Last spring, I outlined the books I was most excited to read over the summer. Typically, I try to read at least one book a month, but with a demanding school schedule, this is not always ideal for me. I was beyond excited when I knew I would have several weeks to catch up on my to-be-read list. While I did not stick to my spring list exactly, I did end up reading three books and wanted to share these reviews nonetheless.
- Atomic Habits by James Clear: 5 stars
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I’m going to be honest, when I used to think of self-help books, I would get a bad taste in my mouth. However, once I was introduced to the world of personal development and growth, I can truly say that my perspective was changed. That is why I had to give this book a 5-star review, which is reserved for books that I feel have truly impacted my life forever. This book is a great starting point for anyone who has goals they would like to accomplish, but may not know where to start. As a science-lover, I enjoyed how Clear integrated biology, psychology, neurology and other scientific principles to explain the basis behind how we form habits. Especially as a college student, it can be easy to think of the big picture and ignore how the small choices we make each and every day can set the trajectory toward our successes. This book served as a reminder to have grace with myself, and to focus more on life trajectory rather than current life position, as large goals typically take time and consistency to accomplish.
- People We Meet On Vacation by Emily Henry: 4 stars
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If there is one thing I love, it is a good slow burn. This book was the slowest of slow burns I have read to this point, and I can confidently say that it met all of the friends-to-lovers expectations I had going in. For this reason, I gave the novel a 4-star review, which I reserve for books that I thoroughly enjoyed reading, and that I believe to be above average. While not everyone’s cup of tea, I enjoyed the quirky, bubbly and frankly weird personality of the protagonist, Poppy. We were taken along a 12 year journey of friendship and “what-ifs,” which made it all the more satisfying when the main characters finally realized they were in love. After all, doesn’t everyone claim that they want to end up falling in love with their best friend? Another thing about me is that I am a complete sucker for happy endings. I don’t care how predictable or how cheesy, as long as I am given a happy ending to the story. While maybe not as deep as some romance readers may be looking for, this cute novel was my most fun read of the summer.
- Beach Read by Emily Henry: 4 stars
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Okay, so I know that in my spring article, I mentioned that Circe by Madeline Miller was going to be the third book I planned to read over the summer. However, after reading People We Meet On Vacation, Emily Henry developed a chokehold on my reading habits, making it impossible not to immediately dive into her other work. Similar to People We Meet On Vacation, this was yet another slow burn, but this time it fulfilled the enemies-to-lovers trope (which is one of my personal favorites). A hopeless romantic at heart, the protagonist January was one I could relate heavily to, and let’s be honest: haven’t we all had a dark, mysterious Gus we have been interested in? I appreciated that this novel spent more time developing the complexities of life that have the power to impact our relationships (e.g., the death of January’s father and Gus’ history of divorce), but remained true to its light-hearted, YA-esque nature. Another cute read, it is safe to say that Emily Henry did not disappoint, and she has quickly turned into one of my favorite romance authors.
So, what’s next on my list? If it wasn’t made obvious, the two genres I am loving right now are personal development and romance. That being said, I do enjoy a good fiction book, so Circe is still near the top of my list, especially considering I went through a major Greek mythology phase as a child. Apart from that, I am currently reading The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth: Live Them and Reach Your Potential by John Maxwell, and Book Lovers by none other than Emily Henry. As a book lover myself, I have always enjoyed seeing what others are reading, so I wanted to return the favor to my fellow bookworms.