Top Ten Summer Books (For Teenage Girls)

Anyone who knows me knows that I am OBSESSED with reading. I am always reading something, and ALWAYS have a book suggestion handy for those who ask. There is always something so special about summer reading (the fun kind, not the kind for school) because whenever you go back and think about that book, you’ll be taken back in your mind to the pool or the beach, or even just that distinct smell of summer. So, I’ve put together a list of my top ten books for summer. Now, my taste is a little girly, which is why this is the “top ten summer books for teenage girls,” but guys, of course, are welcome to give it a go. You’ll also notice there’s a lot of series in my list. Because it’s summer, there’s plenty of time to delve in and read two or three or seven (see No. 5) books from the same series. There is no specific order, just the order in which I remember them. So here we go!

KACIE’S TOP TEN BOOKS FOR SUMMER

1.      Something Borrowed series by Emily Giffin. This series contains the books Something Borrowed and Something Blue. Yes, Something Borrowed is the book that the new movie with Kate Hudson and Ginnifer Goodwin is based on. I haven’t seen the movie yet, because I wanted to wait until I read the books, and all I can say is that they were great! It’s about plain jane Rachel falling in love with her best friend Darcy’s fiancé as the two begin an affair. Throughout the whole series you’ll be guessing as to whom each girl ends up with!

2.      What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen. Now, I’m going to stop you right here. ANY Sarah Dessen book is a good summer book. Her newest book, What Happened to Goodbye dropped on my doorstep (I pre-ordered, I knew it was worth it) just in time for summer, and I knew it was no coincidence. Sarah Dessen books are practically tailored for the summer, even if they’re talking about a whole different season in the book. In her newest novel, Mclean has moved from place to place with her dad, whose job is to fix up restaurants that are being run into the ground. Mclean is one of those people that doesn’t make close attachments because she knows that she’s leaving soon, but when she moves to Lakeview, she finds herself in a pickle when she really starts falling for Dave, and is becoming close friends with a lot of really great people. And, as Dessen is never the one to just have one plot in a book, she also must come to terms with her mom’s new marriage and family, who she never sees because she’s on the road.

3.      The Vinyl Princess by Yvonne Prinz. If you love music, pick this book up already! (Along with No. 6…. We’ll get to that.) The Vinyl Princess tells the story of Allie, who pretty much lives and breathes music. She’s got the job at a record store, she’s got the insane collection of music at home, AND she decides to write a zine and a blog all about music, under the fake name of the Vinyl Princess. There’s plenty of crazy characters in Allie’s life, like her single mother, their college roommate, her best friend, and so on. I read this book last summer, and it brings back lots of great music memories.

4.      Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. Yes, the one that was turned into a movie with Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon. You’ve all probably seen the movie, so I’ll keep the description short. A young almost-college-graduate Jacob hops on a train after the untimely death of his parents during the Great Depression. Little does he know that it turns out to be a circus train. He ends up looking after an elephant and falling in love with the ringleader’s wife, and chaos ensues. Not the best description, but I did manage to do it in three sentences! Now onto my take: I read this book last summer, and I just remember the last line. It kills me every time. It was so worth it. And, it will probably start giving you ideas to run off with the circus…

5.      The Harry Potter series. You’re groaning now, and saying, “Kacie! That’s seven books! Seven long books!” Well, there’s no time like the present! Even if you’ve read them before, I recommend brushing up on your HP knowledge. It will be your last time to read the seventh book (well…the second half) without it being tainted by the movie version! And I’m not saying the movies are bad, quite the opposite. I’m just saying it’s never how we picture it in our minds (and if it is for you…you just might be magical yourself), and it will be the final time you can picture it your own way. I’m not even bothering giving a book description, because if you don’t know what it’s about by now… spoiler alert! Harry’s a wizard.

6.      Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway. Another book filled with music! And I LOVE IT! Audrey, Wait! tells the hilarious tale of Audrey, whose ex-boyfriend writes a song about her that becomes a number one hit, causing the limelight to shine on Audrey. I literally laughed out loud through the whole story as I read about how Audrey handles her new fame, her new boyfriend, her crazy-yet-funny best friend, and, of course, the fattest cat in the whole world: Bendomolena.  Trust me, you’ve never heard sarcasm until you’ve heard it from Audrey.

7.      Bass Ackwards series by Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain. I always find myself comparing these two books to The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, even though pretty much the only thing they have in common is that there are four best friends. The first in the series is Bass Ackwards and Belly Up, and the second one is Footfree and Fancyloose, and, like I say, they tell the stories of four best friends. One of the girls, Harper, doesn’t get into college, and covers up the lie by saying she’s decided not to go, and wants to pursue her writing. One thing leads to another, and the girls all decide to pursue what they love. For Sophie, it’s acting in LA. For Becca, it’s actually going to college and being on the ski team. And for Kate, it means not going to Yale, which was the plan, and heading off to Europe to find out what her dreams are. I read these books so quickly, they’re addicting! Wait until you see where their lives all end up.

8.      My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares. This book. Ohh, this book. Every time I describe it, I get a little bit better at it. You’ll see why. This book is based on the idea that everyone is reincarnated. Daniel has the gift to remember all of his past lives, and can recognize people’s souls from life to life. In each of his lives, he keeps seeing the same girl, Sophia, and falls in love with her, and has made it his mission in each of his lives to find her again. Finally, in present day, the timings right. They’re the same age, both single, and are ready for each other, and yet things still stand in their way of being with each other, like the fact that Sophia does not have the gift of the Memory. I read this book in record time, it was amazing. You’ll be on the edge of your seat in anticipation, waiting to see what happens to them both.

9.      Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott. My all-time favorite Elizabeth Scott Book. Dani grew up not taking math classes, or English classes, or going to school at all. She grew up with her mother, who taught her everything she knows. About theft. Here’s a little quote which explains it all: “I can pry the molding off a window without making a sound. I can drive a car, climb into a house, deal with growling dogs. I know exactly how much your average 19th century tea service weighs and how many pieces it has. For silver I learned to read, write, work numbers.” Dani and her mom book it to Heaven, a small town with a lot of rich people. But as Dani is growing past the point where she needs to be with her mom, and her mom is aging past the point of perfect health, Dani finds herself considering other options besides a life of theft. Especially when she begins falling for a cop, and becomes friends with the very people who own the house Dani’s mom has instructed her to steal from. And, like all of the books on the list, the last line is exceptional.

10.   The Chelsea Handler books. The only non-fiction books to make the cut! My Horizontal Life; Are You There Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea; and Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang are all crazy funny. Handler writes about all of the insane situations she gets into. Most are her fault, too. The newest book, Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me is by all of the people that have been Chelsea’s victims. I have yet to read it, but it’s next on my list. If it’s anything like the other Chelsea Handler books, I’ll be laughing the entire time.