As we come to the last few weeks of the semester, the free time of summer sounds like a distant fantasy. Wherever summer break is taking you – a sunny beach, on a cross-country road trip, or a summer job – now is the time to start dreaming about your hours of leisure. What better way to fill them than reading a good book?Â
Need help finding books worth your precious time? Look no further! As an English major who reads a startling number of books, I’ve assembled a list of my personal recommendations.
The Summer of Broken Rules by K. L. Walther
This is a young adult romance revolving around a summer wedding on Martha’s Vineyard and a game of Assassin. The main character, Meredith, is dealing with the death of her sister as she revisits their childhood vacation home. She is determined to win Assassin, but when she meets Wit, one of the groomsmen, the game becomes entangled with alliances, betrayals and romance.
This is my favorite summer read! If you enjoy books where all loose ends are tied together, this is the book for you. It delivers the perfect summer romance with lovable characters. If you’re looking for a relaxing beach read that still delivers a story that will stick with you, this book is the way to go.
Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter
This is another young adult romance and is on the lighter side. It follows the quirky protagonist Liz as she develops feelings for the witty boy next door, Wes, with whom she enters a fake relationship in an attempt to impress her childhood crush. There is an enemies-to-friends-to-lovers dynamic that develops between Liz and Wes throughout the course of the story. Liz is obsessed with rom-coms and music, and the book even comes with its own playlist (heavily featuring Taylor Swift).
If you are looking for a laid-back read, Better than the Movies fits the bill. This book is notoriously cheesy, but if you love rom-coms, Taylor Swift, and sweet romances, it might be just the right type of cheesy for you!Â
Dance of Thieves and The Remnant Chronicles by Mary E. Pearson
Cheesy romances aren’t for everyone. Mary E. Pearson’s young adult fantasy novel creates an intricate world and follows a street thief, Kazi, as she meets Jase, the new leader of a small, unrecognized kingdom. This book uses tropes like enemies-to-lovers and forced proximity, and the story is told through multiple perspectives. Dance of Thieves is a spin-off of Mary E. Pearson’s trilogy called The Remnant Chronicles.
In the trilogy, Princess Lia runs away from her home kingdom right before her arranged marriage. She is being tracked by both an assassin and the prince she was set to marry. The majority of the story is told from Lia’s perspective as she meets two men, Rafe and Kaden, but other chapters are narrated by either the assassin or the prince. As the reader, you are left to determine which man is the assassin and which is the prince, an interesting add-on.
If you enjoy dystopian stories and the fantasy genre, this series is a wonderful combination of the two.Â
As someone who doesn’t typically pick up long book series, this is one of my favorites that I’m tempted to reread this summer.
Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
If you are someone who enjoys memoirs or nonfiction, Tuesdays with Morrie may be the book for you. This book follows the author, Mitch Albom, as he visits his dying college professor every Tuesday and learns final lessons about life.Â
Everyone seeks meaning and purpose in life — our relationships, our jobs, and our pastimes. In this memoir recounting Morrie’s last lessons for his former student, he emphasizes the importance of loving others and creating meaning in everything you do.
This book is one that sticks with you and can be revisited time and time again. My roommate lent me her copy and I cried like a baby. I would highly recommend reading this short but impactful book over summer break!
1984 by George Orwell
1984 is one of those books that will make you see the world around you in a different light. Compared to the other books on this list, 1984 is not a particularly easy read, but its dystopian depiction of a totalitarian government demonstrates the dangers of an overly controlling power over society.Â
This classic novel explores issues of censorship, constant surveillance, and diminished critical thinking.Â
If you’re looking for a challenge and a novel that will get your gears turning this summer, 1984 would be a good place to start.
Whether you want a rom-com or a dystopian classic, you should stock up on the books you want to read this summer before your adventures begin!