On vacations, a lot of people like to catch up on their reading and see what all the hype is about surrounding the bestsellers.

I read as much as I can, considering I’m a busy college student, but I love using my vacation time to read all the stuff I haven’t quite gotten around to. Sitting by the water reading a good book is one of my favorite ways to pass the time when my friends are actually being productive.

If you haven’t decided what you want to read, yet, I’ve compiled a list to help.

Paper Towns by John Green.
I’m sure you and the rest of the world have heard of The Fault in Our Stars, but I wouldn’t recommend reading that one unless you don’t mind crying in public. Paper Towns is an amazing story about a teenage boy, named Quentin, on the verge of graduating high school and the adventures he embarks on because of a very interesting girl. Since we all graduated high school relatively recently,or are about to graduate college, I think we can all relate to Q and what he’s going through.

The Divergent Series by Veronica Roth (Divergent, Insurgent, Allegiant).

This is a beautifully written future dystopian series with
two fierce lead characters, Tris and Four. The society is split into factions and Tris leaves her own faction (Abnegation, which values selflessness) to join Dauntless (which values bravery). This leads to discoveries about herself and her society that I never saw coming.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. 

Great, if you don’t mind something a little more heavy. Don’t let the high page count and dark cover put you off. The book follows a young girl living in Germany on the cusp of WWII. It’s the history you’ve heard, told through the eyes of a child. Death is a part-time narrator, observing the great destructiveness of mankind and the progression of the girl’s life.

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. 

This book is massive, but it’s one of the most compelling stories I’ve read in a very long time. An English WWII nurse, on a second honeymoon to reconnect with her husband after the war, finds herself transported back in time to the Scottish Highlands of 1743. As you can expect, things get interesting. It’s a wonderful blend of action, intrigue, history, magic and romance.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin.

This is one of my favorite books. Coming from a girl whose read hundreds of them, I hope that means something. The first line, “My name is not Mara Dyer,” had me hooked and I couldn’t stop until I was done. It’s a bit darker than the usual beach read, with just enough thrill. The book follows Mara, whose friends and boyfriend all died in a building that collapsed on them and left her mysteriously unharmed.

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen. 

This is my absolute favorite Sarah Dessen book and the closest thing on this list to a beach read. None of the rest even come close. The book follows a girl whose mom is a romance author, but has been through about eight divorces and left her daughter completely despising the idea of love. She’s had so many boyfriends she can’t remember them all because she breaks up with them as soon as they get to comfortable. Then she meets Dexter, who’s a total goofball in the cutest way and, grudgingly, she starts to change her mind.