The semester is coming to a close, and while that means being swamped by final projects, papers, and studying for exams, it also means that summer is right around the corner. With summer comes much more free time to do things that you want to do. Catch up on all those shows you’ve been dying to watch, go see that summer blockbuster, visit all those places that you haven’t had time to go to. Another great thing to do with your newly found free time is to get into a good book. While reading may not seem like the most exciting summer activity, and reading burnout after a school year filled with required readings is real, finding a good book can spark a new love for reading. Here are some books that will help you fill up your summer days, and hopefully get you excited about reading again.
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If you’re a lover of fantasy than you must check out “The Name of the Wind” by Patrick Rothfuss. This is the beginning of a trilogy called the “King Killer Chronicles”, and it will definitely get you hooked into wanting to read the rest. It is set in a fantasy world and follows Kvothe as he tells his life story, going from a young boy to a legendary figure who is revered and hated by many. This book doesn’t follow a typical story structure and does not have a distinct plot, but don’t let that discourage you. Kvothe’s character is an extremely realistic person, and the fun of the book comes from reading about his misadventures as he tries to pay for magic school, woo the girl he likes, or find an inn that will let him play his lute. This book will keep you entertained as you wait for next semester to start again, but just a warning this is quite a long book, and the sequels get even longer, so it may not be for the faint of heart.
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Maybe fantasy’s not your thing, or maybe you’re just looking for a light summer read. If that’s the case then “This Adventure Ends” by Emma Mills may interest you. This book is about Sloane, a senior in high school who moves from New York to a small coastal town in Florida. Sloane is a headstrong and antisocial person who thinks that she doesn’t need anyone. This changes as she makes friends with a pair of twins at her new school and gets wrapped up in helping them find an important painting. This coming of age story deals with making new friends, adapting to a whole new environment, and learning how to recognize the flaws in yourself and grow as a person. “This Adventure Ends” is a fairly quick read that will leave you feeling good inside and eternally thankful for the good friends you have. If you like coming of age stories and modern day settings than definitely check out this book.
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Another book to check out is “Kafta on the Shore” by Haruki Murakami. This book was originally written in Japanese and translated into English around 2005. Murakami is well known for his interesting approach to storytelling and his fantastical writing. “Kafta on the Shore” revolves around a group of different characters and the seemly unconnected stories that they are following. A few of the characters are a teenage boy named Kafta Tamura, who runs away from home in an attempt to escape a gruesome prophecy, Nakata, a kind elderly man who can talk to cats, and a young kindergarten teacher who has a very strange day a work. This is a beautifully written book that explores themes and situations that are often seen as much in Western writing. While it can be a bit confusing starting out since it not only jumps between different characters but different times as well, seeing everything come together is worth it. If you are interested in Japanese literature, or you like books that confuse you and make you think then pick up “Kafta on the Shore” on your next trip to the library or bookstore.
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If you like aliens, comedy, romance, or questioning what it means to be human, then look no further than Matt Haig’s “The Humans”. This book is about an alien from an extremely advanced society who is sent to earth to destroy an Oxford professor’s work on answering a math equation. The hard part is, he has to do it disguised as Professor Andrew Martin, the man who answered the equation. The alien Andrew learns what it means to be a human as he interacts with his family, coworkers, and all the strange things that make up our planet. Since the story is told through the perspective of an alien we get to experience all the mundane things in life through a new lens and learn to have a better appreciation for them. “The Humans” is a funny and heartwarming look into all aspects of human life, the pleasant and unpleasant. If you’re looking for a more lighthearted feelgood book, that also delves deep into human nature than make sure to add “The Humans” to your summer TBR.