Summer Reading List

I've been in a reading slump for a few months now. Between house hunting, moving, taking care of my mom, and getting settled into the new place, I've felt out of my bookish element. I've picked up and put down a few but have yet to stick through til the end of a book since the beginning of this year. As I type that out, I can't believe it's been 6+ months since I've had that satisfaction of reading that last word on the last page of a really good novel. 

Recently, I discovered Ameriie's Youtube channel. You remember Amerie (she's legally added another 'i' to the spelling of her name) of Why Don't We Fall in Love and One Thing? Well, not only does she sing, but she also writes fiction, and she has a whole Youtube channel dedicated to books. I've been binging her archives the past few days and am outrageously inspired to jump back into reading. Which is funny because as a kid/teen, I absolutely loathed the summer reading requirements. I remember having to read Girl with the Pearl Earring and sitting in my room allllll day just to get it over with and have the rest of my summer for "fun." Now the reading part is the fun part!

And so... I dusted off my library card and reserved four (4) books for immediate pickup, secured my spot on the wait list for two more books, and I also "checked out" some e-books. I'm not typically a fan of reading on a tablet, but there were a couple options on my Goodreads list (<-- follow me!) that were already checked out but available for immediate download through the eCatalog. So, I'm giving this whole ebook trend a whirl, and I definitely recommend checking to see if your local library offers ebooks. It's a great way to try before you buy, and it doesn't cost a dime.

Now, on to the actual summer reading list. *rubs hands together*

1) Americanah, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (hardcover checkout) - I've heard nothing but praise for this novel, and if it's anything like Half of a Yellow Sun, I'm sure I'll love it. Description: 

A young woman from Nigeria leaves behind her home and her first love to start a new life in America, only to find her dreams are not all she expected.

Fearless, gripping, at once darkly funny and tender, spanning three continents and numerous lives, Americanah is a richly told story set in today’s globalized world: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s most powerful and astonishing novel yet.

2) A Brief History of the Dead, by Kevin Brockmeier (hardcover checkout) - Description:

A striking new novel about death, life, and the mysterious place in between. The City is inhabited by those who have departed Earth but are still remembered by the living. They will reside in this afterlife until they are completely forgotten. But the City is shrinking, and the residents clearing out. Two storylines to create a lyrical and haunting story about love, loss and the power of memory.

3) Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mendel (hardcover checkout) - This one's been in my "saved for later" section of Amazon for months. Description:

Set in the eerie days of civilization's collapse, Station Eleven tells the spellbinding story of a Hollywood star, his would-be savior, and a nomadic group of actors roaming the scattered outposts of the Great Lakes region, risking everything for art and humanity.

4) All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr (hardcover checkout) - I've seen and heard about this book everywhere, and Ameriie has declared it one of her favorite books of 2015, so let's see what the hype is about. Description:

A blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II.

 5) Wolf in White Van, by John Darnielle (digital checkout) - Description:

Isolated by a disfiguring injury since the age of 17, Sean Phillips crafts imaginary worlds for strangers to play in. From his small apartment in Southern California, he orchestrates fantastic adventures where possibilities, both dark and bright, open in the boundaries between the real and the imagined.

Sean guides players from around the world through his intricately imagined terrain, which they navigate and explore, turn by turn, seeking sanctuary in a ravaged, savage future America. Lance and Carrie are high school students from Florida, explorers of the Trace. But when they take their play into the real world, disaster strikes, and Sean is called to account for it. In the process, he is pulled back through time, tunneling toward the moment of his own self-inflicted departure from the world in which most people live.

6) We Have Always Lived in the Castle, by Shirley Jackson (borrowed from a friend) - I came across the synopsis for this book while searching for something else and was instantly intrigued. The author's name sounded super familiar, so I looked her up online and found out she wrote "The Lottery," a short story that gives Hunger Games vibes, but it was written before the Hunger Games franchise. I read it for a class in high school and remember loving it, so I'm sure I'll love this one as well. Description:

Merricat Blackwood lives on the family estate with her sister Constance and her Uncle Julian. Not long ago there were seven Blackwoods—until a fatal dose of arsenic found its way into the sugar bowl one terrible night. Acquitted of the murders, Constance has returned home, where Merricat protects her from the curiosity and hostility of the villagers. Their days pass in happy isolation until cousin Charles appears. Only Merricat can see the danger, and she must act swiftly to keep Constance from his grasp.

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Whew! I may be in over my head, but I plan to read every last one of these before the checkouts expires, even if I need to renew a couple. This isn't even every title on my list... there are three (3) more books on deck (read: hold/waitlisted), and I'll share those as they become available.

♥