So many people are reading the major book series right now and sometimes forget there are other good books out there. So I decided to compile a list of books that I've read this summer to encourage people to branch out from The Hunger Games and Divergent and try something new.

My mom is a librarian so I developed a love for reading as a child. This past year I haven't had much time to read a lot due to the amount of schoolwork I had so I decided to do some catching up this summer and have found some incredible books along the way.

1.I  Just Graduated…Now What? - Katherine Schwarzenegger 

This was a book that my mom actually gave to me after finals week because she must have somehow known I’m always nervous about the future because I want be successful in what I do. This book was written by none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger’s daughter. She interviewed different celebrities such as Anderson Cooper and John Legend. It was refreshing to see that even the most successful people in the world struggled at some point and most did not come from any wealth or families with lots of connections. It was a nice reminder that I need to work hard and be passionate about everything I do. It is nice to have connections to help get you started, but giving it your all is even more important. 

2. The Fault in Our Stars - John Green

I actually read this book a couple years ago and if you haven’t read it by now then this book should be what you pick up next. It’s a book that will make you laugh and really look at your life and be thankful for the people who are in it. The book revolves around Hazel who is a terminal cancer patient. After she meets Augustus at a cancer patient support group, Hazel’s entire world will change. It has everything you would want out of a book and more. I won’t spoil the book at all but I will give this warning: do not read it in public! Or at least the second half of the book unless you’re prepared to publicly cry. It’s a beautiful book but there’s a 110% chance you will cry during it. John Green loves to pull at your heart strings and he definitely yanked them pretty hard. All in all, I would recommend reading the book and also seeing the movie afterwards. Just bring tissues! 

3.How to Be a Hepburn in a Hilton World: The Art of Living with Style, Class, and Grace - Jordan Christy

This is a book that every woman should read while in college. Jordan Christy put together a great book with advice about staying classy and professional in a world where celebrities and shows like Jersey Shore are idolized. It’s best to live every day with class and be known for being intelligent instead of being famous for being on a dramatic reality show. It’s a great read for any woman who wants insight on growing up in this world. 

4.Looking for Alaska - John Green

If you can’t tell, I’m a big fan of John Green’s books. I consider him the Nicholas Sparks of young adult books because he writes incredible love stories but makes them still realistic. Looking for Alaska is the story of Miles Halter who leaves Florida to go to a private school in Alabama. There, he meets Alaska Young, who turns his world upside down with every move she makes. With the help of Miles’ roommate The Colonel and Alaska they transform Miles’ life, until one tragic night and he’s left picking up the broken pieces. I picked up this book and honestly could not put it down. It’s a mix of young love and mystery and as always John Green really makes you think about life and what makes it precious. 

5. Are You There Vodka? It’s me, Chelsea - Chelsea Handler

I realized this list had a lot of serious books and to lighten things up I added a book by Chelsea Handler. For those of you who don’t know Chelsea Handler she’s the talk show host of Chelsea Lately and has a more awkward life than me, which is pretty hard to do. This book is full of all her adventures, such as having to pretend her father and she are newlyweds to get bumped up to first class. If you want a goofy book that will keep you laughing then I suggest this or any of Chelsea Handler’s other books. It’s hard to beat my own awkwardness but somehow Chelsea achieves that. 

6. Lone Survivor - Marcus Luttrell

This is Marcus Luttrell’s account of surviving after an attack in the mountains of Afghanistan along with the four other Navy SEAL’s on his mission with them. This is an incredible tribute to the men that died in those mountains and tells the story of this team’s bravery and sacrifice for our nation. If this doesn’t make you proud to be an American and be proud of troops then I don’t know what to say. This book really touches on what it means to be willing to sacrifice for the greatest country in the world and what it’s like to be trained as a Navy SEAL. It’s a great read, but will also hit you right in the feels at the end so be prepared!

7. I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban - Malala Yousafzai

I read this book while on a cruise this past May and read it in about three days. Malala’s story of advocating for education for women and still fighting for it even after being shot is an incredible one. She grew up in a very progressive Pakistani family who appreciated men and women equally. It’s a great story showing how all of her actions and fighting for education led to the Taliban being intimidated by a FIFTEEN-year-old girl. She is now an activist and demanding that all children have access to education by 2015. It’s an amazing reminder to not take advantage of our opportunities we have here in the United States and also use what we know to fight to help others have the same opportunities.

All of these books are completely worth the read in my opinion if you ask me what my favorite book is, it will probably be the last one I read. Even if you don't like to read necessarily I would still recommend trying some of these out because you never know, you may have a love of reading but haven't found the right book yet. So give reading a try and hope these books are as amazing to all the new readers as they were for me.