Summer. Beaches, no school, warm, friends, travel- these are just a few things that come to most's minds when thinking of the season. While I think of the same, one aspect of summer I find myself looking forward to and enjoying the most is summer reading. Reading??!? What??! We just got out of school and you want to spend your time off reading? That's how my younger self would have responded if she'd ever saw seventeen year old Taylor with a book in her hand mid-July. This past year something in my brain clicked, and reading became one of my most cherished hobbies. I think what was turning me away from it for so long were the pretty crappy "books" I was reading. There's nothing worse than parents and teachers forcing you to read about girls with double lives as secret agents at age 8, fighting crime, riding unicorns, and still making it home in time for catching an episode of American Idol, while getting straight As and being adorably quirky. Realistic right? I've found that wandering the aisles of Barnes & Noble is a calming and intriguing experience, as I'm free to flip covers and pages searching for the perfect novel. Sometimes you come out with a life-changing read, you just don't know it yet, and sometimes it's a miss, but that's what makes it so fun. It's like dating-you have to get through some bad ones before you find the good ones. Give me time to read, and I won't be able to put the book down. Every free second I have is spent engulfing and imagining the words written. I've started my reading already, and have a stack waiting to be explored. So if you're looking for inspiration in titles or just curious to see which books made my list this summer, here it is!
Me Talk Pretty One Day- David Sedaris
I picked this book up from hearing so many rave reviews on how crazy hilarious it was. I had really high expectations for this novel written in the form of many essays or excerpts from David's life in the United States and his time in Paris. This book had me enthralled from the start. While I didn't necessarily find it 'side-splitting' or anything, there were definitely a few moments I was laughing pretty hard (especially in the The Youth in Asia and Picka Pocketoni chapters). It's a quick, light, and witty read. If you're looking for something real and comedic, give it a go.
The Catcher in the Rye- J.D. Salinger
Okay now I can't truthfully call this summer reading, because I was assigned to read this novel in English class, BUT I can say I absolutely adored this book. Salinger is able to capture such a realistic teenage voice, that I found myself relating to Holden on almost every page. This novel was so unintentionally beautiful that I had to stop and really digest certain lines. It does have a few dark moments and a lot of cursing, so if that's not your thing maybe check out one of the others on the list, but I definitely recommend trying this classic out.
The Girls- Emma Cline
This one's a super new release, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. It's based in Northern California during the 1960s and focuses on the main character Evie's obsession and entrance into an infamous cult in the Californian hills. At times raunchy and raw, Cline really illustrates the lengths young girls go to in order to fit in and feel love. So haunting and eerie, this book was captivating the whole way through. I highly recommend!
I haven't started the rest of the books on the list, but here are the others I've picked up!
Modern Romance- Aziz Ansari
USA Today:
"With topics like online dating apps to serious social science research, the book is sure to have you laughing if not taking a few notes.”
It's Kind of a Funny Story- Ned Vizzini
"Ned Vizzini, who himself spent time in a psychiatric hospital, has created a remarkably moving tale about the sometimes unexpected road to happiness. For a novel about depression, it's definitely a funny story."
Tales from the Back Row- Amy Odell
"Odell's insight into what fashion tells us about ourselves is ultimately what makes her book so refreshing. As she observes, 'the fashion industry, in many ways, is a study in how deeply we long to stand out in order to fit in.' A sharply amusing fashion memoir." -Kirkus Reviews
Happy Reading!
Vividly Yours,
Taylor
xx
Me Talk Pretty One Day:here
The Catcher in the Rye: here
The Girls: here
Modern Romance: here
It's Kind of a Funny Story: here
Tales from the Back Row: here
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