Summer is coming, which leaves a lot of free time to enjoy the beaches and the sun, but you have to have a back-up plan for when the weather isn’t so nice.

Here are five books you should read on those summer rainy days.

“The Help”

“The Help” was written by Kathryn Stockett and was published in 2011.

This book takes place in the 1960s in Mississippi, a state where racism and segregation was deeply embedded in the culture.

Black women are treated poorly and have to work for white women, cleaning their houses and raising their children.

They aren’t even allowed to use the toilet in the homes where they work.

Skeeter Phelan, a white journalist, has a plan to change Mississippi and end racism by writing a book.

The book is told from the maids’ point of view and shows the daily struggles they have to endure everyday.

“My Life in Black and White “

Natasha Friend wrote “My Life in Black and White. The book was published in 2012.

This book is centered around Alexa, a blonde, blue-eyed beauty queen, who gets into a car accident and loses her face after she was ejected front from the passenger seat of the car.

Her mom, an uptight, strict woman who only cares about Alexa’s appearance and has to make sure every piece of hair is in place before she is allowed to leave the house, is devastated when she no longer is the beauty queen who won all those pageants.

Alexa loses her best friend, Taylor,  who chooses to turn her back on Alexa on the times when she needs her the most. Alexa then struggles to find a support system that is right for her.

“Safe Haven “

Published in 2010, “Safe Haven” was written by Nicholas Sparks.

In this book, Erin, a young wife, is the main character.

Erin escapes after her abusive, alcoholic husband beats her for the last time.

She steals the social security card of Katie, her neighbor’s child who died at a young age, to help with her escape because her husband is a cop and will do everything he can to track her down.

Erin then becomes Katie and moves to South Port, N.C., to begin a new life.

Once she meets the Wheatley family, her life changes forever.

“The Fault in Our Stars”

“The Fault in Our Stars” was written by John Green and published in 2014.

This book is centered around Hazel Grace Lancaster, a young teen who has thyroid cancer that has to carry around a oxygen machine everywhere she goes.

Her doctor tells Hazel’s mom to send her to a cancer support group so she can mingle with other cancer patients her age.

There she meets Augustus (Gus) Waters.

Gus Waters has osteosarcoma, a cancer that affects the bones, and lost his leg because of it.

They later fall in love because they have the same interest in the author who wrote their favorite book,  An Imperial Affliction.

“My Sister’s Keeper”

Jodi Picoult published “My Sister’s Keeper” in 2004.

In this book, Anna Fitzgerald was solely created to be an organ donor to her sister Kate because Kate has cancer.

Anna is tired of being pried for organs for her sister and goes to Campbell Alexander, a lawyer, to petition for her rights to her own body.

Her mom, Sarah, is very angry with her because Anna’s sole purpose for being alive is to give to Kate.

By the end of the book, you will be in tears because there is a surprise in store that you never saw coming.