Ah, summer. My least favorite part of the year :P It's great for reading, but without a massive school agenda to put behind me, I don't really get extra reading time this year?
And to clarify, by "read over the summer" I mean complete between June 1 and September 1. These are in order of priority.
Where the Woods Grow Wild by Nate Philbrick
I started this a few weeks ago and I love it, but I kind of ran out of time. So I'm determined to finish this one over the summer and leave 5 star reviews everywhere :D
The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson
I began this one I don't know how long ago and ran out of time to finish it before it was due back to our library. I'm not sure I've been to our library since, so I hope to complete it soon!
Doctor Ox's Experiment by Jules Verne
For starters, I'm pretty sure I've never read anything by Jules Verne. Also, my dad wants me to read this so we can discuss it and it's been almost two years and I still haven't. Hehe. It's a short story, so I'm sure I can manage it. This one's really just priority because of my extreme procrastination.
This Present Darkness by Frank E. Peretti
I have the chance to hear him speak this year at the Oregon Christian Writer's Conference, so I figure I'd better read his most famous book before I go :) I think we own this one. Hopefully? Besides, I've heard a friend's books compared to his, so I'm sure it will be interesting.
Pearl In the Sand by Tessa Afshar
She, too, will be at the conference. This one is on Rahab which interest me, and I know our library has it. But it'd be really great if I could purchase a copy and get it signed while I'm there.
Some Kind of Happiness by Clare Legrand
I have heard this book is amazing from allll my trustworthy online resources (you know who you are), so I bought it :D I ... have no idea what it's about, although I'm sure I read the synopsis at one point. I can't wait to see what the hype among my friends is about :)
Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations by Alex + Brett Harris
It would be a crime to not fit this one in while I'm a teenager. And time is growing short!! Nah, I still have 14.5 months. All of my friends have adored this book, so I'm sure someone local has it if my library fails me again, and I know it will be worth the read.
DIY MFA by Gabriela Pereira
Spelled out, that means a do-it-yourself Master of Fine Arts. Not that an entire lifetime of education can be summed up in a single book, but my nonexistent college life? Yeah, maybe so. I'm looking forward to not spending four years on this one.
The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis
We own most of his books, but apparently I hadn't read the descriptions for most of them? Because the synopsis for this one totally surprised me. I always enjoy his books and would love to squeeze another one in this summer.
I will read One Thousand Gifts, Tarzan of the Apes, and something by Jill Williamson (because she will be at the conference as well) if I have ample time. Or who knows. Something may strike me in the moment and you'll hear about it on Goodreads.
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I can totally read nine books. (Honestly, it's more like eight, because it's seven whole and two halves.) This is going to be a craaaazy summer but we're shaking it up a little! What's on your summer TBR?
Today is the LAST day to sign up as a beta reader for Andora's Folly! Join the other 19 peeps who've signed up :D (If you're one of those 19, check your e-mail!)
Ahhhh This Present Darkness. I've heard about that! That's so cool that you'll get to hear the author speak!! :D And also, Some Kind of Happiness - I really need to read that book ... *nods to self and wanders off to add more books to my massive TBR* And the main books I want to read this summer are Paperboy by Vince Vawter, A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, (I know - I'm way behind on all these classics) and The Scarlet Letter (for school) by Nathaniel Hawthorne. I also have some pleasure books (City of Orphans by Avi and How to Catch a Boggle by Catherine Jinks) but I'm soooo busy this summer I have no idea how my reading will go XP Especially with the novel I'm planning to write in July! WE'LL SEE HOW IT GOES. Best of luck to both of us ;)
ReplyDeleteOooh A Tale of Two Cities is good. I remember having a hard time getting into it, but the ending makes it all worth it. It was for school. The picture Dickens paints of society in that one was a little more chilling to me since it's the French Revolution. I want to read Sense and Sensibility, too! I need to read more Austen, and both my parents liked that one. You need to watch the film versions once you're done. The one with Emma Thompson and the one with Hattie Morahan are both excellent. <3 I haven't ever gotten around to The Scarlet Letter.
DeleteAaaand, I haven't heard of those other books. *looks them up*
I know, I kept narrowing that list down because I know I won't have much time!! :P I thought about starting a new project in July but I may need to just keep moving forward with my Martin Crossroads, so we'll see. Yes, best of luck ;D
Currently, my summer TBR consists of:
ReplyDelete-The Iliad by Homer because I borrowed it from a friend and I should get it back to him soon.
-Unwholly by Neal Shusterman because I'm in the middle of it and I love it.
-The Fever Code by James Dashner because I need to finish the maze runner series.
I'll probably also read the next Unwind book which I think is Unsouled...this series is super cool and creepy and amazing. 😜
I'm curious to see what you think of The Iliad. I enjoy ancient Greece so it was fine, but it didn't blow my mind. Most people either love or hate it, though ;) I'm really glad I've read it, though.
DeleteI know what Maze Runner is, but haven't ever read them. I'll have to look up those other ones! :D
Yeah, I actually just finished Unwholly today, so I'm probably gonna start The Iliad soon. I'll let you know what I think. :)
DeleteDo you follow Aimee Meester's blog, "To The Barricade!"? If so, know that she's the reason I got intrigued enough to research Unwind and get the books lol. So it's her fault I fell in love with Neal Shusterman's writing.
Out of all those books I've only read Do Hard Things- IT WAS GREAT.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping to read The Great Divorce someday soon.
Oh good! So many of my friends love it, and I enjoy having a takeaway from books like that :)
DeleteWe should read it together ;) Remind me and I'll let you know through Hangouts when I'm thinking about starting it :D
Daaaarn I've only read one book on this list? #oops BUT IF YOU LIKE DO HARD THINGS then you definitely need to also read This Changes Everything by Jaquelle Crowe. *nods* It's a kinda similar idea only more focused on the Gospel and how it transforms the teen years.
ReplyDeleteAlso, WE'RE GOING TO THE SAME CONFERENCE I'M PRETTY SURE. *flails* I would say I'll bring my copy of Martin Hospitality for you to sign... but it's already signed. XD
Dude, you should just get it signed again. You know how much that copy could be worth someday if it was signed TWICE?!? 😱
DeleteJonathan, you and Abi are going to the same writer's conference? I wish I could go! I really want to meet both of you!!!
DeleteFor shame -_- Just kidding, you're good. Ah, I know that one's on my TBR, too!! I just know friends who have Do Hard Things, so ... yeah ;) I did add This Changes Everything on Goodreads, though :D
DeleteARE YOU SERIOUS? That would make me so happy. Eliza, you should coooome! It's in Portland in August ;) And yes, I'll totally sign it twice haha XD
I'm not going, I was merely suggesting that Jonathon get his book signed twice lol
DeleteI WANNA GO SO BAD. But right now there's like a 2% chance I'll go cuz money and transportation and stuff xD
DeleteOh Eliza, 2% is so pathetic lol....xD
DeleteOKAY WAIT NO FALSE ALARM. XD I thought you were going to a different one that Jill Williamson is also at- bc confession: I actually only scanned this post instead of reading the whole thing so I didn't get the name of the conference. #oops Are you also going to Realm Makers though? THAT'S THE ONE I'M GOING TO LOL.
DeleteLol, that's great. 😂 But honestly, like I don't even understand people who just skim posts instead of actually reading them. Like, are we really THAT predictable/boring? Lol
DeleteI know it's pathetic, Musicgirl xD
Delete😂😂
DeleteYES!! The Great Divorce is there! I'm so happy! You'll have to let me know what you think of it for sure.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I'm so jealous you get to see Frank Perretti speak, I've loved his stuff for forever. That's awesome.
Haha :D I will definitely let you know what I think! Oh and we do own Lewis's space trilogy, so I'll have to get to that too before long!
DeleteI know, I'm excited. I've heard his name for forever even though I've never actually read him :P You're totally welcome to come to the conference in August, but I'm guessing your wedding is taking priority ;)
Ooh, even better. Hardly anyone has read those books so it's so nice to find someone to discuss them with.
DeleteI have read some of his things, he writes for various age groups. He used to have a radio show for young kids about Bible stories which I liked, he has some mysteries for teens and his adult stuff is really dark, horror-y stuff. But he's a very good writer and seems like a very nice man. Haha, I would LOVE to do that, maybe next year?
Those Space Trilogies are INCREDIBLE. I still remember the repercussions after I finished the last book. Ahh they were really good.
DeleteAnd I'll have to look Frank Perretti up...any recommendations from him?
I hear This Present Darkness is Peretti's most famous ;)
DeleteI haven't read a single one of those books. 😶 They all look really good, though! And, um, HOW DID I NOT KNW ABOUT BETA READER SIGNUP. *smacks forehead* Knowing me, I probably forgot.
ReplyDelete*know* And Abigayle, I didn't see that your post was released yesterday until a few minutes ago, since it was emailed to me this morning! I tried to sign up for beta reading anyway. I hope that's okay! (And I hope that made sense...)
DeleteYes, that's totally fine! Odd that it didn't email it to you until today :/ But yes that's totally fine. I was still accepting responses on the form, so you're good. I'll add you to the document right now! :D
DeleteThat's weird cause I believe I got your email for this post the day after it was posted too.... Lol
DeleteI haven't read any of these books, but This Present Darkness has been on my TBR forever! I really need to read it. My major TBRs for this summer include (but are not limited to, lol):
ReplyDelete~Exiles, Jaye L. Knight
~Wings of the Wind, Connilyn Cossette
~Andora's Folly, You ;)
~The Remnant, LaHaye and Jenkins
~This Present Darkness, Paretti
~DragonKnight, Donita K. Paul
~Eye of the Oracle, Bryan Davis
~The Kingdom, Bryan M. Litfin
And that's probably everything. I'm also hoping to stat on a reread of the Blades of Acktar . . . and I'll probably think up a few more. We'll see what I can accomplish! :)
Yay Andora, haha XP
DeleteI haven't heard of those last three! I need to read some books by Jaye L. Knight for sure. I hear so many good things about her and she's super nice. Same with Tricia's Blades of Acktar. So ... yeah. I could always read more but I kinda doubt that will happen XD
Best of luck to you :D
If I could only have read one book series in my entire life, I would have picked the Blades of Acktar. You must read those! :)
DeleteThanks! And to you!
Out of all those books I've only read one... Do Hard Things and its really good! But I feel like a lot of things included are things you already know and believe but its always great for encouragement so ding ding, read it. It's good. :)
ReplyDeleteAwesome!! I'll have to go borrow it from my friend ;)
DeleteWow, of all those books, I haven't read a single one. :P But, I have about half of those shelved on Goodreads. I don't have a TBR for this summer though because I work at an overnight summer camp. So I'll be reeally busy for like 8 weeks. Right now I don't even know how much writing time I'll have during that time. I hope you get to read all of these this summer! :)
ReplyDeleteHehe, that's all right! Wow, you are busy! I did really well at first, but I need to get back to reading! I'm so horrible at being consistent right now :P Thanks!
DeleteI also want to read Nate's book. Hopefully this year or next year!
ReplyDeleteYes! I've made it further, and it's really good ;) I think you'd like it!
Delete