Either finals are over for you or they are almost over. Either way, you can finally breathe. Summer is upon us. Maybe you've got a summer internship or job, or maybe you are taking a summer class. Maybe you have a big adventure planned or nothing planned at all except relaxation. Whatever your summer plans include, do yourself a favor and add these books to your Summer 2016 Reading List.

1. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

First of all, this is my new favorite book series. It has drama, fantasy, adventure, and not in an overdone stereotypical dystopian way. Think of it as a mix between Divergent and the Selection Series. In this book, classes are separated by blood. The Red bloods are the lower class, treated as slaves by the Silver bloods. The main character Mare, a Red, soon discovers a secret about herself that sends her into the high Silver society, but she ends up in more danger than she thinks. If you are looking for a new young adult series that is refreshing and will keep the pages turning, this is the one.

2. We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver

This book challenged me because it was such a sensitive topic, but I couldn't stop reading it. It is a psychological thriller with a different story-telling format. Through a series of letters written by a wife to her husband, the story is told about Kevin, their son with some serious issues. Kevin is in prison for conducting a mass shooting at his high school, and the letters let you dive deep into the crevices of Kevin's mind through the narration of his mother. I promise you won't be able to put this book down.

3. An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

An Abundance of Katherines is such a happy book. It's quirky, original, and just a super fun read. This book tells the story of Collin, who is a child prodigy in search of his "eureka moment". His search for answers leads him on a road trip to a small town where he meets more than he bargained for. John Green has a reputation for sad books, but this one isn't a tearjerker. It pulls at your heartstrings on matters of family, community, and friendship.

4. Shatter Me Series by Tahereh Mafi

This trilogy is so different but so good. Juliette's touch paralyzes and kills. She starts out in an asylum with others fearing her, but a twist of events makes her stronger and more powerful than she could have ever known. It's a different writing style, with heavy metaphors and broken-on-purpose sentence structure, but in my opinion, it makes it poetic and I loved reading it.

5. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

I had to throw a classic in here, to break up the young adult genre. If you haven't read the Harper Lee novel, take the time this summer to read it. You won't regret it. Set in a small rural town in Alabama in the 1930s. It follows the lives of three children, Scout, Jem, and Dill, through a community's struggle with racism, justice, and prejudice. The world and its issues are seen from a child's perspective, which is a viewpoint we all need every now and then. This a wonderful book, and one that everyone needs to read at least once.

6. To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

This book was sweet and adorable. It's a book to read when you want to have hope for the next generation. The main character Lara Jean is intelligent and wholesome, not to mention a little shy and awkward. Lara Jean's love life gets flipped upside down when a series of love letters accidentally get sent. The accident forces her to step outside of her shell, take some chances, and see life with a new attitude.

7. The Darkest Minds Series by Alexandra Bracken

This is such an amazing dystopian thriller. In a world unlike our own, those that survived the disease that killed most of the nation's youth are either safe or dangerous. Ruby is dangerous, or that's what they tell her. She spends years in a camp for those like her, but when she escapes, she discovers the workings of the world around her. She has to make the decision to run or to be a leader and put an end to the lies.

8. Looking For Alaska by John Green

This was the first John Green books I read, and it is still one of my favorite books. It's beautifully written and has a captivating story that will keep you reading. At a preparatory school in Alabama, Miles "Pudge" Halter and his group of friends, including the beautiful Alaska Young find adventure, friendship, and laughter. Pudge is mesmerized by Alaska, but soon her chaotic personality has more of an impact on him and his friends than they ever thought possible.