Top Five Summer Reads of 2018

Ashtyn Britt
abritt@lc.edu

 

   As any book reader knows, this is a hobby that is cool all-year round! It doesn’t matter if you read by a fireplace in winter, or by the beach in the summer. I myself have written many times of my love for books and reviewed plenty that I’ve found wonderful and captivating. So the summer makes no difference in how much I’ve worked out my library card! So I decided to share my top five favorite books I’ve read this summer, to hopefully give my fellow bookworms some suggestions for getting back into the spirit of reading this school year!

 

  1. The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury

This is a story you know well, and yet don’t know at all. We follow Aladdin as he finds a magic lamp in a beautiful and long deserted place, surrounded by riches. The Jinn of this lamp, Zahra, is released into a war where magic is now illegal. However, as if the rules of all Jinn and masters, Zahra allows Aladdin three wishes for her to grant at a price. However, things change as she grows closer to Aladdin, and the king of the Jinn gives her an offer that could allow her freedom. Following Zahra and Aladdin’s story brings a more adult perspective to this story, and is more than deserving of first place on this list.

 

  1. Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli

The sequel for the beloved Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda follows Simon’s good friend Leah as she goes through her senior year and how she keeps a wall up against being hurt by the world around her. It is a riveting tale as we hear Leah commenting on society’s view of bisexuality, fat shaming, and racism and her experiences with each. It also provides a non-perverted view of two women falling in love and is more than everything we could ever want for a sequel. (Including updated information on Simon and Bram’s love story!)

 

  1. Love & War by Melissa de la Cruz

This sequel in the story of Alexander Hamilton and Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton was everything I didn’t know I needed. Melissa de la Cruz creates the magic once more as it explores the early years of Eliza and Alex’s marriage and adjusting to new life post-war and moving to New York City! As a history fan, I loved being able to step back into their world and see even a fictional portrayal exploring how society behaved during the post-revolution era and look forward to the third installment hopefully coming within the next year or two! I highly recommend this book to fellow Hamilton fans everywhere.

 

  1. Fun Home by Alison Bechdel

This graphic novel follows the true tragedy of Alison Bechdel’s life as she comes to terms with not only her sexuality but facing the possibilities of why her father, a closeted gay man, committed suicide only a short time after she comes out. Told through very few colors and a somber tone, this book touches on various relatable issues people have through life and was very insightful to read!

 

  1. Be More Chill by Ned Vizzini

This book is the original material that the play and now hit musical was based off, exploring the story of self-proclaimed loser Jeremy Heere who takes a very special pill. This pill contains a Super Quantum Intel Unit Processor, or SQUIP for short. A Squip helps people to behave and speak a certain way to get what they want, especially to how to be cool. This literal chill pill certainly helps Jeremy change, but not necessarily for the better! Definitely meant for a more mature reader, this does provide quite an entertaining companion piece if you also own the soundtrack for the musical version of this story!

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.