Spring is just around the corner, and for many of you, you are about to get very busy. Some of you will be looking into colleges, taking SATs, and getting your senior pictures done. Some of you will soon be graduating and heading off to college. Or, if you have a junior or senior in your household, we know that life is about to get very interesting for you, as well. During this craziness, sometimes it is good to take a little time off, and a great way to do that is with a fun book. And with spring break around the corner, here are some great spring book reads.
Neverwhere – Neil Gainman
If you have never experienced Neil Gainman, this is the book for you! Neil Gainman, in part, inspired J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter. Neverwhere, published in 1997, is his first book where a young man, Richard Mayhew, meets a girl named Door. Door lives in an invisible world under London and pulls an unwitting Richard into her adventure to find out who murdered her family. Full of eccentric characters and a good dose of wit, Neverwhere is a gripping and page-turning read that created the category of urban fantasy.
Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore – Robin Sloan
This book is mystery, code breaking, modern technology, visual data analysis, and young love all in one. It starts when an out of work, San Francisco-based web designer, Clay Jannon, takes a night job at a 24-hour bookstore. But, after a few days on the job, he realizes there is more to the bookstore than meets the eye. Some patrons only come to check out mysterious and obscure code-filled books from the back of the store and later return them. When Clay embarks on a complex analysis of the customer habits and the mysterious volumes they check out, he and his Silicon Valley friends uncover secrets that stretch across the world.
Ready Player One – Ernst Cline
This one is a fun and geeky, sci-fi book. In fact, it is currently being made into a movie by Steven Spielberg. The year is 2044 and the world is very different. Kids attend school through the Oasis, a virtual reality utopia. All life, now, takes place online, in virtual reality, because the real world is ugly and depressing. However, when the creator of the Oasis dies, he leaves behind his fortune to anyone who can solve a series of puzzles he left behind – all based on clues in his autobiography. Wade Watts takes on the challenge and adventure of unlocking the secrets, some of which are full of 1980s nostalgia which includes references to Back to the Future, Pac-Man, MTV, and more!
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl – Jesse Andrews
This is a great coming of age tale about one Greg Gaines. Greg is an awkward high schooler who has the ability to disappear into any social environment. His only friend is Earl with whom he spends time making movies. One day, Greg’s mother forces him to rekindle a childhood friendship with Rachel who is fighting leukemia. But, when she chooses to stop treatment, Greg and Earl decide to make a movie for her, which becomes the turning point of their lives. And, suddenly, Greg is forced to abandon being invisible and stand in the spotlight.
Where’d You Go, Bernadette? – Maria Sample
This story is funny, to say the least. It centers on the disappearance of one, notorious Bernadette Fox. While Bernadette is considered, by some, as brave, opinionated, and brash, to her 15-year old daughter, Bree, she is a best friend. The disappearance begins when Bree has aced her classes and aims to claim her award: a trip to Antarctica. To find her mother, Bree goes through emails, documents, and secret correspondence. The result is a fun-filled page turner and touching story about misplaced genius and a mother and daughter’s role in an absurd world.
How to Use This Information
We do hope that you enjoy your spring break and, perhaps, get to dive into one of these spring break reads. Soon enough, it will be summer! And, with that, some of you will need senior pictures. Please give us a call at 303-798-8229 or schedule your session online.