Every bibliophile needs a list of good books to read over the summer, so in honor of the summer reading you’ll accomplish this year, here’s a list of 17 books you should read in the summer of 2017. It doesn’t matter whether you like fantasy, sci-fi, mystery, romance, or nonfiction, there’s something for everybody on this list, from old classics, to current indie hits—you’re sure to find your next favorite book in this list.

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1. “My Most Excellent Year” by Steve Kluger

Mary Poppins, Baseball, and foster care come together to create a sentimental and nostalgic tale of coming of age and teenage identity as the story of a young boy who desperately wants to meet Julie Andrews is told from the perspective of three different young adults—each in search of something themselves.

2. “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Aristotle and Dante are just two Mexican-American teenage boys coming to terms with the world in El Paso, Texas, 1987. Over the course of the novel, the two boys come to form an inseparable bond, and struggle to understand their sexualities, gender roles, and the many other secrets of the universe. Sáenz’s prose is lyrical and unlike any other, making the story flow musically across the page.

3. “The Darkest Part of the Forest” by Holly Black

Looking for a twisted twist on your favorite genre of fairytales? Look no further than any of Holly Black’s many fairytale takes, but especially “The Darkest Part of the Forest.” Blending together the “real” world with the world of the fae, Black tells the story of humans and un-humans living side-by-side, and having to work together to fight the forces of true evil.

4. “Love in the Time of Global Warming” by Francesca Lia Block

Following the storyline of “The Odyssey,” Block offers an inventive take on Greek mythology from the perspective of a teenage girl in disaster torn California. “Love in the Time of Global Warming” is an artistic story that reads like you’re watching a movie, offering a multi-sensory experience that transcends writing and becomes real. The characters are creative and diverse, the setting is twisted and beautiful, and the writing is visually intriguing.

5. “Tales from Watership Down” by Richard Adams

A refreshing retreat from the narrative of human life, Richard Adams has delivered multiple wonderful stories of the lives of the rabbits of Watership Down. While it’s not necessary to read Adams’ original novel “Watership Down,” before reading these delightful short stories, I would highly recommend it.

6. “Wide Awake” by David Levithan

Host to a diverse cast of LGBT+ characters, political assembly and discourse, futuristic technology, and a twist of weird that never really lets you settle into the story fully, keeping you completely aware, “Wide Awake,” is an example of a perfectly executed young adult political commentary in fictional narrative.

7. “Attachments” by Rainbow Rowell

You’re probably familiar with Rainbow Rowell for her other works like, “Eleanor & Park,” and “Fangirl,” but Rowell’s adult fiction is also just as masterfully layered and romantically poignant. “Attachments” is a hidden gem of Rowell’s work that examines the lives of co-workers Beth and Jennifer, and Lincoln—the guy who reads their emails. Before you jump to conclusions, Lincoln’s job is to actually read through the company emails, but when he becomes intrigued by the two women who continue to use their work emails for leisurely discussions, he finds himself learning the lives of people he’s never even met, who hardly know he exists.

8. “Echo” by Pam Muñoz Ryan

One harmonica, four stories—that’s the premise of “Echo,” a brilliantly written multi-narrative that weaves together the lives of four different characters from four different time periods with one harmonica. Don’t be daunted by this book’s large size, it might seem like quite a doozy, but the story is so page-turning that you’ll be done before you know it. Just be sure that you don’t miss out on Ryan’s reflective prose and family centered storyline while you’re blazing through the book.

9. “Grasshopper Jungle” by Andrew Smith

A warning is called for in regards to this book: it really is something else. Despite its title, the story actually examines the invasion of gigantic praying mantises on a small town in the middle of the United States. Two boys from troubled families in an already troubled town join the spontaneous force to fight back against these killer creatures.

10. “The Thin Executioner” by Darren Shan

Jebel is humiliated in front of everyone who matters in his town as he fails to live up to his position as village executioner. The obvious response? Setting off on a journey to gain invincibility by providing human sacrifice to a fire god. Yup, sounds good.

11. “More Than This” by Patrick Ness

“The Matrix” has nothing on this dystopian novel that has the three main characters—and the reader—constantly questioning what is real and what isn’t. Better yet, the question you’re constantly faced with is: “Is this life or hell?”

12. “Light is the New Black” by Rebecca Campbell

Nonfiction: it’s not everybody’s cup of tea, but Rebecca Campbell is a very skilled nonfiction writer whose book, “Light is the New Black” has something to offer everybody—even those who don’t care for nonfiction or New Age thought. “Light is the New Black” is an empowering reading experience that is part biography, part spiritual enlightenment, part artistic endeavor that offers insightful comments for introspective reflection, as well as journaling prompts.

13. “House of the Scorpion” by Nancy Farmer

You’d never think that reading about a drug lord who also happens to be in the business of cloning and genetic modification would be as good as it sounds, but it is. Set in the future, this duo of books explores the balance between conformity and freedom as clone Matteo searches for his true identity while trying to step out from under the shadow of his drug lord original.

14. “We Are the Ants” by Shaun David Hutchinson

If you knew the world was going to end, but could press a button to save it, would you? This is the question that Henry Denton is faced with after he's abducted by aliens and told that the world is going to end in 144 days...unless he presses a button to save it. Now, Henry is faced with sorting out his own crazy life, including coping with the suicide of his boyfriend, in an attempt to figure out whether life—all life—is worth pressing the button.

15. “After” edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling

Not sure you’ll have time for a whole series or even a whole book between all the volunteering, camping, beach trips, and summer fun you have planned? No big deal, “After” is an anthology of dystopian short stories that don’t require you to commit more than fifteen pages of your attention, but still provide you with all the rich world building and narrative experiences that you love as a book nerd. “After” is also great for discovering new authors you might just fall in love with.

16. “Neverwhere” by Neil Gaiman

“Alice in Wonderland” meets “Maximum Ride” to create a upside-down unexpected modern take on classic fantasy that only Neil Gaiman could deliver. If you’ve never read any Gaiman, make 2017 the summer that you do, and start with “Neverwhere,” a fantasy story that is just as dark as it is enlightening. This really isn’t a book that can be condensed or summarized other than to say that you should absolutely read this before you die.

17. “The Old Kingdom Series” by Garth Nix

Lovers of fantasy and magical realism will find a whole new adventure awaiting them in Garth Nix’s original trilogy, “Sabriel,” “Lirael,” and “Abhorsen.” The series follows the medieval-meets-modern epic of Sabriel and Lirael, two sorceresses with the ability to control the dead, as they are tasked with combatting evil necromancy across the kingdom. Think Harry Potter, but darker, grittier, and even more thrilling.