The holiday season is approaching, and if you live in the northern hemisphere, that also means the cold is coming with it. And I can't really bring the warm weather back, so instead, I'm going to curl up with one of these summery reads.
1. "To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee
Where's her Oscar?
GiphyI'm honestly still confused at the scene where Scout and Jem sneak out to find Atticus and save him from being jumped- did she understand what was going on or not? Also, Scout's ham costume… a true classic!
2. "A Corner of White" by Jaclyn Moriarty
Hey, don't judge a book by its cover!
The premise of this book is that a girl finds a letter in a parking meter and it turns out the letter is sent from a guy in a parallel universe. The two help each other with their problems by sending each other notes through the crack in the parking meter, which is actually a crack in the space-time continuum. Obviously, some drama ensues. It's an underrated gem.
3. "To All The Boys I've Loved Before" by Jenny Han
What was Kitty thinking??!
GiphyI know, I know, everyone and their mother already watched this movie on Netflix. And I'm not trying to sound pretentious, but the book is so much better! The film did capture the spirit of the story, but left out a lot of important things that would've made the movie make more sense. I mean, if you had time to watch it, you definitely have time to read it too!
4. "Turtles All The Way Down" by John Green
The original phrase is from a myth where the world is a turtle's shell, and that turtle is laying on another turtle, and that turtle is laying on another turtle, and so on...
GiphyThis book is about a girl named Aza, who is trying to manage school and life and solve the crime of her friend's dad's death, without letting her anxiety consume her. People love to hate on John Green because he writes teenagers unrealistically; I agree to an extent, but the plot of this book—which is mind-blowing—hugely makes up for the unnatural dialogue.
5. "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" by J.K. Rowling
This was one of the most shocking plot twists of my childhood.
GiphyWhat a classic, right? This is arguably the best book in the "Harry Potter" series, because it makes you realize that even though these are kids, they can't be kids. They're forced to grow up because the world isn't waiting for them. These thirteen year old children are catching literal murderers and saving countless lives; meanwhile, I'm over here writing this article. Harry wishes he had my life.
6. "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen
Lizzie, you're not fooling anyone.
GiphyI could probably write an essay on how much I love Lizzie Bennet, but I'll save it for another time. "Pride and Prejudice" is just such a good read. The plot is convoluted but somehow flows perfectly, the characters develop dramatically over the course of the novel, and Lizzie's original rejection of Darcy is legitimately one of the most savage pieces of dialogue that exists in literature. I just can't express how much I admire Lizzie as a character/respect Jane Austen for being bold enough to comment so critically on the patriarchal society she lived in. She's great, man!
7. "Crazy Rich Asians" by Kevin Kwan
The entire theater screamed at this part.
GiphyYes, you've probably seen this movie too, but they changed it so much more than the producers of "To All The Boys I've Loved Before" did for that adaptation. Kwan's descriptions of the characters' inner thoughts really helps you understand everyone's motivations; there are also some different details than the movie that significantly impact the sequence of events. If you like drama, you'll love crazy rich drama.
8. "The Porcupine of Truth" by Bill Konigsberg
Oprah in this gif is basically the guy in the book trying to figure out if his grandpa is alive or not.
GiphyThis novel is about a kid who goes on a cross-country road trip with his best (and only) friend to find his estranged grandpa who he thinks might be dead. Needless to say, by the time he gets back he has learned way more about himself and the world than he ever thought possible.
9. "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho
I mean, the art is nice.
Okay, to tell the truth, I haven't actually read this book, but it's been on my to-read list for years. It's about a boy who has a prophetic dream about his future and then embarks on a journey to fulfill his destiny. Most people say it's very self-reflective and even life-changing. One day I will stop procrastinating and read it, but until then I'll have to take their word for it.
10. "Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters" by Rick Riordan
Yes, I've used this gif in one of my other articles before, but I just find it SO funny.
Giphy"Percy Jackson" was huge in middle school, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy it now. This one feels the most like summer, in my opinion, because the characters spend 80 percent of the book floating around the ocean trying to save the world from imminent destruction. It just makes you feel so warm!
Stay toasty this winter, and happy reading!
