Staff Book Recommendations
Looking for a new book to read? The Common Mag team has got you covered! Check out our favourite books we’ve recommended to you and maybe you’ll find a new favourite too…
The Versions of Us by Laura Barnett
Recommended by Ellis Matthews: What if? What if one small, seemingly insignificant moment could have changed the whole course of your life? This novel explores what could have been if only two people had said yes. I loved the way it portrayed life and how certain small events can trigger larger, more life-altering ones as the story follows three different versions of the same couple.
The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides
Recommended by Emily Bartosiewisz: Jeffrey Eugenides is one of my favourite authors, but I chose this as my favourite novel because of how honest and relatable a plot it is. Taking place in the 1980s, three deeply flawed college students find themselves in a love triangle as they struggle to find their place in the world—and with each other. I also found the main character to resonate a lot with me: an ambitious young girl heading into her adulthood who is wholeheartedly lost and confused and sometimes invisible.
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Recommended by Rachel Yen: Amy Dunne disappears right before her fifth wedding anniversary—and her husband is the number one suspect. Gone Girl is one hell of a page turner (I finished the book in a day) and has one of the most surprising plot twists, easily making it one of my favourite books ever.
Sad Girls by Lang Leave
Recommended by Julia Semoff: An entire novel filled with the poetic language of Lang in every sentence, Sad Girls covers many issues relatable to young people today—anxiety, drug abuse, and suicide. It is a wonderful coming-of-age story, but definitely needs to be prefaced with trigger warnings.
A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra
Recommended by Emma Cooper: This novel is one of my favourite because the characters are so well written and extremely raw. It's set over the course of five days after eight-year-old Havaa’s father is abducted by Russian forces. The author does a great job describing both the devastation happening to and around the main characters, but also the rare and beautiful moments in it as well.
The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
Recommended by Sofiya Yusypovych: This series probably makes the top of the list for a lot of people. If you haven’t given it a chance yet, you definitely won’t be disappointed. Not sure if they’re my absolute favourite books, but I definitely think everyone should at least read the first book.
The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager
Recommended by Danika Moir: The Last Time I Lied had me hooked and attached to the book for two days. Sager creates an interesting mystery thriller with unpredictable twists and turns. Basing the plot around first-time-camper Emma and the disappearance of her three cabin-mates, the reader is left doubting everything. Coming back to the camp for its reopening fifteen years after the fact, old wounds that never closed are opened wider as Emma looks for answers to the disappearance of her friends.
A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
Recommended by Kyra Butterworth: The first book in the Shades of Magic series, this novel follows Kell, one of the last Antari— magicians who have the magical ability to travel between the parallel cities of London. It has incredible world building, a diverse cast of characters, and a female lead who I would die for.
Who Could That Be At This Hour by Lemony Snicket
Recommended by Lauren Stasyna: The first in the All the Wrong Questions series, this novel follows a young Lemony Snicket who tells the story of his apprenticeship at a super secret organization. It was such an easy and engaging mystery to dive right into! It was relatable, cozy, and a bit spooky!
