To me, summertime means finally having the opportunity to read a novel for pleasure and not as an assignment. I’m the type of person to browse the aisles of a bookstore and spend a boatload of money on books to fill my bookcases. As a result of this, I had to add yet another bookcase to my bedroom last summer to hold all of my purchases.

While browsing my newest bookcase at the start of this summer, I was inspired to write about the titles that line the top shelf. This shelf is the home to novels I’ve finished reading and have yet to read, and all are excellent titles to add to your never-ending summer reading list.

The Last Anniversary

Last summer, I devoured The Husband’s Secret in less than 48 hours. So when I saw a Liane Moriarty book with a cover painted in orange hues lying on a table in Barnes & Noble, I had to have it. This novel is on my summer reading list, and I can’t wait to read another story from Moriarty, whose storytelling captivated me to the point that I truly could not stop turning the pages while reading The Husband’s Secret.

Grey

Don’t judge it until you read it. As someone who loved Christian Grey and Ana Steele’s love story in the Fifty Shades trilogy, I had to read Grey, E.L. James’s fourth installment of the series which is told from Christian’s perspective. Although most readers can use their own knowledge to gain insight of how Christian may have perceived the events in the original trilogy, this novel was a nice reminder of the original story that the Fifty Shades movie didn’t get right.

The 19^th Wife

This novel, penned by David Ebershoff, weaves the story of Ann Eliza Young – a wife of Brigham Young’s – with modern day polygamy in the United States. The 19^th Wife explores polygamy in an educational and fascinating way, drawing readers into both Ann Eliza’s story and the modern story of Jordan Scott, a man excommunicated from the Mormon church as he works to solve the mystery of his father’s murder.

The Wicked Years Series

Currently, there are four Gregory Maguire novels my bookshelf. He creates fascinating universes within his novels – universes so eccentric that, as a self-proclaimed fan of romance novels and love stories, can’t believe how much I enjoy them. Wicked, his first novel of the series inspired by The Wizard of Oz, not only was the catalyst to the Broadway play, but it takes readers into the complicated world of Elphaba and, throughout the series, tells the stories of the future generations of Oz.

Veronica Mars

These novels continue Veronica’s story post television series and movies. Who doesn’t love a book based off of a TV show? If you’ve watched the show and are going through a post-series withdrawal like I am, pick up The Thousand Dollar Tan Line and Mr. Kiss and Tell to keep up with Veronica and her adventures in Neptune, California.

Where The Light Gets In

Actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley advocates for dementia in her novel, which tells the story of her mother’s dementia and how her family continues to cope with the diagnosis. The book is honest and full of heart, and I appreciate and thank her for her words that bring attention to dementia in its many forms – a cause that does not receive the attention it deserves.

Me Before You

If you’re a fan of love stories, then you’re bound to have Me Before You on your bookshelf this summer. I’m prioritizing this novel over the other unread ones on the shelf, for I believe in always reading the book before seeing it as a movie. I hope the romance of Louisa and Will is all the media has hyped it up to be, and I hope the ending doesn’t devastate me to the point that I won’t want to read the sequel, because sequels are my guilty pleasure.

As an avid reader, I feel a connection to each novel I read from start to finish. I hope these stories are as enjoyable to you as they were to me, and I look forward to reading the titles listed above that I have yet to read. This summer, use the long hours of daylight as an opportunity to read novel after novel under the sun.