There is something about summer that makes me want to get lost in a good book or two, or three. I love lying by the pool or beach with a great story. Most of the movies and television shows we watch today started as books (The Help, Water for Elephants, and Gossip Girl are recent examples). Below are my top five books and/or series to read over this summer. They may not be brand new, but they are fun, well-written reads that are sure to leave you smiling.
Meg Cabot, best known for writing the Princess Diaries series, never fails to entertain me with her witty and realistic characters that make you feel like they are your best friends. The Queen of Babble trilogy which also includes Queen of Babble in the Big City and Queen of Babble Gets Hitched, is one of my favorite series of hers. The story begins right when Lizzie Nichols, the main character, graduates college with a degree in History of Fashion. She has an uncertain future ahead of her, and most of that is due to her biggest problem- her inability to keep her mouth shut. You will adore Lizzie and all her friends and enjoy her journey as she figures out how to get herself out of problems she started. These books will definitely leave you laughing and wanting more!
Table of Contents
Star Island
Written by the popular Floridian author Carl Hiaasen, Star Island is a satirical novel about the relationship between the paparazzi and stars. The story follows numerous intriguing characters and how they all come together when a pop star’s stand-in is kidnapped. This is the first book of Hiaasen’s that I have read and was very pleased. His unique character back-stories had me cracking up and wondering with great interest where the plot was headed. Since the story mostly takes place in Florida, it’s a great summer time read!
Confessions of a Shopaholic Series
Many of you have already heard of this book when the movie came out a couple of years ago, but I recently fell in love with the other Shopaholic books in the series. The Confessions of a Shopaholic series is written by the pen name Sophie Kinsella (the author’s real name is Madeleine Wickham) and includes six different books. I recently finished Shopaholic and Sister and can’t wait to read the rest of the series. I think many of us fashionistas can identify with Becky and her insatiable love of shopping. Do yourself a favor and read the rest of the Shopaholic series. You’ll be glad you did!
The Host
I must admit, I was not at all interested in reading this novel. I loved the Twilight Series that Stephenie Meyer authored, but the premise of The Host sounded just too weird to me. Aliens that take over the world and our bodies is usually not my kind of reading. The only reason I read this story was because it was one of the only books-on-CD options at the library and I needed to listen to a book while on my long commute to work. As I listened, I gradually became more interested in the plot and definitely loved the characters. I enjoyed the story so much, I went and bought the book after I returned the CD to the library! Although the plot is a little weird, you’ll fall in love with the characters (even the aliens) and remember what it is like to be human. The movie is coming out in March, so read it now!
The Hunger Games
I think everyone has heard of The Hunger Games series ever since the movie came out a few month ago. If you saw the movie, great, but if you haven’t read the books, you are really missing out. The heroine is one of the strongest I’ve seen in literature and the concepts will make you think about humanity. Of course, there is also a great love triangle. The Hunger Games trilogy is a wonderful piece of literature and will become a classic. It’s one of the best books I’ve ever read.
What are you reading this summer?
