My Summer Reads 2020!

Hey, my friends!

I am so glad to tell you guys that the lockdown, ebooks and audiobooks got me back in the reading game. I used to buy more books and read much less. My yearly statistic came only around seven or eight books. But now-

Here are the books I read this summer. There are about ten books on my ‘Read’ shelf (this year), a couple of books I am currently reading and I have ordered some physical books online. Update: They’ve reached!

[Just a note: The books are in no particular order. ‘Ebook and Audiobook’ means that I kept the book in front of me while listening to the audiobook]

I am so lucky to have picked up books I ended up liking. Here goes!:

1. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

This is a beautifully crafted character-driven masterpiece. It explores the life and journey of Evelyn Hugo, the fictional Hollywood star. Let the title fool your perspective of the book. It is a story of fame, power, family life, brutal reality, sexual desires, life-wrecking decisions, lifelong friendships, society’s expectations and forbidden love. I think the audiobook made the reading experience better because the entire story is in the form of an interview. The characters are so real and flawed, there are several twists and turns and certain observations that the character makes about life that are absolutely bewitching. That being said, it is not a philosophical novel, it will play with your beliefs and emotions. Also, the themes in the book are for extremely mature readers.

My rating: 5/5 stars (Audiobook)

2. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Now I know why this is a classic everyone should read. Every aspect of this story is mind-blowing. It is wonderful to see a 1960s classic novel highlighting classic and contemporary ideas such as race, feminism, truth and freedom. The perspective of a primary school girl and her observations of the world around her is so intriguing. I regret not reading this when I was younger. I also wish I had a paperback. The court scene literally gave me chills. The portrayal of men and masculinity is refreshing and beautiful. I can go on and on but you get it:)

My rating: 4.5/5 stars (Ebook and Audiobook)

3. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

This is one of those flawless contemporary works of art every student and adult should read. The story of a teenage boy trying to make it through high school. The writing is simple and elegant. Saying anything else about this book may spoil the experience. And movie watchers- this also has a pretty great movie adaption.

My rating: 5/5 stars (Ebook and audiobook)

4. Men Without Women by Haruki Murakami

This was my first Haruki Murakami book. I wish I had started with something light and superficial but life got in the way:) This book is a collection of seven short stories of men who have lost the women in their lives. Murakami tries to potray the authentic and raw emotion that men feel towards women in their lives and how they choose to express the pain of losing them. I absolutely loved this book! The reason this has low ratings is of course, people thrashing it in the name of ‘sexist portrayal of women’, like come on, grow up! And liking some of the stories more than the others. Personally, I liked the first couple of stories more than the last ones. Some of the scenes in the last two stories were so dragged so I lost interest. Overall, a great read!

My rating: 4/5 (Audiobook)

5. Circe by Madeline Miller

This is simply one of the greatest retellings I’ve come across. I must warn that a basic knowledge of the Illiad, Odyssey and Greek Gods is required to thoroughly enjoy the story. I think I would have understood a little better if I were into Greek mythology in general but it’s just so good that it does not matter. Technically, I have a couple of chapters left to read but no matter the climax, this still gets into the list. The strangest thing is that the main character is so human- her quirks, loneliness, stories of betrayal, family rivalry, forbidden and unrequited love. Happens to all of us at some point in our lives. I loved this one!

My rating: 4.5/5 stars (Paperback)

6. They Both Die At the End by Adam Silvera

This was the first audiobook of my life so yeah; like Enid Blyton’s books, it has a special place in my heart. The title is not a spoiler alert by the way;) It is lovely to see feelings of love and friendship develop. The side characters are adorable and the story always keeps you on the edge. It is a story of love, loss and death. So yeah, really enjoyed it!

My rating: 4.5/5 stars (Ebook and Audiobook)

7. The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami

This is kind of an introductory story to the world of magical realism in a sort of horrifying way. It is a very short read of about an hour and I think This is the Murakami book to start with. It is a story that will take you places you don’t want to be. I enjoyed the read.

My rating: 4/5 stars (Ebook)

All Image credits: Goodreads

That’s it! Do you have different opinions about the books I’ve mentioned?

What are you reading? Or watching? Or studying? If you have anything interesting, please share it in the comments section. I’d love to see what you’re up to!

Thank you so much for reading:)

Hey Peeps, some of my blogger friends and I are part of the A.L.B.O.E family, and we post regularly. Here are some of my posts, do give them a read:

How to build an Online Relationship with bloggers

Stay safe out there and spread love!❤️