Farenheit 461 By. Ray Bradbury

This book is about a society in which books are illegal and must be burned if found. The books are made illegal in order to control society. Without books, society becomes ignorant and is highly influenced by the media around it. The overall message of this book is to encourage readers to never stop questioning the world around them. It warns people about the influence the media has on human knowledge and how superficial pleasures can lead a whole society to lose its overall individual intelligence and unique ways of thinking. “There must be something in books, something we can’t imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there. You don’t stay for nothing.”

The Secret History By. Donna Tartt

This book is about a student named Richard who becomes deeply involved with a mysterious clique at Vermont University. Richard observes the group of students; he becomes obsessed and joins the exclusive clique. The more he immerses himself with the group, the more he discovers. He discovers the group isn’t as glorious as it seems; they have darker secrets he’s now involved in, and once he’s in, there’s no way out. The Secret History explores the dangers of obsession; it teaches the reader that certain idealization can lead to grave danger. “There is nothing wrong with the love of Beauty. But Beauty – unless she is wed to something more meaningful – is always superficial.”

Perks of being a walflower By. Stephen Chbosky

This book is about a freshman named Charlie who navigates his life as he enters a life-shaping stage called High School. The book explores themes of friendship, family, and mental health. Charlie struggles to fit in while dealing with past trauma. As he forms connections with a group of older students, he experiences both the highs and lows of first loves, friendship, and self-discovery. Perks of Being a Wallflower teaches the reader that growth often comes when facing your fears, embracing your emotions, and allowing others to support you. “So, I guess we are who we are for a lot of reasons. And maybe we’ll never know most of them. But even if we don’t have the power to choose where we come from, we can still choose where we go from there. We can still do things. And we can try to feel okay about them.”