**pin and save for later**

I have huge plans for this summer (after rereading the Harry Potter series for the umpteenth time because it has been far too long since I have taken on that challenge). All of those plans include books and lounging in my ENO hammock for days on end, and I absolutely cannot wait. Here I’ve composed a list of a variety of genres that would be fun to get started on this summer! So check it out whether you are an avid reader or not, because I assure you that you’ll find at least one book in this list (and most likely more than one) that will grab your attention more than any show on Netflix would.

Check out the ultimate summer reading list below!

Classics:

My version of a classic is a book that never gets old no matter how many times you read it. I’ve grown up with these books, and I can’t imagine a time before I had read them. They are the perfect choices to curl up under a blanket with on a rainy day.

1. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis – This classic fantasy follows four siblings as they travel through a wardrobe into a magical world filled with talking animals, a witch, and lots of temptations.

2. Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling

3. The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald

4. A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

5. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Suspense:

This group of books may need to be perused under a bit brighter circumstances than the previous section. Obviously that all depends on your own tolerance of scary things, but for me, a sunny day in a semi-populated area is necessary in order to get through some of the more horrific books on this list. But I know there are some of you out there who enjoy terror and would rather read these all alone in your room at midnight during a thunderstorm. To each his own.

1. The Shining by Stephen King – Stephen King once again writes a perfectly suspenseful story about a small family who are caretakers for a hotel that closes for the winter. The place, however, is in the middle of nowhere, and the father, Jack, does not do well with isolation…

2. Life as We Knew it by Susan Beth Pfeffer

3. Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane

4. Divergent by Veronica Roth

5. Red Riding Hood by Sarah Blakley Cartwright

Drama:

Prepare for lots of feels and/or a bit of soap opera-type drama to accompany the reading of this group. If you’re looking for something to make the drama in your own life seem less important then these are definitely the choices for you.

1. The Time Traveller’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger – This rather tragic story follows the love story between a man who cannot control his ability to time travel and his wife who struggles to deal with being left alone half the time.

2. Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin

3. 3:59 by Gretchen McNeil

4. Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

5. Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard

Supernatural:

Some of my absolute favorite books made this list because I have always found myself attracted to completely fabricated worlds full of supernatural beings. Any one of these books will leave your mouth gaping, wondering how any one person could think of so much fantastic fiction, or maybe that’s just me. Either way, you won’t regret these reads.

1. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare – The first part of The Mortal Instruments 6-book series follows Clary Fray as she is suddenly thrown into a world of shadowhunters, vampires, and many more supernatural elements. She must find her missing mother while finding her true self along the way.

2. The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott

3. The Host by Stephanie Myer

4. 11/22/63 by Stephen King

5. Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

snapchat @verbalgoldblog

Light Reads:

Each one of these is perfect for putting down and picking up at you leisure. My suggestion is keeping one with you at all times. That way you will never be at a loss for something to entertain you during a long wait in a line or at the dentist or even if you feel the need to impulsively stop by the park on your way home. You’ll always have one of these books with you.

1. Hot Mess: Summer in the City by Julie Kraut – Emma Freeman was excited to spend the summer in the glamorous New York City at an internship. She soon realizes, however, that not everything about the city is as perfect as she thought. She has to deal with not only an evil boss, but also figure out what to do about her hot, off-limits coworker.

2. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King

3. The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot

4. An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

5. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 

I really hope you all enjoyed my list just as much as I enjoyed coming up with it. Writing this also got me way more excited about summer than I was a week ago. So if you really loved a section in particular or agree with any of my choices or even if you have suggestions of your own for the list, comment it all below!