Summer Reading Guide

The holidays are upon us! It's officially summer (sorry Northern Hemisphere) and long, lazy, daylight-filled days ahead. Bliss! Now, pass me a cocktail. And something good to read.

Books are like shoes: when you're not looking, a thousand fantastic options will appear in front of you. But when you're on the hunt in a hurry, you can never find anything you like. Never fear, like Megan's recent summer shoe post, I've done the leg work and complied a few titles to choose from that are entirely pool appropriate.

Memoirs (I was totally into memoirs this year)

Yes Please - Amy Poehler

Just to get it out there, I love Amy Poehler. She is so funny, and humour is an enormous part of this mid-life memoir. Poehler is fairly upfront about her reasons for writing a memoir - she doesn't really know or feel that qualified - but I think this admission is what endears so many people to her. Poehler is trying not to take life too seriously, which isn't always easy. Poehler is on a journey of truth and is merely sharing some of her thoughts along the way, mistakes and all. It's nice.

**Strongly recommended to those looking for a lovely, easy read leaving you with a smile at the end.

#GIRLBOSS - Sophia Amoruso

I would usually be weary of books with #hashtag in the title, but something drew me to #GIRLBOSS. If I'm completely honest, I think it was Amoruso's awesome hair (yep, I totally judge books by their cover). I had no idea who Sophia Amoruso was until this book. Then I spent some time reading everything I could on google. In a nutshell, she's my age and a gazillionaire. MY AGE! Feelings of inadequacy aside, this book is more than a rags-to-riches story. It's very practical and Amoruso is so cool. Her story left me very inspired to take some chances in life - it worked out so well for her!

**Strongly recommmeded if you need a good kick up the arse.

Not That Kind Of Girl - Lena Dunham

Lena Dunham has copped a lot of criticism for her work in this book. I'll leave it to you to read what you will about it, but I think it's pretty undeserved. If you plan to read this, a few notes to think about. Firstly, it's all in the title: 'Not That Kind Of Girl' is a pretty accurate representation of what to expect from a person under 30 with success like Dunham. Her life to now is probably quite different to most. Understanding this will help readers realise that she's not so wholly identifiable with everyone, but she is fascinating nonetheless. Secondly, it's actually a funny book, she is open and sometimes uncomfortably so - but she makes no apologies for this. I couldn't stop reading. Dunham is not 'Hannah' from Girls, despite the fact that she created the program, the same way that Girls is not this generations Sex and The City (they are IN NO WAY SIMILAR, nor should they or need to be). Give it a go, it's worth it.

**Strongly recommended if you don't get what all the fuss is about, but interested to know.

Fiction

The Messenger - Markus Zusak

Zusak is amazing at writing for adults with simplicity. He is a beautiful story-teller and this story is a great example of this. The Messenger is a love story, it's a friendship story, it's a faith-in-humanity story. So many minor plot points work together in such a suspenseful way that you can't help but cheer on the hero at every turn. It takes a while to get the hang of what's going on, but go with it. Also, this book is good for not reading a few nights then picking it up again.

**Strongly recommended if you can stand feeling sad and happy at the same time.



Breath - Tim Winton

Breath is one of those books that you will continue to think about after reading for some time. Winton tells a story that's captured through his descriptions of iconic Australian landscapes and beach culture. It's worth reading just for the words describing the beach and waves. Breath is a window into what Australia was like in the 1970s and the lengths people will go to for adventure.

**Strongly recommend if you're looking for a head scratcher.




Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier

Rebecca is an absolute classic. You know those books that are so creepy you can only read them during the day otherwise you'll have nightmares? Rebecca is one of those. What's scary isn't that there's murder, blood and gore, but the idea that there possibly will be murder, blood and gore. Written in 1938, it's a gothic masterpiece. Takes a while to go with the language flow, but once you do it will be your new favourite book that you can only read when other people are around and all the lights on.

**Strongly recommended if you like being spooked.



So there you have it, a few titles to get you through summer. Of course, there are so many others out there - would love to hear what you can recommend.

If you do get to read any on this list, let me know! Would love to hear your thoughts.

Happy Reading!

Elouise x