When summer rolls around and the days seem to stretch on forever under bright sunny skies, the good weather demands to be savored with an ice-cold lemonade and a fun new book. The definition of the perfect ‘Summer Read’ varies depending on whom one asks, but it’s universally clear that engaging, well-written books across all genres fit the bill.
Below, I’ve stacked up 15 of the best Summer Reads to pick up and dive into. I’ve scoured BookTok pages and the bestseller lists to bring Beacon readers what’s new and hip in the literary landscape.
To start the summer on top of your reading game, here are three New Releases filled with fun summer adventure and romance as hot as the pavement in the scorching heat.
“My Friends” by Fredrik Backman
The newest release from the bestselling author behind “A Man Called Ove” and “Beartown,” this novel follows three friends who end up as tiny figures in the corner of a painting, and a teenager named Louisa who decides to investigate the origins of it many years later. The signature empathy and wit of Backman results in lovable characters that stay with you long past the final page. This novel celebrates creativity and the process of making art, especially when one is young.
Perfect for: Young artists needing validation (e.g. me), or people who love books about the power of young friendship.
“Problematic Summer Romance” by Ali Hazelwood
The drama writes itself in this newest title from online sensation Ali Hazlewood, author of “The Love Hypothesis” and “Deep End.” Maya Killgore is 23 and piecing her life together. Conor Harkness is 38, the best friend of Maya’s brother, and he’s implanted himself firmly in Maya’s head. Sparks fly and tensions build as the two are stuck together in an Italian villa for Maya’s brother’s wedding.
Perfect for: A European vacation—or daydreaming that you’re in Europe—complete with a cappuccino and patio table seating.
“Great Big Beautiful Life” by Emily Henry
The queen of summer rom-coms has returned with her latest novel about two rival authors, both given the chance of a lifetime—writing the autobiography of a scandalous heiress, Margaret Ives. The problem? Margaret only gives them each part of her story, meaning that the story of her life could turn out to be painted as a tragedy, or a love story, all depending on which of the two authors is telling it; one is optimistically waiting for her big break, and the other is a grumpy Pulitzer Prize winner. Henry is a master of pacing, and I usually fly through these when I need something easy to sink my teeth into.
Perfect for: People who love books about writers, or anyone who needs a juicy rom-com to escape reality.
For those searching for a summer read with thematic depth and beautifully crafted, lyrical writing, look no further than these two critically acclaimed, recent prize-winning picks. These accounts of previously unheard perspectives challenge narratives that are crucial, now more than ever, to expand and diversify both one’s reading list and mind.
“Heart Lamp” by Banu Mushtaq, translated by Deepa Bhasti
This 2025 International Booker Prize winning title is a collection of short stories originally published between 1990 and 2023, following the lives of Muslim women in southern India. This is the first work originally written in the Kannada language to win the prize. The collection displays the tireless efforts of lawyer and journalist Mushtaq to advocate for women’s rights and campaign against oppression.
Perfect for: Those wanting to spend the summer diversifying their reading list and learning about new cultures.
“James” by Percival Everett
In this winner of the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, Everett retells the American classic “Huckleberry Finn” from the perspective of the enslaved character Jim. The novel both pays homage to and interrogates the original book, becoming a vital new voice in the longstanding history and legacy of Twain’s novel.
Perfect for: History enthusiasts and those looking for new perspectives on long-standing classics.
For my readers who want to absolutely sob over a book, here are two deeply emotional and poignant contemporary picks to kick off your very own summertime sadness:
“The Emperor of Gladness” by Ocean Vuong
As the 114th pick of Oprah’s Book Club, this contemporary novel has been described as ‘brilliant’ and ‘stunning’ in its depiction of how love and loneliness make up the backbone of American life. Vuong traces the life-altering friendship between 19-year-old Hai and elderly Grazina, exploring what it means to exist on the fringes of society and make meaning in places that, on the surface, appear ordinary and mundane.
Perfect for: A poetry lover who wants to read more fiction.
“Blue Sisters” by Coco Mellors
Mellors describes the differing facets and nuances of modern sisterhood in her latest release, which readers are calling ‘“Little Women” for the contemporary female experience.’ The book follows the three Blue sisters, Avery, Bonnie, and Lucky, who navigate their grief a year after the death of their sister, Nikki.
Perfect for: A shared read with your sister while hanging out together in your childhood home for the summer.
For the rom-com die-hards who want a few more picks to fill the void, here are two more romance titles specifically for the summer months, that are just meant to have a place either in your everyday summer tote bag or with you on the subway in the big city.
“It’s a Love Story” by Annabel Monaghan
This rom-com hilariously delves into what happens when ‘fake it till you make it’ goes too far. Jane Jackson, an ex-sitcom child star turned studio executive, promises she’ll get mega popstar Jack Quinlan—her first kiss twenty years prior—to write a song for her upcoming movie. Now she must turn to cinematographer Dan Finnegan, who has an ‘in’ at a festival where Jack is playing, to deliver on her promise. In the end, Jane might find some truth amidst the lies she tells to fake her way to the top.
Perfect for: Visual and Media Arts majors, or anyone who’s ever promised a little too much of themselves at work.
“Summer in the City” by Alex Aster
From the New York Times bestselling author of “Lightlark” comes a rom-com ode to the Big Apple. Complete with enemies to lovers, fake dating, and a rediscovery of the city that never sleeps, what more could one ask for in a summer read?
Perfect for: People moving to a big city or those who just love NYC, from the Statue of Liberty to the subway rats.
For those who want a darker, scarier read despite the brightness of the summer months, here are some Thriller/Horror picks to help you bring the fright of Halloween to your summer reading list:
“The Counselors” by Jessica Goodman
This young adult novel recalls fond camp counselor memories with a thriller twist; the dead body of a teen camper is discovered floating on the lake. What follows is the unraveling of a series of lies and betrayals that will test friendships and force deeply hidden secrets to the surface.
Perfect for: Ex-camp counselors and lovers of summer scaries.
“The Bewitching” by Silvia Moreno Garcia
From the social horror writer of “Mexican Gothic” and “Silver Nitrate” comes a new tale of three women from three different eras in a saga of witches and Mexican folklore. Minerva is studying the work of Beatrice Tremblay, an author of macabre tales, when she realizes that the author attended the same university as her, and that the same force that haunted Tremblay and led to the disappearance of her roommate may still haunt the walls of the school.
Perfect for: People who love creepy plotlines and campus novels.
If you’re looking to dive into the world of nonfiction, here are two memoirs that will enthrall any reader looking to learn about the lives of extraordinary people:
“Matriarch” by Tina Knowles
In this sweeping and touching portrait of a life, the affectionately known “Mama T,” as Beyoncé fans call her, tells the story of the music superstar’s mother, spanning from childhood in 1950s Galveston, Texas, to how she came to raise and nurture the superstars of Beyoncé and Solange Knowles. This is a story of immense female strength and perseverance in building a legacy despite immense social obstacles.
Perfect for: Anyone in the Beyhive (Beyoncé’s fanbase) or those interested in mother/daughter stories
“From Here to the Great Unknown” by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough
This deeply moving memoir, written by a mother and completed by her daughter after her mother’s sudden death, follows the life of Lisa Marie Presley, the only child of international rock-and-roll superstar Elvis Presley. Riley Keough, daughter of Lisa Marie and co-author, is an actress and musician known for the TV series “Daisy Jones and The Six,” an experience which brings a deep level of empathy to a story of stardom. Taken from tapes that Lisa Marie recorded before her death, this memoir is both an account of an extraordinary upbringing and the efforts of a daughter to grieve her mother through telling her story.
Perfect for: Both Elvis and music history fans.
As a bonus, here is a fresh drop and an upcoming release to have on your radar as the summer unfolds:
“Atmosphere” by Taylor Jenkins Reid (June 3)
The latest release from Emerson alumna Taylor Jenkins Reid, this novel follows Joan Goodwin, an astronomy and physics professor at Rice University in the 1980s, who answers the call when NASA begins to seek the first female scientists to join their Space Shuttle program. The novel is classically Reid, transporting readers to fascinating times and places through the lens of a complex and immensely real protagonist.
Perfect for: Historical fiction lovers and NASA nerds.
“Katabasis” by R.F. Kuang (August 26)
Dante’s “Inferno” meets Susanna Clarke’s “Piranesi” in this race for two graduate students to save their professor’s soul from hell. Alice Law has sacrificed everything to work with the greatest magician in the world, Professor Jacob Grimes, and now he’s in hell after dying in a magical accident. Now, she and her academic rival Peter Murdoch have to save him.
Perfect for: Dark academia lovers and philosophy majors.
And that’s 15! I hope to see everyone out in the sun reading one of these picks, and if you don’t end up liking them, then I wasn’t the one who recommended them. Happy Summer 2025!
