The ONE Book To Read If You're Not A Reader

People always ask me for reading recommendations, and while I usually have a long list of titles at the ready, it's not always easy to pick the one book everyone should read. If you're looking for a feminist read, my go-to recommendation is, obviously, Roxane Gay's Bad Feminist , but if you're looking for an essential thriller, I'd tell you to read The Girl on the Train — that is, if you haven't already — and if you aren't normally a reader at all? Well, there's one book that stands out among the rest, and you should add to your empty To Be Read pile immediately: Kelly Link's Get In Trouble .

I know what you're thinking: You're not a reader, so why start now? Maybe you think books are boring or time-consuming, maybe you're super busy, or maybe you were traumatized by a high school English teacher and you've sworn off reading ever since, but Get in Trouble , Kelly Link's latest short story collection, will change all of that. Link, the author of the highly acclaimed Magic for Beginners and Stranger Things Happen, among other splendid things, once again brings magic, wonder, and the complexity of humanity to life in an expertly crafted collection.

Stop telling me you don't read, and try Kelly Link's Get in Trouble instead. Trust me, it's the one book every non-reader needs to add to her library, and here are six reasons why.

1. Its Format Lets You Dip Your Toe In The Reading Pool, One Story At A Time

If you aren't normally a reader, then a lengthy novel might seem intimidating to you, but when it comes to Link's collection, you don't have to feel overwhelmed. Because of its format and length — nine stories over 333 pages — Get in Trouble is the perfect book for someone who usually doesn't read, but wants to ease back into it. Each story is self contained, and can be enjoyed all on its own or in the company of the others.

2. It Transcends Genre

Link's stories toe the lines of magical realism, mystery, literary realism, science fiction, and ghost stories. They star faeries and superheroes, robot vampire boyfriends and ordinary little girls living extraordinary lives. Just when you think you know what kind of story you're in, Link's narrative takes an unexpected turn. If you aren't normally a reader, Get in Trouble will give you a taste of enough genres to get you hooked.

3. Just When You Think It Couldn't Get Weirder, It Does

Within the first few pages of Get in Trouble, you're immersed in a world where mysterious houses in the woods are inhabited by telepathic, unseen beings, and you think to yourself, now that is strange. That is, until you continue the collection and find each story to be even more brilliantly bizarre than the last.

4. There's Plenty To Laugh About

A lot of people tell me they don't read because they don't like serious books. While Get in Trouble has raw, emotional stories, it also has a lot of LOL moments. From the strange characters to playful prose, the collection is lined with pockets of humor and joy. Link's writing is so sly and witty, readers,no matter how frequent, won't be able to make it to the end without a few good chuckles.

5. It Will Give You Feeling With A Capital "F"

Get in Trouble isn't just good for a laugh. It's a story collection that truly gets to the core of human emotions, and not only examines them under a literary microscope, but also arouses those same emotions in the reader. If you don't read because you prefer having a cry over a TV show death or a fright because of a scary movie, I'm telling you, this book has plenty of ways to make you feel something special.

6. Everyone Likes Trouble

The title says it all. This book invites readers to a world of trouble, big and small, where families screw you over, best friends betray you, and love never lasts as long as it should. It's the kind of trouble people love — that is, when it's not their own.

Images: lady_strombetta/Instagram; Giphy (6)