As soon as I closed my laptop on my last final exam of the Spring semester, I immediately began reading again. It was like something clicked in my brain that school was finally over and I could actually read for fun again whenever I wanted. And so here we are, only a little under four months later, and with ten whole books under my belt, I am feeling like a brand new person. As I was thinking about what to write for my first article back, I knew I should share my (brief) thoughts on everything I read, in hopes someone is inspired to pick up a book too!
Books 1-3: The Shadow & Bone series by Leigh Bardugo
To begin my summer, I read the YA series Shadow & Bone, which consisted of 3 books (Shadow & Bone, Siege & Storm, Ruin & Rising) . I managed to read these books within 3 weeks because they were just THAT good. These stories take place in the Grishaverse world of Ravka and follows the main character Alina Starkov as she goes from a mapmaker of the First Army to a girl who can summon the sun and light. I don’t want to give too much away, but the entire series is worth a read, no matter how old you are. The story is gripping and whimsical, yet also had strong messages of love and friendship, and I couldn’t put down any of the books until I knew what would happen in the end. The ending of the series was beautifully thought out and the author Leigh Bardugo masterfully put together a beautiful story. If reading isn’t exactly your thing, definitely check out the Netflix series based on the books! The cast did a wonderful job telling the story, and there were even a few cameos of Bardugo’s other characters from the Grishaverse.
Books 4 & 5: The Six of Crows series by Leigh Bardugo
After I finished the Shadow & Bone series, I immediately bought copies of Six of Crows and its sequel Crooked Kingdom. It literally has become my favorite series of all time and genuinely changed how my summer turned out. This series takes place in the same universe as Shadow & Bone, but in the city of Ketterdam. The story follows Kaz Brekkar, a gang leader (stay with me, I promise it’s a good story), and his five friends on a heist to steal something valuable for a huge sum of money. I can’t even describe how good this book series is and this explanation barely did it any justice. Each of the chapters follows a different character (the Jesper chapters were personally my favorite), and they are all given such heartbreakingly sad backstories and such amazing character growth that it did, indeed, make me cry. The heist scenes were intense and action-packed to the point where I couldn’t put the book down. The second book, Crooked Kingdom, has become my favorite book of all time simply because I felt every single emotion while reading it. Even though there weren’t any (major) heists in this one, I grew so emotionally attached to these characters that I had to rewatch the Netflix show after finishing to see them again. I implore each and everyone of you to read these books immediately. They are just so good.
Books 6 & 7: The King of Scars series by Leigh Bardugo
Okay, okay let me explain this. You may be wondering why I decided to read SEVEN BOOKS by the same author, not to mention why I did this all within two months (I am not kidding, I literally read Bardugo’s entire Grishaverse series from May to July), but when you become THAT invested in something, you just can’t stop. These two books are the last in the series, as of this date, but Bardugo is working on another book so the stories aren’t over quite yet. This series takes place in Ravka again with a character I won’t name because spoilers (duh!). However, old and new faces are brought together, and as a hardcore fan of this universe, it was very enjoyable to read. If I am being honest, King of Scars was my least favorite of all seven books, but its sequel Rule of Wolves was my third favorite.
Book 8: Radio Silence by Alice Oseman
After I read nonstop fantasy books for two months straight, I needed to switch it up and read something more contemporary, and this book was a PERFECT change of scenery. This book follows our main characters Frances and Aled as they co-work on a podcast all while trying to figure out who they are and who they want to be. I wish I knew about this book when I was a senior in high school because many of the topics in the book resonated with my past experiences. I believe this book is something everyone ages 18 to 20 needs to read simply because of that idea of growing up and discovering what you want your impact on this world to be.
Book 9: One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
Next stop on my reading journey this summer was a cheesy and fun romance novel! This book follows August, a 23-year-old woman who just moved to the big city trying to figure out what she wants to do as she finishes up college. On the subway to her class, she meets Jane, who actually ends up being a woman stuck on the same line since the 1970s. This book has everything you would want in a contemporary romance novel, including a found family trope, a whole cast of unique and crazy characters, and even a heist. There is also that element of fantasy and science fiction, so it satisfies any literary cravings one may have!
Book 10: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
The final book I read before the semester began was The Song of Achilles (book all the way on the left) which, if anyone is on the book side of TikTok, you would know is very VERY popular. Everyone has read it and raved about it, and even though I am not the most knowledgeable on Greek mythology, I decided to see what the hype was all about. Honestly, this book was good but not to the point where I was going to name my first born after a character. Nonetheless, it was a good heartbreaking read to end my summer with. This story follows the Greek character Patroclus from the time he was a kid when he met his lifelong partner Achilles all the way to the Trojan war where, if you aren’t familiar with the original story of Achilles, tragedy strikes. Yes, I did cry while I read this book, but it was totally worth it.
I hope these small book reviews inspire you to pick up a new book and read something! Especially since school is mainly just looking at a screen all day, it can be nice to have a break from the electronics and to sit down with a good old book!
HCXO,
Bri