Written by Ally Abruscato, Graphic by Anna Porter.
Although I find most of my books by roaming aimlessly through E. Shaver, there are a few authors I tend to gravitate towards time and time again. When it comes to reading, authors have all the power. The perspective, plot and personality all come from a creative and thoughtful writer. Based on what I’ve been reading recently, here are a few of my favorite authors right now!
Sally Rooney
I recently finished “Conversations with Friends” and have been trying to scrub it out of my brain ever since. “Normal People” had a similar effect of making me emotionally ill while entirely captivated. Sally Rooney does a great job of forming annoying characters that highlight all of the anxieties that people argue with in their heads. She shines a mirror on places that most people try to hide. Both “Conversations with Friends” and “Normal People” were enthralling reads that I had no choice but to finish quickly.
Fredrik Backman
Coming fresh off my review of “Anxious People,” I had to give a shoutout to Fredrik Backman. His books always scream at me in the store with their signature skinny hand-written font. “Anxious People” and “A Man Called Ove” explore complicated characters with mental health issues. Backman effortlessly creates humor in otherwise serious and tense moments, which allows for more relatability with the reader. He has plenty of books that I have yet to read but am excited to start.
Taylor Jenkins Reid
I discovered Taylor Jenkins Reid last year with “Carrie Soto is Back,” and have been obsessed ever since. Her writing is easily digestible and addictive. “Carrie Soto is Back,” “Daisy Jones & The Six,” and “Malibu Rising” all have an electric feeling to them. Reid’s strong female characters are passionate and intricately layered. “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” is already sitting on my shelf, waiting to be read.
Ocean Vuong
It’s been a while since I thought about “On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous,” but it still manages to hit me like a truck anytime I read an Ocean Vuong quote. Vuong is a talented poet whose raw emotion is captured beautifully in “On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” and “Time is a Mother.” I’ve been writing down quotes from books in my Notes app for the past two years and one from Vuong was my first ever. It read, “When can I say your name and have it mean only your name and not what you left behind?”
I’ll be back soon with another book review, but until then, I’m Booked.
As Editor-in-Chief, Ally Abruscato leads and supports a talented group of staff and contributors in pursuing their creative endeavors. At SCAD, Ally majors in Photography and minors in Advertising & Branding. She regularly offers pop culture insights through movie reviews, articles and her weekly column, “I’m Booked.” When she’s not writing or taking photos, Ally’s probably outside, reading or running.
