For many students, reading is a treasured past time. However, the hustle and bustle of the school year can make it difficult to focus on hobbies. That is why we have decided to make reading a little easier by putting together a list of books that students and staff have read recently. This list features six books whose genres range from action to drama. If you finish one of these books, or even the whole list, let us know what you think on Twitter or Instagram @slspotlight.

1. “Becoming” by Michelle Obama

“The entirety of her book is raw and real, much different from what we know from her being First Lady. She’s still poised and confident through her writing, but her words make her more vulnerable than she’s ever been. She lets readers walk through her life from her early years in Chicago, through her educational path and her early adult years and forming political interest. It’s an interesting read regardless of what preconceptions about her or her views you may have.” – senior Erin Noneman

2. “Turtles All the Way Down” by John Green

“I think[‘Turtles All the Way Down’] was a solid representation of relationships and anxiety. The main character’s friendships could be rocky sometimes due to her anxiety and she took romance slow when it came to her love interest. She imagined her anxiety as a spiral, in which once it starts she can’t get out of [the spiral], which is a good analogy. And the characters were all unique and different; none of them felt bland or generic. The whole book was tied together with a missing person mystery that affected the characters in different ways which was super cool.” – junior Michael Karol

3. “My Sister’s Keeper” by Jodi Picoult

“I like Jodi Picoult . She writes a lot of powerful and controversial books. One of my favorites is called ‘My Sister’s Keeper’. Its about a girl who was genetically formed to save the life of sister with a kidney problem. Another one of hers [books] that I finished recently was about abortion. – junior Asha Bhatt

4. “Bridge of Clay” by Markus Zusak

“I just finished Markus Zusak’s newest fiction novel, ‘Bridge of Clay’. The story is about a family of five brothers, the Dunbars, whose father left them when their mother passed away. As the oldest boy tells the story of the fourth brother, Clay, the reader connects to the stories of their parents’ love for each other and the minor details that can mean the world to Clay. Filled with laughs, especially from the brothers’ mule Achilles, heartfelt moments, and how the family deals with grief, this is an emotional story that takes a look at what one boy is willing to do to keep his dysfunctional family afloat. – junior Emma Herceg

5. “The Big Miss” by Hank Haney

“…Over Christmas break I wanted to read something light, so I read the book called ‘The Big Miss’.  The book is by Hank Haney and describes his time coaching Tiger Woods.  I’m a big fan of golf, and a big fan of Tiger (the golfer, not the Dad/Husband) so I really enjoyed reading this book.  I learned a lot about Tiger and after reading the book, I really wish Tiger would go back to Haney to have him coach Tiger again.” – social studies teacher Mr. Lee Zeisloft