Enjoy some out of the ordinary stories with these recommendations.

Whether you’re abroad, interning, or spending your summer otherwise, I find these short, precious weeks to be the best time to catch up on reading. That may sound bizarre, given that I am an English major.  However, as a book hoarder and avid reader I can never get enough. Even if you’re not the most enthusiastic reader there is something to be said about the gentle escape that comes between two covers and within a few hundred pages.

It is often difficult to decide what to read. How am I to choose from the millions of books at my fingertips? Never fear, dear readers. Here is a simple yet, solid, list for your summer reads. This will help if you’re already over all undeserving hype for "The Fault in Our Stars."If you’re still reading (let’s face it, TFIOS wasn’t that spectacular), thank you and here’s where I would begin.

For a charming, easy to read, that's also sentimental, I recommend "Marrying Mozart" by Stephanie Cowell as well as "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd.  Both tell the stories of sisters, love, and what it means to be a family. They are also beautifully written and would be fitting for any book clubs.              

Not into soft books? That’s okay, because the thrillers are next. I’m sure you’ve heard of, or at least watched the movies. As always, these books are so much better than their corresponding films. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larson is one of my favorites. It will scare, intrigue and shock you. You will be unable to put aside "The DaVinci Code" by Dan Brown.  It hardly matters that its historical references are not entirely accurate because of the fast paced, mind-boggling mystery Brown leads you on.                     

Finally, here are two of my personal favorites. I just finished "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. It is one of the most intelligent, daring and thought provoking books I have ever read. Kingsolver is an absolute genius and if I could write half as well as she does I’d never stop writing. Luckily, I can at least fawn over her work. Last, but certainly not least, "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini. Heart wrenching and courageous, this book has it all. I can hardly do it justice in this article, but if there is one book you have to read it is this. It is truly awe-inspiring and possibly life-changing. I recommend some tissues to go along with it.            
I hope this list has helped you find your next escape or adventure! then this has been well worth it