The Best Books to Read This Year

Many of you have been on summer break for nearly a month or two.  Perhaps you are even ready to get back to the daily grind of school work, but before you do here are the five best books you need to read before September classes start.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series by Ann Brashares

This is a series of 4 books about four best friends who grew up together.  At the start of the series, they are about to spend their first summer vacation apart.  Lena is going to Greece to visit her grandparents, Bridget is going to soccer camp in sunny Southern California, Carmen is headed to visit her father in South Carolina, and Tibby is stuck staying home in D.C. to work at the Walmart-like store Wallman’s. Right before the start of summer they discover a miraculous pair of pants that fit each of these very different girls perfectly.  They decide to share the pants for one week each as they go through unique challenges throughout the summer including family life, love, loss, and most of all friendship.

teen.allwomenstalk.com

Paper Towns by John Green

Many of you may have read or watched The Fault in Our Stars, which became a major hit last summer when it hit the big screen.  This John Green story is a lot less sad and is more likely to put a smile on your face.

It follows a boy named Quentin Jacobsen, also known as Q.  He has been in love with Margo Roth Spiegelman ever since she moved next door when they were kids.  One night, she climbs in through Q’s window and starts a night of unforgettable revenge against her boyfriend.  The next day she disappears without a trace, except for the clues she leaves for Q.  With the help of his best friends Radar and Ben, Q goes on a wild adventure to find Margo, but in the end they also find themselves.

You have until July 24th to read it until the movie hits the screens!

amazon.co.uk

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

This is the story of Aristotle and Dante, two boys who are growing up in Texas in the 1980’s.  It is told primarily through Aristotle’s perspective.  Throughout the story the boys start to discover who they are as they grow in their friendship and deal with family life.  They have to face things they never expected within themselves and each other.  Aristotle and Dante are strikingly different but are able to complement each other’s personalities in a perfect way.

Aristotle and Dante is written in a striking way, through their self-discovery you come to love these characters and their families.

overdrive.com

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

This is a book shrouded in mystery.  It takes place on a wealthy family’s private island where they go visit every summer, except this visit is far different from any that came before it.  With this book, it is best to not know more than that before reading it. Lockhart is an incredibly talented writer; her poetic style will have you guessing right up until the very end.  It may be short, but it sure packs a punch, and you won’t want to put it down.

theboyfriendlist.com

The Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy by Laini Taylor

This one is for all you fantasy fans out there.

This trilogy begins in the city of Prague, following a girl named Karou, a seemingly ordinary art student.  She doesn’t know anything about her past.  Karou has the most peculiar job of collecting teeth for her guardian when one-day handprints start to appear on the doors of the portals she uses to get around.  Leading her to meet the striking Akiva, and their star-crossed love begins.  He could be the link to her past, but when she finds the answers she’s been searching for her whole life everything she’s known changes forever.

en.wikipedia.org

If you’re not a fan of reading, or don’t have the time, check out Audible! Listen to the books while you’re driving or getting ready.