Spring is in the Air!

Spring has finally sprung here in North Carolina, which means I am finally in the mood for what I refer to as "warmer reads." Warmer reads are exactly what they sound like. They are books I've been saving to read for warmer weather and now that it's been a week without temperatures dipping below freezing, I'm officially in the Spring mood. The bees are buzzing, the birds are chirping, and I'm itching to take a vacation and bask in the heat and the sun, and I couldn't be happier. I'm welcoming the heat with open, sunscreen drenched arms after this all-too-cold winter. Bring on the warmth! Anyways, here are some of those warmer reads I've been saving just for this type of weather (all links will take you to each book's respective goodreads page):

The Summer I Turned Pretty - by Jenny Han
I love a good, make-your-heart-gooey YA book, and this novel looks like it fits the description. Belly is a lover of summer and every year she counts down to when she can spend it with her friends Susannah, Jeremiah, and Conrad. But this is the summer that something terrible and wonderful happens, and everything changes.  It sounds a little mellow-dramatic, but intriguing nonetheless. I'm not very excited about the name "Belly" (main characters with names that are body parts are a little off-putting), but I am ready for the warmer weather, and a summer-at-the-beach book is just the kind of beachy read I need.

Wake - by Amanda Hocking
Okay, so I have a confession: I'm a sucker for a good mermaid story. What they say is true, The Little Mermaid really is the gateway drug to all things merpeople.  One of my best friends recommended me this book, which is essentially about a girl named Gemma who is picked to be a part of a popular group of girls and then one night she goes out for a late night swim with them when everything in her world changes aka mermaidism (it's totally a real word don't worry about it). As a childhood fan of H2O Just Add Water, one of the cheesiest, worst, and most amazing mermaid shows out there, I have a feeling that I will be sucked into the power of this novel's siren song.

Burn for Burn - by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian
This is one of those books that I bought because of the pretty cover, but stayed for the premise.  The blurb on the back is reminiscent of the movie John Tucker Must Die (a cinematic masterpiece in my opinion) where three very different girls come together to "make things right" but will they go too far?  What makes this book a warmer read is primarily that it takes place on an island (how exotic!) and that it's a light YA read.  I've just started it, and so far I'm really enjoying the quick paced plot and islandy setting (islandy is also a word).

The Truth About Forever - by Sarah Dessen
There is no denying my undying love for all things Sarah Dessen. After my sister raving about this book and having been to a couple of Dessen's book signings, I noticed that when asked which book seemed the most popular, she usually replies with this novel. The summary of this book on the back is a bit vague, but I'm okay with that.  I don't like for a book summary to tell too much and when it's vague enough to entice you to read it but not give much away, I'm hooked.  Not to mention it takes place during the summer and involves a Dessen written teen romance, which are almost always completely swoon-worthy. This book has long been in my "read it soon" pile, and I'm so excited to finally getting around to reading it.