Favorite Vacation: 

A. Beach Day      B. Mountains     C. Shopping spree   D. Sports Camp   E. Touring Europe 

Who do you get advice from?

A. My Parents     B. My Friends      C. Myself     D. My Coach   E. My Teacher 

What is your favorite way to spend your time? 

A. Reading  B. Playing Sports  C. Listening to Music   D. Crafting   E. Performing Musicals

What is your go-to color?

A. Purple   B. Blue    C. Green   D. Red  E. Pink

Which side character was your favorite?

A. Taylor   B. Coach Bolton  C. Martha  D. Zeke  E. Ms. Darbus 

What is your favorite article of clothing?

A. Sneakers  B. Jeans  C. Polo Shirt  D. Jersey  E. Dress

What is your favorite Disney Channel Original Movie? 

A. Lemonade Mouth   B. Camp Rock   C. Zombies   D. Starstruck   E. Teen Beach Movie 

This article initially appeared in a print issue of the Monitor published Oct. 31, 2025.

I’ve been working my way through a lot of books over the last couple of falls and these are the ones that stuck with me. From twisty thrillers to dark academia to nonfiction, here are my top reading recommendations for the season.

Thrillers

If you like fast-paced plots and stories that keep you guessing, these are all worth picking up.

• Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter: This one is dark and definitely not for the faint of heart. It follows two sisters who reconnect years after their third sister’s disappearance, uncovering horrifying truths along the way. Slaughter’s writing is intense but totally gripping.
• Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera: A fun, modern mystery that combines true-crime podcast vibes with an unreliable narrator. It’s about a woman suspected of murder in her hometown and the podcaster determined to dig up what really happened.
• All Good People Here by Ashley Flowers: A small-town journalist returns home and becomes obsessed with solving a cold case that mirrors her own past. It’s full of secrets, small-town gossip, and that classic “everyone’s hiding something” energy.
• And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie: A classic for a reason. Ten strangers are invited to an isolated island, and one by one, they’re killed off. Even if you think you know the twist, it still holds up.

Fantasy & Dark Academia

For readers who like atmospheric settings, academic rivalries, and a little bit of magic.

• A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid: This is one of my favorite reads of the year. It’s about a literature student who wins a contest to design a cover for her favorite author’s final book. It has gothic vibes and a haunting seaside setting.
• Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett: A cozy read about a grumpy academic studying faeries in a fictional remote village. It’s part fantasy, part field journal, and surprisingly funny.
• Babel by R.F. Kuang: A dense but fascinating story about language, power, and colonialism set in an alternate Oxford. It’s a slow burn, but if you like dark academia and big ideas, it’s worth it. (Next up for me is Katabasis, R.F. Kuang’s newest book).

Other Fiction

These are character-driven stories that made me think, and in some cases, cry a little.

• The Office of Historical Corrections by Danielle Evans: A short story collection about race, identity, and how we talk about history. Every story feels sharp and deeply relevant, and the title novella is especially memorable.
• If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio: Think Dead Poets Society meets Macbeth. It follows a tight-knit group of acting students whose lives spiral after one of them ends up dead. It’s dramatic in the best way.
• Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka: This book alternates between the final hours of a man on death row and the perspectives of the women affected by his crimes. It’s beautifully written and much more about empathy and understanding than violence.
• Normal People by Sally Rooney: A quiet, emotional story about two people who can’t seem to get their timing right. Rooney captures the awkwardness and intensity of young relationships perfectly.

Nonfiction

These books prove that real life can be just as fascinating (and unsettling) as fiction.

• From Here to Eternity by Caitlin Doughty: A mortician travels the world exploring how different cultures deal with death. It’s oddly comforting and a reminder that death doesn’t have to be taboo.
• Being Mortal by Atul Gawande: A thoughtful look at aging, medicine, and end-of-life care. It’s one of those books that changes how you think about what it means to live well.
• American Predator by Maureen Callahan: A chilling deep dive into the case of Israel Keyes, one of the most meticulous serial killers in U.S. history. It reads like a detective story but is entirely true.
• I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara: True crime at its best. McNamara’s investigation into the Golden State Killer is both gripping and deeply human, especially knowing that her work continued to bring attention to these crimes even after her death.

Whether you’re looking to be spooked, inspired, or just distracted from homework for a while, these books all made an impression on me and I think they’ll do the same for you.

Everyone’s favorite Disney Channel icon turned pop star has released a new album, and it is blowing up the Billboard 200 charts. Sabrina Carpenter’s new album “Man’s Best Friend” has continued her pattern of irony and innuendos in songs, while mixing in her impressive vocal range. Carpenter is a world renowned pop sensation that took over the world by storm in 2022 with her first album emails i can’t send. Her song Manchild was released prior to the album as a single and fans went wild. Atwood Magazine’s writer Danielle Holian stated that the song was, “bold, theatrical, and playfully pissed off. More importantly, it feels fun.” The song is about how Carpenter tends to fall for men that act like “manchildren,” —something that almost all women can relate to.

Bold music can be seen throughout the rest of “Man’s Best Friend” as well. One of the leading songs of the album is called “Tears,” and it is one of Carpenter’s many double-meaning songs. The song centers around the idea that all a man has to do to earn a woman’s love is be responsible. She mentions examples such as doing the dishes or assembling a piece of IKEA furniture. Her words hint at a very real critique in society where women don’t always want grand gestures but would rather choose a man who listens to them.   Another song that is receiving love on this album is “When Did You Get Hot?” This song is centered around a scenario where Carpenter runs into an old friend that she didn’t find  attractive as a young girl. However, when she runs into him  later she realizes that he has “become hot all of a sudden.” This cheeky song is meant to highlight the emotions a person can feel when it comes to running into an old acquaintance with a new look. Whether it be after you have had a glow-up or the other person has, there is always some level of surprise and satisfaction for either party.

Despite the album’s success and songs landing spots in the top 3 of the Billboard 100, Carpenter has repeatedly faced criticism for the album’s cover photo. The picture is of her on all fours as a man holds her hair as a leash. Sara Delgado, a writer for Teen Vogue, stated in an article that, “Many have pointed out the image bears a strong resemblance to ‘misogynistic ads from the ’60s.’” and “others claim that the photograph is intended for the male gaze.” However, even with this criticism brought forth by fans, the album is continuing to earn a top spot on the Billboard 100, and in the hearts of listeners everywhere. This new wave of testing boundaries in music is continuing to grow in popularity, and it looks like the singing powerhouse Sabrina Carpenter is just getting started.

Pop and football fans alike were in for the shock of a lifetime last month when the nation’s sweethearts, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, announced that they were officially engaged. The creative caption used to encapsulate this moment was: your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married, and honestly, everybody was ecstatic. The relationship between the football star and the pop star began in the summer of 2023 and took the world by storm. 

Their romance began, as explained on the Travis’ and his brother, Jason, podcast New Heights, when the football player insisted on seeing Taylor at one of her concerts simply because he wanted to meet her. The original plan was for Travis to pass off a signature friendship bracelet, a tradition that became popular at Swift concerts, but instead he walked away with more than just a bracelet. According to Swift on the New Heights Podcast, the football star was enchanted to meet her and blurted out, “I want to date you,” and the rest was history.

Their relationship immediately after the concert took over social media and NFL coverage alike with Swifties losing their minds every time the two were spotted in public. Fast-forward two years after their first meeting and the fan-based dream came true. The proposal took place in a beautiful garden located in Lee’s Summit, Missouri and looked as dreamy as one of Taylor’s Eras Tour performances. Flowers surrounded the couple as Travis got on one knee and popped the question. 

The antique ring was an elongated cushion-cut diamond and was handcrafted in 18k gold. No official price for the ring has been discussed, but in an article published by author Brides Benjamin Khordipou, at Estate Diamond Jewellery, estimated the piece to be around $550,000. This ring was just the beginning of the world’s speculations about the wedding. The theories for the wedding dresses, bridesmaids and future drama are the hot topic of gossip sites, even though the couple hasn’t even been engaged a full month.

The leading theory is that the couple will participate in an intimate ceremony with the hopes of not drawing attention. However the question remains: will this be possible with the wedding being the most anticipated event of the year? Many are beginning to refer to it as the American version of a royal wedding, and it doesn’t seem too far from the truth. As Swifit’s song is titled, this relationship is truly “So Highschool” in the sense that it’s a classic love story from start to finish, and fans can’t wait to see what happens next.