The holiday season is a great time to unwind and relax, and no matter which holidays you celebrate, you may find yourself with some free time at the end of the year and some extra motivation to pick up a new book. So, here are five book suggestions to fill your time and inspire you for the new year. 

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

Genre: Fiction

Desperate to escape the fate of many women in the 1700s, Addie LaRue makes a deal with the “devil” to free herself from an unwanted marriage and a life of confinement. However, the deal goes sour when she realizes she’s doomed to be forgotten by everyone she meets the second they leave her presence. Determined to make the best of it, Addie lives her immortal life traveling and exploring the world, until one day when someone finally remembers her. “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” is a poetic and beautiful read filled with the best elements of love, loneliness and hope to end your year with. 

I Almost Forgot About You by Terry McMillan

Genre: Fiction

In this novel, Dr. Georgia Young does something many of us have only ever dreamed of doing: packing up and changing your life in a major way. Despite a seemingly wonderful life, Georgia feels stuck and determined to make a change, she quits her job and moves. Taking a chance with her new life, she finds herself on a wild journey and facing the prospect of new love. “I Almost Forgot About You,” and Georgia’s example of bravery, is the perfect motivation for the end of the year and the start of a new journey.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig 

Genre: Fiction

Examining life choices at the end of the year is commonplace, but “The Midnight Library” takes that to a new level. In this novel, Nora Seed finds herself between life and death, facing a library with endless books that tell the story of how life could have been if she had made different choices. With the possibility to change her life, Nora must decide what truly matters in life and whether making different choices would have made for a happier life than the one she wanted to leave behind. 

The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré

Genre: Fiction

This book about fighting for your dreams details the story of Adunni, a teenage girl living in a rural Nigerian town who wants an education more than anything. In the face of adversity, Adunni overcomes the obstacles in her path in order to reach her goal and build a life for herself outside of the poverty she grew up in. Adunni’s determination and ambition will both inspire and move you in “The Girl with the Louding Voice.”

Real Life by Brandon Taylor

Genre: Fiction

Part autobiographical, part fiction, this book tells the story of Wallace, a black, queer and introverted man from Alabama studying biochemistry at a predominantly white Midwestern university. Trying to navigate and escape the shadows of his childhood, Wallace has always kept a distance between himself and others. However, conflicts with colleagues and a classmate rupture his long built-up wall and expose him to hostility and desire.