Unlike my friend and fellow Odyssey writer, Becky, I do not read for pleasure often. According to the National Literary Trust, reading for pleasure has many positive benefits, such as an increase in general knowledge, understanding of other cultures, community participation and insight into the human condition. However, instead of picking up one of the thousands of books that line the shelves at Barnes and Noble or your local library, we plop ourselves down in front of our computer and TV and binge watch Netflix. Yup, I know I'm guilty!
It seems to me that we think reading is some stress-induced, boring task, while watching "Gilmore Girls" (in preparation for the reboot) requires no work. To be honest, I blame all that assigned reading we have to do. The Telegraph reported in 2009 that "reading is the best way to relax." In just six minutes, stress levels can be reduced by more than two thirds. Dang! Becky, I think you're on to something.
Last summer, I binge watched "Breaking Bad," "Archer," "Gossip Girl" and "One Tree Hill," but this time around it's going to be different. Here are the five books that are on my list:
1. "Scary Close: Dropping the Act and Finding True Intimacy" by Donald Miller.
Ironically, I bought this at the beginning of last summer. According to GoodReads, "Scary Close" is about "the risk involved in choosing to impress fewer people and connect with more, about the freedom that comes when we stop acting and start loving." This book is for people, like myself, who want to be more intentional in their relationships. "It is a story about knocking down old walls to create a healthy mind, a strong family, and a satisfying career."
2. "And the Mountains Echoed" by Khaled Hosseini.
3. "Everything You Ever Wanted" by Jillian Lauren.
4. "The Lipstick Gospel" by Stephanie May Wilson.
I found out about this book through social media. A fellow sorority girl at my school is interning for the author of this book and posed with a copy to celebrate the news. She raved about how good it is, and GoodReads agrees. The book description reads, "Inspired by a broken heart and a wicked hangover, sorority girl Stephanie May Wilson throws in the towel on the life she's been living and packs her bags for a pilgrimage across three continents. Like so many great travelers before her, she finds herself and something completely unexpected along the way. Exploding preconceived notions that Christianity is for grandmas and girls with ugly shoes, The Lipstick Gospel is the story of how one girl found God in heartbreak, the Sistine Chapel, and the perfect cappuccino." It kind of sounds like "Eat Pray Love," but I'm game!
5. "Perfect Days" by Raphael Montes.
This psychological thriller follows loner, Teo Avelar. Apparently, this character doesn't have many friends, and the only time he feels human emotion is in the presence of his medical school cadaver ... Ew! Then he meets the girl of his dreams, Clarice, who is the exact opposite of him. Teo becomes obsessed, and he eventually kidnaps her and they embark upon a twisted odyssey across Brazil. I'm intrigued, and I want to find out what happens in this English language debut of Montes' 2014 novel.
Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to stop here and take a trip to the library.
