Bookworm Cottage Style

Looking for an escapist summer read to zip through while poolside? Don’t write off the YA section of the bookstore or the joy of revisiting a childhood favorite. I recently finished the first book of the Inheritance Games Series, which was such a fun new-to-me pick and perfect for summer reading. If you haven’t read these books recently, or at all, here is where I suggest starting your YA adventure. And if you have a young person in your life, these could also be fun to read together.

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (2020; 384 pages) // In the first book of the series, high schooler Avery Graham is shocked to discover that a billionaire she’s never met left nearly his entire fortune to her. Avery moves into his mansion where the deceased billionaire’s four grandsons and their relatives live. Together, Avery and the boys chase clue after clue to figure out why Avery was the recipient of this vast fortune. This was an easy, enjoyable page turner and I look forward to reading the rest of the series!

Holes by Louis Sachar (2000; 288 pages) // If you haven’t read this book since childhood, I can confirm that this Newbery Medal and National Book Award winner still holds up! This middle grade novel is about a boy sent to a labor camp after being falsely charged with stealing a pair of shoes. While digging holes at the camp, he unearths an artifact that sheds light on the town’s history and sends him and his camp-mate on a grand adventure. 

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (2008, 384 pages) // This series is extra buzzy right now because Suzanne Collins released another prequel (Sunrise on the Reaping) this year to positive reviews. Of all of the library waitlists I’m on right now, Sunrise on the Reaping actually has the longest waitlist! If you need a refresher, this series is set in a post-apolyptic world where two children from each district are forced to fight to the death. It sounds terribly dark and disturbing for YA but it is written compassionately and it is incredibly relevant for the era we are living in now. For more, I highly recommend Sara Hildreth’s thoughtful analysis on the series.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, by J.K. Rowling (333 pages, 1997) // I know, I know… J.K. Rowling has made horrendously hateful comments and probably is not someone whose fortune we want to contribute to. But one cannot mention YA / middle grade adventure books without including this series. If you somehow have not read it, this fantasy series about an 11-year old wizard and his friends is absolutely worth tracking down. I’ve also heard that the audio version is fantastic.