I spent the first half of the year studying, but come summer I was really happy to read for pleasure again. These have been my favorites:
I'll basically read/watch anything about "the lost generation" so I was excited to come across The Paris Wife. You pretty much know the ending, but it was so enjoyable to read through their (fictionalized) love stories and adventures in Europe. If you could be reincarnated AND go backwards in time, I want my next life to be in 1920s Paris.
A friend told me about Wild a few years ago, and it didn't pique my interest. But recently I learned that Cheryl Strayed was the author of the "Dear Sugar" column and that the movie was coming out, plus now I live a lot closer to the Pacific Crest Trail, so when I saw a copy at a used bookstore a couple weeks ago, right before going on a plane ride, I picked it up. I got halfway through in just a couple days. I've had to slow down because life just got busy, but I'm really pulling for Cheryl to complete her trek and resolve her personal issues. Again you go in knowing the ending, but it still feels like throughout her struggle, you're right next to her.
I also spent a fair amount of time reading The Goldfinch, and while it was well-written and kind of interesting, it was really long and I just didn't find the main character (can't remember his name, doesn't really matter to me) relatable or likable. I'd probably watch the movie if it becomes one, though, just because I've already read it and would like to see the settings (NYC, Vegas, ...Amsterdam? somewhere in Europe.)
I also have a bunch of non-fiction/business-y books on my smartphone. I finished the Steve Jobs biography earlier this year (two years after the rest of the world), and I've got The Power of Many, Lean In, and Quiet all started but still incomplete. Basically I have a lot of reading choices to consider before I open my Twitter app, it just depends on my mood.
