There’s nothing like cracking open a new book to be confronted with the heavenly smell of paper. Running your fingers along the smooth and strangely satisfying edges of the pages, opening to the first page, and making that first crease is the best feeling any book lover can imagine. Grabbing that blanket and pillow even though it’s not cold, in preparation to be enveloped in a story that will take you somewhere you have never been. Summer brings with it endless possibilities of things to do; however, reading books should be in the top 5 on your list. From one avid reader to another, here are some suggestions to reawaken your appetite for books. 

FANTASY 

Fablehaven by Brandon Mull. Kendra and her brother, Seth, discover all that comes along with one of the last sanctuaries for magical creatures. The ancient laws keep the preserve in check, but when powerful forces are unleashed, all chaos breaks loose as fairies, naiads, witches, trolls, and satires make Kendra and Seth have to go on the adventure of their lives to save their family.

Numbers Game by Rebecca Rode. Treena is a normal girl who’s waiting for rating day. The higher the number she gets, the higher the status she holds. Implanted on one’s forehead, everyone can see your number and status. Her boyfriend believes in both of them getting top ranking scores to get into a really good college; however, when she gets her score, it’s not quite what she was expecting. She must find a military spy to get her life and boyfriend back in this dystopian novel.

Cragbridge Hall by Chad Morris. Living in the year 2074 comes with its perks, a school that is so technologically advanced that its students can jump into the world they are learning about through simulation. Twins Abby and Derick Cragbridge are at their grandfather’s school, but adventures arise when the twins have to rescue their parents and grandfather when they go missing. Little did they know, they were in a race to discover a secret about their grandfather and his inventions that could change the course of history.

Ian Quicksilver by Alyson Peterson. Ian is a boy who just doesn’t feel like he belongs in this world. As it turns out, he is an exile from another planet with another girl; Arianna, the hottest girl in school, who he is apparently betrothed to. Ian holds the fate of the galaxy in his hands, but thankfully his friend came from the alien planet and is here to create comedic relief and help Ian discover who he is.

MYSTERIES

Pitfall by Clair M. Poulson. Sparky Graves was adopted into his new family as a baby, but his parents never let him be part of the family. They practically worship their firstborn son, Kal, while he pins the blame of his every misdeed on Sparky to keep his good name. One day, Kal does a completely horrendous thing and pins it on Sparky. He then has to choose to run away from Kal and the law for his safety where he begins to live this double life. Working as a farmhand, Sparky finds a haven and people who love him, but his past starts to catch up with him and he has to face it or run again.

Code Word by Tracy Hunter Abramson. Navy SEAL Jay Wellman nor his job are quite what the media portrays. His team recently had a mission go wrong, but his teammates somehow are still happy. As Jay tries to come to terms with what happened, he realizes that there might be more to the religion of his teammates than he first thought. Carina Channing knows that her past is catching up to her. She can never leave “The Family” and the evil that lurks within, no matter how hard she tries, and she’s done all she can to get away. After meeting Jay, they realize they have nothing in common except for a mutual attraction and the fact they are both working through their trauma of the past.

Diamond Rings Are Deadly Things by Rachelle J. Christensen. Adrielle Pyper is the best wedding planner that one could ask for, but when her biggest client, who happens to be her best friend, is found dead three days before the wedding, her world falls apart. Now all her planning has to go on a road trip as she moves away to start from scratch in a new town. Adri lands herself two celebrity clients, but as the specialty wedding dresses she imported are irreparably vandalized, Adri must uncover the secret in the dresses before she becomes the next victim.

ROMANCE

The Selection by Kiera Cass. Thirty-five girls, one prince, and the chance of a lifetime. No matter your caste or status, one girl from each city in the kingdom is chosen to compete for the love of Prince Maxon and gets to live in the beautiful castle while they are there. America Singer was Selected but she must compete for a crown she doesn’t want and turn her back on her secret love with her long-time friend, Aspen, who she would have to marry down for because he is a caste below her. She sticks with it because of its perks for her family but finds more than she came for when she finally meets Prince Maxon. Now she must choose between the life she’s always wanted or the one she’s never even imagined. 

The Princess Sisters by Stacy Lynn Carroll. Having the last name of Princess is fun, but it’s not always easy when your parents decide to name you and your five cousins after actual Disney princesses. Cousins Belle, Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, and Snow White Princess all live by each other and go to the same school. In theory, their names are super cool, but in reality, they are more of a challenge to see if they can put up with the bullies. As they’re going into high school, a new neighbor moves in and it’s a new boy. As they all grow to want this one Prince, the Princess sisters will have lots of struggles and may have to redefine their friendship.

Not If I Save You First by Ally Carter. Maddie and Logan are best friends, but when Maddie’s Secret Service dad takes a bullet for the President, Maddie and her dad move somewhere they will always be safe from danger… the middle of Alaska. Years later when Logan shows up in Alaska, the danger comes with him, and she has to figure out how to save him and sort out the hurt feelings that she left behind. 

SCI-FI

Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix. Years ago, a random airplane showed up on a runway with no pilot but with a baby in every seat. No one knows how this could have happened. Jonah, Katherine, and Chip realize that they were adopted and decide to look more into their past. They start to get weird letters in the mail telling them that they are one of the missing, so they go to see what the letters mean. In their journey to find out more about themselves, they realize that they are children stolen from history. Now they have to figure out who in history they are and how time was changed when they left. 

The Clockwork Three by Matthew J. Kirby. Set in a coastal city in the late nineteenth century, Orphan Giuseppe was sent from his home country of Italy and now lives with a ruthless master to survive until he finds an enchanted green violin. Frederick doesn’t remember his past, but he’s living with a clockmaker as his apprentice but secretly he is trying to build the greatest clockwork man of all time. Having a deathly sick father means that Hannah must work as a hotel maid to help support the family. Being a maid has its occasional perks, so when she meets a new guest and learns of a secret treasure, she finds something, but not what she was looking for. Their paths unexpectedly keep crossing and they find that they need each other to help solve their problems.

The Host by Stephanie Meyers. Aliens have invaded the earth, but instead of getting rid of the humans, they took over their bodies. Usually, when this species is put into the human body, the previous soul is taken over and just disappears. Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. Wanderer, the alien soul who was given Melanie’s body, knew that living in humans was more complicated than other beings on earth, but Wanderer was not expecting Melanie to fight back. Now, Melanie is showing Wanderer visions of Jared, the man who Melanie loves. Wanderer begins to love Jared also because of the visions. Now Wanderer searches for a man who one body loves, but the two souls inside are in constant competition.

NON-FICTION/ REALISTIC FICTION

My Name Is Bryan by Stacy Lynn Carroll. True story, Bryan went cliff jumping with friends, but anyone smart never goes first. Bryan followed one of his friends, but he got the joker card of the deck and as soon as he hit the water he lost all movement in his arms and legs. Eighteen-year-old Bryan now has to re-learn how to live because his life is changed forever as he deals with paralysis from the neck down. 

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper. Melody is not your typical girl, she has cerebral palsy which makes life difficult. She can’t talk, walk, or write, but she’s the smartest person in her school. She has a photographic memory and can remember every detail of everything she has ever experienced, but no one knows because she can’t communicate it. She is determined to find a way to express herself through some means and break out of the mentally challenged shell that everyone unknowingly puts her into.

Charly by Jack Weyland. Charly and Sam are two completely different people in their personalities, lifestyle choices, temperaments, and beliefs, but are thrown together by their circumstances. As they get to know each other, they learn from each other how to be better people, but some of their differences may be a breaking point in their new relationship. Each has to give up things to be together, is the decision worth it?

Hopefully, there are some books you will enjoy, some you may have read already, but that doesn’t mean you can’t read them again. Another idea to find new books is to take your favorite author and read some of their other books, ones that you may not have heard of are usually as good, just less popular. 

If you need more books, browsing the library is so fun. Just read the backs of the books to see if they are interesting, take a chance on it! The cover doesn’t determine if the book is good, the author is just trying to give you a feel for what the book is like.

Reading is the best way to educate yourself, but it is becoming less and less popular because of phones. If you don’t have time to read, get an audiobook! It is a valid way to read and is super fun because you can multitask by reading and doing laundry at the same time. Happy summer reading!