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We\u2019re half way through July and deep into the summer. I had my first summer visit to an ice cream truck this week, and when I\u2019m not writing, I\u2019m reading. Now\u2019s the perfect time to curl up with your toes pointed towards a window screen and get lost in another world. Want some ideas? \u00a0I read with a YA heart, so naturally, it wanders.<\/p>\n
Sweet<\/em><\/a> by Emmy Laybourne is a dark comedy about a teen who joins her friend on a weight-loss cruise, but the artificial sweetener hyped to help patrons lose weight has unanticipated side effects. Think violent zombies. I liked the two points of view from nice, down-to-earth Laurel and celebrity Tom.<\/p>\n Devoted<\/em><\/a> by Jennifer Mathieu explores the difficulties of a young girl who tries to escape her religious cult. It\u2019s a glimpse into the Quiverfull<\/a> movement and makes you wonder if extremely rigid gender rolls could ever be any good for anyone.<\/p>\n When I was the Greatest<\/em><\/a> by Jason Reynolds is a story of three friends in the Bed-Stuy neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY, who end up at the wrong party and make some dangerous enemies. Poignant and thoughtful, the award-winning novel takes us into Ali\u2019s mind as he grows up in a gritty place and discovers the limits of friendship and loyalty.<\/p>\n Freakboy<\/a><\/em> by Kristin Elizabeth Clark is written in verse and tells of a popular high school wrestler who becomes increasingly uncomfortable in his own body. While he grapples with gender fluidity and his identity, he weighs how to be honest with himself, his girlfriend, his friends, his family, and the victims of his violence. This is a book that stays with you.<\/p>\n Gone with the Wind<\/em><\/a> by Margaret Mitchell is a sweeping epic which seems especially timely in light of recent controversy over the Confederate flag. The racism in the novel, both obvious and subtle, makes for a disturbing read, and Scarlett really is the most unyielding character. \u00a0I read this as a teen and it was well worth revisiting.<\/p>\n If you want to give yourself a crash course on writing, try these three back to back:<\/p>\n On Writing, a Memoir of the Craft<\/a><\/em> by Stephen King is by far my favorite book about the work of writing. His example of sticking to it over decades is inspiring, and I love reading advice from a man who writes books I admire.<\/p>\n![\"21569527\"](\"https:\/\/www.caraghobrien.com\/book\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/21569527.jpg\")
<\/a>The Heart of Betrayal<\/a><\/em> by Mary Pearson is the sequel to Kiss of Deception<\/em><\/a>, which I adored. In the first book, Lia was threatened by an assassin and a prince, but in a deft mind game by the author, Lia and the reader didn\u2019t know which was which. I\u2019m eager to read this, but my daughter stole my copy before I could and now I need to get it back.<\/p>\n![\"17428880\"](\"https:\/\/www.caraghobrien.com\/book\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/17428880.jpg\")
<\/a>Go Set a Watchman<\/a><\/em> by Harper Lee is her controversial adult novel about familiar characters from To Kill a Mockingbird<\/em>. Written before her famous story of Scout Finch as a child, this one promises to show a dark side to Atticus. I’m not ready to go there, but I expect I won\u2019t be able to resist for long.<\/p>\n
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Bird by Bird, Some Instructions on Writing and Life<\/em><\/a> by Anne Lamott, is a free-flowing, humorous, tortured take on how to write, and it\u2019s also a singular expression of one woman\u2019s thought process. Her episode of devoting two years to a book and then having her editor advise her to scrap it is moving, as are her subsequent efforts to salvage the book.<\/p>\n