social interactions with others. Though prone to strong moods, helicopter parenting, and imperfect displays of affection, Olive's desire to understand her flaws will have you falling in love with her all the more. This novel recognizes our need to try to understand people, even when we can’t stand them." — Laura

Rebecca
by Daphne du Maurier

"This is the perfect gothic novel to cozy up with while enjoying a hot chai. Full of romance, secrets, and suspense, it is the perfect fall novel!" — Julia

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
by Jules Verne

"This has been my favorite book since I first read it during my junior year of high school. Jules Verne was a sci-fi visionary who wrote a story that's one-half an odyssey of obsession, passion, devotion, and what we owe to society and each other, and one half an encyclopedia about all the different kinds of boneless fish. What's not to love?" — Alex

Slaughterhouse-5
by Kurt Vonnegut

"A witty, trippy, tragic novel about war, time, and the inability to comprehend either. Based largely on Vonnegut's own experience as a POW during the firebombing of Dresden mixed in with his subsequent career as a writer of science fiction stories, this is essential reading for everyone." — Alex

A Libertarian Walks Into a Bear
by Matthew Hongoltz-Helting

"I cannot believe this book is non-fiction. It literally gave me nightmares. Will give you a new perspective on politics, what we mean when we talk about 'freedom,' and a profound paranoia about how tightly your trash cans are sealed." — Alex

Little Women
by Louisa May Alcott

"This classic novel is worthy of a second pick-up. Originally read to me by my mother as a child, picking it up in young adulthood has been revelatory. Generations of readers regard the four March sisters as beloved: sensitive Beth, stunning Meg, romantic Amy, and (my personal favorite) author-in-aspiration Jo. This novel explores timeless themes like war and peace, love and death, though centrally revolves around personal ambition and responsibilities. As a freethinking abolitionist, Louisa Alcott empowered women then (and now) to follow their passions because that will be the only thing to satiate their desires at the end of the day." — Laura

Coffeeland
by Augustine Sedgewick

"This one is for all the historian coffee lovers! This book uncovers the beauty and pain, riches and poverty, and political and economical impacts surrounding the coffee industry over the past 200 years by following the life of the coffee king of El Salvador, James Hill." — Julia

Malice House
by Megan Shepherd

"A hapless illustrator moves into her famous father's house after he dies, only to find a strange manuscript he wrote entitled, 'Bedtime Stories for Monsters.' I'm not typically one for horrors, but this one grabbed me." — Chloe

On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous
by Ocean Vuong

"As a poet, Ocean Vuong’s first debut novel was as beautiful as anticipated. This is a must-read. As invigorating as it is inspiring, there are several lessons to learn in this coming-of-age story after surviving immense trauma. An anomaly of sorts, the subject matter is soul- shattering, though Vuong’s delicate use of language mends your heart along the way." — Laura

It Ends with Us
by Colleen Hoover

"A New York Times bestseller, this book follows the life of Lily Bloom, a young businesswoman starting her life in the city of Boston after her abusive father’s death. Hoover intertwines flashbacks from Lily’s past with moments in the present to carry you along Lily’s journey through love, heartache, and healing." — Julia