I would be remiss if I didn’t recommend a book with the exact same title: The One by John Marrs. What if there was an app that could match you to your soulmate… with DNA? But what if this app went wrong?

For this song, I’m recommending Strange the Dreamer and Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor. This duology has gorgeous prose, a lovely romance, and the most wonderful main character, Lazlo. 

This song is about a house, a strong-willed woman, and a judging society. I recommend Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Mexican Gothic is a 2020 release inspired by “The Yellow Wallpaper” (shout out to the sophomores reading it this year!).

 If you want a series that will give you all of the feelings, I recommend The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare. This series is part of the giant mega Shadowhunters universe, but you don’t need to read any of the other ones in order to read this one. The Infernal Devices is my favorite series of all time, so I had to recommend it at least once. Think of 1878 London… with demon hunters!

First off, I recommend Over the Top by Jonathan Van Ness. JVN (the wonderful TV personality) details their experience as a child, being bullied for being feminine and gay, but how they turned their life around to be an absolute icon.

Second, I have to recommend a similar book about coming to terms with one’s gender and sexuality which is Sissy by Jacob Tobia. In this touching memoir, they discuss coming out as nonbinary while living in a highly gendered world.

Third, I’d like to recommend a book that you may have already read, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. This book deals with police brutality of Black people, which is especially relevant now, with the murders of Black people, the BLM protests, and the upcoming election. 

So, I picked The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett. This novel details the lives of two twins who are Black, but white passing. One decides to live as a Black woman and the other decides to live as a white woman. We get to see the ramifications of these decisions as their lives and the lives of their children unfold.

This recommendation is pretty simple: Life was better at age seven. As a little kid, your imagination can run wild, which is exactly what happens in The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. If you read this in middle school, read it again. As a high schooler (or an adult), you will look at it with completely different eyes.

For “august,” I have a recommendation that fits the same emotions, The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. This book is the most incredible retelling of the Trojan War, centered around a romance between Achilles and Patroclus, our narrator. Prepare to have your heart absolutely destroyed by the ending.

Therefore, I must recommend one of the most heartbreaking books I’ve ever read: Know My Name by Chanel Miller. In this memoir, Chanel deals with the aftermath of being sexually assaulted.

For “illicit affairs,” I would recommend Lovely War by Julie Berry. This is a historical fiction set in World War 1, following a group of four people who are brought together by music and love. Narrated by the Greek gods, this story is sure to transport you back to the past.

Here, I’d recommend Middlegame by Seanan McGuire. The vibes of the song and the book are completely different: The song is a slower, reflective track, and the book is weird science fiction. However, I think that the content matches. Middlegame is a novel about a duo, Roger and Dodger who are linked by special powers. 

This song truly screams Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. Gone Girl is a thriller about Nick, and his wife Amy, who goes missing. I don’t think you should know anything else about the book beforehand; it will truly take you for the most wild ride.

I’m going to recommend Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo. I won’t say too much, but you will understand the connection after reading Crooked Kingdom.

Here, I’ll recommend Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng. This book starts off with the death of the daughter in a family, and leads readers down a path of uncovering all of the secrets of a “perfect” family.

For a book that gives you the same feeling as “peace,” I’d recommend Radio Silence by Alice Oseman. This story, at its heart, is one of friendship and acceptance, and will leave you feeling sad but comforted. Best part is that it centers around teens in high school who are making a podcast!

I would recommend Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust if you want similar vibes to “hoax.” This book is a retelling of some famous Persian myths and features some very interesting and compelling characters.

The first is The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

The second is Daisy Jones & the Six, also by Taylor Jenkins Reid.