One of my favorite things about summer (and let's be honest, I have many favorite things about summer) is that I finally have an excuse to read, read, read. I definitely read during the school year, but I maybe finish one book every couple of weeks. Maybe. And I hate to admit that weeks go by where I don't read even one page. But summer allows me the time to dive deep into the books that have been gathering dust on my bedside table, and this year I decided to put together what I'm going to call a reading roundup. Hopefully this post inspires you to pick up one or two of these books -- they're pretty much all over the place -- or at the very least, inspires you to pick up any book at all.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
GoodReads Rating: 4.8/5
My Rating: 4.6/5
What I Loved: If I could teach this book, I would. Actually, I'm trying to work it into my curriculum for this year because it's so incredibly relatable. The characters are resilient, funny, authentic, sassy, broken, and at the heart of this book is a reality that so many in our country are unfortunately facing each day. It tackles racism and police brutality in a way that's not preachy, and it's a YA book that truly educates while still reading like a story. There's a great family and community dynamic running throughout this book and I believe it's an incredibly important read for everyone.
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GoodReads Rating: 4.0/5
My Rating: 4.7/5
What I Loved: First of all, Shonda Rhimes is an incredible human being. There's no denying that. Shonda was incredibly vulnerable in her anecdotes while still being undeniably funny. This book really had an upbeat, feel-good "you-can-do-it" vibe to it, which is right up my alley. As someone who is so quick to say no to things that are outside my comfort zone, much like Shonda, this book opened my eyes to setting aside any instant fears and take a chance every now and then. It reiterated the importance of taking care of myself and that it's more than okay to ask for help. And that saying "YES!" can be as simple as sitting at home playing dolls with your kids. A quick and enjoyable read.
11/22/63 by Stephen King
GoodReads Rating: 4.3/5
My Rating: 5/5
What I Loved: This is not my usual read. But this is also not Stephen King's usual genre. I'm not a big history buff, but I am incredibly fascinated by all things Kennedy. Ultimately, an English teacher by the name of Jake Epping is coerced into going back in time to try and stop the JFK assassination. But in the half decade that he spends in the past, he finds other occurrences to alter along the way. This book is incredibly suspenseful and I found myself sitting for hours flipping page after page. It's historically accurate, it's engaging, it's got a sweet little love story woven in, and it had me longing for the simplicity of a time period I never even experienced in the first place. I finished it a couple of weeks ago and cannot stop singing its praises.
Jackie's Girl by Kathy McKeon
GoodReads Rating: 4.1/5
My Rating: 4.3/5
What I Loved: As I mentioned above, I am incredibly fascinated by all things Kennedy. And I actually read this book before I read King's. It's a coming-of-age memoir by the woman who became Jackie's go-to gal, as you might call her, and I really enjoyed the more private look into Jackie O's seemingly glamorous life. Kathy provided Jackie and the kids with a very sweet and loyal friendship, and all the while Kathy gleaned quite a few valuable life lessons from Jackie. A sweet and charming read.
Good as Gone by Amy Gentry
GoodReads Rating: 3.5/5
My Rating: 3.7/5
What I Loved: When I picked this book up at Blue Willow Bookshop, I had no idea that this book would be set not only in my city, but in the very area of Houston in which I grew up. So that was fun. This book was full of twists and turns, which normally, I love. This one was just a little bit too unrealistic for me, though, and while I really enjoyed the chapters told from the point of view of the kidnapped daughter's mother, the chapters told by the various faces of Julie were a bit hard to follow. It's a very real look into the relationship between a mother and a teenage daughter, and that may have been what kept me reading to the end.
Sad Perfect by Stephanie Elliott
GoodReads Rating: 3.8/5
My Rating: 4.2/5
What I Loved: This book deals with some incredibly difficult topics. A teenage girl who is fighting an eating disorder - AFRID, one I had never heard of - dealing with anxiety and depression, and has a fairly dysfunctional family to boot. I love that Elliott decided to tackle these topics because they're real and raw and it's important to bring them to light. And while this book definitely takes on a more serious tone, the romance between Pea and Ben is cute enough to induce a few "aww" moments, and make you wish that every Pea had a Ben. What's most interesting is that this book is told - very well - in the second person.
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GoodReads Rating: 4.0/5
My Rating: 4.6/5
What I Loved: The teacher in me loved this book. But I think those in virtually any profession would enjoy it. Without using such strong words, it's essentially about how ridiculous it is to use the average when talking about anything. And it's crazy to really sit and think about how often we use the "average" measurement -- when talking about height, weight, GPA, performance, salary, IQ, everything. It got me thinking about how much my students miss out on because they are given this label - how far above or below this average they are - because so much of what we do is geared to fit the "average" student. As it typically is with clothes that come with a one-size-fits-all label (they never fit all), a one-size-fits-all is about the worst thing we could do in the education world. I enjoyed how Rose brought in examples from all areas - history, science, education, business - to support his claim that it's about time we do something about this flawed system.
The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena
GoodReads Rating: 3.7/5
My Rating: 4.7/5
What I Loved: This book was SUCH a page-turner. This author's debut novel had me hooked from the get-go, and I devoured it while riding Chicago's CTA. Not everything is as it seems for Anne and Marco Conti, who seemingly have it all when they leave their six-month-old baby as they go next door for a fancy dinner party. Though they have the baby monitor, somehow baby Cora is snatched from her crib. But what I really loved is that both Anne and Marco have their own secrets that they couldn't possibly have the other find out, which just goes to show that no relationship is as picture perfect as it looks. The ending was pretty crazy and unexpected, but it's a psychological thriller I'd definitely recommend.
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GoodReads Rating: 4.3/5
My Rating: 5/5
What I Loved: Honestly, this was probably my favorite book of the summer. I could relate to it on so many levels. I will admit that I picked it up for running purposes, but it's truly applicable to so many aspects of life and I guarantee you'll get something out of it. I could probably write an entire blog post about this book alone, so I'll keep it short and sweet here. If you want to get better at anything, you have to push your mind and/or body past their comfort zones. But you also have to give your mind and/or body rest. It again preaches the idea that growth comes from a struggle, and it forces you to really take a hard look at yourself and what drives you. What are your strengths and weaknesses? What works best for your personality? An excellent book with easy-to-apply information.
Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris
GoodReads Rating: 3.9/5
My Rating: 4.5/5
What I Loved: If this book doesn't make you think twice about getting married, I don't know what will. Jack and Grace are another example of the picture-perfect couple, but you learn very quickly that Jack is out of his mind. He is an absolute control freak and won't let Grace out of his sight. Essentially, he's holding her captive while still forcing her to portray the role of the perfect housewife. And honestly, what got me was that this situation could happen all too easily to anyone. All it takes is a handsome man with a charming smile to make a woman fall hard. I didn't feel as though there were any plot holes, and my heart was racing as I read on to find out what would happen next.
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GoodReads Rating: 3.4/5
My Rating: 3.6/5
What I Loved: Okay, just being real here. This was probably my least favorite book of the summer. I didn't hate it, but it didn't captivate me the way other books I read did. I enjoyed the very real relationship that between Darcy, Mags, and their cousin Nell. As well as their mothers who live right next door to one another. Darcy, our main character, is kind of a rebellious teenager who doesn't have a great reputation around town. Of course, this is set in a small town in Maine where everybody knows everybody's business. The pain each character experiences and the way this pain is dealt with felt very real to me, and I appreciated how French tackled some of the more difficult subjects - rape and complex relationships and rumors and slut-shaming.
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GoodReads Rating: 4.0/5
My Rating: 4.6/5
What I Loved: I loved going to Chicago and knowing a good chunk of the city's history thanks to my reading of this book. I didn't know I was as into architecture as I apparently am, but I think what really hooked me was the drama running through the construction of the 1893 Chicago World Fair with the serial killer H.H. Holmes posing as a pharmacist and used his charming personality to lure young women into his trap. Daniel Burnham is a name I heard many times throughout my time in Chicago and it is evident that he is an absolute genius and I loved how the city's history was only enhanced by the description of how difficult a task pulling off the construction of this World Fair was. But it still read like a (terrifying) story when you have the absolute chaos precipitated by Holmes.
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GoodReads Rating: 4.5/5
My Rating: 4.8/5
What I Loved: Maria Goff is Bob Goff's husband, and you guys, I am obsessed with all things Bob Goff. They live their lives with such whimsy and while Bob is all things spontaneous and energetic, Maria errs on the side of quiet and intentional. Maria talks all about remaining focused on what's important when the world is busy throwing all these distractions at us. This book reads like an encouraging and honest conversation that made me want to start living a more full and present life where I love and care for others extravagantly and purposefully.
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GoodReads Rating: 4.4/5
My Rating: 5/5
What I Loved: Wow. All I have to say about this book is that it's beautiful, heartbreaking, filled with joy and sadness both, funny, real, raw, honest, and makes you appreciate the life you're living right now. The good days as well as the bad. Nina was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 37 and while at first it seemed like just "one small spot", it quickly turned into a cancer that would never really get better. Nina is actually the great-great-great granddaughter of Ralph Waldo Emerson (yes, that one) and his work, and the importance and beauty of literature in general, is threaded all throughout this memoir. Nina truly had a bright outlook on life and her diagnosis, and she found the beauty in the midst of suffering that will hit all of us in one way or another. A book that touched me far more than I anticipated, I would highly recommend this book for everyone.
Okay, clearly you can see that I'm a huge fan of psychological thrillers. What that says about me, I'm not entirely sure. My friend told me it means I have a pretty boring life, which may be true, but I'll take that over leading a life like any of the ladies in these books! I am all over the genre spectrum, though, and I am always in the market for new book recommendations, so if you have any favorite reads, PLEASE send them my way. Happy reading!
I'm so excited because I've never heard of any of these and now that I'm back to reading books for fun, I'm adding these to the list! If you haven't read the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series, DO IT. There was also a quick read called An Unquiet Mind about a woman battling schizophrenia (you could probably finish it in a day), and there was a civil war spy fiction (based off a true story) called The Spymistress that wasn't too bad, and a historical book about Mary Boelyn if you're interested in the time of the Tudors. Just because you said you wanted more :) PS. Finally read Columbine... incredible.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for sharing these! I've added a few to my TBR pile. I'm not sure that I want to share my list of (mostly) trash. ;-)
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