It's summer, which means no more never-ending questions on themes in Macbeth and argumentative essays about why Jem Finch is the real main character. Summer is a time to put away the heavy reading and to bring in the light, easy beach-reads.
I'm going to tell you about 8 of my favorite books to read during the summer. If you're on Booktok, you have probably heard of some of these. But just because it's popular doesn't mean it's bad. So get comfortable (My usual position is a window seat accompanied by a cup of tea, good natural lighting, and my reading playlist) and pick up one of these beautiful books.
Capucine from Pexels
I would also like to advise you to check trigger warnings and themes in a book before you start reading. I have added links to both the Amazon physical book copy and to the GoodReads which contains more in-depth reviews on each book as well as trigger warnings.
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Apply NowBook #1: Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Daisy Jones is a singer; she is wild, free, and captivating. The story follows Daisy and her band's rise in the LA music scene in the 1970s and their journey to becoming one of the most famous bands in the world. It also follows through and shows the reason behind their split at the height of their success.
But what makes this book so different is that it's from different perspectives. Not chapter by chapter, but line by line. It keeps you on your toes and shows everyone's opinion at the same moment.
It is a cool and unique layout. The author says she took inspiration from the popular 70s band "Fleetwood Mac." It is an emotional and personal tribute and a lovely story for warm summer days.
You can read more on the books here.
Book #2: Looking For Alaska by John Green
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Once Miles meets Alaska at his new boarding school, he is never the same again. Looking for Alaska is an easy read, a heartbreaking and heartwarming story of influence and teen love and questions of life and death. It is a good book for those of us who love a good morals and ethics debate. An easy beach read that's not just romance.
Read more on John Green's latest heartbreaker here.
Belongova from Pexels
Book #3: A Year of Marvellous Ways by Sarah Winman
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book is for poets and language lovers. A Year Of Marvellous Ways is about Marvellous Ways, an 89-year-old woman. She's a bit mad, to be honest, but her view of the world is so intriguing I couldn't put the book down.
It is also about Francis Drake, a heartbroken young soldier. A Goodreads review says, "Through her stories of her life and the beauty of nature surrounding them, he finds healing and purpose."
My favourite aspect of this book has to be the literacy; the language Sarah Winman uses is so poetic and beautiful that I could live in it. A lovely book for those who don't want to be rid of the beauty of English completely.
Book #4: Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
As you will learn in this article, I am a huge fan of TJR. Malibu Rising is the perfect summer read. The book's synopsis reads, "Four famous siblings throw an epic party to celebrate the end of the summer.
But over the course of twenty-four hours, the family drama that ensues will change their lives forever". The story follows Nina Riva, a surfer and model. As you move through the book, you learn about her parents' tragic love story. The book has an engaging and enthralling ending.
It's a very appropriate theme for summer and an easy read for the beach. You can read further reviews here.
Subiyanto from Pexels
Book #5: Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A book full of random love stories. A book that will make you giggle and sniffle. I, personally, fell in love with the fact it wasn't all romantic love.
She talks of her friendships and the small moments in life when you realize love is everywhere; you just have to look for it. It also taught me that love can be given and received in so many different ways. Just because it isn't what you expect doesn't mean it isn't there.
When all my friends were in relationships, it also helped me appreciate the love I have for everything else, such as my family, my dog, and my books. It's a memoir showing the ups and downs of life and how it all comes back to love.
Read more here.
Book #6: Normal People by Sally Rooney
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐
Normal People is a love story. But what makes it differ from the others, and made me add it to this list, is the honesty. Sally Roney does a magnificent job of showing the real look of love.
The story follows Marianne and Connell, two Irish people starting college. It shows the challenges of not only navigating a relationship but also friendship, growing up, mental health, and abuse. The show (Starring Daisy Egar Jones and Paul Mescal) is so raw and stunning that I had to read the book, which was when my love of books renewed.
Normal People is an easy read and perfect for any setting. Read more about Connell and Marianne's story here.
Pixabay from Pexels
Book #7: The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom
My rating: ⭐️️⭐️⭐
At the start of the book, the main character dies. Eddie, an 83-year-old veteran, dies at his job, which is fixing rides at a seaside amusement park. After his death, he learns that heaven is not a destination.
It's a place where your life is explained to you by five people, some of whom you knew, others who may have been strangers. He finds the answers to his questions, including "Why was I here?". A lovely book about taking this for granted and appreciating life as it is.
I would advise you to check the trigger warnings for this book. If you like these moral questioning books, read more here.
Book #8: One True Love by Taylor Jenkins Reid
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐
The IMBD summary of this book (which was also turned into a movie) is probably the best one-line summary of a book I've ever read: "A woman is unexpectedly forced to choose between the husband she has long thought dead and the fiancé who has finally brought her back to life."
One True Love follows Emma Blair, years after her husband had supposedly died in a plane crash. She has finally moved on and met her fiancé when she suddenly gets a phone call from her dead husband. An easy read that is also chock full of emotion and decision.
You can read more reviews here.
I hope this article helps you find your next read. I can personally say all of these books are in my favorites pile. If you don't plan on reading this summer and you read this article for some reason, you can live a million lives in a book. Give it a go.
