25 Fun Summer Reading Recommendations for All Readers

Reading Instruction

Last week, national newspapers including the Chicago Sun Times published a list of summer reading recommendations.

Cute, right? A fun, beachy, seasonal listicle makes total sense.

Except that the list was AI-generated, and only 5 of the 15 recommended books a real. And somehow the list still got published. I could write an article about the role of AI in education and how this proves that teachers’ concerns about AI are justified.

But that sounds like a lot. And I’m on summer vacation.

Instead, I’ll offer my own list of 25 summer reading recommendations!

Current image: An illustration of a palm tree and pink sunglasses appears under text that reads: 25 Summer Reading Recommendations

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Mysteries and Thrillers

I’m currently reading The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton, so I have summer mysteries on my mind! While I’m not finished with this book yet, it’s tapping into my current reading mood: a whodunnit with elements of British tea room drama and time travel. If you’re also looking for a little mystery, check out these summer reading recommendations:

Earlier this year, I finally read all four Thursday Murder Club novels. In this series, author Richard Osman introduces a quartet of mystery-minded octogenarians, each one a colorful but charming character. I read these books so quickly and enjoyed every minute, so while there is suspense and there are twists-and-turns, the stories are delightful and perfect for beach reading!

Like Osman, Lisa Lutz also has a cast of kooky characters to populate The Spellman Files, six novels that follow a family of private detectives. This is another series that I tore through quickly. The San Francisco setting is also a vivid part of these novels, and there’s something about California, snooping siblings, and tense mysteries that makes these ideal summer reading recommendations!

Once I finished The Spellman Files, I tore through the rest of Lutz’s back catalogue. Not all of her novels are suited for the beach (my fav is The Accomplice, but that’s more of an autumn read). However, Heads You Lose with David Hayward is a blast! This is a sibling mystery with a cast of distinct and unforgettable characters. Written in back-and-forth, tag-team chapters, this is a laugh-out-loud mystery that will charm every reader!

Another mystery series that I adore is Charlotte Holmes by Brittany Cavallaro. While the first novel A Study in Charlotte feels a little like a back-to-school autumn read, the second novel The Last of August is the quintessential beach read. The main characters Charlotte and Jamie are Millenial iterations of Sherlock and Watson, and the chemistry between the characters lights up the page! These are young adult novels, so they are not just summer reading recommendations but would also be perfect additions to your classroom library.

If you want a standalone mystery, Dirty Little Secrets by Jo Spain has a swim pool on the cover. The novel takes place in a Wisteria Lane-style neighborhood. The characters’ conflicts are never too over-the-top, but they’re just outrageous enough to make this perfect for this time of the year.

Romance and Chick Lit

For me, “beach reads” instantly brings to mind romance and chick lit, so these are my summer reading recommendations for book worms looking for love.

The last romance I read was Set on You by Amy Lea; it’s the first book in The Influencer series. Set on You follows fitness influencer Crystal Chen, who finds love in the gym. It’s a simple premise, but it’s a fun, quick read. Of my summer reading recommendations, none of them scream “beach read” as strongly!

I rarely re-read a romance novel, but I have read The Royal We and The Heir Affair by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan multiple times. I also keep recommending them because they are my favorite romances. These novels feel like Hallmark movies come to life: an American girl falls in love with a British boy, and her turns out to be the heir to the throne!

Last summer, I read Wives Like Us by Plum Sykes. This is more chick lit than romance, but it’s a delight nevertheless. Wives Like Us follows Ian, butler to the rich-and-ridiculous as they navigate the drama of life in the English countryside. Ian’s perspective is what makes this book: he’s clever enough to see through the nonsense around him and enraptured enough to be totally on board for all of his employer’s shenanigans. I soooo wish this book had a sequel.

Like Set on You, social media plays a significant role in Under the Influence by Noelle Crooks. At times, this feels like The Devil Wears Prada Millennial edition, but it’s actually better. Writer Harper Cruz leaves New York to work for a self-help guru in Nashville. As Harper falls deeper into the cult-like following of her new job, she loses sight of her goals. Part novel of self-discovery, part mystery, and part romance, this is such a well-written novel that it flies by.

Social media is also at the heart of Smile and Look Pretty by Amanda Pellegrino. In this novel, four young women in New York find their ambitions running up against their boss’ demands. While there are elements of traditional romance in this novel, it’s also a novel about loving your found family and yourself. It’s about loving yourself enough to make difficult decisions.

Summer Reading Recommendations: Memoirs

If you’ve been here a while, you know the last two years have found me in a nonfiction renaissance. I’ve read countless memoirs in the last twenty-four months. These four are my summer reading recommendations:

First, The Rural Diaries by Hilarie Burton-Morgan is a book I cannot recommend enough. This is not just one of my summer reading recommendations: it’s an all-the-time recommendation. Since Burton-Morgan’s story largely takes place on Mischief Farm, the outdoor elements speak to the Girl Scout in me. Something about the setting calls up images of campfires, s’mores, and fireflies.

A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost and Too Much is Not Enough by Andrew Rannells go together in my mind. I read them back-to-back, and their covers have similar color palettes, but they have a lot in common. Both follow a young man coming-of-age in New York City before finding celebrity status. Both books are also hilarious, so they are essential summer reading recommendations.

Summer Reading Recommendations: Honorable Mentions

I couldn’t finish my list of summer reading recommendations without mentioning these two books:

Heartbreak is the National Anthem by Rob Sheffield is a love letter to Taylor Swift fandom. This book is not for everyone, so it’s an honorable mention. But if you like Taylor Swift, you will love this one! I also think this book would work well in most classroom libraries.

Finally, The Rook by Daniel O’Malley is another book I’m currently reading. Actually, it’s a reread. The Rook is such a comfort book for me; I’ve read it more times than I can count. The first book in The Checquy Files, The Rook is part supernatural thriller, part novel of self-discovery, and part epistolary novel (and you know how I love an epistolary novel). This is another honorable mention because it’s more of an autumn novel, but it’s one of my absolute favs.