For sophomore Anshika Mantrala, there is no better way to lose herself to a new world than nestling into one of her favorite books, well-worn with rereads, under the gentle summer breeze and the sun’s warm glow.

“Summertime is a season where you have time to fantasize about whatever you want,” Mantrala said. “There’s a specific set of books that I enjoy reading every year because they’re just too good not to pass on. If I like the characters, forget the plot, I’ll come back to that book every single time for the rest of my life.”

Summer also offers a chance to experience books differently from the deadline-oriented, analytical nature of reading for English classes. With more relaxed commitments and schedules, some choose to shift focus to personally enjoying the process of discovering a new book.

“When I read a book for English, I will automatically hate it because I never want to be put on a time crunch,” sophomore Shloka Bana said. “Forcing myself to read just makes me hate it, so I think it’s great reading over the summer.”

“Better Than the Movies” – Rom-com by Lynn Painter.

This novel follows Liz Buxbaum, who is so determined to go to prom with her forever-crush that she schemes with her new neighbor, Wes, who also happens to be her old childhood enemy. As she spends more time with Wes, she starts to question the kind of happily-ever-after she has been working towards.

“In this book, I love the dynamic between the two main characters; it’s such a fresh vibe and filled with summer air,” Mantrala said. “We all know how rom-coms have such a homey vibe for a lot of people. Liz’s personality embodies such a heartwarming vibe.”

This is Lynn Painter’s debut novel. According to Bana, it was apparent that the author wanted the book to embody the vibe of a rom-com.

“Above the chapter name, it would have a quote from different rom-com movies,” Bana said. “That part stuck with me and she incorporated their vibes into her book.”

“A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” – Murder mystery and thriller by Holly Jackson.

Pippa Fitz-Amobi reopens a closed murder case that haunts her town. As she dives deeper, she realizes that the story wasn’t so black and white and has ties to the most shocking places. The more she digs, the more her life is at risk.

“A murder mystery just hits differently in the summer, especially because you have more time for it to sink in,” Bana said. “For this, when you read it the second time, you’re like ‘I can’t believe I missed that’, and the characters are super iconic and with the media she uses, this is a book that I always come back to.”

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is the first in the trilogy, but Mantrala praises the entire series. According to her, the first book’s plot was subtly intertwined throughout the entirety of the series and the author left no loose ends.

My favorite part of the series is the fact that it’s so full circle,” Mantrala said. “When I finished it, everything was connected, nice and clean.”

“The Poppy War” – Military-fantasy series by R.F. Kuang.

The first book of this trilogy features a poverty-ridden girl, Rin, who tests into the empire’s most elite military academy. Upon arriving, she finds trouble and discrimination from society, then discovers her powerful ability. Outside the academy, the empire is due for its deadliest war, while Rin struggles with controlling her powers and keeping her humanity.

“This book has my soul,” Bana said. “I will reread it over and over. I know it’s sort of morbid in places, but in total, the plot is really engaging and the characters are super funny, so that makes up for it.”

The series also has aspects of historical fiction, resembling the societal structure and culture of medieval Chinese dynasties. The plot was also influenced historically by the atrocities of the second Sino-Japanese war from 1937-1945, including Unit 731, the Rape of Nanjing and other war crimes.

“It’s one of my favorites because of how deep it is,” Bana said. “It was emotionally taxing and reflected real-life events. It’s really long, but over the summer, you can be really emotionally invested.”

Shelf Stretching Sagas

Larger series are also popular choices over the summer. This includes the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, a longtime favorite among all age groups, about a boy who discovers he belongs to the wizarding world. Some other popular series are Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo, Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan and Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare.

“During the summer, I have a lot of free time, so I use bigger series like Harry Potter to keep myself busy and entertained,” sophomore Shinjini Samanta said. “Specifically, the plot progression of these books keeps me on the edge of my seat. I like how the stories unfold layer by layer. Every time I reread, I gain a little more insight into details I previously missed.”

Another rising favorite is the “School for Good and Evil” series by Soman Chainani, featuring two best friends from a small village. After being chosen to attend a school where heroes and villains are made, they toss the world upside down as they discover their true identities and redefine for the world what it means to have power, love and to be good or evil.

“The mystery, suspense and humor are so well intertwined and makes these books really good and I can always go back and never get bored,” Samanta said. “They’re really immersive, and it feels like I’ve left my own world. They’re comfort books because I’m used to them and sometimes I just like going back on what I already know instead of reading entirely new things.”

Overall, books that are considered timeless rereads often feature iconic characters, comforting genres and dynamic vibes. For readers like Bana, Mantrala and Samanta, the extra time over summer break also enables them to experience the full weight of emotional intensity, the shock of plot twists and distinct vibes with the absence of school and more relaxed days.