LIFE

Easy breezy summer reads for the perfect vacation

Charlie Trumbull
Contributor

Finally, it’s summer!

Now is the perfect time to put down the textbooks and pick up a novel. Whether it’s a physical copy, on a Nook or Kindle, or an audiobook, these summer reads are perfect for the beach, on vacation, or even days spent at home.

Enjoy this short list of easy readers for a relaxing summer of reading.

“Meet Cute Diary” by Emery Lee (2022)
Romantic Comedy, Meet Cute
Content Warning: cyberbullying, transphobic slurs.

A “meet cute” is a genre of romance in which two characters meet in a charming way before developing a romantic connection.

Main character Noah runs one of the most popular blogs on Tumblr, The Meet Cute Diary. Bloggers across the site submit their meet cute stories to be published for all to see. The blog is a powerful meeting space for transgender lovers, but one day an anonymous account began spreading rumors that Noah was manufacturing all the stories and that none of them were real.

Plunged into the pits of cyberbullying, Noah tries to focus on life outside of the internet inadvertently tumbling into a meet cute of his own.

“The Mystwick School of Musicraft” by Jessica Khoury (2022)
Young Adult, Adventure

Amelia Jones is the daughter of one of the most famous maestros in the world and it is her destiny to attend the prestigious Mystwick School of Musicraft.

With her flute in tow, Amelia braves the big city to perform for the entrance auditions. After failing terribly, she was astounded when her invitation arrived.

Amelia faces new challenges she never knew were possible and her musicraft grows stronger. With her new friends by her side, she is ready to face the first year at Mystwick to walk in her mother’s footsteps.

This young adult series is great for anyone who loves unique magic systems and wizarding schools.

“Just for the Summer” by Abby Jimenez (2024)
Romantic Comedy, Meet Cute
Content warning: parental negligence

For an excellent example of a “meet cute” romance, the main characters in “Just for the Summer” met on an “Am I The Asshole (AITA)?” Reddit page.

Justin has found that every time he breaks up with a woman, she inevitably goes on to find her soulmate. When Emma slides in his DMs complaining of the same curse, the two devise a plan to date each other in the hopes that their inevitable break up will lead them right to the love of their lives.

The guidelines are simple: four dates, a kiss, then break up and hope for the best. They never imagined they would wind up being perfect for one another.

“Honey, I’m Homo!: Sitcoms, Specials, and the Queering of American Culture” by Matt Baume (2023)
Non-fiction, Comedy

In case you’re a lover of non-fiction, this easy read on the history of gay characters in television is a romp.

Following the development of queer representation from shows like “Bewitched” in the 60s through modern favorites like “Modern Family,” seeing the way the LGBTQ+ community turned from a sitcom punchline to a primetime powerhouse is made even more enjoyable by the author’s quick wit and historical knowledge.

Baume puts his analysis in the historical context of the Stonewall riots, the AIDS epidemic, and the decades-long battle for marriage equality. If you love this book you’ll be happy to know that Baume is also a YouTuber who talks even more in depth about queer history.