Summertime is quickly approaching (even if finals would say otherwise), and with the summer comes more time to read. The question, then, is what to read, so here’s a little list to get you started on your hot girl summer reading. Some of these books are fun and cutesy, some are tear-jerkers, some are closely related to social justice issues, and so much more. For all the messy girls with a dream to feel seen and to make the world a little bit better, this list is for you!
- Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney
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The quintessential hot girl author, Sally Rooney’s first novel is the perfect in-depth summer read. It fully embraces messy girlhood and the difficult attempts to know oneself, making it an incredible, introspective read.
- They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us by Hanif Abdurraqible
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One of my favorite essay collections ever, Abdurraqib uses music and culture to reflect on the current state of the world.
- Bunny by Mona Awad
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Dark academia meets cultish behavior and a little bit of body horror; what more can you ask for?
- Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton
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Broadly known and loved for good reason, Dolly Alderton’s Everything I Know About Love is a moving reflection on one’s 20s, the disasters you get into, and the friends you make along the way.
- The White Album by Joan Didion
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Reading Joan Didion will make you feel like the ultimate it girl. The White Album is a thoughtful reflection on mass American culture in the 1960s.
- The Guest by Emma Cline
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A complex story about deceit and identity with lots of twists and turns, The Guest is an intriguing thriller-adjacent tale sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.
- Old Enough by Haley Jakobson
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An all-time favorite of mine, and one of the most earnest books I’ve ever read, Old Enough is an incredibly tender love story about queerness, love, and reckoning with one’s past.
- Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall
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A crash course in intersectional feminism, Hood Feminism is a must-read for anyone, but especially white women, who want to gain a deeper understanding of its depths and realities.
- They’re Going to Love You by Meg Howrey
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A book that absolutely snuck up on me, They’re Going to Love You is a moving portrayal of what it means to be an artist, especially a female one. The book also explores familial relationships between artists, and features a reflection on queerness and the AIDs crisis.
- Babel by R.F. Kuang
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An amazing fantasy story exploring colonization—if you love words and linguistics, you’ll love it that much more!
Happy reading!