With summer around the corner, you have more free time to relax and do things you enjoy. You decide what better way to relax than to go outside on your porch, go to a park, or sit in a hammock and read books off of your list.
MCHS students have once again shared their top picks and their summer book recommendations, so make use of it! The genres included in these books are autobiography, dystopian fiction, mystery, and fiction. If any of these are in your area of interest, the following books can be too.
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
Senior Josie Zuniga shares the book she is currently reading.
“It’s basically about a high school girl, who, for her senior capstone project, decides to solve this cold case of a girl who was murdered in her hometown. Over the course of the next three books it becomes this town-wide mystery with a lot of scary twists and climactic ups and downs. A super great mystery thriller,” Zuniga said.
This mystery book is the first of three books in the series, which also include “Good Girl, Bad Blood” and “As Good As Dead.”
“I would absolutely recommend the series. It’s scary and sad but also fun and exciting!” Zuniga said.
The Girl in the Green Dress by Jeni Haynes and George Blair-West
“Jennifer Haynes is a woman with Dissociative Identity Disorder as a result of childhood abuse at the hands of her father. Her book is an inspiring story of survival and success as she reveals the truth of abuse and successfully sends her father to jail 30 years later. Separating her story are small chapter in which her psychiatrist explains her life through a psychological perspective,” Zuniga said.
This autobiography deals with Haynes traumatic experiences and her ability to push through the psychological, emotional, and physical abuse she faced. The book, as Zuniga mentioned, includes sections alternating between her and her psychiatrist.
“It’s a little dark and somewhat clinical with the psychiatrist but as a psychology major, I love it,” Zuniga said.
If you are interested in this book, keep in mind that it deals with many triggering topics.
“The book itself has a page long disclaimer that reassures the readers and the story is often interrupted by trigger warnings due to the content that will be discussed and has labels of what pages to skip if the reader chooses to,” Zuniga said.
The Hunger Games Series, specifically The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
Junior Sofia Guillen shares a series she thinks people should read over the summer.
“A specific book I would say people should read over the summer is the hunger games, like the whole book series. Or the new one that came out since I feel like no one has read it yet,” Guillen said.
This dystopian fiction book series centers around the hunger games, where 2 players from all districts are forced to fight and survive until only one remains. These competitions are made to entertain the wealthy. “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” specifically focuses on the character, Coriolanus Snow, where he is tasked to mentor a participant who he deemed to be weak.
Wonder By August Pullman
“The book is about a 10 year old boy named August, and since I got this book when I was ten, I felt like I could relate a lot to the character, but he has a facial deformity when he was born. Throughout his whole years in school, he was always stared at because of his facial surgeries and also had to be homeschooled because of it,” Guillen said.
This fiction novel is about the challenges and experiences the main character faces as he begins to present himself in a public highschool. Guillen states the main themes of the book.
“I got it as a gift when I was 10 and I can’t stop reading it; I like the message of how it presents to have kindness and to prevent bullying against others,” Guillen said.
Guillen shares why she thinks people should read more.
“I would recommend choosing a book you feel really comfortable reading and dedicating your time to because if you dedicate your time to a book you actually like, you feel like you really enjoy the characters and can feel like you’re in the setting with them,” Guillen said.
