Summer is an amazing time for teachers to catch up on all of the books they want to read but can’t seem to find the time for during the school year! Reading is one of my favorite hobbies and there are so many books I wish I could get to. Between lesson planning, my business, and my family, it can easily fall down my list of priorities.
If you ever look at my book ratings, you will notice that very few books are listed at less than 3 stars. In fact, the majority of my books are 4-5 star books! I am the type of person who will happily set a book down that just isn’t doing it for me. My husband likes to commit and finish books even when he is not enjoying them, but I find that, for me, reading something I dislike is a quick way to get into a reading slump. Besides, there are far too many amazing, wonderful stories out there for me to waste time on books that I’m not loving.
You will notice that a couple of these are books or series I have already started. I have a confession: I have commitment issues with books. I tend to read the first book in a series and, even if I’m loving it, completely abandon it. I don’t know if it’s because I have already spent time with those characters and worlds, or because I am just too distracted by the other story possibilities, but I have so many series that I need to finish…and this summer I’m determined to do it.
Mistborn Series
This series by Brandon Sanderson is a high fantasy set in a world in which an orphaned girl is taken under the wings of a rebel as they try to take down the ruler that has brought darkness and evil to the empire. I actually read the first book and LOVED it, but I would like to reread it this summer so I can continue on with the series.
I truly fell in love with these well-developed characters! I went back and forth between listening to the audiobook and reading the kindle version of the book and enjoyed both formats. This is a complex world, but is easy to become invested in the lives of these characters and the fate of their world.
Orphan Train
Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres to read. While history was one of my weaker subjects in school, I love to read books set in specific periods in time, particularly World War II.
“Orphan Train,” by Christina Baker Kline, follows Vivian, a 91-year-old woman who recounts her life as an Irish immigrant who was orphaned in New York City and placed on a train that took children to the Midwest in hopes of being taken in.
While I don’t know much about this book, it has a rating of 4.16/5 with almost 330,000 reviews, so I think it will be a great read.
Where the Crawdads Sing
This book, written by Delia Owens, is set in North Carolina in 1969. The story follows 10-year-old Kya Clark, a girl who is uneducated and considered wild by the town near the marsh in which she lives.
This is another book that I don’t know much about, but I am typically okay with not knowing much about the books I read as long as they have generally good ratings on Goodreads or are recommended by a friend. This was one of Reese’s Book Club of the Month books, and has a 4.5/5 rating on Goodreads, so I am sure that it will be a beautiful read.
City of Brass
Written by S. A. Chakraborty, “City of Brass” follows Nahri, a con artist in 18th century Cairo, who doesn’t believe in magic- that is, until she accidentally summons a djinn. The warrior takes Nahri to the city of Daevabad, a city that she is unknowingly tied to.
I actually won this book in a Goodreads giveaway, and have been excited to read it ever since. However, I have started listening to this book twice and haven’t made it very far either time because it was returned to the library before I could get too far. I finally used a credit on Audible to get the book, so I plan on going back and forth between listening and reading the physical copy.
Morning Star
The Red Rising Saga, by Pierce Brown, is a Science Fiction series that I have started but have not yet finished. I told you, I have commitment issues when it comes to books. This is the final book in the original series (there are actually going to be six books total, but I’ve heard that books 4-6 take place later in the main character’s life) and I actually got about half way through before the kindle version got returned to the library. I thoroughly enjoyed what I read, so I am looking forward to getting closure.
This saga follows Darrow, a man who is in the bottom class of people in his society. He is thrust into a revolution set on destroying this class system, and plays the game of politics to help move the revolution forward to make life better for his people. The books are fast paced and exciting- Brown writes fantastic fight scenes! I need to read a summary of the second book and then start the book from the beginning again as a refresh, but I plan on finishing the book this summer!
What were your thoughts on any of these books? What books are you planning on reading this summer? What are some of your favorite fiction books?
