The Wrath of Summer Reading

Ok, the cover looks way more creepy than the book
really is! Go read it suspense-seekers!

Books have been around for ages. They started off as something only available to the rich, upper-class but seem to have slowly transformed into more of a burden than a luxury. Although I happen to really enjoy a good book these days, not everyone is on the same page. (See what I did there? So punny!) I have an inkling as to why books have such a negative connotation these days, and it all starts with "Summer Reading." You know, that dreadful list of books that you must read each summer while you're supposed to be out of school. There were never any good books to choose from; they always ended with the dog dying or the beaten kid running away from his horrible home. What elementary school child wants to read those books? What adult even wants to read those books? I know that at the time if you had asked me if I wanted to go get a book "for fun" I would have ran the other way screaming. There are so many exciting books out there and so many genres to explore; there's definitely a type for everyone to get into. The sad thing is, we have been ruined by our school system which made us consistently read books we hated, and gave us such a bad outlook on reading that we never want to pick up a book again! Especially not for fun! Eventually after not having a mandatory Summer Reading list, I started picking up a book here and there, mostly for vacations or times when I knew I would be out of cell phone service. Now, reading has turned into a hobby for me. I love a good paperback. No monitor. No mouse. Just me lost in the pages. With so many new technologies these days, it gets harder and harder to pick up a book. Most people would rather watch a movie or play on their iphone and if they were to get a book, it would be downloaded on their Nook or Kindle. I still blame the school system and Summer Reading for spoiling our attitudes towards reading. If only they would let the students choose which books to read or at least expand the list to not include so many depressing, drab books, we may actually start bringing up children who appreciate a nice piece of literature. With that being said, sorry for the book tangent and I'm off to finish my latest novel, "Before I go to Sleep" by S. J. Watson. If you like mystery, I would highly recommend it; the suspense is killing me!

-LFH :)