There’s nothing like getting lost in a book on a warm summer day, and as the sun shines brighter and the days stretch longer, it’s the perfect time to unwind with a good book. Whether you’re into fiction, non-fiction, romance, thrillers, or something in between, summer reading is the perfect way to unwind. If you’re lounging on the beach or reading during your commute, there’s something for every kind of reader to dive into this season.
Emily Henry’s latest, Great Big Beautiful Life, follows aspiring writer Alice Scott and Pulitzer winner Hayden Anderson as they compete to write the biography of a reclusive heiress. Trapped in a one-month trial on Little Crescent Island—bound by NDAs and a growing attraction—they discover that the story they’re chasing may be just as complicated as the one they’re starting to live.
Into something more mysterious and enjoy a bit of drama? Jump into reading The Sicilian Inheritance, where author Jo Piazza delivers a sun-soaked mystery full of family secrets, feminist grit, and Italian adventures. After the death of her beloved great-aunt, Sara Marsala heads to Sicily, escaping her failed business and marriage. In Sicily, she dives deeper into a family mystery; that her great-grandmother was murdered. What unfolds is a twisty, multigenerational mystery across the Italian countryside, where Sara fights to find out the truth.
The World of Sugar traces the global history of sugar – how a once-rare luxury became a dietary staple found in nearly everything we eat today. Tracing sugar’s rise from ancient India to its domination of modern diets, Bosma reveals how this sweet commodity fueled slavery, shaped economies, and continues to impact our health and planet today. If you’re into fiction, then this book will satisfy your sweet tooth.
In Sour Cherry, Natalia Theodoridou’s debut novel, Theodoridou weaves a haunting tale of love, loss, and the monstrous men we’re taught to endure. After nursing a strange child with a dark presence, Agnes watches as death and decay follow him into adulthood. As the women in his life become ghosts bound by a chilling truth: if you leave, you die; but if you die, you stay. A chorus rises to confront the legacy of power, pain, and the reasons we stay loyal to ruin.
If you want something that is going to last you past the summer, consider picking up Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. This #1 New York Times bestseller and soon-to-be TV series from Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society isn’t just a viral sensation, it’s earned critical acclaim as one of the best books of the year by Amazon, Apple, NPR, Barnes & Noble, and more. Set in the brutal world of Basgiath War College, Fourth Wing follows Violet Sorrengail, a young woman forced into deadly dragon rider training despite her fragile body and scholarly past. With danger around every corner, dragons who incinerate the weak, and rivals who would kill to survive, Violet quickly learns that at Basgiath, you either graduate or die.
In this slow-burn, second-chance romance, a driven music publicist is forced to work with the musician who once disappeared from her life—only to return in a wheelchair, still holding her heart. Six months after their unforgettable night, Caroline Parker and Ben Carter are reunited on a high-stakes comeback tour. As old sparks reignite and new scars are revealed, they must navigate love, loss, and the music that ties them together—proving that some risks are worth taking twice.
No matter what’s packed in your bag; romance, mystery, history, or fantasy, these summer reads offer something for every kind of book lover. Whether you’re escaping to sun-soaked Sicily, unraveling ghostly secrets, or navigating a dragon-rider academy, these stories are ready to carry you far beyond the page. So grab a book, find some sun (or shade), and settle in. Your next great read is waiting.
Based on Barnes and Noble Top Rated Books on their Summer Reading List
