EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM WILL SOMEDAY BE DEAD
Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead by Emily Austin is a fiction novel that follows protagonist Gilda as she grapples with her anxiety around death. This book gave me the hugest knot in my stomach due to its anxiety inducing situations, however that aside it is quite humorous and at times lighthearted. I think this book does a great job of representing anxiety and depression in a way that is unnerving versus other novels that tend to glamorize these mental illnesses.
BEFORE THE COFFEE GETS COLD
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi is a fiction novel that takes place inside a Japanese cafe where people are given the ability to travel in time. This book made me hold tighter to the people I love because you never know how much time you have with them. This book does a great job of telling complicated stories within different types of relationships.
A MAN CALLED OVE
A Man Called Ove by Frederick Backman follows a stubborn old man that has recently lost his wife. Due to his circumstances, he decides to try to take his life, but keeps getting interrupted. I love this book because it shows how even someone who doesn't want to give love ends up giving the most love. I love Ove's character because he truly is such a sweetheart behind his sarcastic remarks.
NORMAL PEOPLE
Normal People by Sally Rooney is a fiction novel that is about two people, Marianne and Connell, who can never quite get the timing right with their relationship. This book made me so angry because if they had just communicated they could have made it work, but I understand both their hesitancies. I love this book because I love these characters because they are so layered and I just want the best for them.