My 2018 Spring Reading List

As a kid, going to the library was like going to a candy store. I would try to leave with as many books as I could get away with. I would spend nights with hidden flashlights, trying to gobble every last page up. When I got into college though, all my reading was spent in textbooks, not fiction. Or in English studies graduate school, when reading fiction turned into an obligation. The age of on demand viewing entertainment, like Netflix, really started booming and I wanted to spend my free time in front of a screen, rather than with more pages. Before I knew it, it had been years since a read a book for fun.

I found myself suddenly being drawn back into the world of books this year, and I am loving every moment of it. I decided to put together a list of all the titles I have and will read this spring, and will put together a review of them as summer rolls around!

Crank, Glass, Fallout, and Identical – Ellen Hopkins
Ellen Hopkins is one of my all time favorite writers. She is so gritty, raw, and tells stories that young adults want and need to hear. I’ve read all her books almost a decade ago, but I wanted to immerse myself back into her worlds. Crank, Glass, and Fallout are a retelling of Hopkins’ own daughter’s journey after trying meth. Now as an adult, reading about a family torn apart through a loved one’s addiction, this story hits almost too close to home. Hopkins’ unique style may be easy to read, but her hard hitting stories are anything but.

The Way I Used to Be – Amber Smith
I saw so many great reviews of this book, and obviously I am a junky for tough topic books. I read the first chapter or so at a mind-numbing training last week and was already drawn in by Smith’s bluntness. This will probably be my next read, and I am looking forward to see how the story evolves.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling
Another story that I’ve read long before, but haven’t experienced recently enough. After the privilege to teach the Philosopher’s Stone to my 10th graders in the fall, I am now hooked on the idea of re-reading the whole series. Next up, Harry’s second year at Hogwarts!

*The Hobbit – J.R.R. Tolkien and *A Monster Calls – Patrick Ness
So these two are on this list for much different reasons. I am going to re-read these books this spring because I will be teaching them to my 9th and 10th graders during 4th quarter. Both are extraordinary stories that are well worth the read, but these will be less of a way to relax for me than the others. I am so excited to introduce both of these books to my students though!

What are you currently reading?