Summer doesn’t have to be jam-packed — sometimes the best plan is a quiet day and a good book. As we start to finish up this school year and look towards warm and sunny days, sometimes the best end-of-term treat is a good book. As an avid reader who reads pretty much anything that gets recommended to me, I’ve put together some of the books that I’ve loved the most throughout the years. Whether you’re looking for a quick read on a sunny day or something to keep you company throughout the summer, they’re here. Happy reading!
1. The Book That You Can’t Put Down: Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow By Gabrielle Zevin
Starting off strong, we have this gem of a book. Zevin’s fifth novel gained wide praise when it was first released in 2022, and rightly so. This novel tells the lives of two friends and how their paths cross and intersect. The majority of the story is centered around the development of their video game company, but it really tells a tale of character development and change across a lifetime. This book has a wide appeal in the content of its story, but is truly universal in how it talks about human relationships. The world-building is beautifully done, and the characters are explored so richly that you begin to feel like you know them personally.
2. the Book That Brings You to Another World: Cloud Cuckoo Land By Anthony DoerR
This is a novel that packs a major punch. While coming in at around 600 pages, I still finished this within 3 days the first time I read it. Doerr tells the story of three different timelines, each with their own characters: Omeir and Anna, two adolescents alive during the fall of Constantinople; Zeno and Seymour, two tormented citizens living in rural Idaho during the 21st century; and Konstance, a young girl aboard a generation starship in the 22nd century. In some form, all characters have read the same book in their lifetimes, which Doerr uses as their link across time and space. The story is among the most unique I’ve read, and Doerr’s beautiful prose makes it powerful beyond words. If you’re looking to get brought into an entirely different world and lose track of time, Cloud Cuckoo Land will let you do so.
3. The Feel-Good Book: The House In The Cerulean Sea By TJ KlunE
Sometimes all we need is an escape from reality. TJ Klune is the author of some wonderful books that achieve this goal, but my personal favorite is The House in the Cerulean Sea. We’re introduced to Linus, a cranky case worker who lives with his cat. In this fantasy world, Linus is eventually sent to an orphanage to assess if six children (a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist) are cause for concern. Throughout the story, Linus begins to thaw and form close relationships with both the kids and their caretaker, Arthur. Klune creates a world that is certainly fantasy, but not so much that it suffocates the rest of the story – rather, the fantasy elements fade to the background when the characters come to the center. This book is perfect if you’re looking to take your mind off the stress of the world and cozy up with something heartwarming.
4. The Book to Read at the Beach: None of This is True By Lisa JewelL
Lisa Jewell is an expert at writing mystery and suspense, and this is most evident in None of This is True. This novel tells the story of Alix, a famous podcaster, and Josie, a reclusive woman with a secret she wants told. The beauty of this story is that it’s so simple, but the development of the characters is done exceptionally well. Sometimes, we want books that don’t make us think, feel, or engage: we just want a good story that we can start and finish quickly. None of This is True hits this mark precisely: you get heavily involved in the mystery and plot line, but can race through it without too much investment.
5. The Book That Will Make You Laugh: How to Be PerfecT By Michael Schur
Any fans of The Office, Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, or The Good Place are sure to appreciate the humor in this book. Authored by the producer and/or creator of the listed shows, How to be Perfect attempts to teach readers about various philosophical schools of thought through a lens of humor. Schur moves from dilemmas such as “Should I punch my friend in the face for no reason?” to the ethics of enjoying content with problematic origins. Ideas are delivered in a digestible, pithy way, but still stick with you long after reading them. In the words of Schur himself, this book “wade[s] into some deeply confusing and painful applications of moral philosophy … But in a fun way!”
6. The Book That Will Make You Cry: Demon Copperhead By Barbara Kingsolver
Last, but certainly not least, we have my favorite book. Barbara Kingsolver, on her own, is a brilliant writer with a fascinating history – her ability to peek into other lives and experiences is beautiful, and her writing is both eloquent and approachable. Demon Copperhead tells the story of a young boy living in Appalachia, and details his development with drugs, the foster system, poverty, and addiction. It’s not an exaggeration to say that this book has thoroughly changed my perspective on the world – even after reading it several months ago, the insights and characters in this book have stayed with me in an incredibly rare way. While this book is certainly a tearjerker, it is incredibly moving, and the saddest part is having to say goodbye to the characters.