Summer 2018 Reading Challenge
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As you can probably tell from my blog and my career, I'm a little obsessed with movies and television. Recently I've been trying to consume as much possible to be able to stay in the loop of what is new in the world of film. Unfortunately because of this, one of my other favorite hobbies has fallen by the wayside: reading.
When I was in middle and high school I was the definition of a book nerd, and probably read at least three or four books a month, on top of assignments for school. I loved escaping into new worlds and was very much in the know on the latest and greatest in the world of books. However in college, I found myself with less and less time to read, and it became way easier to keep up with television (which I could watch while doing my design homework) than a book. After graduation, I tried getting back into reading, and did manage to read quite a few books over the past two years, but not nearly as many as I would have liked.
Because of this, I have decided to challenge myself this summer to read the four books below by September 1st. I wanted to set a goal that would be attainable, but also push myself, as I usually read a book about every two months, so four seemed like a good goal. All four choices also vary in subject, to give myself a bit of a range when it comes to types of books I will be reading. So for this challenge, I will be reading a fictional, informational, biographical, and a classic book. I will also write a review of each book as I finish them, in case any of you are interested in them as well, along with a final post at the end of the summer about how the challenge went. I'm hoping that by setting this goal for myself, it will force me to set aside time for myself to get back into the world of reading I miss so much. So without further ado, my book choices are for this summer are...
1. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Official Summary: Scottish Highlands, 1945. Claire Randall, a former British combat nurse, is just back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach—an “outlander”—in a Scotland torn by war and raiding clans in the year of Our Lord . . . 1743.
Claire is catapulted into the intrigues of a world that threatens her life, and may shatter her heart. Marooned amid danger, passion, and violence, Claire learns her only chance of safety lies in Jamie Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior. What begins in compulsion becomes urgent need, and Claire finds herself torn between two very different men, in two irreconcilable lives.
Why I Chose It: If you follow me on social media you probably already know how obsessed with this TV series I am. And I am a firm believer that the book is always better than the movie, so I can't imagine how good the books must be. This is the first in the series, and I'm so excited to dive back into this world since the show won't be coming back for a few months!
2. Coffee at Luke's by Jennifer Crusie
Official Summary: In the fall of 2000, Gilmore Girls premiered on the WB and viewers were introduced to the quirky world of Stars Hollow and the Gilmores who had made it their home, mother-daughter best friends Lorelai and Rory Gilmore. With the show in its seventh season on the fledgling CW, Coffee at Luke's is the perfect look at what has made the show such a clever, beloved part of the television landscape for so long.
What are the risks of having your mother be your best friend? How is Gilmore Girls anti-family, at least in the traditional sense? What’s a male viewer to do when he finds both mother and daughter attractive? And how is creator Amy Sherman-Palladino like Emily Gilmore? From the show’s class consciousness to the way the characters are shaped by the books they read, the music they listen to and the movies they watch, Coffee at Luke's looks at the sometimes hilarious, sometimes heartbreaking underpinnings of smart viewer’s Tuesday night television staple, and takes them further into Stars Hollow than they’ve ever been before.
Why I Chose It: This book combines two things I love greatly, learning about television and story, and of course, Gilmore Girls. What more could you ask for?
3. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling
Official Summary: Perhaps you want to know what Mindy thinks makes a great best friend (someone who will fill your prescription in the middle of the night), or what makes a great guy (one who is aware of all elderly people in any room at any time and acts accordingly), or what is the perfect amount of fame (so famous you can never get convicted of murder in a court of law), or how to maintain a trim figure (you will not find that information in these pages). If so, you’ve come to the right book, mostly!
In Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, Mindy invites readers on a tour of her life and her unscientific observations on romance, friendship, and Hollywood, with several conveniently placed stopping points for you to run errands and make phone calls. Mindy Kaling really is just a Girl Next Door—not so much literally anywhere in the continental United States, but definitely if you live in India or Sri Lanka.
Why I Chose It: I think Mindy Kaling is such a genius when it comes to comedy. She is also such a powerhouse woman in the film world who has overcome so much in her career. So reading a book of advice from her? Sounds amazing to me.
4. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
Official Summary: Lockwood, the new tenant of Thrushcross Grange, situated on the bleak Yorkshire moors, is forced to seek shelter one night at Wuthering Heights, the home of his landlord. There he discovers the history of the tempestuous events that took place years before. What unfolds is the tale of the intense love between the gypsy foundling Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw. Catherine, forced to choose between passionate, tortured Heathcliff and gentle, well-bred Edgar Linton, surrendered to the expectations of her class. As Heathcliff's bitterness and vengeance at his betrayal is visited upon the next generation, their innocent heirs must struggle to escape the legacy of the past.
Why I Chose It: I made sure to include a classic novel in my list because besides the ones assigned to us in school, I haven't read nearly as many as I would have liked. Since I have always heard great things about this story so I decided it would be a great start!
Make sure to keep checking in throughout the summer for my reviews, and in September to see how the challenge went, and if I was able to complete it! And if you liked this post, let me know by liking it or leaving a comment below.
