Summer Must-Reads

This summer, as with most years, I have been on a reading rampage. Working at a small art gallery, where there isn't always tons of action has given me time to work through my personal book list. Today, I am going to share some of my favorite reads this summer, and hopefully inspire you to read them as well!


The Hunger Games series, by Suzanne Collins:
The Hunger Games is the story of a futuristic community, consisting of twelve districts and the capitol. The capitol is in control, and to prevent a rebellion throws the hunger games each year. Two tributes, a boy and a girl, from each district are chosen to fight to the death in the games. 


Wow. These books are by far my favorite books of all time. There is never a dull moment when reading this series, and for me it was nearly impossible to put them down until I was finished. The mix of action, love, desperation, and the will to live makes these books a great summer read. The storyline will always keep you guessing and interested. I HIGHLY recommend these books to anyone and everyone. 


The Art of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein:
This book was another great read recommended to my by my mom. The book is told through the eyes of the family dog - a really interesting and new perspective. I won't go into many details for fear of ruining the plot, but this is the story of one family's struggles and the dogs view on those struggles. The story begins at the end, and then tracks backwards through memories. 


The insight on humanity through the dogs eyes really makes you appreciate what it is like to be human, and for dog owners lets you inside how dogs may be feeling. The struggle of not being able to communicate with his owners in words is present throughout the entire book, and made me feel sorry for Enzo, the dog. I definitely recommend this to dog owners!


29 Gifts: How a Month of Giving Can Change Your Life, by Cami Walker:
This is the most recent book I read, having finished it today. It is the story of a woman struggling with MS. She receives advice from a friend and spiritual teacher, who tells her to give 29 gifts in 29 days. As the story unfolds, Cami tells each gift she gives, and the effects it has both on her, and on the person or people recieving the gift. 


I found this story to be extremely inspirational, and I too want to try the 29-Day Giving Challenge. There is a website for the project, www.29gifts.org, where you can sign up and tell about your own giving experiences. It sounds like a really rewarding challenge, and I can't wait to start. Even if you're not sure about participating in the challenge, I recommend this book. It gave me the ability to see the good things in my own life, and even if just for a moment, it gave me a more positive outlook - something I definitely need. 


Watchers, by Dean Koontz:
Okay, technically this is not a "summer must-read" since I read it over a year ago, but I still want to recommend it. Watchers is the story of a man who finds a dog that escaped from a lab, and its dangerous journey through life, while trying to escape another lab-escapee. The story is thrilling, and has a lot of different stories strung together. There are suspenseful moments, loving moments, happy moments, sad moments, anything you could imagine, it's there. This is another of my favorite books of all time, and I think a lot of people could enjoy it as much as I did - especially dog owners. 


Hopefully this list will inspire you to dig out a good book, and if you leave near the beach or a pool plop yourself down in the sun for the day and dive on in! Reading to me is one of the most enjoyable things in life, and hopefully you will enjoy these books as much as I did. Stay tuned, more posts to come soon!