It seems that we are now halfway through the year. The sun is shining, the pools are smelling chlorine-y, and I'm hiding indoors to avoid a sunburn on my "Twilight" vampire pale skin (though sadly, I don't sparkle). Yeah I'm not going to lie when I say I dislike being outside in the summer. I mean why can't it be cold all throughout the year? You never meet a person who is angry from the cold now do you? No, you only seem to meet people who are angry when it's a bajillion degrees outside in the summer. As a dweller of the indoors I can say that I spend a lot my time reading while I enjoy the A/C.

I have to say it has been a good year for me as a book lover—so far at least. There have only been a couple books I wasn't a fan of but other than that it's been great. Listed below are my favorite books of the year so far that I wanted to recommend for anyone else who likes to not sweat and hide inside.

1. "Illuminae" by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

"Illuminae" is the story of Ezra and Kady, who live on a mining planet that ends up getting invaded by enemy ships. The two escape the attack on different escape ships and have to find a way to survive on them until they reach safety. Kady takes on the role of a hacker and finds out that there is more behind what the public really knows is going on with communications between the ships and tries to keep up contact with her kind of now ex-boyfriend/fighter pilot Ezra to solve the mystery of why they were really attacked.

Honestly that is the best description I can give without trying to spoil it. I really loved this book and the style it is written in, it takes on multiple points of views to tell the story of these two characters. The more you read the book the more the tension grows towards what is exactly going on and it has a great final act.

Recommended for people who liked: "Star Trek" (2009) and "The 100."

2. "The Scorpio Races" by Maggie Stiefvater

On the island of Thisbe every November is the time of the Scorpio Races. The Scorpio Races are a dangerous race where people race on wild waterhorses (literal horses from the ocean) for a cash prize. All they have to do is survive and get from one end of the beach to the other. This year though, the event will have it's first female contestant racing on her own normalhorse, as a way to save her home. Her toughest competition is the island's best trainer, trying to earn his freedom.

I listened to this as an audiobook and absolutely fell in love with it. The world it takes place in just sounds so beautiful and Maggie Stiefvater has such a perfect way of playing the scene out for you with just her words and you really take a liking to all of characters. Also a highlight is that one of the narrators sounds like Benedict Cumberbatch -- need I say more?

Recommended for people who liked: "Warhorse," "The Young Black Stallion," and pretty much every horse movie ever (although this one won't make you cry, I think).

3. "A Court of Thorns and Roses" by Sarah J. Maas

While out hunting one day, Feyre accidentally murders one of the feared Fae that live across the wall. For revenge of the murder of his friend, Lord of the Spring Court, Tamlin makes a deal with her. She must live across the wall with him at his court to pay the debt of what she has done. As time goes on, Feyre discovers that there is a deeper reason to why she was sent across the wall and finds out that there is a curse she has to break to save Tamlin's court.

This is a retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" and I loved it! Granted I would recommend that if some kiddies want to read this one to ask parental permission first due to the fact that there are a couple "adult scenes". As a stand alone book I highly recommend it, with it's action filled story telling and Sarah J. Maas's well done job of adapting a famous fairy tale while also seeming to make it pretty close to the Disney film in a couple parts.

Recommended for people who liked: "Beastly", "Game of Thrones," and "Once Upon a Time."

What I'm reading right now that you also might enjoy:

"Lost Stars" by Claudia Gray—You have to listen to this on audiobook if you love "Star Wars." I have never read a "Star Wars" book before but this was suggested to me and oh my goodness! The audiobook comes with sound effects and John Williams music. I'm serious the story actually begins with the words, "a long time ago in a galaxy far far away" and then it breaks into the main title music from the films. It is so fun to listen to and plays out like it could be one of the films or a fun spin off show.

"Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo—This is a spin-off of Bardugo's Grisha trilogy and takes on the theme of being a heist novel. I'm about a fourth of the way through the book and I'm really liking it. The book has this sense of adventure and delves so deep into your inner thief that it makes you want to go try and break in somewhere to steal something valuable (but please don't 'cause that's illegal). I'm really curious to see where the story goes but I have a feeling it's going to be good and possibly a cliffhanger considering there's a second book coming out soon.