A Summer of Reading

If I had to choose only five words to describe me, one of them would have to be 'reader.'

I have always been a reader. I love and devour books. My life feels empty without a good book within reach.

Although I'm always reading something, the quality of my reading material goes in spurts. Sometimes I go long stretches without finding a book I really love. But this summer has been a lovely summer of reading! I have been very lucky to read one amazing book after the other (thanks in large part to the wonderful reading lists of my sister and my friend, Lisa).

So, if you are looking for something good to read, here is my

Top 10 List of best books (or series) I've read this summer

(in no particular order):

1. The Books of Bayern by Shannon Hale

These books have definitely made my 'must-buy-because-I'll-read-over-and-over' list. I LOVE this series, which includes: The Goose Girl, Enna Burning, River Secrets, and Forest Born. I had read the first two books in the past, but discovered the last two this summer. So, of course I read the whole series again. It's beautifully written, full of wonderful characters and a rich story line, and these books are very clean without seeming juvenile. I highly recommend these books to any reader!

2. The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

A story of a young girl living in Germany before and during WWII. This book took me a little while to get into, but about halfway through I couldn't stop reading and thinking about it. It's a very thought-provoking and haunting story; I think my favorite thing about the book is that it is told from the point of view of Death. Sounds gruesome, but isn't so much. The point (as I see it) is that humans can be much, much more terrible than Death, and Death can be rather humane.

3. The Last Lecture by Randy PauschVery inspirational. The last words of a young professor dying of cancer. Very real and beautifully written, this book will definitely make you think!

4. The Smile by Donna Jo Napoli

A historical fiction novel, this book tells the story of the girl who becomes the model for DaVinci's Mona Lisa. A love story. I especially loved learning about the turbulent history of Florence during the Renaissance.

5. The Luxe Novels by Anna Godbersen

There are four books in this series: Luxe, Rumors, Envy and Splendor. These books were so fun to read; I had a hard time putting them down. But take note, they are really for entertainment purposes only. ;) They really have no other redeeming quality but that they are oh, so fun to read! They follow the lives of New York City's top-class young socialites. I recommend reading all four, if you're interested, because they get better throughout the series.

6. Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction by David Sheff

Wow. An amazingly honest book. This real-life memoir is written by a father whose son struggles with an addicted to meth. He tells the story of his son's birth, childhood, teenage and adult years. I thought this book was both inspirational and heartbreaking. Full of information, it opened my eyes more to the power of addictions and made me very grateful for the atonement.

7. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

This novel is a historical fiction retelling of the story of Dinah from Genesis. I will say now that I don't think the author's interpretation of the story is exactly correct. However, I still loved this book for its historical and cultural information about the family of Jacob, and because it really made me think about the biblical characters as real people and decide for myself what I think is true concerning their lives. And because it was simply fascinating to read.

8. Gallagher Girls Series by Ally Carter

I stumbled on this series by accident, but I think it's completely charming! These books are definitely written for the junior high/high school age range, so if you're not a fan of YA lit, you might find yourself rolling your eyes at these books. But personally, I found them very entertaining, clean, fun, and creative. The basic premise is that there is a secret school used to train genius girls to become future spies for the U.S. Government. The girls in these books are brilliant at what they do, but they are still teenage girls. :) There are apparently four books in this series, but I've only read the first two: I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You and Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy.

9. The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Set in Mississippi in the 1960's, this is a great story about the racial tensions that existed at the time of the Civil Rights Movement, about those brave enough to cross the boundaries. I loved the characters in this book and couldn't stop thinking about them.

10. Graceling and Fire by Kristin Cashore

Okay, so these books are not exactly a series. They are both set in the same land, but not the same time period. These are definitely fantasy/sci-fi books, which I used to think I didn't like but am learning I love if well written, as these definitely are. I loved the characters and the plot of these novels, and didn't want to put them down!

Oh, and even though I didn't read them technically this past summer, I recently read and loved The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger and The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.

So, what about you? Have you read anything good lately? I'm planning to read Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, the Percy Jackson books by Rick Kiordan, and The Hunger Games books by Suzanne Collins now that the last one came out. But I'm looking to add to my list, so please share anything else that you read and loved recently!