As I’m writing this it is low sixties and raining but summer is almost upon us. (Editing this in to add that we are now under a flood watch because it is raining so much/hard!) And if you live on the other side of the hemisphere you may be craving the warm and fluffy summer vibes that books can give us. So I thought I would share some of my top summer read recommendations so we can all lean into my favorite season, summer, together.
When I think summer reads this is the first book that jumped into my mind. It is a dual timeline story set at a compound in Northern California and it delivers 100% on the atmosphere. This would be a great book to pick up and read a bit of throughout the hot summer months. It has romance, the suspense of what happened to her cousin, the 70’s vibes, the setting is spectacular, and I think you get the picture.
If you are looking for a summer thriller that will grip you from the first chapter than A Quiet Place is for you. The entirety of this story takes place on a block full of characters that may or may not have their own secrets their hiding. This book jumped out at me as a summer read because I remember many scenes taking place on the lake they live next to or at the neighborhood pool. This was a slowly unraveling mystery which I think makes it perfect for the lazy days of summer.
First of all, this cover screams summer to me. Secondly, it almost entirely takes place on an isle off the coast of Italy. Because of its isolated setting it has my favorite trope of being a locked room mystery. The cliff side villa they are staying at/getting married is opulent and yet creepy at the same time. This was a book that I couldn’t put down and had plenty of satisfying suspenseful and thrilling moments.
What screams summer more than mermaids. Not much. This is a stunningly written and complex novella that mostly deals with memories and trauma. I was stunned by the beauty of this book and I fell deeply in love with Solomon’s writing. If you are looking for a book with a bit more meat to it yet still retaining the watery vibes then this is a book I think you would enjoy. Personally, I enjoyed reading parts of this book and then really ruminating on it so it actually took me a few weeks to read this not even 200 page story.
This is another thriller that exemplifies summer vibes. The setting is gorgeous and remote but the story is sinister and unnerving. Downes did a fabulous job with the atmosphere of this story and I could easily picture myself everywhere she was describing. I read this book almost 2 years ago (which is more than a couple of hundred books ago!) and I can still tell you what happens for the majority of the book, including the ending. This is the perfect poolside read that you will find hard to tear yourself away from.
Books With Cassie 