10 Books I Will Read (that you should too)
an end-of-summer reading list
Hi lovelies. Below I have drafted a list of books, and noted my expectations of each work. As soon as I can visit the library, I will be reading these, and I might share a few reviews.
1. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
I have wanted to read this book for 2 or 3 years, so it’s about time I got around to reading it. The scene is set in a dystopia, where the population is brainwashed into a state of satisfaction. Everyone’s happy and everyone gets what they want. Of course, one guy isn’t content. In searching for an answer, he takes readers on a journey that will make them reconsider reality.
Excited!
Update: Read. Disliked.
This book was off-putting. I appreciated the perspective it gave, but I found that the writing style not only drone on, but also took a pretentious tone. Almost as if truth shone through the writer’s words. As if there was an implicit agreement that some are better than others, even if society says otherwise. I would not read again.
Also, I sensed underlying racism on multiple levels. I understand the book is a “classic” and that it was written in a time where this was the norm, but that doesn’t mean I have to enjoy it, especially considering I disliked the story itself.
2. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Another dystopian novel :) Is a pattern forming? Maybe, maybe not.
This book transports readers into a world of virtual reality, in which players must solve clues regarding 80’s pop culture. Not sure what to expect if I’m being honest, but I hope to be sucked into another world.
3. Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven
A twist on the classic Young-Adult plot, in which popular boy meets unpopular girl, this book takes readers back to the world of high school. Note: I don’t miss high school. At all.
The girl, Libby, is known as “America’s Fattest Teen,” and the boy, Jack, is not only a nice guy, but also super smart. Twist: He can’t recognize faces. Dun-dun-dun…
As you can tell, these books are all the same to me. Plot twists alter the narrative, but the effect is usually the same. Don’t be fooled, I am stoked to read this. I love YA novels.
4. Everything, Everything by Nicole Yoon
From the synopsis, I presume that the protagonist has some sort of social anxiety disorder. It is pretty extreme, as she has never left her house.
Then comes Olly, the boy next door. Apparently, they’re bound to fall in love.
Another YA novel that I’m casually excited to read.
5. All American Boys by Jason Reynolds
I am on the edge of my seat with anticipation for THIS STORY. I think this book will be the first I read of the mix.
Get this, lady trips over POC teen. She falls on him. SHE TRIPPED.
Cop attacks, and beats the boy so badly, that he’s stuck in a hospital for God knows how long.
“He must have been stealing.”
This books spills all the tea. And it’s told from the POV of a confused little boy who witnesses the incident. The cop? His best friend’s big brother. Now, he’s left to make a choice: stay quiet, or help change the world?
Update: This book was good. Not entirely satisfying but amazing nonetheless. I ranked it a solid 4/5 on Goodreads for the fact that it brought up an important topic and followed through in a relatable way. Anyone reading this could understand the importance of a discussion about police brutality, and the importance of a fight against racism. I suppose I though the story would have taken a different, more direct, direction (hehe). Still, I recommend.
6. One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus
One Line Description: “5 Strangers enter detention, and only walk out alive.”
This book has over 4 stars, so I’m hoping that it is all it’s cracked up to be.
Shaken AND Stirred. This girl is shook.
7. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
A mental health read!! Deadpan wit?! This is THE BOOK for me.
Eleanor is blunt and doesn’t always pick up on social cues. She meets Raymond, an awkward character, and they end up saving an old man named Sammy. Together, they change each other’s world.
8. I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak
Background: Years ago, I fell in love with The Book Thief. It is still one of my favorite books. So well done. Ever since, I have wanted to read Zusak’s other novel: I am the Messenger.
Readers watch as Ed, a character with a dull future, transforms after stopping a bank robbery. He had no intention of helping. Nevertheless, the incident changes his life. Guided by clues that arrive in the mail, Ed becomes the messenger — a man on a mission.
Update: Good, not great. But good, nonetheless. I appreciated this book for being everything other books aren’t. I haven’t read a book with a protagonist like this, who is average and is okay being so. He accepts life as it is, and even when he may pity himself, he doesn’t blame his friends or his family for his problems. An introspective dope. I appreciate, and I enjoyed absorbing the way he viewed life, and the various experiences he recounted. I believe there is a message here, if you search hard enough — not for the message, that’s easy enough to identify, but for your humility, so you don’t consider yourself too good to accept a lesson from a Young Adult novel.
9. What We Saw by Aaron Hurtzler
A story that confronts the realities of rape. I am looking forward to this book, though I hope it is not written in tweets, as per the following clue from the synopsis: “one hundred and forty characters at a time”.
What We Saw explores the theme of, “silence as a form of complicity,” which is intriguing. Readers recall the event, through Kate’s point of view, as she discovered what happened at the party that night.
10. Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt
I can’t get a good understanding of what this book will be about, which makes it all the more intriguing. What I can tell you, is a gripping tale is told about a foster child, from his little brother’s point of view. Notable topics include: friendship, brotherhood, and young parenthood (a lot of hoods).
Goal: I want to cry. Other readers claim they cried. I am hoping there is no other option. I love books that force me to feel. My heart already lurched while reading a review, so I think a solid round of tears will be inevitable.
CONFESSIONS OF A SPENDTHRIFT ← P R E V I O U S
N E X T → My Black is Black Enough
