A Summer Reading List for the Adventurous Reader

Adventure in Every Genre

Summer is a great time to relax and read a book between projects or while on vacation. It is also the time to go on an adventure. Take a reading adventure this summer by stepping out of your comfort zone and trying books in different genres. This summer reading list is filled with many different genres so you can try something new.

I have certain genres that I gravitate towards and read heavily like medieval, historical romance, fairy-tale renditions, oh, and lots of action-adventure. A book has to take some kind of action and adventure to it or I get really bored.

However I still like to step outside of my comfort zone and push myself every now and then. It is a good exercise and who knows you might even find a new favorite book or genre you want to explore more of.

Why a Summer Reading List?

Sometimes the hardest part of an adventure is the beginning. Just like you can get writer’s block, reader’s block is a real thing too! It is when you can’t find anything to read and you’re not really feeling anything you normally gravitate to. When I get that way I start looking at lists of books for something that might catch my eye and help me get over reader’s block. This list is full of my favorite books from a variety of genres. I

Buying your Reading List

That being said I would love it if you decided to buy each book using the links below but I know my wallet says no. Please utilize your local libraries. There are so many options to read, or listen to books. If you find yourself on your phone a lot many opt for a digital version you can read from an app. Or if you are super busy and don’t feel like you have time to read with everything you have to get done. Download the audiobook, plug in some headphones, and get to work! This is totally how I do all my mopping and cleaning.

If you have questions about digital editions and how it works. I break it down here and walk you through the process step by step. And now to the books!

Biography

How Dare the Sun Rise: Memoirs of a War Child by Sandra Uwiringiyimana is the story of Sandra and her life as a refugee that starts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Dive into the political strife and racism in The Democratic Republic of the Congo. Then follow Sandra through her journey to the United States of America and the struggles that come with merging two cultures. This story taught me so much more about life in a portion of Africa and about racism in the United States and all around the world. 

For themes and more about this book check out the Parent Guide. This book has 304 pages. Interested in adding it to your bookshelf? You can find the book here!

Fantasy

Gen is a thief who can steal anything. When the King’s scholar, the magus, finds out he rescues Gen from prison to go on a secret mission. They are off to steal an ancient treasure for the King guarded by the Gods. Here’s the catch though, Gen doesn’t believe in the Gods, so how can he steal from them? This book is a masterpiece with a mixture of fantasy and epic journey.

Check out the Parent Guide for more information. This book has 280 pages. Grab your copy from Amazon today.

Thriller Mystery

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco is a great mystery for anyone who loves science and anatomy. Audrey Rose Wadsworth is a seventeen-year-old girl who loves dissection. Her uncle is a coroner and has agreed to teach Miss Wadsworth everything she wants to know. Enter Jack the Ripper. Audrey and her uncle are working to solve the case using early forensics, but soon her uncle is imprisoned as a suspect and she is left to solve the mystery. All the pieces are pointing to people she loves, but who is Jack the Ripper?

If you love forensic T.V. shows this book is definitely for you! For more info check out the Parent Guide. This book has 327 pages. Snag it for your bookshelf here.

Contemporary Romance

On the Fence by Kasie West is a cute contemporary romance about a sixteen-year-old named Charlie who is the ultimate tomboy. She doesn’t know anything about how to be a girl, but when she starts working at a boutique to pay off a speeding ticket, she finds herself in a new world full of makeup, skirts, and boys. To balance this faking her way through life she had late-night talks with her neighbor through the fence. The only problem is she is falling for him.

For more info about this clean contemporary romance check out the Parent Guide! This book has 293 pages. Can’t live without a copy of your own? Purchase your copy here.

Poetry/ Free Verse

Make Lemonade by Virginia Euwer Wolff is written like a bunch of poems but reads like a book. Verna LaVaughn is fourteen and needs a job. She decides to be a nanny for a little family. The mom, Jolly, is seventeen, and a high school dropout. She doesn’t know how to read or how to take care of her kids. Verna LaVaughn is there to help the family get back on their feet and turn their lemons into lemonade.

Guys this book doesn’t seem like a lot but it is a must for a summer reading list. The characters show how hard life can be and how even with the grit and ugliness we can still find the good and transform our lives.

For more info about his beautiful book check out the Parent Guide. This book is 200 pages, but because it is written in poetry form there are a lot of blank space on each page. Find your copy here.

Historical Fiction

The Lost Heiress by Roseanne M. White starts in 1910 when Brooke’s best friend returns from England. Brooke has never fit in but when her friend Justin discovers that she is a missing heiress she has to travel and meet her family. When her life is endangered the mystery of her mother’s death is opened again. But can learning the mysteries of the past save her future, and can her friendship with Justin remain as he travels?

Check out the Parent Guide for more information. This book is 439 pages. This book belongs on your bookshelf, get your copy on Amazon.

Science-Fiction

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner is a futuristic version of the Titanic, just instead of sailing in the ocean its through space. Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe but finds herself stranded on an uninhabited planet with Tarver Merendsen. From completely different social circles they have to learn to get along to survive. They just aren’t sure if they want to be rescued or not.

Check out the Parent Guide to learn more about this book. This book has 378 pages. Purchase your copy here.

Classic

The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole was printed in the year 1529 and was meant to be a thriller-horror book, but many of the elements found in the book have been overused through the centuries, and now it is really funny! It starts with a huge helmet smashing Conrad. His father decides to marry his soon to be daughter-in-law but Conrad helps his fiance escape. All the while random huge pieces of armor appear throughout the house.

There are a lot of free copies of this book because it is so old. Start the search for your own copy on Amazon. Here is the Parent Guide with a little more info. It is only 125 pages.

Dystopian

Wither by Lauren DeStephano is set in a futuristic dystopia where everyone knows the exact age they will die. Men live until they are twenty-five and women until twenty. In their society women are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the human race from going extinct. Rhine was captured and her husband truly loves her, but she doesn’t love him and wants freedom for her last years.

This is a great post-apocalyptic novel. For more info check out the Parent Guide. This book has 358 pages. Want to know now how Rhine spends her last years? Grab your copy of Wither here.

Graphic Novel

Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales: One Dead Spy by Nathan Hale is the first in a series of non-fiction comic books where history comes alive. One Dead Spy is about the tale of Nathan Hale and the revolutionary war. Everything is explained simply but is full of facts. There is also a bibliography in the back along with historical corrections in comic format. 

This is the perfect book for someone who doesn’t like reading but who enjoys learning about wars and history. For more information check out the Parent Guide. This book is 128 pages long and is a quick read due to the comic book style. Find your own copy here and add it to your bookshelf.

What’s on Your Summer Reading List?

Enjoy the adventure these books can give through different worlds and the adventure of seeing our world through new eyes. I hope that you choose a book or two outside of your comfort zone just to say that you did it. If anything it allows you to connect with other readers who may not have the same interests as you.

Which of these books made your list and what books have we left off our summer reading list? Leave a comment below!

Happy Reading!