Summer Reading List

Hello darlings!

It has been a minute since I have produced content for my YouTube channel. If you have been on this journey with me for a little while, you probably know that my channel used to be filled to the brim with content about books! Keeping it real: the hiatus was due to an arrogant belief that I could work nearly fully time while taking 150% of a regular university class load last year, a straight-up stupid belief that sleep wasn’t important, and a prolonged period of feeling out-of-touch with myself that I’m finally crawling out of a year later. Isn’t life a rollercoaster?

Reading was my first great love and I deeply miss chatting idly about books with you! So, despite my terrible tendency to gleefully run away from my prescribed TBRs with wild abandon (ooh, new and shiny release! Do you see how my physical TBR is floating somewhere around 200 books long?), I want to chat about some of the novels I have my eye on. As usual, I try to keep my reading varied; no matter your taste, I hope you’ll find something that piques your interest!

1.    From a Low and Quiet Sea by Donal Ryan

After adoring his emotionally evocative and endlessly fascinating, “All We Shall Know,” I am curious to pick up his new book. The lovely Ariel Bissett introduced me to this author. Please please please watch her artistic video https://youtu.be/-_zIr2nPDQ0

that repurposed this story into a beautiful poem. Also, I believe that it is about a Syrian refugee, making it an incredibly relevant work.

2.    Life L1k3 by Jay Kristoff 

Last year, Kristoff’s “Nevernight” reminded me just how pleasurable reading can be. The plot of this one may be a little out there for me, but I am now devoted with a religious fervor to reading anything that this brilliant and sardonically hilarious man produces. So here goes…

3.    Still Life with Tornado by A.S. King

Something I rarely do is go into a book blind… but that’s the plan for this one. Quite simply, I’ve heard amazing things about A.S. King. I think she writes surrealist works? Or magical realism? I guess we’ll see!

4.    A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab

Let me tell you a story. There was a girl (me) who loved to read. Recently though, reading had left her vaguely bored and dissatisfied. After watching Victoria Schwab’s lecture on doors https://youtu.be/mmtqtDZQcN8, she not only recommitted herself to writing regularly, but also decided to pick up “A Darker Shade of Magic,” which is, perhaps, Victoria’s most beloved book. Let me tell you something, ladies and gents. It is her most beloved book for a reason. I have had an ARC of this book on my shelf for YEARS and now I feel like an absolute idiot for letting it gather dust for so long. I have no intentions of letting the sequel gather even a speck. 

5.    A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab

I will work on my skills of follow-through by completing a series in a timely manner. Watch me.

6.    1Q84 by Haruki Murakami

About eight years ago, I started listening to Murakami’s work on audiobook. After about ten hours (out of nearly fifty, yes, fifty hours) I gave up, feeling more than a bit confused by this surrealist piece. Now that I’m worldly and mature (cough) I’m giving it another go!

7.    Queens of Fennbirn by Kendara Blake

This novella is squished between the 2^ndand yet-to-be-released books in the Three Dark Crowns trilogy. Let’s be real: novellas add to my Goodreads count.

8.    Let the Elephants Run by David Usher

This is a tome on how to channel your creativity, using specific methods in order to actually do the work needed to produce, well, work. I could always use a boost to my creativity! Also, I am buddy reading this with my beautifully creative Momma. *content sigh*

9.    The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi

This long sci-fi book intimidates me. I want to start being the kind of woman who faces things that intimidate me. Hence, I’m facing this brick of a book. Sidenote: it begins in Bangkok! Hey! I’ve been there! Anything that makes me feel like a savvy world traveler has a leg up.

10.Legendary by Stephanie Garber

Sometime last year (or was it the year before? God, saying things like that makes me feel old), I listened to Caraval on audio and was utterly enchanted with her delicious descriptions. Hurray for sequels! Caraval reminded me a lot of The Night Circus, so if you are in the market for a luscious carnival-esque tale, try this one out!

What are your summer reading plans? Let me know where your favorite summer reading spot is… I think mine has to be on balconies in the sunshine!

Love,

Lola