10 Great Summer Reads

By this point in the summer, many people are on vacation or have vacations planned for the near future. If you're planning a trip to some great, sunny beach (or you're not going anywhere and just want to read some good books), here are some recommendations for you to load on your e-reader or pack in your beach bag!

1.) Eleanor & Park
If you read my latest review, you know that I adore this book. It's a sweet and heart-wrenching love story that perfectly depicts how complex it is to be a teenager. Be sure to apply extra sun screen before picking this one up at the beach or by the pool, because you're not going to want to move until you've finished reading it.

2.) Jessica Darling series
The Jessica Darling series by Megan McCafferty (Sloppy Firsts, Second Helpings, Charmed Thirds, Fourth Comings, and Perfect Fifths) is one of my all-time favorites. It follows the quirky and bitingly-witty Jessica Darling through high school, college, and into her career over the course of the five books. Each novel in the series is full of humor and a fantastic will-they-or-won't-they love story.

3.) Anything by John Green
Because he's John Green and every word he touches turns into magic. Each of his books are utterly consuming and lovely with sweet love stories (are you seeing a pattern here?) and lots of humor, but also plenty of complexity. These puppies may be YA, but they make you think and they make you grateful for what you have. Many of them involve travel and other adventures, so they're great escapism if you're stuck inside on a rainy day or longing to get out of town.

4.) Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
If you haven't read this series (or at the very least its first installment), do yourself a huge favor and run out to buy it RIGHT NOW. Don't even finish reading this post. Okay, maybe come back and read it after you've bought the book. But the Hitchhiker's Guide is the epitome of funny and a super quick read. It's quirky and silly and wonderful. And if you aren't able to go on vacation yourself this year, what better trip could you imagine than the galaxy. Really.

5.) Neverwhere
Neil Gaiman is a creative genius, and that should be reason enough for anyone to want to pick this book up. It's full of adventure and danger and nice people and creepy villains. And humor. Lots of humor. If you're bummed out that your summer isn't shaping up to be as exciting as you'd hoped, pick up this book. It'll give you what you're looking for (and more!).

6.) The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Another of my all-time favorites. I've read this book at least seven times, and it never gets old. It is charming and endearing and sad in the kind of way that makes you cry, and then when you're done crying, you feel like the weight of the world has been taken off your shoulders. Mostly it's just an elegant, beautifully written ode to adolescence, and you should check it out.

7.) Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist
This is another great one for the times when you have to live vicariously through someone else's adventures. Don't judge the book by its movie! I promise you the novel is a million times better than its film adaptation. Nick just got dumped by Tris, the love of his life. Norah has never met Nick, but she's had a crush on him purely based on the mix tapes he makes for Tris (who is her friend). When Nick and Norah meet by chance, hijinks ensue!! The really fun kind. I promise it's better than I make it sound.

8.) The Hobbit
Because it's a classic and an adventure and totally worth reading, but it can be tough to get through some of the slower parts when you're busy with work or school. Start reading it, then take a break every few chapters to read something different, and then work your way back to it every once in a while.

9.) Pride and Prejudice
I feel that this one needs no explanation. Have you not read Pride and Prejudice? Do you like awesome things? Then read it!! The love story and lovely English countryside setting make it a perfect book for summer.

10.) The Delirium trilogy
So apparently I think all love stories are good for summer reading. Which is mainly why I put this series on this list. It's great (especially if you liked the Hunger Games) and is full of love stories (because how can a book where love is seen as a disease NOT have a love story?). And it's just cute and funny and worth reading.