By Caitlin Taylor So
The end of summer may be upon us, but who says you still can’t transport yourself to an island tropical or otherwise? Here are five YA books you should pick up if you’re longing for an unforgettable getaway (in every sense of the word).
- Breathless by Jessica Niven
Claudine Henry has her future plans set in stone, until her dad pulls the rug from under her and announces he’s leaving her mother. Heartbroken, Claude’s mother whisks them away to a remote, mosquito-infested island off the coast of Georgia. Claude is a complete fish out of water, but looking around, she might find exactly what she was looking for.
- Love & Olives by Jenna Evans Welch
Liv Varanakis’ father fled to Santorini, Greece when she was just eight years old, leaving Liv only the memory of their shared interest in the lost city of Atlantis. Liv, now a teenager, suddenly receives a postcard from her father asking for her help with research for a National Geographic documentary about Atlantis. While Liv is guarded and hesitant to reconnect with her father, she can’t help but fall in love with everything she finds in Santorini.
- Never Coming Home by Kate Williams
Ten of America’s most popular teenage influencers are invited to an exclusive island resort called The Unknown. It’s beautiful, free of charge, and no one over 21 is allowed. After a viral marketing campaign, everyone is closely watching the arrival of the First Ten, who will soon realize they weren’t invited for their follower count, but for the secrets they’re willing to die for.
- Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
The premise is simple. A plane crash leaves 13 teen beauty contestants stranded on a mysterious island before their scheduled competition. They’ll have to survive the elements, the dangers they’ll find on the island, and each other, all while practicing their routines in case they’re found and still have to compete.
- The Wedding People by Alison Espach
Phoebe Stone arrives in Newport, Rhode Island like she’s always dreamed, minus the fact that she’s no longer with her husband. She checks into the most expensive room at the grand Cornwall Inn for one night and finds she’s the only one at Cornwall who isn’t attending the extravagant wedding taking place there this weekend. Surprisingly, she gets along very well with the bride and starts to appreciate the great company around her.
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Born and raised in Queens, Caitlin Taylor So is a Chinese-Vietnamese writer who is passionate about prioritizing and amplifying marginalized voices. She graduated from Emerson College with a degree in publishing and marketing. Her writing can be found on Business Insider, PopSugar, WebMD, The New Absurdist, and Her Campus Media.