As I am sure you’ve noticed, I am a little behind in blogging in general, but especially with Recently Reading posts. I was going to do a really long post for spring, but instead I split it up into two posts.
Dreamland by Sarah Dessen
By now, most of you probably know if you like Sarah Dessen’s writing or not. Personally, I enjoy her books and find them to be nice light reads, so I enjoyed reading this book!
“Love can be a very dangerous thing. After her sister left, Caitlin felt lost. Then she met Rogerson.When she’s with him, nothing seems real. But what happens when being with Rogerson becomes a larger problem than being without him?”
Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist
I had heard a lot about this book, so I quickly devoured it once it was in my hands. Overall, I enjoyed it and left feeling that I won’t ever be perfect, and that’s okay. Sometimes, especially in college, it can be so easy to take on more than you can handle and act like you have it all together on the outside. But it is important to make sure you aren’t taking on too much, and be able to be present.
“A few years ago, I found myself exhausted and isolated, my soul and body sick. I was tired of being tired, burned out on busy. And, it seemed almost everyone I talked with was in the same boat: longing for connection, meaning, depth, but settling for busy.
I am a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, neighbor, writer, and I know all too well that settling feeling. But over the course of the last few years, I’ve learned a way to live, marked by grace, love, rest, and play. And it’s changing everything.
Present Over Perfectis an invitation to this journey that changed my life. I’ll walk this path with you, a path away from frantic pushing and proving, and toward your essential self, the one you were created to be before you began proving and earning for your worth.”
Along For The Ride by Sarah Dessen
Again, another Sarah Dessen… you probably see a trend. I am trying to finish all of her books that I haven’t read by the end of this summer, so we will see how far I get! This was one of my favorites by her. I really liked the characters in this one especially.
“It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce—or since the fighting started.Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live.
A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she’s been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend.”
Utopia by Thomas More and Candide by Voltaire
I had to read these two for history class… I don’t recommend unless you are into that kind of book. I’ll stick to books written within the last century or two personally. But I wanted to include them because just for the record I did read them!
The Choice Nicholas Sparks
Low key I never realized how many books Nicholas Sparks has written. Slowly but surely making my way through, and I would recommend this one if you are a Nicholas Sparks fan.
“Travis Parker has everything a man could want: a good job, loyal friends, even a waterfront home in small-town North Carolina. In full pursuit of the good life– boating, swimming, and regular barbecues with his good-natured buddies–he holds the vague conviction that a serious relationship with a woman would only cramp his style. That is, until Gabby Holland moves in next door. Despite his attempts to be neighborly, the appealing redhead seems to have a chip on her shoulder about him . . . and the presence of her longtime boyfriend doesn’t help. Despite himself, Travis can’t stop trying to ingratiate himself with his new neighbor, and his persistent efforts lead them both to the doorstep of a journey that neither could have foreseen. Spanning the eventful years of young love, marriage and family, THE CHOICE ultimately confronts us with the most heartwrenching question of all: how far would you go to keep the hope of love alive?”
Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
And I am sure most of you have heard of this book, and maybe even had to read it long ago in some English class in high school. I know years ago my English teacher made us read just a chapter out of this book, and that chapter made me think I would never like this book. Now I don’t think I would have read it for fun, but since I had to read it for my literature class this semester, I did. And it ended up being a pretty good book!
Have you read any of these? Share in the comments below! And stay tuned to see what I read in April and May!
xo, Scarlett
