You would never expect me to be the one stuck for a book to read come summer break, but there I was last summer, about to head off on my family beach vacation, staring at my bookshelf, completely uninspired. I am the person who can't leave a bookstore without at least one impulsively obtained new friend. The pile of unread books grows and grows on my bedside table, and yet, I still have trouble finding new things to read.

The problem is a lack of diversity in the reading material I obtain. No matter how wonderful or critically acclaimed the books are, when you are only reading classics and high fantasy, things start to feel repetitive. So, instead of re-reading Lord of the Rings for a 10th time, I asked all my friends to list the two favorite books that they thought I should read and ended up with an incredibly good, diverse, new book list that was wayyyy outside of anything I would have read on my own.

Over last summer I read twice as many books as usual, explored new genres, and found new authors to obsess over but the best part about the project was that I also learned a little about my friends in the process. I would challenge anyone looking for some interesting literature to read this summer to use this strategy and ask your friends! I promise even the one who “hates reading” has read something once that they liked enough to recommend.

To get you started, here are 5 of my favorite discoveries from the past year

For the person who likes “grown-up book”s but still misses Harry Potter: "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

Following the intertwining stories of the people who are drawn into the world of the “Night Circus”, this book enchants you in a mature and sophisticated way which feels more about the people and their stories than the magic. With themes of friendship, love and the power of stories The Night Circus will bring you back to the books you loved as a child but in a way you can appreciate no matter what age you are.

For the person who likes to think about how the world works: "World War Z" by Max Brooks

Yes. It is that zombie movie. No. It is not the same as the movie. This book is set up to read like a compilation of interviews with people who lived through “The Zombie War”. What is really does is explore how the world would hypothetically react if an apocalyptic event affected every country and every person almost equally.

It follows every side of the story, from politicians, to the presidents of nations, to suburban dads, to soldier and doctors and smugglers and businessmen. It stays true to the worlds real-life political climate and feels unnervingly realistic. This book is not about zombies: this book is about humanity and about how our world functions.

For the Person who likes to examine peoples interior lives: Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and his Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami

This author has been recommended to me by not only a friend but also two separate people in two separate hostels from two separate countries which are not the US. The widespread popularity of Murakami is only one reason to read this book though.

Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki is an intimate story following a man in his mid-thirties as he reflects on his own coming of age and wrestles with loose ends from his youth. A unique look at friendship, growing up, and the interior lives that people lead, this book provokes thought as well as being an enjoyable story.

For the person who really liked The Martian: Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel

This book was an impulse buy of mine, mostly because the cover was cool and I had a brief literary craving for science fiction. But lucky me, I stumbled on the most interesting and entertaining science book since The Martian. “Sleeping Giants” is written as a collection of journal entries, official communications, transcripts of interviews and letters which makes the pace run faster than a movie.

It follows a crew of scientists who discover a massive statue which hints at the possibility of other life forms in the universe. Full of (blessedly well explained) science and interesting personal interactions this book is easily read in one sitting - luckily it’s actually a trilogy and all the books are out.

For the person who likes dry humor and can handle a bit of blasphemy: Good Omens

I can’t write a better description of this book so I have reproduced an abridged version of the back cover of my copy here:

“According to the Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch (the world’s only completely accurate book of prophecies, written in 1655, before she exploded), the world will end on a Saturday. Next Saturday, in fact. Just before dinner.

So the armies of Good and Evil are amassing, Atlantis is rising, frogs are falling, tempers are flaring. Everything seems to be going according to Divine Plan. Except a somewhat fussy angel and a fast-living demon - both of whom have lived amongst mortals since The Beginning and have grown rather fond of the lifestyle - are not actually looking forward to the coming Rapture. And someone seems to have misplaced the Antichrist…”

It sounds ridiculous (and it is) but more than that, this book provides an endearing look at the virtues and flaws of humanity and constantly leaves the reader smiling. You can tell the authors loved writing it.