Reading has always been my time to escape. Ever since I opened Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and was consumed by a world of magic, I was hooked. Up until high school, reading was how I spent all my free time. Going into freshman year of high school, I received my first phone. Gradually, time for reading grew less and less as my schedule was filled up with sports, band, musicals, and as many extracurriculars as I could fit into my schedule. Soon, my free time was spent staring at the little screen in my pocket instead of the books I always cherished. I preferred to watch a YouTube video rather than starting one of the many new books in my bookcase. With time, my attention span started to dwindle so that even when I wanted to read a book I could not seem to focus long enough to get into one.
Since then, college has also taken up much of my time. However, throughout my sophomore year, I found myself wanting to create a better schedule for myself that allowed me to do things I loved. One of those things included reading. This summer I set a goal to get back into reading, by revisiting some of my favorites and some new books.
The Lunar Chronicles Series by Marissa Meyer
Cyborgs, androids, fairytale retellings, and Lunar royalty are just a few of the stand-out themes of The Lunar Chronicles. I reread all 4 books to start off the summer, knowing that reading something familiar would help me get back into the habit. Each book is a futuristic fairytale retelling. The first book, Cinder, is a retelling of Cinderella. Scarlet, the second, is based on Little Red Riding Hood. Cress, the third, is based on Rapunzel. The final and fourth book, Winter, is based on Snow White. Each book features its own female protagonist based on the fantasy character and throughout the series, their storylines intertwine into one story. The mix of fairytales and futuristic storytelling allows the reader to delve into a world that is both familiar and brand new.
By rereading this series, I was reminded of why I love reading so much, as I was able to sink into a world that reminded me of my younger self. Instead of wanting to go on TikTok or YouTube after a long day, I instead found myself wanting to read about the heroines in these pages.
Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
The Red, White, and Royal Blue movie was all anyone could talk about last summer, and after hearing many positive things about the movie I took a chance and watched it. I loved it. It was fun, cute, and a bit cliché, but it very much won me over. When I heard it was based off of a book I just had to read it. The book centers around the romance between Prince Henry, Prince of England, and Alex Clermont-Diaz, the son of the President of The United States. The enemies-to-lovers story follows their romance as they navigate a secret relationship, a presidential campaign, and a conservative royal family.
Reading this book was a great way to continue my reading journey, as I was already familiar with the story due to watching the movie. The book and movie have some significant differences in the purpose of the screen. However, I liked the book a lot more than the movie, as the book contained more developed storylines and characters. It was a fantastic summer read that was both light and fun while also touching on deeper topics related to the LGBTQ community.
My Lady Jane by Cynthia hand, Jodi Meadows, and Brodi Ashton
My Lady Jane fell under a similar situation. I first read the novel back in middle school and when I found out that it was becoming a TV series I knew I had to re-read it. Similar to The Lunar Chronicles, I was already familiar with this book, so I knew what I was getting myself into.
The novel follows Lady Jane Grey, her husband Guilford Dudley, and her life if she was not beheaded nine days after becoming queen. The book features a more traditional version of Jane Grey but with the same spirit. The show takes liberties with the storyline, but both versions are worth a read/watch. Featuring a hilarious romance with a hint of fantasy, it’s an easy book to help you get back into reading. It had everything I loved such as small moments between characters that help you see their relationships and moments that give you a peak into history.
IcEBreaker by Hannah Grace
I had been hearing about Icebreaker for a while on BookTok when I finally decided to pick it up on vacation this summer. This spicy romance was a surprisingly fun read that follows college figure skater Anastasia Allen on her path to the Olympics and future NHL player Nathen Hawkins. The book features the classic “hockey boy falls for figure skater trope.” However, it also focuses on ideas surrounding friendship, mental health, and self-discovery.
Icebreaker provided a fluffy easy read that was perfect for summer. It reminded me of how much I love a good romance book. After reading Icebreaker, I headed to my local bookstore to buy a few new romance books!
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Fourth Wing was recommended to me many times over the past year, so when one of my friends gave it to me for my birthday I knew it was a must read. The book had me hooked right away, following Violet Sorrengail, the daughter of a war general who is forced to train to become a dragon rider. In her world, only the strongest become dragon riders and training can be fatal. The constant fear of danger in the book keeps the reader engaged until the very end.
This story was a welcome addition to my summer reading pursuit, as it reminded me what it felt like to never want to put a book down. Fourth Wing was addicting, with its high action and moments of romance. Rather then struggling to put my phone down, I never wanted this book to end.
By reading these books, I have found myself on my phone less and less. Although I still struggle with being on my phone too much, I have now re-found a way to fill my free time. My reading habits have carried over into the school year as I always make sure to carry a book with me. Whenever I spend too much time on my phone, I always feel like I am wasting my time, but when I read, it I know that I am doing something I love.