2015 Summer Reads

Happy Hump Day!

I'm trying to stay positive but we may just have to hold a moment of silence for the loss of my camera lens. I don't know what happened but my Nikon 18-55mm lens just stopped working. For awhile my lens would take extremely long to focus but not it just won't snap at all. I even swapped out the lens for my 70-300mm and it took a photo just fine. A new lens will cost me essentially $200 because ABSOLUTELY NO ONE on my island fixes camera lenses. I am DEVASTATED!

What this means for my blog is that I won't be able to bring you guys quality photos. For awhile I thought about giving up the blog until I could replace the lens, but then I realised that I was just being stubborn. So my HTC One X camera phone will have to do until I can get my new lens. Or at least get it repaired when I visit Miami next month.

So until then, I'm going to re-discover my love for reading. As a kid I used to read A LOT! They called me bookworm because everywhere I want, every time someone saw me, I had a book in my face. I was always reading! I'd go to the school's library just for fun. And I once even saved up money, and snuck it out of the house to buy books at a school book sale. I hid them for years because I thought I'd get in trouble but when my parents found out, they totally did not care. They were happy that I liked to read so much. It's probably why I have such an active imagination now.

So this summer I've set a very small goal of finishing four books.

It's only four books because I'm taking two classes and I still work over the summer so I set a small goal to see if I can get through that first.

Technically I've already started reading The Program by Suzanne Young. I like Young Adult novels. They're exciting and adventurous. And especially how I'm a Marriage and Family Therapist major, anything to do with mental health is fascinating to me. Here's a synopsis if you're interested:

In this “gripping tale for lovers of dystopian romance” (Kirkus Reviews), true feelings are forbidden, teen suicide is an epidemic, and the only solution is The Program.

Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone—but so are their memories.

Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in.

And The Program is coming for them.

There's also the sequel, The Treatment. Here's the synopsis for that:

Can Sloane and James survive the lies and secrets surrounding them, or will The Program claim them in the end? Find out in this sequel to The Program, which Publishers Weekly called “chilling and suspenseful.”

How do you stop an epidemic?

Sloane and James are on the run after barely surviving the suicide epidemic and The Program. But they’re not out of danger. Huge pieces of their memories are still missing, and although Sloane and James have found their way back to each other, The Program isn’t ready to let them go.

Escaping with a group of troubled rebels, Sloane and James will have to figure out who they can trust, and how to take down The Program. But for as far as they’ve come, there’s still a lot Sloane and James can’t remember. The key to unlocking their past lies with the Treatment—a pill that can bring back forgotten memories, but at a high cost. And there’s only one dose.

Ultimately when the stakes are at their highest, can Sloane and James survive the many lies and secrets surrounding them, or will The Program claim them in the end?

This morning I started reading Eat Pray Love. I couldn't help myself. I normally only read one book at a time, but I was so curious. I only read the intro so I haven't spoiled anything for myself yet. Here's the synopsis:

This beautifully written, heartfelt memoir touched a nerve among both readers and reviewers. Elizabeth Gilbert tells how she made the difficult choice to leave behind all the trappings of modern American success (marriage, house in the country, career) and find, instead, what she truly wanted from life. Setting out for a year to study three different aspects of her nature amid three different cultures, Gilbert explored the art of pleasure in Italy and the art of devotion in India, and then a balance between the two on the Indonesian island of Bali.

And last but not least, another young adult novel about mental health caught my eye, called, Finding Audrey. It's a recent release and I can't wait to read it! Here's the synopsis:

An anxiety disorder disrupts fourteen-year-old Audrey’s daily life. She has been making slow but steady progress with Dr. Sarah, but when Audrey meets Linus, her brother’s gaming teammate, she is energized. She connects with him. Audrey can talk through her fears with Linus in a way she’s never been able to do with anyone before. As their friendship deepens and her recovery gains momentum, a sweet romantic connection develops, one that helps not just Audrey but also her entire family.

Have you started building your summer reading list yet? Summer is only eleven days away! I'd love to hear about what you guys are going to be reading this summer! I'll keep you guys updating with my reading and camera lens.

Until then,

XoX

Olivia

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