Our Contributors Give You Their Top Reads

There’s nothing quite like getting cozy and enjoying an hour or two escaping into a book. A luxury that often is the first to get left in the dust with everyone’s busy lives. With the warmer weather around the corner, the time to sit in the sun and relax is upon us and we want to make sure you’re prepared to maximize your enjoyment! With Reading Town in the area we’re putting our best reads forward and giving you our recommendations for your summer reading list!

 

 Adriana – The Outsiders, S.E. Hinton

Most people had to read this book in elementary school, but I never got the chance to. I’m not really sure why I picked it up in the first place; but man am I ever glad I did.

A raw and real inside perspective of what it’s like to be on the outside looking in, The Outsiders follows a group of teenage boys trying to fit in when they feel like they have nowhere to belong. This book is short and sweet, but the author’s unique way of storytelling is somehow both touching and heartbreaking at the same time. It’s hard not to fall in love with every character S.E. Hinton created, and I can safely say that this is the only book I’ve read that had me flipping back to the first page to start over as soon as I read the last sentence.

Definitely a classic read that should be on everyone’s book list. Also, check out the movie to see 20-year-old Rob Lowe and Tom Cruise.

Notable mentions: Holes, the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, Lord of the Flies, the Giver

 

Amanda – The Alchemist, Paolo Coelho

“The Alchemist” by Paolo Coelho is by far the most life-changing book I’ve ever read. The story about a young shepherd boy named Santiago searching for his Personal Legend is inspirational and motivating. Riddled with metaphor and thought-provoking events, The Alchemist is a book in which I have flagged pages and underlined passages to remember just how poignant it is. A must-read for anyone pursuing their Personal Legend and their place in the universe.

 

Anthony – The Hatchet, Gary Paulsen

My Favourite Book has to be Hatchet written by Gary Paulsen, or the What if spin-off Brian’s Winter. This book is an exciting story that follows a young man trying to survive following a plane crash in the Canadian wilds with nothing but his mind and a hatchet that his mother gave him. Brian’s Winter is the somewhat sequel where the endings of the first novel never happened. I love these books because they made me think about the importance of self-reliance and how you can survive anything if you try your best.

 

Carolina – My Fight/Your Fight, Ronda Rousey

Ronda is one of my idols, and her book made my love for her grow stronger. She appears to be so tough and so strong, but you really get to learn about her other side, her private side, through her book.  Rhonda talks about the good, the bad, and the ugly, about her childhood, her love life, her Olympic medal, and the period of her life when she was living in her car, no holds barred. Every chapter begins with a motivational quote and really makes you conscious of the areas in your life in which you could work a little bit harder. You don’t have to be an MMA fan, or even a sport fan, to appreciate how awesome this book is!

 

Emily – All the Bright Places

I could not put this down. Literally. I picked it up on a Monday and was finished before I went to bed the Tuesday. The story is about two teenagers, Theodore Finch and Violet Markey, who come from two different worlds but who are both dealing with their own forms of depression. Their relationship has so many amazing highs and horrible lows that it really tugs at your heart strings. The characters might not be real, but what they go through couldn’t be any more realistic. Yes it is a YA novel and yes I’m 26 and still reading young adult novels – but trust me, you won’t be able to put this one down!

 

Emmalee – The Solitude of Prime Numbers, Paolo Giordano

It’s insanely hard to pick just one book to talk about, but after much ado I decided to take a second to give one of my lesser-known favourites, The Solitude of Prime Numbers by Paolo Giordano, the attention it deserves. Each time I’ve read this book I’ve found it just as intriguing as the last. The story spans over the course of 20 years following Mattia and Alice who both suffered traumatic experiences at a young age, which colour the rest of their lives. Unlike most coming of age stories, this one provides a more realistic insight on the comfort one can find in isolation and how damaging it can be to oneself and the people around them. Highly recommend if you’re into angsty and introspective dramas.

Also just wanted to give a quick S/O to Echo by Francesca Lia Block, Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom, and The Perks Of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.

 

Jessica – Boy, Roald Dahl & The Five People You Meet in Heaven, Mitch Albom

I couldn’t pick just one, they’re both my favourites but in very different ways! We all know Roald Dahl from his classic stories like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda (incidentally another favourite), and James and the Giant Peach. What you might not know however is that Dahl’s childhood was filled with the same kind of whimsy and colourful characters you find in his writing. In Boy, Dahl recounts his upbringing in England, Wales, and various boarding schools. There’s even a building in his childhood home of Llandaff, Cardiff labelled with a commemorative plaque to mark the location of Mrs. Pratchett’s sweet shop, home of The Great Mouse Plot of 1924 recounted in his book. Equally compelling is his follow up autobiography Going Solo in which he tells of his time working in Egypt for Shell Oil, encounters with a deadly Black Mamba snake, and his many near escapes as a fighter ace with the Royal Air Force.

The Five People You Meet in Heaven can really change the way you see the world! The story stars with Eddie, a maintenance worker who is simply going through the motions in old age and dies heroically saving the life of a young girl. We follow him as he meets *spoiler alert* five different people, some he knows, some he doesn’t – but all have somehow come in contact in life altering ways and now are waiting to impart their wisdom.

Also shout out to Mitch Albom for just generally being a rad person! As evidence listen to this podcast with writer/director/podcast mogul Kevin Smith, in which he recounts the many months he spent living on a remote island in Greece singing Elvis hits and passing them off as his own pre Tuesdays with Morrie.