Maybe you began 2018 with determinations to live a better life as a new and improved you, or maybe you’re still just holding on for dear life, hoping that things won’t hit the fan this year. Either way, your mind will thank you for the brief respites as you make your way through the stack of lit you’ve been meaning to read.

The good thing about the new year, though, is that it gives us fresh new stories to add to our lists of to-reads, and new stories means new motivation to read more! Here are 5 new or trending reads that promise to contribute to 2018 with food for thought, captivating tales, and uplifting encouragement for the changes you’re hoping to make.

1. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Lifeby Mark Manson

A new year brings in a rush of symbolic new beginnings, and this book is the perfect companion for that. We’re all guilty of caring too much about unimportant details, so if you’re embracing the wave of freshness that a new year has to offer consider this book your companion to helping you build a fresh mindset that isn’t bogged down by useless cares.

2. Milk and Honeyby Rupi Kaur

For some of us, a new year means new challenges, and that’s intimidating. Let this read inspire you with short stories and poems about survival in the face of intense adversity. We all have the power to overcome when life seems impossible, and sometimes we just need to be reminded that if other people can do it, so can we.

3. The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur

Rupi Kaur enters this list for a second time with another wildly popular and inspiring book. While Milk and Honeytells of overcoming and surviving, The Sun and Her Flowers tells of growth and healing. Sometimes what we need is a reminder that we’re strong and will survive, but sometimes a book like this crosses our paths to remind us that even when we feel weak and destroyed, healing is eminent. We need to be reminded that through the struggle roots are planted and growth is found, and that’s worth celebrating.

4. One of Us is Lying by Karen M McManus

As helpful as self-help and inspiring books can be, sometimes we just want to check out of our own circumstances and read about someone else’s drama. And this book is where you’ll find it. It’s a murder mystery centered around five high schoolers and their session in detention, and their story will take your mind on an addictive and suspenseful ride.

5. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle

This novel is by no means new, but it’s a classic that you must read before you see it hit the big screen as a feature film this year. It’s a fantastical tale that will transport you from Earth into a journey through time and space. Science meets fantasy in a wholesome tale about three children that will never lose its magic.

So if you’re like me – looking for ways to live a fuller life in 2018 – you might want to consider making one or all of these books a part of your year. I’m determined to spend less time with computer and TV screens this year and more time expanding my mind with inspiration and beautiful stories. Won’t you join me?