As a kid, I was always a little bit different than all of my friends -- I was usually the only one who actually read for fun. I can remember actually challenging myself to read more and more books each year, but mostly each summer (that was when I read the bulk of my books). Since high school, that "high score" of read books each summer has decreased -- slowly but surely. This past summer, I managed to only make it through eight books, three of them being part of a trilogy. Here is a list of the eight books that caught my eye this summer.

1. "People I Want To Punch In The Throat" by Jen Mann

This book was absolutely wonderful. I related to Mann on every possible level. It sounds bad, but sometimes you just cannot deal with the other people that exist in your life. Frustration happens -- you are not alone. If you are looking for something hilarious and relatable to read, this is the book for you.

2. "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn

"Gone Girl" was just as crazy as the movie, if not crazier. I had seen the movie earlier this year and when I found out that it was based on a best-selling novel, I just could not resist. If you liked the movie, you will enjoy the book even more.

3. "Beautiful Disaster" by Jamie McGuire

This was a book that my mom picked up for me from a book sale and it sounded like my type of book. "Beautiful Disaster" had a great mix of romance and adventure that kept me hanging onto every word. I would easily recommend it as a wonderful beach-read.

4. "Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac" by Gabrielle Zevin

This was an easy read as I could predict a majority of the plot, but it was good and had many cute moments. I enjoyed the fact that it was told from an amnesiac's perspective.

5. "All The Bright Places" by Jennifer Niven

If you enjoyed John Green's "The Fault In Our Stars," then you will love "All The Right Places." The book was enthralling and sufficiently depressing, so please take this as a warning -- if you do not like being sad, do not read this book.

6. "Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children" (The Trilogy) by Ransom Riggs

The trilogy is actually one of the few that I will recommend to others. I find that it is apparently very difficult for authors to end trilogies in a sufficient manner that pleases readers. I am not, however, planning on going to see the movies because I can already tell that there are some differences in the transition from page to screen -- even though they still look like good movies.

I am pretty pleased with the books that I was able to get through this summer. None of them were ones that I could not recommend to people -- and trust me, I have read books of that nature. Let me know what you think of these books, if you have read them. Happy reading!