The Best Books to Read for Summer 2016

Do you know what’s synonymous with summer vacation? Summer reading. No, not the boring list you received from your high school English teacher that you needed to complete before returning to school in September. I’m talking about no-obligation, fun, summer books that are meant to be enjoyed by a pool, on the beach, or in a cabin tucked high in the mountains. If the community pool is your summer refuge, have no worries. The best books to read for summer 2016 are here, and they can transport you to any vacation locale your heart desires! So, what makes a great summer read in 2016?

Four of the Best Summer Reads—And What Makes Them Great

1.) Location serves as additional character. The best summer read should have a well-defined location, which also serves as a “character” in the book. From the permeating smells of the city to the thick, humid, salty air of the beach; location adds depth and a bold robustness to any good book. Hands down, The Early Tales of Snow and Oakham hits the nail on the head when it comes to location as an additional character.

2.) Transports you. You should feel transported somewhere outside your literal surroundings as you turn the pages of your summer read. A lot of this has to do with a well-executed location, but strong, well-built characters are so important too. A great summer read should leave you wondering, even for a few moments, where you are when you set the book down. Nothing transports you more than a book set in 1911, which is exactly where Helen Motter takes her readers in Remember Me Always.

3.) Strong plot. The most important aspect of any good book is the plot and point of the book. A book with a forward moving plot line, and a story arc with a steady build to the climactic scene in which the protagonist must grow or learn from, makes the best summer read. The second novel in the series by Helen Motter, Let Secrets Lie, has such a strong plot you won’t lose your place in the narrative if you have to step away for something as necessary as sleeping or eating.

4.) Ending surprises you. Finally, the best books to read for summer should throw you for a loop with the ending. Once all the remaining pieces start to fall together, it should fill in holes you, as the reader, didn’t necessarily catch along the way, but looking back can see exactly how the ending came about. I personally recommend Car Dancing by Debi Coccellato for an ending that will surprise you.

What are you reading this summer? Do you have any recommendations for best books to read during our summer vacations? Let us know in the comments below!