7 Summer Must Reads

Summer is a time to kick back, relax and rejuvenate. Give your tired teacher brain a break and toss those professional books aside for now. With the heavy teacher workload throughout the year, it’s almost impossible to read books for enjoyment which is why the summer is a perfect time to catch up on some summer reading in the sunshine. So sit by the pool, on the beach, on a hammock, or under a shady tree with a beverage of choice and dive right into these 7 summer reads.

And then what do teachers do after reading a really great book in class? We watch the movie and compare and contrast the book to the movie, analyze the characters and plot, discover underlying themes, and more.  So here are 7 summer reads with a bonus…a movie to go along with it. Now go get some popcorn and wine and put your feet up because you are staying up late to watch a movie tonight. And another added bonus…you do not have to worry about getting up early for school tomorrow. 😉

(The following book summaries are not of my own but from the film synopsis.)

Literary Fiction: Suspense & Thrillers

Gone Girl

Gone Girl was #1 on the New York Times Hardcover Fiction Bestseller list for eight weeks in 2012. Former New York-based writer Nick Dunne and his wife Amy present a portrait of a blissful marriage to the public. However, when Amy goes missing on the couple’s fifth wedding anniversary, Nick becomes the prime suspect in her disappearance. The resulting police pressure and media frenzy cause the Dunnes’ image of a happy union to crumble, leading to tantalizing questions about who Nick and Amy truly are. The movie stars Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike. This is a true psychological thriller with a twisted plot.

If you like Gone Girl, then you may like…

The Girl on the Train

Fans of Gone Girl say you will love NY Times Fiction Best Sellers of 2015, The Girl on The Train. Commuter Rachel Watson catches daily glimpses of a seemingly perfect couple, Scott and Megan, from the window of her train. One day, Watson witnesses something shocking unfold in the backyard of the strangers’ home. Rachel tells the authorities what she thinks she saw after learning that Megan is now missing and feared dead. Unable to trust her own memory, the troubled woman begins her own investigation, while police suspect that Rachel may have crossed a dangerous line. The movie stars Emily Blunt, Justin Theroux, and Rebecca Ferguson. Another psychological thriller with twists and turns throughout with an unpredictable ending.

If you like The Girl on the Train, then you may like…

Into The Water

Into The Water is Paula Hawkins’ most recent book.  It is about a single mother turns up dead at the bottom of the river that runs through town. Earlier in the summer, a vulnerable teenage girl met the same fate. They are not the first women lost to these dark waters, but their deaths disturb the river and its history, dredging up secrets long submerged.

Left behind is a lonely fifteen-year-old girl. Parentless and friendless, she now finds herself in the care of her mother’s sister, a fearful stranger who has been dragged back to the place she deliberately ran from—a place to which she vowed she’d never return. This thriller is next on my summer reading list! It will be a major motion picture soon.

Memoirs

Eat Pray Love

 

In 2006, Eat Pray Love remained on The New York Times Best Sellers list for 187 weeks.  The memoir tells the story of the author herself. Liz Gilbert thought she had everything she wanted in life: a home, a husband and a successful career. Now newly divorced and facing a turning point, she finds that she is confused about what is important to her. Daring to step out of her comfort zone, Liz embarks on a quest of self-discovery that takes her to Italy, India, and Bali. This movie stars Julia Roberts and Javier Bardem. This is an inspiring story of life, love, and change as Liz rediscovers herself in beautiful and unexpected ways.

If you like Eat, Pray Love you might like…

Under The Tuscan Sun: At Home in Italy

Under The Tuscan Sun: At Home in Italy is a 1996 memoir by American author Frances Mayes. When Frances Mayes learns her husband is cheating on her from a writer whom she gave a bad review, her life is turned upside down. In an attempt to bring her out of a deep depression, her best friend, Patti, encourages Frances to take a tour of Italy. During the trip, the new divorcée impulsively decides to purchase a rural Tuscan villa and struggles to start her life anew amid colorful local characters, including the handsome Marcello. Also a movie starring Diane Lane, Raoul Bova, and Sandra Oh.

Best Selling Novels

The Help

The Help came out in 2009 and spent more than 100 weeks on The New York Times Best Sellers list. The story is about African Americans working in white households in Jackson, Mississippi during the early 1960s.  Southern society girl Skeeter returns from college with dreams of being a writer. She turns her small town on its ear by choosing to interview the black women who have spent their lives taking care of prominent white families. Only Aibileen, the housekeeper of Skeeter’s best friend, will talk at first. But as the pair continue the collaboration, more women decide to come forward, and as it turns out, they have quite a lot to say. This movie stars Emma Stone and Viola Davis. This is an amazing story of hope and the voices of black maids at a time when their voices and stories weren’t heard.

If you like The Help, you may like…

The Kitchen House

When a white servant girl violates the order of plantation society, she unleashes a tragedy that exposes the worst and best in the people she has come to call her family. Orphaned while onboard ship from Ireland, seven-year-old Lavinia arrives on the steps of a tobacco plantation where she is to live and work with the slaves of the kitchen house. Under the care of Belle, the master’s illegitimate daughter, Lavinia becomes deeply bonded to her adopted family, though she is set apart from them by her white skin. This book was not made into a movie but is definitely worth mentioning!

Want More? Check out The New York Times Best Sellers list of 2018.

What are your favorite summer reads? Please share so I could add it to mine.

Missed it? There may still be time to send your students off with some great summer reads, Check out one of my recent posts, Get Your Summer Read On- Reading List & Tips.

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Happy Summer Reading!

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