Carry On, Rainbow Rowell

"Simon Snow is the worst Chosen One who's ever been chosen." 

Simon has been sent to save the World of Mages, but he's actually not very good at magic. He can't control his power and spends most of his time worrying about the location of his probably a vampire roommate, Baz. Simon is a wonderfully flawed character who is only a little bit like another famous chosen magic user...coughhackHarryPottercough. He's adrift in a world of magic with his friend, Penny, his girlfriend, Agatha, and his nemesis/roommate, Baz. The Insidious Humdrum is draining magic and threatening everything Simon holds dear. He's been attacking Simon regularly since he was 11 and started at Watford School of Magicks, but now, in his last year, their conflict is set to come to an epic conclusion.

For readers who are feeling lost without Harry Potter (at least until the end of the month, come on Cursed Child!) this will be a welcome treat. Watford is just different enough from Hogwarts to be new and exciting, while being similar enough to feel like coming home. The World of Mages is an interesting one and the rules of magic are very different from the Wizarding World. For Simon and the other mages, it's all about the words you use. A turn of phrase that "normals" use can hold strong power for a mage. Not every mage uses a wand to focus their power either - some use rings, swords, or even belt buckles! 

Pick up this excellent fantasy adventure if you're in the mood for some great summer reading. Don't forget to sign up for the Teen Summer Reading Program to earn points for all that reading. Grand prizes are Beats headphones, a GoPro, and a bluetooth speaker!