Summer is my favorite time to read every book that I didn't have time for during this school year. The past school year was very hectic and I was unable to read as much as I wanted to, so this summer I picked up every book I wanted and went to reading! Here is my top 20! These are in order of when I read them!
1. Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Abertalli:If you liked Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum as much as I did then this book is for you! Simon is taking with an anonymous student, Blue, over a blog and when someone finds out he is sending these messages, Simon is blackmailed into helping Jackson get a date.
This story is so sweet and I loved reading about Simon's struggle with high school students judging him but it is also a love story about learning who your true friends are.
3. Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley:
If you love book stores and romances then definitely read Words in Deep Blue! The story follows Rachel who has not kept in touch with her old friend, Henry, after she moves away but years later to moves back to hometown and reconnects with her long lost friend and love interest. Henry's parents own a second hand bookshop where people leave love notes in between the pages. Henry and Rachel soon reconnect between the pages.
This book is truly adorable and sad. It is a story about growing up and learning how to love even when the person is gone. It is also learning what matters in the world and learning how to love yourself before loving someone else.
4. History is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera:If you love sad love stories this one is for you. Griffin's ex-boyfriend, Theo, has just passed away. Griffin with the help of Theo's boyfriend, Jackson, reminisces over his time with Theo and the time he lost while Theo was with Griffin.
I love this story so much! Griffin's perspective is so interesting and sad. You follow how Theo and Griffin fell in love but what Griffin loved about Theo and what made him so special. It is about learning how to let go but also learning how to accept the truth.
5. Windfall by Jennifer E. Smith:If you love classic love stories then this is it! Alice has bad luck but when she gives her best friend, Teddy, a lottery ticket for his birthday and he wins the two figure out how to spend his new fortune on things they always dreamed of. Although this new fortune is wonderful, it has consequences on the relationships around him.
So adorable! I love this story because these two have only ever had bad luck and now with this new beginning they learn how to forgive the past and look towards the future. It is also about learning how to identify the loyal people around you and what the meaning of family is!
6. The Problem With Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout:
If you love long lost love stories this is it! Mallory's past is not a good one with growing up in foster care with an abusive family she has only ever relied on the one boy who constantly saved her life when they were young. When Mallory starts at a new high school four years later, she reconnects with the boy who saved her life, Rider. The two reconnect and realize they have both changed!
OMG I LOVE this book with all my heart. I am so obsessed with it. Sometimes I just think about it and it makes me want to read it all over again! This book is a love story but mostly forgiving and forgetting!
7. A Court of Thorns and Rose Trilogy by Sarah J. MaasIf you love fantasy then these are for sure for you! I'm not a big fantasy reader, so picking ACOTAR up was a little iffy but I devoured them. I read them all within a couple of days! I don't even know how to summarize them all but basically it is about Feyre, a human girl protecting her family, who accidentally kills a Faerie over the wall that was built to separate the two. Feyre has to go live in the Faerie realm with the Fearie and the whole story starts from there. There is so much romance and action! They are so entertaining! I was hooked! Definitely for new adult readers.
8. I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson:
If you love contemporary novels about loss then pick this up! I am a big contemporary reader and I have heard so much about this story, so I finally picked it up! The story is from the points of views of twins, Jude and Noah. Noah is very close with his Mom and Jude has always envied Noah for it. Noah is the artist in the family and Jude is working on it, so they apply to the art school down the road. When their Mother passes away, Jude is sad but she can't figure out why Noah isn't sad about the person who he was once close to. The story switches perspectives and timelines which is so incredible. You notice how the twins slowly switch places with one another as they grow! It is very sad and dramatic so have some tissues near. The story mostly reflects learning how to forgive, grow, and being their for one another. Such a great story!
9. Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaley:
If you love Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon this book is for you. A long time ago, Soloman had a panic attack at school causing him to strip down in the school water fountain. A girl named Lisa watched him jump into this fountain and years later she is still thinking about that traumatic moment. Lisa's goal is to get into college but she needs to write about an experience she has had with mental health, so she tries to find the boy who jumped in the fountain all those years ago. With the essay in mind, Lisa tracks down Soloman,who hasn't left the house since that day, and befriends him. By the time her essay is due, Lisa wants to get Soloman out of the house and cured from his mental illness. I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this book! It is all about learning how to overcome obstacles, facing your fears, how to be a friend, and what it means to be yourself! So, So, So amazing!!10. Rosie Girl by Julie Shepard:
If you liked We Were Liars you will like this book. Rosie and her best friend Mary are trying to make money to hire a private investigator so Rosie can find her birth mother. Since the sudden death of Rosie's father, Rosie has been living with her step-mother and her step-mother's too young boyfriend. All Rosie wants to do is find her birth Mother but all Rosie can think is why has she been lied to all this time? Why hasn't her Mother come to find her yet? When Rosie meets with the PI he hands her case off to his nephew, Mac. Mac is sweet and fun and might be able to find the answers to all her questions. Such an interesting read. I actually didn't meant to pick this book up but I am glad I did. The end had me shaking!!11. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell:
Since I started getting into fantasy this summer I decided to pick it up. I would not really say this is pure fantasy it is contemporary with a fantasy vibe. Simon Snow is the Chosen one at least thats what they tell him. When one night, a monster that looks just like Simon attacks his school and puts everyone in danger it is up to him and his vampire roommate, Baz, to stop the attacks. This is a love story but also a story about family and magic.12. Velva Jean Learns to Drive by Jennifer Niven:
I am obsessed with anything Jennifer writes but this story was incredibly empowering. Velva Jean has grown up with a dream of going to Nashville and singing. It has always been her dream but when she meets Harley Bright her dreams are kept safely away. Harley puts a dent in her dreams as they both follow his. As Velva Jean grows older, her brother is the one that takes her to an audition that leads her closer to her dream. This story is SO amazing! I love inspiring stories and this is one! This is about learning how to love yourself first and following your dreams. It is about putting yourself out there and trusting yourself.13. Dare to Fall by Estelle Maskame:
If you loved DIMLY I'm sure you will love this too!! I was so excited to hear that Estelle was releasing another book! I ordered it immediately! Jaden has had a hard year losing his parents in a car accident and losing friendship with the girl he likes. MacKenzie has her reasons for steering clear of Jaden because she has had her own losses to deal with but as the two start reconnecting they can't stay away from each other but they can't forget why they fell apart in the first place. This story has a big plot twist, love story and many family relationships. This is a story about not letting the past change the future and trusting the greatest people around you.
14. One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus:
THIS BOOK!!! Oh my goodness! If you love murder mysteries this is it for you. Simon has the biggest gossip blog around and he is constantly releasing information that is scarily true. The day before Simon is set to post the biggest scandals in school, he is put in detention with the kids he is about to post about. By the end of detention, Simon is dead. But who killed him? This book GOT me! I was trying to read so fast because I was so interested to know and my goodness it was so good! Please pick it up!!
15. Fallen Heir by Erin Watt:I love ErinWatt's novels so when they were releasing another book in the Royals series I was crying. This story is all about Easton. Easton is kind of a mess but a good mess. All he does is drink and fight but when the new girl comes to town he wants to be with her. He wants to be with her but she just wants to be friends! I loved it! If you want to know more I have a review all for it!
Thank you all so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed these books as much as I did!
Much Love,
Channy
