During the summer, I stayed on campus and worked as an RDA (resident desk assistant) for Res Life at CNU. This campus during the summer is like a whole different world. Hardly anyone is around, and there’s not a whole lot to do. But, I actually loved the dead campus and working at the desk because it gave me the chance to read so many books in my downtime. I read about 16 books this summer, and honestly I enjoyed every one of them. Some of them were just so amazing that they became new favorites.
1. Far From the Tree by Robin Benway
Goodreads rating: 4.32/5
My rating: 5/5
I gave Far From the Tree 5 stars because it made me cry like 100 times. It follows three biological siblings who were all adopted into different families, but find their way back to each other in this novel after being separated their whole lives. Robin Benway’s writing just makes it so easy to become attached to the story; I felt like I really knew her characters personally. The story overall was so emotional and heartbreaking, but it was also heartwarming. I loved it so much that I immediately passed it to one of my coworkers and made her read it, which was the beginning of a very good friendship (we love friendships started by good books!)
2. Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
Goodreads rating: 3.82/5
My rating: 3.5/5
This book follows a Chinese-American family in the 1970s and the turmoil they face after the middle and favorite child, Lydia, is found dead in a lake by their house. Goodreads refers to it as a profoundly moving story of family, secrets, and longing. It also has themes of discrimination and an air of mystery. It was very sad and a little spooky sometimes, but it was also gripping and a really well-written novel.
3. A List of Cages by Robin Roe
Goodreads rating: 4.31/5
My rating: 5/5
A List of Cages was another extremely emotional story. I know, it probably seems like I enjoy making myself cry with my choices in literature. I just really like books with an emotional impact. This one tells the story of Adam, a senior who has a job as assistant to the guidance counselor. He is assigned a task to track down a troubled freshman who keeps dodging meetings with her. The student ends up being Julian, Adam’s once foster brother who he hasn’t seen in over five years. The book follows them as they get to know each other again, and as Adam tries to uncover what is really going on in Julian’s life. It is a really beautiful story of friendship and family, and it absolutely broke my heart! A definite trigger warning for child abuse though–if that is a topic that is unsettling for you I would avoid this one.
4. The Body by Stephen King
Goodreads rating: 4.26/5
My rating: 3.5/5
Stand By Me is one of my favorite old films. I had always wanted to read the book it was adapted from, The Body. Over the summer, Walmart had these super cute editions of a couple different Stephen King stories (I’m such a sucker for a nice cover) and The Body was one of them, so of course I bought it. It’s super short, only 192 pages, and I read it in a day or two. If you’re unfamiliar with the story, it’s about four young boys in 1960 who go on a quest to find a dead body. It follows the boys as they come to terms with death and what it really means to grow up.
4. Dress Codes for Small Towns by Courtney Stevens
Goodreads rating: 3.97/5 (I am surprised by this)
My rating: 5/5
This book follows Billie, a small town preacher’s daughter who is struggling with her sexuality and her image. She and her group of friends (which is one of my favorite friend groups I’ve read in a book ever) start the book off with an accidental church fire and spend the remainder of the story trying to redeem themselves, while also navigating their relationships within the group and outside of it. This is a book that I absolutely loved and I can’t wait to reread, especially considering the majority of it takes place in the fall.
5. Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour and Second Chance Summer, both by Morgan Matson
Goodreads rating: 4.02/5 & 4.16/5
My rating: 5/5 & 4/5
I couldn’t not include both of these books. I read them back to back, and I absolutely adored both of them. They made Morgan Matson a new favorite author of mine. Amy & Roger’s is about a girl, Amy, whose dad dies in a car accident and whose mom moves across country. Her mom asks a son of a friend of the family, Roger, to drive her and the family car across the country when Amy gets out of school for the summer. Their road trip is a super cute adventure and was just such a fun summer read. Second Chance Summer is about a family spending their last summer all together at their house when they find out the dad has terminal cancer. Both stories made me laugh and cry (literally) and they are both such good stories of family, grief and righting your wrongs. I genuinely loved them both with my whole heart!!!
As you can see I definitely read a lot of Young Adult lit this summer, but all of these books were so good and much deeper than they may seem on the surface. I 100% recommend all of them!!!!