15 Great Books for Your Summer Reading List

by Ashley Dickson-Ellison (@teachingtheapocalypse)

I am eagerly gearing up for summer this year! I know it's just now the beginning of May, so maybe I'm getting a little ahead of myself, but in my opinion, it's never too early to start getting a TBR stack together.

I'm sharing a wide range of genres today, but I focused my selections on books that I found compelling and fun, which I consider key components for a summer reading list. Some of these books I've shared in other lists because they are favorites of mine, but others I read recently or haven't had a chance to feature. Because the genres vary widely, I did note the genre beside each title.

*I'm updating this list for the summer of 2024 and wishing you happy summer reading! I'm certainly taking a look at my own summer reading plans this month so that I can keep my reading momentum going! The asterisks indicate new recommendations.

Abby Collette’s A Deadly Inside Scoop (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - COZY MYSTERY

This is one of my favorite cozy mysteries, centering on Bronwyn (Win) Crewse who is back in her hometown of Chagrin Falls, revamping the family ice cream shop and hoping to breathe it into new life. She did not expect to stumble upon a dead body shortly after opening her shop, nor did she think that the situation, which seemed like an accident, would result in a murder investigation. When attention turns to the Crewse family, Win gets involved in doing some investigating of her own. I talked about this one as my cozy mystery pick in Episode 215; I loved Win's amateur sleuthing and the way that the story also focuses on her role as a business owner.

Laura Dave's Eight Hundred Grapes (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - ROMANCE / CONTEMPORARY FICTION

I stumbled across this one when looking for a book set on a vineyard for the Uncorked Reading Challenge last year, and I was immediately engrossed in the story. The story opens with protagonist Georgia fleeing a pre-wedding scene in her wedding gown, which certainly gets the reader's attention. The unpacking of what led to that moment and the turn of Georgia's attention to her family's vineyard and the way that it is crumbling is all very compelling. This is very much about the balance of family responsibilities with personal happiness and what that can look like in a family full of secrets.

*Lisa Fipp's Starfish (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - MIDDLE GRADE NOVEL IN VERSE

I just finished this beautiful book, and I loved it so much! Our protagonist Ellie has a kind heart and a passion for swimming. However, she has also been ruthlessly bullied from a very early age because of her size, and the scrutiny she faces comes from within her home as well as from cruel kids at school and even from random strangers in many social situations. Ellie has been clinging to her Fat Girl Rules in an attempt to avoid the bullying as much as possible, but valuable friendships and a new and powerful relationship with a therapist might be changing those rules for her.

I love the way that we get to go on this journey with Ellie - one that is courageous but also challenging as she attempts to change the way she takes up space in the world. And thanks to the gorgeous, fast-moving verse and the focus on swimming, it's a perfect book for summer!

John Green's The Anthropocene Reviewed (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - NONFICTION ESSAYS

This was one of my favorite reads of 2022, and although it is a very different kind of book from many of the books on this list, I think it's perfect for summer reading because you can dip in and out of it easily, and I found it very compelling. In this collection, which is based on John Green's podcast series of the same name, Green focuses on specific topics -- ranging from scratch-and-sniff stickers to the bubonic plague to sunsets -- and gives them a thorough review complete with a rating. Sara talked about this one during Episode 196 about versatile authors. I absolutely loved this collection and think of it often.

*Abigail Hing Wen's Loveboat, Taipei (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - YA ROMANCE

This story focuses on high school student Ever Wong as she embarks on a summer Mandarin immersion program in Taipei. Ever had big plans to dance all summer before surrendering to her parents' demands that she pursue a medical degree at a prestigious university, but when she learns about their plans for her to be in Taipei, her last chance to devote time to dancing seems to evaporate before her. However, things in Taipei are very different from what she expects, and she quickly discovers that despite the structured program, the opportunities for freedom are boundless compared to her tightly regulated home life. But between her big emotions and her newfound freedom, Ever has a lot to navigate as she discovers how big of an impact decisions can have. This one is the first in a series, and I plan to continue with it!

R. J. Jacobs's Always the First to Die (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - THRILLER

I'm not a big reader of thrillers, but I chose this one for the Uncorked Challenge (this one is set in the Keys), and I listened to the audio thanks to Libro.fm. I was surprised to thoroughly enjoy this one! It has two timelines - one in the present day amid a horrific hurricane that has rendered travel almost impossible, and another about 20 years prior during the filming of what would become a wildly successful horror film. I was swept up in the way that the story unfolded, and I appreciated the nod toward common horror movie tropes and the way things play out in "real" life.

Emiko Jean's Tokyo Ever After (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - YA ROMANCE

You might have heard me talk about this longtime favorite before; this is one that comes to mind whenever I think of a fun, happy read. This one centers on Izumi Tanaka, a Japanese American teenager living in Mount Shasta, a small town in northern California. One of her friends, in an effort to help Izumi learn more about herself, starts digging into Izumi's paternal side of her family. For Izumi's whole life, it has only been her and her mom, and her mother had always refused to share anything at all about Izumi's father. But as her friend discovers through some sleuthing, Izumi's father is none other than the crown prince of Japan. I loved the second book in this series, too! I shared my review of this one a while back; check it out here!

Maureen Johnson's Truly Devious (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - YA MYSTERY We've talked about this series a few times on the podcast. This one has a boarding school setting that I absolutely loved and alternating timelines (the 1930s when a crime first occurred and present day when a student works to figure out the unsolved mystery). To be completely honest, I wasn't sold on this series until book 2, but after that, I was totally hooked, and I've wanted to re-read book 1 now that I know the series and characters so well. (For me, switching to audio made a big difference! The timing when I read the first book was also a factor; I think I was in a bit of a reading funk.) I look forward to reading more of Johnson's work! You can see Jen's review of this series here.

Casey McQuiston's Red, White & Royal Blue (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - NEW ADULT ROMANCE

It's been a while since I shared this one, but it continues to be one of my favorite romances and is a perfect summer read. This is a steamy open door romance with outstanding banter. I absolutely loved the characters in this one, including some fun, well-developed secondary characters. The son of the president in a feud with the prince of England? Yes, I am here for that and the shenanigans that come with it. This is enemies-to-lovers at its finest, and I loved seeing the way the story unfolded.

*Lynn Painter's Happily Never After (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - ROMANCE

The premise of this one really caught my attention - we meet Sophie as she's trying to find a way out of her wedding to serial cheater Stuart (whose social clout prevents her from being able to dump him directly at the altar). Thanks to her maid of honor, they come up with a beautiful solution with a specialized form of hired help - Max, the "objector." Thanks to Max who publicly objects to the marriage during the ceremony, Sophie gets out of the terrible situation. When paths cross again, Sophie finds herself joining the "objector" team with Max as they seek to help out people in dire circumstances who need a way out of weddings. But despite their determination to keep things platonic, the more time they spend together, the more complicated things get... This one is full of fun shenanigans perfect for summer reading!

Deanna Raybourn's Killers of a Certain Age (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - COZY MYSTERY

Oh my goodness, I was swept up in this story that focuses on four women assassins who, after a lifelong career of missions, are finally ready to retire. However, things quickly go awry on their cruise celebrating retirement when they realize that someone from "the Museum," their former employer, is also on the ship and seems to be on a mission. This story alternates between the present day cruise-gone-wrong situation and the history of their missions together over the years. I absolutely adored this one, which Jen shared on a Bookish Check-in a while back.

V. E. Schwab's The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - YA FANTASY

I found this story, which sucks you in and takes you on quite a journey, to be very compelling. This fantasy novel centers on the young Addie LaRue who, in a moment of desperation to get out of a terrible situation, makes a deal with the Darkness. She binds herself to an everlasting life in which she will be free in a way she was not as a young woman in 1714, but in exchange for that freedom, Addie will never be remembered by anyone she meets. Jen shared a review of this one when it first came out in 2020. Check out her thoughts!

Graeme Simsion's The Rosie Project (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - ROMANCE

I recently read books two and three in this series and rediscovered just how much I love the protagonist Don Tillman and the life he has made for himself. The first book focuses on Don in his pursuit to find a suitable partner to be his wife. Along comes Rosie, who does not possess a single trait on his (meticulously crafted) list, and yet, emotions get in the way of plans, as they tend to do. I love Don, and I also appreciate the way that Simsion explores complex questions through the series.

Jesse Q. Sutanto’s Dial A for Aunties (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - COZY MYSTERY

I was surprised to discover just how much I loved this over-the-top romp exploring what happens after an accidental murder of a catfisher turned perpetrator of sexual assault. (How could this premise be funny, you wonder? Just check out Sutanto's book to find out!) When Meddy finds herself in this horrible predicament, she calls upon her mother and three beloved (and meddling) aunts, and chaos (along with a crazy plan) ensues. Jen shared about this one as her cozy mystery pick in Episode 215 (though we talked about whether it qualifies as a mystery!), and I knew I had to read it! I loved book two in this series, too, and am excited to read more of Sutanto's work very soon!

*Be on the lookout for our June 2024 book club announcement; we're reading another one of Sutanto's books, which is also a perfect summer read!

*Natalia Sylvester's Breathe and Count Back from Ten (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) - YA FICTION

I loved this story about real-life mermaids who perform at a magical place called Mermaid Cove. They use special technology and strong swimming techniques to perform underwater for fans, and they are known as local legends. Readers get to know Véronica, a Peruvian-American teen with hip dysplasia who is always most comfortable in the water. Her well-meaning but overbearing parents keep Véronica and her sister under very strict regulations, and they have always taken complete control over Véronica's surgeries and plans when it comes to navigating her hip dysplasia. But Véronica has her own ideas and knows her own body best, and those tensions build as different pathways open before her. Check out Jen's full review of this one, which is another perfect summer read!

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