Summer Reads

Hello!! Long time, no post, I know. Summer is in full swing, and while I have been busy busy busy with work, summer classes, and getting things together for Seth and my big move in August (more on that later), I still have been able to find time for my favorite hobby, reading.

I have always been a big reader, and I can think of few things more relaxing and enjoyable on a lazy summer day. I have a hard time choosing favorites, but one of my go-to book genres are those that are soon-to-be recreated for the big screen. I'm a pretty big movie lover, too, so reading a book before it becomes a movie, then seeing the film adaptation is always fun for me. I like to do it the other way around as well, just for comparison, even though the book is almost always better. (In my personal opinion, one of the only films that does successfully outdo it's book counterpart is The Notebook...I am just not a big fan of Nicholas Sparks' writing.)

Here are some books that I have loved over recent years that currently top my must-list:

{1. Ruby Holler by Sharon Creech. 2. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. 3. The Help by Kathryn Stockett. 4. The Time Traveler's Wife  by Audrey Niffenegger. 5. Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling.} 

Since my spring courses have wrapped up, I have finished 6 books, and I am halfway through my 7th. It sounds wild, but I'm actually going pretty slow for my typical pace of one book per week! LOL
Here are my most recent reads:

{1. Psychos: A White Girl Problems Book by Babe Walker. 2. Never Let Me Go by Kazua Ishiguro. 3. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. 4. The Giver by Lois Lowry. 5. Looking for Alaska by John Green. 6. A Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book One by George R.R. Martin.}

Summer is only halfway over, so I plan to finish the Game of Thrones series then move on to some others that have been catching my eye. Here are the upcoming reads that top my Kindle wish list:

{1. Paper Towns by John Green. 2. The Maze Runner by James Dashner. 3. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. 4. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter. 5. Serena by Ron Rash. 6. If I Stay by Gayle Forman. 7. Room by Emma Donoghue. 8. Wonder by R.J. Palacio.}

I personally enjoy reading on a Kindle, my favorite of which is the Kindle Paperwhite which allows you to read in direct sunlight without a glare, but also in poorly lit areas with advanced back light technology. When I am not using the Paperwhite, I also have the original Kindle Fire that is very similar to an iPad and allows me to see colored images and use the internet. And when I resort back to physical copies of books, I always turn to the book-trading website www.PaperbackSwap.com, which allows you to earn credits by trading your old copies of books in order to spend credits on requesting your next read from another user! I love it!

What have you been reading this summer, and what do you intend to pick up next? Any suggestions for an open-minded reading lover?

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!! xoxo