Books to Add to Your Summer Reading List
Summer is officially here, and if you're like me, you're craving books. I’ve read some good ones lately, from breezy beach reads and smart fiction to twisty thrillers and thought-provoking nonfiction, and I wanted to share them today (and I hope you’ll do the same in the comments). Whether curled up in a hammock or lounging by the water these picks are the perfect company this summer. Let’s get into it…
Like always I’m linking to Amazon and bookshop.org today. The first is a wealth of reviews and commentary and the later is a great way to support independent booksellers. Of course most or all of these books can be found for free at your local library, either in paper or audio format (via the Libby App).
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Ten great reads for summer, in no particular order…
Great Big Beautiful Life, Emily Henry
Emily Henry is the queen of beach reads…but like good beach reads with beautiful characters, witty banter, and romances that have you really invested. And she’s back with another great novel, this time with a mystery thrown in. Alice Scott, an optimist journalist, and Hayden Anderson, a brooding Pulitzer-prize winning author, find themselves on Little Crescent Island vying for to chance to write the biography of the Margaret Ives. As the two grow closer, they find themselves closer to uncovering the truth behind Margaret’s infamous disappearance decades before. The audio copy is great!
The Night We Lost Him, Laura Dave
When my sister needed a great book to escape into this Spring, I sent her this one. When a hotel mogul falls from his cliffside cottage in California, his daughter Nora is left with more questions than closure. Though the authorities rule his death accidental, Nora and her estranged brother suspect otherwise. As they reluctantly reunite to investigate their father’s tangled personal life, the siblings uncover long-buried secrets, including a revelation that reshapes everything they thought they knew about their family. Blending emotional depth with gripping suspense and beautiful houses, The Night We Lost Him is hard to put down! The audio copy is narrated by Julia Whalen and fabulous.
One Golden Summer, Carley Fortune
This one is worth reading for the lake houses alone! Set on the dreamy shores of a Pacific Northwest lake, Carley Fortune’s latest novel captures the magic of a single summer that changes everything. Photographer Alice retreats to the lake house where she once spent a summer in order to care for her grandmother, and through sun-soaked days and memory-filled nights, she reconsiders what (and who) she really wants. All of Carley Fortune’s books are great, but this one might be my favorite.
The Last Cuentista, Donna Barba Higuera
In this beautifully told YA novel, Petra Peña wakes up after a centuries-long space journey to find that Earth is gone and so are everyone’s memories of it. Except hers. As the only person who remembers the past, Petra must use the power of storytelling to preserve humanity’s truth and resist a future where individuality has been erased. This book has so much to say about art and individuality and was just a lovely read.
Their Vicious Games, Joelle Wellington
Adina Walker has always worked twice as hard to fit into the elite, predominantly white world of Edgewater Academy. But one moment of lost control shatters her Ivy League dreams, leaving her blacklisted and desperate. Her only hope lies in The Finish, a high-stakes, secretive competition where twelve ambitious young women compete in dangerous events for a life-changing prize: entry into the powerful Remington family. As Adina uncovers dark truths and deadly stakes, she realizes survival means rewriting the rules no matter the cost. This one is technically YA (but definitely a mature YA) and a great listen.
Famous last words, Gillian McAllister
This one is such a page-turner, that I read it in three days (with very late bedtimes ;). On the morning Camilla is to return to work and drop her baby off at daycare for the first time, her husband is missing and in his place a cryptic note. Hours later, she’s contacted by the police and told that her dotting husband is actually the gunman in a hostage situation. When he escapes into thin air, Camilla is left to wonder if she knew her husband at all. I couldn’t put this one down!
The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits, Jennifer Weiner
This one has sibling drama, second chances, romance, and all the warmth you expect from Jennifer Weiner! Cassie and Zoe Griffin rose to pop stardom as The Griffin Sisters, only to split amid scandal after a whirlwind year. Two decades later, Zoe is a suburban mom warning her daughter away from fame, while Cassie has vanished from the public eye. When Zoe’s daughter tries to find her aunt, long-buried secrets and old wounds come to light.
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, John Mark Comer
This one’s not fiction, but it’s such a breath of fresh air that I had to include it as a summer read. In The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, pastor John Mark Comer makes a compelling case for slowing down and reclaiming peace, presence, and purpose in a world addicted to speed. Regardless of your religious outlook, there’s something for everyone in this book. It feels like a road map for a simpler, richer life!
Broken Country, Clare Leslie Hall
Beth is settled into a quiet life with her kind husband, Frank until a single gunshot disrupts everything. The dog that was shot belongs to Gabriel Wolfe, Beth’s first love, back in their village with his young son. As past and present collide, long-buried secrets resurface, and Beth must choose between the life she’s built and the one she once imagined. This one is emotionally charged (including the death of a child) but also beautiful and explores first love, grief, and the explosive consequences of what we leave unsaid.
It’s a Love Story, Annabel Monaghan
Light and breezy and perfect for summer, It’s a Love Story is a rom-com with lots of heart. Jane Jackson, once the funny girl of a hit sitcom, is determined to prove herself as a Hollywood executive. That is until a desperate lie about a popstar leads her back to Dan Finnegan, a cinematographer and old crush she’d rather avoid. Forced to spend a week together, Jane must confront her past and fake bravado while discovering if something real can grow between them. A witty, heartfelt story about second chances, laughter, and love’s unexpected truths, this one belongs in your beach bag!
Hope you find a new favorite or two in this list! And please, share what you’ve been reading in the comments!