The sun is staying out longer, the air is warmer and the trees are blooming which can only mean one thing—summer is right around the corner. One of my favorite parts of summer is the yearly summer reading list I make for myself, full of books that I’ve been wanting to read but can’t dedicate the time to during the school year. Usually, I like to keep the list varied by including different genres of books, especially ones I don’t usually reach for, to mix up the pace and style of what I’m reading. It’s always fun to branch out and try something new, and with three months off you have plenty of time to explore new stories.
Here are some recommendations I have for each category of a perfect summer reading list. Happy reading!
Y.A. Romance
“Eleanor and Park” by Rainbow Rowell
This book is FULL of those one-liners that unleash a horde of butterflies in your stomach and make you wish for one of those great teenage loves. With lines like, “Holding Eleanor’s hand was like holding a butterfly. Or a heartbeat. Like holding something complete, and completely alive,” and “I’m not even mine anymore, I’m yours, and what if you decide that you don’t want me? How could you want me like I want you?” I dare you not to smile like a goofy idiot in the middle of Starbucks while reading this (speaking from personal experience here). What I love best about this book is that it’s honest – you’re never guessing at what the characters are feeling and Rowell does an excellent job at conveying the inner monologues of the titular characters. Don’t get me wrong, this book will rip out your heart and run it over with a bus, but IT IS WORTH IT!
A Book that Challenges You
“The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America” by Richard Rothstein
I know, I know, summer is the time to relax and get a break from the flurry of constant academic readings, and yes, this book was one of my assigned readings when I took Urban Politics. I’m recommending it because it’s a fascinating read that made me completely rethink how the American government systematically imposed residential segregation and how that affects the current housing, education and socio-economic state America faces today. For those interested in social justice, racial equality or American politics, this is a must-read!
A Mystery
“The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires” by Grady Hendrix
As a girl whose top movie list is littered with horror films, I love a good mystery. “The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires” is “Stranger Things” meets “Good Girls” with a dash of “Twilight” all rolled up into one novel. Set in Charleston, South Carolina circa the ‘90s, an unfulfilled mother and her book club of stay-at-home moms must protect their suburban community from a mysterious and handsome stranger who may or may not be behind the disappearances of local children. I literally could not put this book down and found myself audibly gasping at plot twists and particularly thrilling scenes. Hendrix knows how to set a scene that will make your skin crawl, and this book NEEDS a place on your list this summer.
A Book From Your Childhood
“The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak
OK so, this type of book will be different for everyone. Personally, I will be rereading The Book Thief for the third time this summer. This book means so much to me and was the first one to make me sob at the end. Whichever book you choose, reread the one that you were obsessed with. The one that made you feel different after you were done reading it. It’s so important to go back to those pivotal moments in your life where you felt something for the first time. I did this last winter break when I reread the Percy Jackson series (I was OBSESSED with these books in elementary school) and I saw them through a different light, but with the same love. You can tell so much about yourself and how you’ve changed and stayed the same from consuming media you haven’t experienced since your childhood. It’s like going home in a way, so curl up with your childhood fav and experience those first memories again.
A New Release
“Mary Jane” by Jessica Anya Blau
I feel like new releases always slip through my fingers or get pushed to the backburner of my reading list. I love seeing the TikTok discourse on newly-released books and would love to join the discourse but don’t have the time to drop everything and read. Thankfully, the summer is the perfect time to catch up on new releases you might have missed out on. “Mary Jane” is one of my favorite newer books, released in May 2021. The story follows the main character (Mary Jane) as she embarks on a ‘70s summer of self-discovery, nannying for a family of psychiatrists who are secretly treating a rock n roll star for drug addiction. What I love about this book is Mary Jane’s transition from a shy girl who is very much under the thumb of her conservative mother to someone who speaks her mind, is accepting of different lifestyles and isn’t afraid to go against her upbringing.
No matter what, make sure that you enjoy your summer reading! Don’t be afraid to abandon a book you don’t love, or put it down and pick it back up later. Open a book, get outside, and happy reading!