Precommendations: Volume 1, Issue 7

July Reads

       I can't believe that I am officially over halfway done with this volume of Precommendations! This series has been so much fun to do, and I am so glad I started it back in January. If you have any ideas for new series, please let me know in the comments on what types of posts you would like to see from me.
       There really aren't very many YA books coming out in July, so this issue of Precommendations is kind of short. If I missed any of your most anticipated reads, let me know in the comments as well!

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Click Here to Buy What To Say Next

What to Say Next,
by: Julie Buxbaum

July 11th
​       Sometimes a new perspective is all that is needed to make sense of the world.
       KIT: I don’t know why I decide not to sit with Annie and Violet at lunch. It feels like no one here gets what I’m going through. How could they? I don’t even understand.
       DAVID: In the 622 days I’ve attended Mapleview High, Kit Lowell is the first person to sit at my lunch table. I mean, I’ve never once sat with someone until now. “So your dad is dead,” I say to Kit, because this is a fact I’ve recently learned about her. 
       When an unlikely friendship is sparked between relatively popular Kit Lowell and socially isolated David Drucker, everyone is 

surprised, most of all Kit and David. Kit appreciates David’s blunt honesty—in fact, she finds it bizarrely refreshing. David welcomes Kit’s attention and her inquisitive nature. When she asks for his help figuring out the how and why of her dad’s tragic car accident, David is all in. But neither of them can predict what they’ll find. Can their friendship survive the truth?

Compare to: All the Bright Places, by: jennifer Niven

       This book sounds like it has some All the Bright Places vibes going on with it, which is another book I really enjoyed. Two kids with nothing in common one day become great friends. I really like that this book takes that idea and applies this new friendship to something very personal to one side of the relationship. I think something very thought-provoking and meaningful will come out of this book, and I can't wait to see what it is!

Click Here to Buy I See London, I See France

I See London, I See France,
by: Sarah Mlynowski

July 11th
       Nineteen-year-old Sydney has the perfect summer mapped out. She’s spending the next four and half weeks traveling through Europe with her childhood best friend, Leela. Their plans include Eiffel-Tower selfies, eating cocco gelato, and making out with très hot strangers. Her plans do not include Leela’s cheating ex-boyfriend showing up on the flight to London, falling for the cheating ex-boyfriend’s très hot friend, monitoring her mother’s spiraling mental health via texts, or feeling like the rope in a friendship tug-of-war. 
       In this hilarious and unforgettable adventure, New York Times bestselling author Sarah Mlynowski tells the story of a girl learning to 

navigate secret romances, thorny relationships, and the London Tube. As Sydney zigzags through Amsterdam, Switzerland, Italy, and France, she must learn when to hold on, when to keep moving, and when to jump into the Riviera… wearing only her polka dot underpants.

Compare to: Anna and the French Kiss, by: Stephanie Perkins

       This book sounds like the perfect one to accompany you on your vacation this summer. Whether you are just going down the road or across the world, a book about travel is perfect for this time of year. I love to read books that are set in new places, especially in Europe. It's on my bucket list to do exactly what Sydney plans on doing, and this book seems to me like it's one step closer to accomplishing that. With that being said, I also think it will be interesting to see how Sydney handles all of the hurdles that come with traveling and being away from her mother.

Click Here to Buy Lucky In Love

Lucky in love, by: Kasie West

July 25th
​       Maddie doesn't believe in luck. She's all about hard work and planning ahead. But one night, on a whim, she buys a lottery ticket. And then, to her astonishment --
       She wins!
       In a flash, Maddie's life is unrecognizable. No more stressing about college scholarships. Suddenly, she's talking about renting a yacht. And being in the spotlight at school is fun... until rumors start flying, and random people ask her for loans. Now, Maddie isn't sure who she can trust.
       Except for Seth Nguyen, her funny, charming coworker at the local zoo. Seth doesn't seem aware of Maddie's big news. And, for some reason, she doesn't want to tell him. But what will happen if he learns her secret? 

Compare to: Windfall, by: Jennifer E. Smith

       It just so happens that I finished Windfall not too long ago, and this book follows the same kind of plot line. I love Kasie West's writing, and I've been meaning to read another book by her, so seeing how her characters handle winning the lottery will be neat to follow. I have a feeling this version of teenage lottery winning will be a little more romantic than Windfall, so I am very excited to see how this story unfolds.

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       There you have it, folks, my most anticipated reads for July! If you are looking forward to a book I didn't include in this list, please let me know in the comments so I can check it out as well!

As her TBR continues to grow,
Ashton

It doesn't matter. I have books, new books, and I can bear anything as long as there are books.

— Jo Walton, Among Others