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Best YA Books of Summer 2017

08.10.2017 by Jen Ryland // 32 Comments

Best Books of Summer 2017: a book outside in the sun

What are your favorite books of Summer 2017 so far? I’ve compiled a list of what I think are the Best YA Books of Summer 2017! Since summer is all about the mood read for me, I’ve also divided them by genre to help you find your perfect summer read!

Best YA Books of Summer 2017!

Do you want to read about summer romance?

Geekerella

What’s more fun in the summer than a book with a cute rom-com feel? Both Geekerella and Noteworthy feature unlikely couples that meet cute and then find love. Geekerella is a fairy tale retelling featuring fandoms, a food truck Cinderella, and a movie star. Noteworthy features a girl who dresses as a boy to join an all-male acapella group, but also has a lot of depth as it touches on  issues of gender and socioeconomic status.

Do you want to read something suspenseful?

I love reading scary stories in the summer. Maybe it’s a throwback to summer evenings watching horror movies with my friends, maybe it’s the fact that I’m now an adult scaredy cat who is afraid to read suspenseful books during the dark winter weather… The Bakersville Dozen is fun and twisty, perfect for fans of Pretty Little Liars, while One of Us is Lying is a modernized Breakfast Club plus a murder.

Do you want to read a tearjerker?

I also love reading sad books in the summer – I can always pretend I got sunscreen in my eye!  Both Words in Deep Blue and Letters to the Dead feature characters who’ve suffered a devastating loss. Both books also feature a letter-writing theme.

Do you want to read about self-discovery?

That Thing We Call a Heart
The Authentics

Summer can be a great time for reflection – it’s a time when I work on long-term projects (like a new website!) and also make plans for new ventures in the fall. The Authentics and That Thing We Call a Heart both feature characters who are thinking about  their community and the wider world and where they fit in.

Leave a comment and tell me some of your favorite reads of summer 2017!

Categories // Lists Tags // list

About Jen Ryland

Over 12 years of book blogging and reviewing, I have read over 1500 books. A fair and honest reviewer who loves book discussions, I'm here to help you find a book you'll love to read AND give you a place to talk about it and ask questions.
Find me on Instagram and Pinterest as @jenryland!

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32 Comments
Lauren
9 years ago

One of Us is Lying was one of my favorite reads of the summer too! I picked it up on a whim at Barnes and Noble, preceded to read it & was blown away by its amazingness. Loved The Breakfast Club feel as well as the murder mystery (some of it I could see coming, but certain parts I didn’t). I’m glad to hear you enjoyed The Bakersville Dozen – I have a copy on its way to me now. ๐Ÿ™‚

Lauren @ Lauren’s Crammed Bookshelf

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Jen Ryland
9 years ago
Reply to  Lauren

Bakersville Dozen has much more of a teen horror movie feel – in a good way. Can’t wait to hear what you think!

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fullybookedreviews
9 years ago

What a great list! (Gotta laugh though, it’s winter over here so these beach scenes are making me feel a tad chilly ๐Ÿ˜› )

I’m still desperately wanting to get my hands on One of Us is Lying!

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Jen Ryland
9 years ago
Reply to  fullybookedreviews

Ha – I’ve lived in the Southern Hemisphere so I get it. I think One of Us is Lying is a perfect read for chilly weather!

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Tammy V.
9 years ago

I’ve had a few this summer that I’ve really liked. Plague Land by Scarrow, Berserker by Laybourne, Spectacle by Vincent, Hundredth Queen by King, Erin Fletcher books, and some others. I’ve read about 53 books so far since June and most were pretty good with only a few duds.

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Jen Ryland
9 years ago
Reply to  Tammy V.

That’s fantastic! I haven’t read any on your list so thanks!
PS 53 books – Clapping

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Tanya Atkinson
9 years ago

Geekerella looks cute but I definitely have to be in mood for cute YA. I’ve heard such good things about it, though. I have so much love for Letters to the Lost. I was so moved by that story and by Declan and his backstory. (And I’m excited to get Rev’s story next year.) LTTL worked so much better for me than Words in Deep Blue. I just had such a disconnect with that one. My favorite YA picks for this summer would be Trust by Kylie Scott, Juniper Limits by Lora Richardson, and Kissing Max Holden by Katy Upperman.

Tanya @ Girl Plus Books

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Jen Ryland
9 years ago
Reply to  Tanya Atkinson

I haven’t read any of your list! And yes, can’t wait for Rev’s book!

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Jenea
9 years ago

Letter to the Lost is on my wishlist, it sounds soo good. One of Us is Lying is one I need to add though. ๐Ÿ™‚

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Jen Ryland
9 years ago
Reply to  Jenea

Yes, definitely recommend them both!

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Paij Slater
9 years ago

I didn’t get a chance to read much this summer, so I don’t know if I have a favorite. I just bought the “One of us is Lying” and am anxious to read it. Now I have to check out the other ones as well!

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Jen Ryland
9 years ago
Reply to  Paij Slater

I have had summers like that. Haven’t taken a real vacation yet so I’m a little behind on reading too.

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Michelle @ Pink Polka Dot Books
9 years ago

I love reading Thrillers in the summer, and I LOVED The Bakersville Dozen and One of Us is Lying!! My fave books this summer were 16 WAYS TO BREAK A HEART by Lauren Strasnick and BE TRUE TO ME by Adele Griffin.

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Jen Ryland
9 years ago
Reply to  Michelle @ Pink Polka Dot Books

Agree on Be True to Me. I need to read your review on 16 Ways. I loved a prior book of hers, but read a few chapters of 16 Ways and just wasn’t feeling it.

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Genni @ Ready, Set, Read!
9 years ago

Thanks for all the recommendations! I really need to get my hands on Geekarella!! I’ve heard wonderful things and it sounds perfect for me. I actually just got an ARC of Noteworthy last week, so I hope to read it soon!! I’ll be sure to check the others as when I’m in the mood for them! ๐Ÿ˜€

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Jen Ryland
9 years ago
Reply to  Genni @ Ready, Set, Read!

I cannot recommend Noteworthy enough!!!

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Greg Hill
9 years ago

I love mood reading in the summer. ๐Ÿ™‚ And One Of Us Was Lying was fun. The breakfast Club plus murder appealed to me at the outset, and I loved that it lived up to it!

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Jen Ryland
9 years ago
Reply to  Greg Hill

Glad to find a fellow mood reader. I must rebel against my blogging calendar now and then!

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