5 Books to Read This Summer

With finals almost behind us, it’s time to take a deep breath and look forward to the start of summer! While many people will continue to work over this season, summer still provides a much-needed break from the hectic schedule during the school year. This break can be used for many different things, including reading. I am an avid reader, yet I often get burned out on textbooks during the school year and do not read as much as I would like. For me, summer is a time to finally catch up on my reading list. Whether you’re a bookworm looking for something new or you’re trying to get back into reading, here are my top five summer reading recommendations for 2022.  

  1. These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

Set in Shanghai in the 1920s, These Violent Delights is a modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet. Roma Montagov and Juliet Cai are the heirs of the White Flower and Scarlet gangs respectively and are sworn enemies by the long-standing blood feud between their families. Although they foolishly fell in love in their youth, a heart-breaking betrayal has turned their love into hatred and they vow to destroy each other, or die trying. When a new monster arrives in Shanghai and begins a mass genocide, will they be able to put aside their conflicting emotions  and work together to stop the evil threatening their city? 

  • Genre: YA fantasy, science fiction
  • Length: 449 pages
  • Note: Does contain mature content including language and sexual references

2. Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well by Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen 

Whether it’s your boss at work, your mom, roommate, or significant other, we are constantly receiving feedback from other people. However, it is easy to become overwhelmed and react negatively, especially if you feel the feedback is wrong or unwarranted. Thanks for the Feedback looks at different techniques for handling criticism, and learning how to work through the tough emotions that spring up in these situations. It helps you understand how your perceptions of the person giving feedback dictates your reaction and how to take feedback, even bad suggestions, without getting angry or upset. 

  • Genre: Self-help, Relationship growth
  • Length: 348 pages

3. Animal Farm by George Orwell

Animal Farm is about a small farm where the animals decide they are unhappy with their human farmers and decide to rebel. After their successful revolution, they begin to create their own society, where all animals are created equal and everything is shared fairly. However, problems quickly arise when a couple animals begin to view themselves as superior to the other animals and seek to establish their authority. It is written as an allegory that evil people will prey on the vulnerable unless people speak up and combat the lies of propaganda. 

  • Genre: Dystopian fiction, Satire
  • Length: 141 pages

4. Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz 

Set in 19th century Scotland, Hazel Sinnett is the daughter of a wealthy businessman and has recently reached the age of courting. Much to her mother’s chagrin, Hazel does not care about meeting eligible suitors and finding a husband. Instead, she spends every moment she can spare studying to become a surgeon. Although she knows women are not allowed to become doctors, she pushes against the constraints of society and begins practicing on dead bodies brought to her by a local grave digger Jack Currer. However, when gravediggers start showing up dead, Hazel and Jack are sucked into the heart of a dark and dangerous secret as they seek to uncover the culprit. 

  • Genre: Mystery, Historical Fiction
  • Length: 338 pages

5. This Present Darkness by Frank E. Peretti

This Present Darkness is a fictional book that looks at the effects spiritual warfare has on our world. Ashton is a small town with the people content with their traditions and community. However, when a new pastor begins raising questions about the spiritual temperature of the town, many people become determined to get rid of him instead of examining the validity of his claims. When a reporter starts noticing weird things happening, she approaches the pastor with her questions. Together, they start uncovering the spiritual battle going on and must fight back against the forces of evil threatening their small town. 

  • Genre: Christian fiction, Suspense 
  • Length: 376 pages

Whether you read all, some, or none of these and stick with your own books, I hope you have a wonderful time this summer reading fresh, interesting stories.

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Emilee Speier

Emilee Speier is a senior studying journalism and criminal justice. In addition to working at the Daily Runner, she has also completed internships with Lifeway Christian Resources and the Virginia Beach General District Court.