This summer 2014 I hope to be a really great reading season. I'm not taking any classes, as usual, and will only be doing research for a couple WIP's and working. I have decided, for the first time ever, to assign myself an actual summer reading list. These are all books from my shelves which have been waiting patiently for their turn to be read and enjoyed (or at least, that's the idea) by me. Here are ten books (two adult, two MG, and six YA, plus a few more for good measure) I plan to read this summer!
Road Trip!...BOOK ROAD TRIP!!!
FTW.
First, for the two Adult Novels:
The Forgotten Garden, Kate Morton
This is straight from Goodreads:
"A foundling, an old book of dark fairy tales, a secret garden, an aristocratic family, a love denied, and a mystery."
How could you not want to read this? It's a biggy, but I'm hoping to fly through this summer read!
Milkrun, Sarah Mylnowski
This one is borrowed from a friend of mine, and, believe me, I've had it FOREVER. It's possible she's forgotten she owns it. Just as well, I had long since forgotten what it was even about. According to Goodreads, this book is about a "hyperactive 25 year-old" making up her own rules on the dating scene. I hope it's set in NYC, but we'll just have to wait and see. It's supposed to be really funny, and now that I'm actually in my 20's, I hope to glean some real insight from it.
;)
Now the Middle Grade Fiction:
Drift House, Dale Peck
This is one of the few books I read when I was a pre-teen that I still own. I won't even peek at Goodreads. I'll just give you a glimpse into my memories, which were, as you can see on the cover photo, a giant house that turns into a ship, time travel, a talking parrot, and evil mermaids.
Oh. Yeah.
The Lost Cities, Dale Peck
The second MG book is a sequel to Drift House!!! I had been wondering forever if there was one and when I was perusing a used bookstore one day it just popped out at me! I am so stoked. All I can say is there better be more time travel and mermaids cause...
TIME TRAVEL AND MERMAIDS, GUYS!!!
AND NOW THE YA, YAY!!!
Lock and Key, Sarah Dessen
Love me some Sarah Dessen. In fact, I'm pretty sure I say exactly those words every time I mention one of her books. I would have The Truth About Forever on this list as a re-read, but alas I donated my copy last summer...for a good cause, I assure you! But the little added incentive was that I would have a legitimate reason to buy one of the new cover copies, which I think are so preeeetty! Haven't done that yet, but ANYWAY! This book I borrowed from my Better Bookish Half (see cast of characters for reference) also a very long time ago. I was first intrigued by a character who was living on her own, sort of a different kind of homelessness in a way. But every Dessen novel I've read has been great...so it's really just a matter of which one I can get my hands on first.
A Song for Summer, Eva Ibbotson
Another novel I've had my eye -- and hands -- on for years. I don't even remember when it was I bought this copy. I fell in love with A Company of Swans and The Morning Gift, and, if you ask me, this one looks even better! The beautiful setting of a boarding school in the Austrian countryside, the dim backdrop of the Second World War, not to mention the experimental dancers, tortoises on wheels, and, uh-oh, an older boy.
I was first introduced to this on Maggie Stiefvater's blog, where she gave it a rave review. And believe me, what Maggie Stiefvater tells me to read, I read. I don't like to read just the fluffy contemporary stuff in summer time, and this one looks like it will fit the bill nicely, as it doesn't look like it'll be too dark either: A small and painfully-dull Arkansas town. Some interesting stuff about a famous wood-pecker. A disappearance. Something about and African missionary. And, oh yeah, a summer.
Transparent, Natalie Whipple
First of all, I'd like to say that this author is so awesome! She goes above and beyond for her fans and always has something inspiring to say. So, since I consider myself a fan, I think it's high time I read one of her books. I got this because she was doing a cool thing near Christmas where, if you bought one of her books, she'd send you a book plate and a cool Transparent book mark. I love bookmarks (in fact, I collect them), and I also love getting cool personalized swag from awesome authors. So I bought the book, and it looks so cool! There's not too many super-hero books in the YA realm and this one has a female protagonist...of course, I believe all the characters in the book have super powers...but we'll just call that a minor detail for now. Because that new book cover is so bad in a really good way!
A Northern Light, Jennifer Donnelly
I first read this book back in my freshman year of high school. I don't think I appreciated it as much as I could have considering not only my age, but the fact that I went into it thinking it was going to be more of a ghost/mystery story when it really centered on the main character, Mattie's, story. The mystery part (no ghosts, sadly) was more in the background and a slower build. At the time, it wasn't quite the read I needed, yet, despite that fact, there's so much of it I remember, which means it was probably a really good book. I loved the main character, what ends up happening with the romance (kudos Donnelly, kudos), the importance of intelligence and vocabulary and books, and of course the mystery part which does end up delivering in the end. Can't wait to get started on this one!
Downriver, Will Hobbs
You guys. I am SO FREAKING EXCITED TO READ THIS BOOK!!!
Or should I say, re-read. I read this one for the first time back in 8th grade for school. I am now 21 years old, and I still can't get it out of my head. The imagery and danger of rafting the Grand Canyon...WITH NO ADULTS OR EXPERIENCED RAFTERS! The bond of friendship between the two main characters. The, like, fifteen near death encounters. It was probably the first book to make me read a scene and see it in slow motion. Plus it's from the 90's. That's right, representin' the 90's YA lit, as 90's-tastic as it is.
These are the books I don't own, but would really like to read this summer anyway:
To All the Boys I've Loved Before, Jenny Han.
Looks so different and cute and fun!
Lola and the Boy Next Door, Stephanie Perkins
I am a hard-core Etienne fan. (Cause that name is WAY HOTTER than St. Clair.) Mr. Boy Next Door, bring it on.
(I ended up buying this book recently. It's just I drafted this post in early May before I had it. So I definitely have NO EXCUSE not to finish it this summer!)
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Strands of Bronze and Gold, Jane Nickerson
Gotta have a creepy re-telling of the Bluebeard fairy tail set in the past of the deep south on the list. I think this will make a fantastic summer read. And I haven't heard too many things about it. So.
Mystery.
Happy Reading, Everyone!
I'm actually already reading Lola and the Boy Next Door! Just started but it's a good reminder of what an awesome writer Perkins is!
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