Author Alex Aster shares her six favorite books
Ever wonder what your favorite celebrities are reading — whether it’s a timeless classic or the buzzy bestseller they can’t put down? Welcome to Page-Turners, where stars reveal the books that keep them hooked, inspired and up all night. Warning: your TBR pile is about to get a lot longer.
“Lightlark” author Alex Aster loves getting lost in a book while “snacking on Saltines.”
“That’s exactly what I used to do as a kid during the weekends, and it still feels like an indulgence,” Aster, whose new book “Barbie: Dreamscape” is out now, told Page Six, adding that her “dream afternoon” is lounging in her apartment curled up next to the window with a good book.
The writer explained, “Nothing gets me out of my head more than reading or writing.
“I love the feeling of falling into a world and only surfacing when suddenly you can’t see the words, because the sun went down.”
As for her newest book, “Barbie: Dreamscape,” Aster told us she wanted to capture the nostalgia and magic of Barbie, but also explore self-discovery that comes from failure.
“The tagline is ‘Dream Big. Fail Hard. Get back up again.’ I wrote the book I needed during times of change in my life, and hopefully, readers have as much fun consuming the story as I did while writing it.”
See below for Aster’s must-read book recommendations.
“A heartbreakingly tender love story with some of the best writing in the genre. I laughed, cried, and underlined so many lines that I ran out of ink in my pen. It is a masterclass in fantasy and romance.”
“Nothing gets me out of a reading slump faster than a page-turning thriller, and Tana French is my favorite author in the mystery genre. Her prose is beautiful, I admire her deep exploration of character, and I love how she leaves some questions in the story unanswered.”
“I studied English at Penn, and one of my favorite classes was dedicated to Jane Austen. Her depiction of romance is truly timeless. ‘Pride and Prejudice,’ in my opinion, is the enemies-to-lovers blueprint.”
“I read this book when I was in the query trenches, losing motivation to keep trying to get published. It’s an inspiring exploration of creativity that I recommend to everyone interested in writing or any other artistic pursuit.”
“A must-read YA book that feels both fantastical and dystopian. The magic system is original, and the descriptions of food, dresses, and the opulent (and dangerous) world are truly delightful.”
“One of my first favorite YA novels that readers still love to this day. Tahereh’s writing is lyrical, often hilarious, and captures the essence of being a teen with a lot of feelings.”
