Summer is the one time a year that I can read whatever I want. There's no textbook readings looming above my head that are due on the same day, there's just plenty of time to sit outside next to the pool with a good book. Since I've been home this summer, I've been diving back into my bookshelves to take another glace at some of my favorites from previous summers.

None of these books are new this summer, but when they were new, they were all popular, some because of the book themselves others because of their authors. There's something for everyone on this list, I have a rather eclectic taste when it comes to reading. Not only is there something for everyone on this list, there's something for everyone to read whatever there mood is. So the next time you have find yourself at the library, or the bookstore, or wherever it is you get your books, take a look for these titles. You won't be disappointed.

1. 1 Dead in Attic

Life after Hurricane Katrina drastically changed life for the people of New Orleans. What didn’t change however was the spirit of those people. Chris Rose weaves his life after the hurricane with wit and humor. Many may have looked at the darkness that Hurricane Katrina brought but Chris constantly looked for the bright signs of hope. It is the hope that makes this novel one that is nearly impossible to put down.

2. Everything is Illuminated by Johnathan Safran Foer

Weaving together two stories, Everything Is Illuminated is part autobiographical and part fictionalized. More well-known for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Johnathan Safran Foer’s first book is what readers have come to expect from him. Follow Johnathan as he attempts to travel to Ukraine to find the woman who saved his grandfather during the Nazi era. The second story in the book tells that of a town eradicated during the Holocaust. These two carefully woven stories will leave you wondering what is true of Johnathan’s life and what is just part of the story.

3. Key of Light by Nora Roberts

Nora Roberts is known for her romance stories, with several of these stories featuring legends of magic and paranormal. Three women who do not know each other, but have found themselves essentially unemployed are presented with an opportunity to no longer need to worry about money. This is not a get rich quick scheme, this is a story hundreds of years in the making. The first novel in the trilogy, Key of Light, follows Malory the gallery manager on her quest to finding the first key that fits the puzzle. The subsequent books follow Dana and Zoe as they each embark on their own quests. To be successful in the end, they all must find their own keys.

4. The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry

Settle down with The Lace Reader on a rainy afternoon and you’ll be transported to the East Coast. It seems that many times it takes tragedy for one to return home, and that is exactly what brings Towner Whitney back home to Salem. Salem itself is known for its history of witches, but what most people do not know about is the generations of women who can read lace. Towner herself comes from such a family. Through a tragic death, Towner looks to learn of the earlier death of her sister. Salem is wrapped up in the mystery of two missing women and Towner is unable to disconnect herself from the mystery of it all.

5. We Are Water by Wally Lamb

Wally Lamb is an author who is careful to tell narratives covering important issues in contemporary society, as well as providing the proper context. In Connecticut, where same-sex marriage has been legalized lies Three Rivers. It is here that Annie and Viveca plan to read. Annie has decided after twenty-seven years of marriage to her husband, with whom she has three children, she will leave that all behind to marry her art dealer. Told through the eyes of Annie, her ex-husband Orion and their three children, Ariane, Andrew and Marissa, the family tells the importance of connection and understanding in every relationship.