- Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo. OF COURSE. Everyone was raving about this book and for the right reasons. It was a really good ending to the series. I personally was in favor of Nikolai over Mal, but the book ended in a great place. The book was very well written and fast paced! I loved everything about the book. It is one of those series that not many people (outside the book community) know about. I highly recommend it to anybody who likes The Mortal Instruments, fairy tale-esque books, and anything fantasy related.
- Summer on the Short Bus by Bethany Crandell. This book though. I cannot rave about it more. I loved it. It is a quick read that everybody should read. It is about the typical "rich" girl who is sent to work for the summer. She is not expecting it to be at a summer camp for special needs children. This book is close to my heart because I want to work with special needs children. I know that some children do not understand special needs and are quick to judge, so I really liked this book. I really think that everybody should read it.
- The One & Only by Emily Giffin. This one was different. I'm not sure if I liked it as much as I liked Emily's previous books. It is a little different than the typical love story. It is about a girl, Shea, who has always loved football since she was little. Her whole life is football. Her biggest idol is her best friend's dad and local football team coach. I repeat: It is not the typical love story. I do not think I would reread this one because of the story. Many people liked it, but it was not my cup of tea.
- On the Fence by Kasie West. I LOVED this book. It is such a cute, quick, fun read that is perfect for summer. It is very similar to her previous book, Sarah Dessen books, and Katie McGarry books. I really loved this story. It is about a 16-year-old girl who is being raised by a single father and three older brothers. She is a tomboy who is not surrounded by many girls so when she gets a speeding ticket and is forced to get a job, she starts to learn about makeup and fashion. She finds work at a local clothing store and with her work comes new friends and experiences. Of course there is a love story. One of her closest friends/honorary brother number four. I really recommend this book to anybody looking for a summer beach read.
- Legend by Marie Lu. This was a reread because I have not read Prodigy and Champion yet. I wanted to reread it before I read the next two books. It is about a teenage boy who is one of the most wanted in a futuristic city in the US. He is wanted for crimes against the government. A girl whose brother is recently killed (believed to be the boy) is put on the job to look for the boy. She comes up with the plan to go undercover and report back to the other government officials when she finds him. I really liked this book. It is written at a great pace and keeps you on your toes.
I have not had much time to read in between work at a summer camp, school, and my recent obsession with knitting. These are the stand out books that I have read in the past month.
