20 Summer Reads

Books full of summer vibes

Photo by Maarten van den Heuvel on Unsplash

Earlier this summer, I remembered how much I revel in living seasonally. There are things I like and dislike about each season, and focusing on the stuff I love about each one makes for a more enjoyable and grateful life. An essential part of living seasonally for me is what I read. Not all books need to match the vibes of the current season, but it's nice to read a few books that do. I've been gravitating toward books with summer vibes recently, so I'm sharing those with you today.

I've chosen 20 titles that are either set in the summer or include something I associate with summer, such as heat, the sun, or a trip. There are classics, nonfiction, thrillers, family dramas, and a new release. These books will make for a good read anytime, but they might be especially enjoyable during the long, toasty days of summer. Let's dive in!

(Some of these books were featured in my free summer reading zine. Check it out if you haven't yet!)

The All-Night Sun by Diane Zinna: In this atmospheric debut novel, a lonely woman named Lauren teaches writing at a small college in Washington, D.C. Ever since her parents' sudden death a decade earlier, Lauren has been limping through life, merely existing. When a student named Siri joins her class, Lauren feels drawn to her. The two women form a close friendship, and Siri invites Lauren to join her on a trip home to Sweden. There, Lauren becomes attracted to Siri's moody and withdrawn brother, causing Siri to act out. The novel's climax occurs during a camping trip celebrating Midsommar's Eve, a trip that will leave everyone changed.

I discovered this book sitting on a table at my local indie bookstore, and I'm so glad I did since I've never heard anyone else talking about it. The All-Night Sun is a gem full of messy emotions and an intriguing friendship between two opposites.

Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell: When you think about summer road trips, you probably think about U.S. presidential assassinations, as one does. In this funny and informative book, Sarah Vowell takes readers along as she visits assassination sites, monuments, museums, and other historical places that tell the story of American politics. Assassination Vacation might not sound like a fun and light read, but it is in Vowell's capable hands. She has a gift for finding fascinating stories that she relates to her readers with wit and humor, making history come alive in new ways. (Vowell's books are excellent on audio, thanks to her hilariously dry narration.)

Bad Summer People by Emma Rosenblum: Rich New Yorkers are fleeing the city for the summer and head to Fire Island. They settle into their lavish summer homes, focused on relaxation and fun, but then a body is discovered near the boardwalk. Amid affairs, gossip, and longtime friendships, the truth will emerge about who died and who might have killed them. Bad Summer People is a fun thriller that keeps you turning the pages until the very end.

Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke: In the heat of East Texas, Black Texas Ranger Darren Matthews gets called to Lark, a small town where two murders have occurred. One victim is a white woman whose husband is a white nationalist, and the other is a Black man who worked as a lawyer in Chicago. Why was the lawyer in Lark? How involved is the woman's husband? Matthews works the case while he faces his own demons and scars. In addition to books, Attica Locke is also a screenwriter, so Bluebird, Bluebird has the fast pace of a movie you can't bear to pause.

Dear Fang, With Love by Rufi Thorpe: Vera is a teen girl who just suffered a mental breakdown. Fragile and trying to recover, her distant father, Lucas, invites her to come with him to Lithuania for the summer, where he hopes to find answers about his family history. Vera and Lucas navigate their shaky relationship while trying to figure out who they are, separately and to each other.  Dear Fang, With Love is a tender story about mental health, teenage love, and family ties. Rufi Thorpe is a skilled author who beautifully captures a moving father-daughter relationship. This book is an underrated winner.

Exiles by Jane Harper: Jane Harper has been one of my favorite mystery writers since her debut, thanks to her impressive ability to write atmospheric mysteries set in the heat and drought of Australia. In that debut novel, The Dry, readers met detective Aaron Falk. Exiles is the third book in the Falk series, but you needn't read the other two to enjoy this volume.

In Exiles, Falk visits friends for their baby's christening in a small town known for their wine. Even though he's on vacation, he's pulled into a mystery when new questions arise about a missing woman. A year earlier, Kim Gillespie left her baby in a festival crowd and vanished. She hasn't been seen since. The anniversary of her disappearance is approaching, and Aaron and his friends still have a lot of questions about what happened to Kim. Aaron can't help but investigate and finds more than he expected. I've enjoyed all of Harper's books, but Exiles is my favorite. Aaron Falk makes for a great lead character, but I loved the secondary characters in this book just as much.

Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin: David is an American in Paris with his girlfriend, Hella. When she leaves for another trip, David meets and falls for Giovanni, an Italian immigrant and bartender. David goes home with him, and the two embark on an affair. Full of shame and determination to marry Hella, David breaks things off with Giovanni, but the consequences of their relationship will forever mark both men. Baldwin's 1956 novel addresses identity, love, and violence with the brilliance Baldwin consistently displays in his work.

The Girls by Emma Cline: Toward the end of the 1960s, Evie spends a summer day at a park, where she spots a group of girls who seem to have everything she wants. Evie gets to know Suzanne, one of the girls she admired and envied. Suzanne invites Evie to a commune in the hills, where Evie meets the charismatic leader. Drawn to a new life, Evie leaves behind her family and everyday existence for a new world of freedom, community, and belonging.

The Girls is loosely based on the Manson cult and murders. Knowing where the story is going doesn't make it less impactful, though. Emma Cline is a gifted writer who excels at creating tension and longing.

The Girls in the Garden by Lisa Jewell: In London, a tight-knit community lives around a communal garden square. Children play together, neighbors are friends, and everything feels peaceful. At a neighborhood party on midsummer night, a 13-year-old girl is found unconscious and wounded in the garden. Who left her there? How has violence infiltrated such a calm community? Lisa Jewell answers those questions in this slow-paced thriller. The Girls in the Garden doesn't move as quickly as some of Jewell's other books, but the pace matches the hazy summer night Jewell is trying to unpack.

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro: Klara spent part of her existence in a department store, watching the world from a window display. One day, a girl named Josie spots Klara and wants to take her home. Her mother agrees, and Klara comes home to be an AF, an Artificial Friend, to Josie, who's sick. Klara is profoundly perceptive and comes to care for Josie, longing to cure her. She devises a scheme that she thinks will deliver the healing Josie needs, but can an AF really achieve such a thing? Klara and the Sun is a moving novel about friendship and technology. This book was outside my comfort zone, but I'm so glad I read it. I think you will be, too.

Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan: Each summer, the Kellehers descend on their beach house in Maine. This novel focuses on four women and how their lives intersect and diverge. There's Alice, the matriarch, who harbors dark secrets and regrets. 32-year-old Maggie recently found out she's pregnant and is trying to figure out a way to tell her boyfriend. Ann Marie has become obsessed with dollhouses in an attempt to bury unwanted feelings. Rounding out the quartet is Kathleen, the misfit who doesn't quite belong. Each of these characters is well-crafted and has an interesting story. If you like layered family dramas, you'll enjoy Maine.

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid: Speaking of layered family dramas, meet the Rivas. Mick Riva is a famous singer who fathered four kids: Nina, Jay, Hud, and Kit. He's been absent most of their lives, so the Riva siblings are close and protective of one another. Still, there are secrets. Each year, Nina, a model who's just been dumped by her pro-tennis-player husband, throws an epic summer party. Everyone in Malibu wants an invitation. At the party in August of 1983, nothing will ever be the same for the Riva family. Malibu Rising was a one-sitting read for me. It’s the ideal summer story.

Musical Chairs by Amy Poeppel: I appreciate books with humor, and that's what I found in Musical Chairs. The story centers on Bridget and Will, best friends who are part of a musical trio. Bridget is planning on a relaxing summer at her family's country house in Connecticut, but things fall apart when her boyfriend breaks up with her, and her adult kids invite themselves to stay. As Bridget tries to manage everything, she must also be there for her elderly father, who's just announced his surprise engagement. Meanwhile, Will and Bridget try to lure Gavin, a famous musician and former friend, to rejoin their trio. The chaos of Musical Chairs makes it a relatable and hilarious read. Grab this one if you've been searching for a light-hearted and entertaining novel.

Sandwich by Catherine Newman: Another family novel infused with humor is Sandwich. The story focuses on Rocky, a menopausal woman who vacations on Cape Cod with her husband and adult children each summer. On the family's most recent trip, Rocky is dealing with the physical, hormonal, and emotional challenges of menopause while trying to soak up each precious second with her kids. A secret and a visit from her parents cause Rocky to reflect on her road to motherhood and her early struggles. I read Sandwich in one day, and while it's relatively short at 240 pages, the characters are vibrant and full of life. I laughed a lot and felt deep emotion as Rocky wrestled with change, memories, and letting go.

Seating Arrangements by Maggie Shipstead: As you might have noticed from some of my picks, I like books featuring vacation homes and the messy families inside them. Seating Arrangements delivers more of that goodness. Set in New England, this novel follows the Van Meters as they prepare for a wedding. Patriarch Winn is readying himself to give away his daughter, Daphne, to a notable man named Greyson Duff. (I love that name so much.) Winn's wife, Biddy, is focused on overseeing a perfect event, but everything is soon out of her control. Infidelity, family drama, and a whole lot of bad choices make this novel a funny and entertaining look at how the wealthy and noble among us might not have it so good after all.

Sula by Toni Morrison: The best thing about summer is having time off from my school job. Most of my friends also work in education, so being able to hang out with them in the middle of the workweek is such a blessing. As I thought about friendship, my mind turned to Sula, a Toni Morrison novel I read in February. Sula is about two friends, Sula and Nel. Nel stays in their small Ohio town, marries, and builds a traditional life for herself. Sula leaves for a decade, then returns to Ohio. She and Nel try to pick up where they left off, but years apart and deception add complications to their relationship. No one writes like Toni Morrison does. Her voice is wholly her own. If you've never read her work, Sula would be a good first pick.

The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway: When I was in college, I had to pass an intimidating comprehensive exam to earn my English degree. There was a long list of books, stories, poems, and plays English majors were supposed to read to prepare, and The Sun Also Rises was on the list. I hadn't read or liked many classic novels at that point, so I dreaded it. Imagine my delighted surprise when I ended up loving the book. The story follows Jake Barnes, Lady Brett Ashley, and their European exploits. Set in the 1920s, Hemingway explores life in the shadow of World War I as his characters spend time in Paris and Spain.

Sun Damage by Sabine Durrant: If you want a French setting but don't care for Hemingway, may I suggest Sun Damage? The story is about a woman named Lulu who’s trying to hide. She takes a job as a cook for a group of friends staying at a vacation home in Provence. There are problems, however, since Lulu isn't a chef and not who she claims to be. She's on the run from a former partner in crime who believes she betrayed him. When Lulu thinks she sees him in Provence, things heat up even more than they already were. This propulsive thriller is full of excitement and atmospheric details. Sun Damage begs to be read in the summertime.

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett: When her adult daughters return home during the pandemic, they ask their mom, Lara, about her relationship with famous actor Peter Duke. Peter and Lara crossed paths and had a romance decades prior when the two acted together in Tom Lake, a theater company. Set in a Michigan cherry orchard and the site of Lara and Peter's love, Tom Lake is about history, romance, fame, and who we might have been if we'd made different choices. Ann Patchett writes families so well, and her talents are on full display in her most recent novel.

The Vacationers by Emma Straub: Franny and Jim Post are celebrating their wedding anniversary and their daughter Sylvia's high school graduation. They decide to escape Manhattan for a while to vacation and celebrate on the Balearic Islands. As with any absorbing novel, things don't go according to plan. No marriage is without its tension. No teenager is perfect. The Posts are about to be reminded.

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What are some of your favorite summer reads? What titles should I add to my summer TBR? Leave a comment below with your thoughts.