Summer Reads

I used to absolutely despise reading. Until about 2 years ago it was the worst part of school, the thing I dreaded most when it came to homework. Since then, it seems I've done a complete 180 as I not only enjoy reading the books my school requires, but also love to read for my personal pleasure. When I have the time, there is not much I enjoy more than reading a compelling story that I can sit down and absorb for hours on end. Most importantly, I'm very excited to be able to grab a bating suit and a book and head out to the beach for long, relaxing, days this summer; the countdown has reached 4 days!

Read:
Paper Towns by John Green
I read this book over spring break in two days and really enjoyed it. I love the mystery genre, and John Green is one of my favorite authors. The story follows Quentin Jacobson as he embarks on a mission to find his neighbor, and love, Margo Roth Spiegelman after she mysteriously disappears. It's paced fast enough that I never got tired of the storyline, and I laughed frequently throughout. Another major plus is that the movie, starring Cara Delevingne and Nat Wolff, comes out next month. You can bet I'll be first in line at the premier to see it.

Dangerous Girl by Abigail Haas
When my friend recommended this book to me, I was immediately turned off by the title; it seemed a little cliche. Yet, she convinced me to take a chance on this murder mystery and I am so happy I listened. The book takes place in Aruba after a teenage girl, Elise, was murdered while on spring break with her friends. Her best friend Anna is immediately accused of being her killer. Told from Anna's perspective, the story takes us through events before, during, and after the crime. The ending was so unexpected and left me totally freaked out. I read it in a day, perfect for a lazy afternoon at the beach.

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
This is definitely my wildcard pick, but I just finished this book last weekend and loved it. I had never read a graphic novel before, something else I found somewhat cliche, but in this book the images are crucial to understanding the story. An autobiographical account, this story follows Marji while she was growing up in war-torn Iran in the 1980's. I felt a deep emotional connection to the main character, Marji, in this coming-of-age story; it was truly excellent.

Currently Reading:
Looking For Alaska by John Green
As you can see I'm on a bit of a John Green kick. I'm about 50 pages into Looking for Alaska, but I think I'm going to start over once school ends so I can enjoy it all at once. Everyone that I've talked to says that this novel is just as good as Paper Towns and The Fault in Our Stars, so I hope it lives up to my expectations. Although I haven't read much, so far so good!

To Read:
The Royal We by Heather Cooks and Jessica Morgan
I'm not totally sure where I heard about this book, there may have been an add in InStyle magazine or maybe I saw it online. Anyways, when I looked it up I knew I had to read this book over the summer. A novel described as a fictionalized version of Prince William and Kate Middleton's romance, The Royal We seems like a really entertaining read. I'm going to order it online soon and I can't wait to dive in!

Have you read any good books recently?

xoxo,

Julianna 

Preppy by the Sea