Summer reading. The two simple words that always seem to put a damper on your summer. As if putting up with the required curriculum during the school year isn’t enough, teachers feel the need to let it follow us on our vacation as well. But don’t let the negative connotations of summer reading ruin the reputation of whole idea itself. In fact, with all the extra free time vacation allows, summer’s the perfect time for you to pick up a book. Drops of Ink has taken the liberty of putting together a list of summer must-reads—everything from thrillers and mysteries to fantasies and romance. So kick back, grab a lounge chair and an ice-cold drink, and dive into one of these great books.
"The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak
"The Book Thief" tells the story of a young girl growing up with her new foster family in Nazi Germany. The novel is told through the eyes of Death, who finds himself curiously drawn to the main character, Liesel Meminger. As Liesel continues to grow throughout the book, she takes on several testing experiences such as keeping a hideaway Jew in her basement and surviving through the effects WWII places on her small community.
"Running with Scissors" by Augusten Burroughs
Son of a violent alcoholic and a mentally unstable poet, Burroughs recalls his colorful childhood. At twelve, Burroughs’ bipolar mother decided she could not handle the emotional stress of raising her son and sent him to live with her equally insane psychiatrist, Dr. Finch. There, Burroughs lived in squalor with Finches’ many children, dropped out of school in the sixth grade, and enjoyed living as he pleased. Burroughs’ humor lightens the dark aspect of his childhood and makes this memoir a hysterical read.
"The Last Song" by Nicholas Sparks
If you’re a Nicholas Sparks fan at all, then this is a definite must-read. And more importantly, if you could sit through Miley Cyrus’s terrible acting in the movie, then you’ll absolutely love the book. This teenage love story between Will and Ronnie guarantees goose bumps and a lot of tears, but if you can handle them, it’s definitely worth it. With an adorable, romantic plot and a huge twist, you won’t want to put down this page turner.
"King of Torts" by John Grisham
Clay Carter is a low end, low paid lawyer working in a Public Defender’s Office in Washington D.C. To his dismay, he is given the case of Tequila Watson, a man that randomly killed another man. What seems like a typical killing on the streets of D.C turns into a gigantic conspiracy being fueled by large scale Pharmaceutical companies. With the help of a suspicious man using the alias of Max Pace, Carter works to crack the case, launching himself into fame and fortune. Like John Grisham’s other books, King of Torts is not a fast paced thriller, but as the plot thickens, it becomes more and more gripping.
"Change of Heart" by Jodi Picoult
From the same author as My Sister’s Keeper comes a story of a man on death row named Shay Bourne. With the blood of a police officer and the officer’s child on his hands, Shay stays in his cell awaiting capitol punishment. The story unfolds from five different points of view: a priest, a lawyer, the widowed mother, Shay, and a gay prison inmate. Seeing the story from everyone else’s point of view only helps you to understand Shay more, and soon you’ll see why Shay will fight so hard to donate his heart to the sister of the girl he was put in jail for murdering.
"The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky
"The Perks of Being a Wallflower" shares the life of a troubled teenager named Charlie. Written through a series of letters to an unknown “friend”, Charlie explains his freshman year of high school and the problems he encounters. Often referring to himself as an outcast, Charlie finds it difficult to open up to people until he befriends senior stepsiblings Samantha and Patrick, who welcome Charlie into a world of trouble. This coming of age novel discusses the effect a person can have on another’s life and the challenges of truly accepting oneself.
"Ishmael" by Daniel Quinn
In this imaginative novel, a man engages in a telepathic dialogue with a gorilla named Ishmael. Ishmael convinces the man that humankind’s place as the pinnacle of evolution is a myth. Ishmael shares an interesting take on mythology, human supremacy, modern society and nature in this philosophical read. Those desiring action and suspense could be disappointed. Ishmael is the perfect novel for one who enjoys thinking.
"Cat’s Cradle" by Kurt Vonnegut
If you enjoy dysfunctional families, island paradises and arms dealers, this might be the book for you. Set in the years following the atomic bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, Cats Cradle takes you into the life of one of the men who helped create the atomic bomb, Felix Hoenikker, and his three kids. Cat’s Cradle is a book full of irony, sarcasm and the occasional profanity, and will entertain pretty much everyone who picks it up who has a sense of humor.
"The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams
In The Hitchhiker’s Guide, Arthur Dent and a girl he once met at a party are the only survivors of Earth’s destruction, which has been destroyed to make room for a hyperspatial expressway. This kind of dry, nonsensical humor is the book’s trademark as Arthur explores the colorful, bustling galaxy he never knew about with a rag tag band of friends including the President of the Galaxy and a depressed robot. Filled with strange alien races, entertaining dialogue, and absolutely absurd circumstances, The Hitchhiker’s Guide never fails to amuse. And if you really like it, Adams wrote 4 more books in the series which, although lengthy, are equally hilarious.
"Pretty Little Liars" by Sara Shepard
Alison, Emily, Spencer, Aria and Hannah were the best of friends—until Alison went missing. Three years later, the four girls had moved Alison into the background when the mystery of her disappearance resurfaces. The girls begin to get menacing text messages from someone who calls themself “A.” When “A” threatens to ruin their perfect lives with the secrets of their pasts, the girls know they must act and find out who is behind the messages—and their best friend’s murder.
"Misery" by Stephen King
Famous fiction writer Paul Sheldon is driving home when he accidently drives off a snowy cliff. He is rescued by former nurse and his “number one fan”, Annie Wilkes, who vows to nurse him back to health. Sheldon begins to suspect Annie’s true intentions after he finds clues that reveal Annie’s mysterious and murderous past. Misery is not for the faint of heart; it contains a lot of violence and suspense. But if you’re looking for a story that will both thrill and chill, Misery is the book for you.
"In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote
An all-American family in Holcomb Kansas is inexplicably murdered in 1959—and the killers have left virtually no clues. In Cold Blood chronicles the true story of two murderers attempting to evade the authorities and their own guilty consciences. Capote explores the lives of the victims and the town’s reaction to the murders, as well as the complex workings of the killer’s minds. It is widely considered to be the first nonfiction novel and a pioneer in the true crime genre.
"Sword of the Templars" by Paul Christopher
“The Sword of the Templars” is a historical fiction novel in which Army Ranger Lt. Col. turned teacher John Holliday is put in charge of his uncle’s house after his uncle (an avid historical artifact collector) passes away. While rummaging around, Holliday discovers an ancient medieval sword wrapped in Adolf Hitler’s personal battle standard. Holliday is thus drafted into a war that has been going on for hundreds of years. Holliday is forced to uncover the past and decipher a code his uncle left behind that will uncover not only more about the enigmatic warriors, the Knights Templar, but also the secret of the sword itself.
"The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins
"The Hunger Games" is a teenage thriller. The impossible-to-put-down trilogy is set in a future America where an oppressing Capitol city rules 12 districts. District 13 tried to overthrow the government, and was then destroyed. Now, each capitol has to send one boy and one girl to the district each year for the Hunger Games. These 24 kids have to fight to the death—all the while being displayed on live TV, just to remind the districts who’s in charge.
"Looking for Alaska" by John Green
John Green’s book, “Looking for Alaska” is a complicated novel about belonging and finding oneself. Pudge is a Florida teenager bored with his life, living in the labyrinth. Desperate for a change of scenery, he transfers to a boarding school in Alabama where he meets Alaska Young, a girl he can’t quite figure out. The book is about Pudge’s journey, Alaska’s secrets and the challenge and journey of finding oneself.
photo by D. Humen