In a world practically running off of technology, it seems a lot of people have started to ignore one of the best sources of entertainment: books. They are a great way to use extra time you have on your calendar, since they are both educational, depending on the type of book, and fun to read. They use your imagination and can help spark creative inspiration for a project.

Personally, books have always been my escape from reality; a portal into a new world full of exotic characters, and where I didn’t have to worry about homework or socializing. They’re a good distraction for me, since my overactive imagination would take me away on a journey full of the impossible. I have five specific stories I will normally turn to when I want to read, which I’ll be sharing with you. I hope this list will help open your eyes to new creative worlds. Who knows, maybe you’ll end up reading one of them.

At number five is “Dreamtreaders” by Wayne Thomas Batson, an action and adventure novel that follows the life of Archer Keaton, a fourteen-year-old boy who happens to be a Dreamtreader. There are only three Dreamtreaders in the entire world, and are destined to defeat any evils they come across in the Dream. Their mission is to stop the Nightmare Lord, who manipulates and terrorizes the dreams of the innocent. We see how Archer deals with new challenges in the Dream world- which is dangerous enough as it is- and in the Waking world, where he is a simple teen in high school. 

My number four pick is “Splintered” by A.G Howard. It’s a twisted manipulation of the classic fantasy story, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa Gardner, the main character, can unwillingly hear the voices of plants and bugs, and believes that if she isn’t careful she’ll end up in a mental asylum with her mom. But a trip down the rabbit hole with her childhood crush makes her realize that there may be more to her and her family’s history than she thought. As she searches for a way out of Wonderland, she notices that her family ties to Alice Liddel might not be so cut-and-dry, and she uses the new information she gathers to find the real reason as to why her mother was tossed in an asylum so long ago.

Number three is “Shadow of the Wolf” by Tim Hall. This fairytale-turned-dark really captures your attention and interest with realistic description and creative plot twists to the original Robin Hood tale. Hall explains the unfortunate life of Robin Loxley, and his tales throughout Sherwood, a giant forest that was said to have once engulfed the entire world. He is thrust into a series of horribly unfortunate events, and the descriptive language and imagery only makes it more enticing.

In the number two spot we have “Caraval” by Stephanie Garber. This book has so much bright, colorful imagery that it feels like you are being taken to another world. Scarlett Dragna wishes to escape her island of isolation and the abusive clutches of her father. She had been dreaming of leaving the island with her sister, Donatella, and attend Caraval; the faraway once-a-year performance where the audience can participate in the show. It is led by the mysterious Caraval master, Legend, and his team of performers. In the story, Scarlett’s dream has finally come true, but it doesn’t turn out the way she expected it to.

The final book that I recommend is “The Outsiders” by S.E Hinton. I cannot tell you how many times I have read this book, it is amazing. There are so many interesting characters with in-depth backgrounds and stories, and the entire thing is set in 1965. The controversy between the greasers and the “Socs”, short for Socials, starts a major conflict, and the main character, Ponyboy, gets caught in the middle of it. The detail of this book is incredible, and how it follows the perspective of a young teenage boy describing his life as he deals with adult-type situations is almost heartbreaking. It truly is a classic, and I adore reading it over and over again. 

If you enjoy spending hours binge-reading books that’ll completely capture your attention, I suggest reading any of the five books above, or all of them for that matter. I have found myself lost within the pages of these novels, and I loved every second of it.