I’ve recently been spending all of my free time reading. With the stress of college hitting hard, I took a short break from reading for fun. I thought I wouldn’t have enough time to read an entire book, yet I’d watch a few seasons of a show on Netflix in one weekend. One weekend, instead of starting a new TV show, I started a book. I forgot the beauty of reading for fun, and I don’t want anyone else to miss out on it. So, here’s a short list of books I’d recommend if you want to read for fun again (based on your favorite show on Netflix).
- “Outer Banks” – “We Were Liars” by E. Lockhart
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If you like mysteries and the beach, this might become your new favorite book. In “We Were Liars,” the Sinclair family returns to their private island for summer vacation, just as they have done since Cadence was born. Cadence suffered a head injury during an accident and she’s trying to piece together how she got injured. Her family, however, isn’t much help in her search for answers. It turns out everyone in the family has secrets. Some of the secrets are much darker than Cadence would expect.
- “Zac & Mia” – “Everything, Everything” by Nicola Yoon
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Zac has non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Mia has osteosarcoma of the leg. Madeline, from “Everything, Everything” has severe combined immunodeficiency. Zac, Mia and Madeline spend most of their time away from strangers for their safety. Mia gets Zac to grow outside of his comfort zone and Olly does the same for Madeline. The plot twist at the end, my favorite part of every book, leaves you stunned.
- “Who Killed Sara?” – “One of Us Is Lying”
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Who doesn’t love a good murder mystery? If you’re into suspenseful page-turners, “One of Us Is Lying” is for you. Just like in the show, people are being framed for murder. My theory of who committed the crime was constantly changing as I read more. The main characters go through changes as they learn from their experiences. It’s a fairly quick read once you become invested in solving the mystery.
- “The Society” – “The Grace Year”
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Both of these are based on a “Lord of the Flies” storyline. In “The Grace Year,” girls who are 16 years old get sent away to get rid of “powers” that could endanger the society that men have built. A year later, they are brought back, but are never allowed to speak of what happened during their grace year. Since girls of this age are believed to have special powers, there are poachers looking for any chance to get their blood. This book goes through the four seasons of Tierney’s grace year where she learns just how powerful women are.
- “Fate: The Winx Saga” – “Red Queen”
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Magic causes a divide in “Red Queen.” Silver bloods are born with special powers and red bloods are born with nothing. Mare is red blood, but she has powers. There would be an uprising if people found out about her powers. Oh wait, there already is. A group of reds are trying to take down the fully silver-run monarchy. Unfortunately, Mare finds herself tangled between the reds and the silvers. Yet again, this has a huge plot twist. I never knew what to expect next.
- “Teen Mom” – “With the Fire on High”
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I haven’t read this book yet, but it has been on my reading list since I heard about it. It follows Emoni, a girl who got pregnant during her freshman year of high school. Emoni’s parents aren’t around, so she lives with her grandmother. Because her grandmother is such a strong support system for Emoni and her daughter, Emoni is able to pursue her dream of becoming a chef. She faces many challenges, including figuring out custody with Tyrone, her baby’s father, and keeps her head held high.
I hope you can add some of these recommendations to your summer reading list!