During the summer, Hackley students embark upon numerous activities such as traveling, climbing mountains, and much more. In all of this excitement, one of the most common summer activities that is easily forgotten is reading. While students of every grade have a required summer reading book, many of them also read for fun. Here are some memorable books students read this summer and what they recommend:

Sophomore Lily Adams recommends I Wish You All the Best, by Mason Deery. The novel focuses on a nonbinary student named Ben De Nacker, and his struggles with anxiety and moving to a new school. After a series of disastrous events at home, Ben decided that moving in with his sister was the best option. There he meets Nathan Allan who turns his whole world upside down and prompts him to take the first step to live a happier life. I Wish You All the Best is a great book filled with celebrations of love, friendship, and hope in the face of adversity.

If you are looking for a more sporty novel to read, Sophomore Annabel Previdi suggested Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game by Michael Lewis. The book is about the general manager of a baseball team, Billy Beane, and his difficulties trying to win in the Major Leagues with a minuscule budget. His solution: build a winning team full of young affordable players and inexpensive castoff veterans. Moneyball is perfect for people who enjoy reading about the games and hardships of players and their teams in Major League sports.

All the Bright Places, written by Jennifer Niven, was recommended by Freshman Lily Adamski. This novel is a compelling story about a girl who learns to live from a boy who wants to die. The author takes you through the highs and lows of loving somebody who is dealing with mental health difficulties. Although the ending is sad, the book really makes you dig deeper into the two characters’ growth and love for one another.

Junior Katherine Chen read The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V.E. Schwab over the summer. This book is great for any fiction readers who enjoy a twist of fantasy throughout the novel. The book is set in the early 1700s and covers a young woman named Addie Larue who is cursed to live forever but nobody can remember her name. Her story paints a picture of a young artist struggling to put her name out in the world, along with an epic romance and heartbreaking story. This is a great read for the beginning of the school year and a book that many had read over the summer.

Lastly, Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid was read by Junior Allison Chin during the summer. This book follows Daisy, a young lead singer in a 1970s rock group, and how the band split from her infamous break up with the leader. This novel is filled with music, excitement, and the grueling process of trying to find success with many problems along the way. It’s a great book and perfect for anyone looking to read about the wild and twisted life of musicians.