120 Book Recommendations for (Nearly) Every Kind of Summer Reader

Posted by Sharon on May 13, 2024


Here at Goodreads World Headquarters, we take summer reading seriously. Summertime is especially conducive to the book-reading lifestyle: You’ve got more vacation time, better outdoor-reading conditions, and expanded daylight hours to make it all happen.
 
As part of our annual Summer Reading initiative, we’ve compiled this specially curated collection that takes a lateral-thinking approach to book sorting. Our intrepid editorial team has waded into the stacks to organize recommendations based on Reader Type. As you shall see, our approach is highly unscientific, somewhat improvised, and exceedingly practical.
 
Perhaps you’re the kind of person who likes a long book for summer reading. May we suggest a doorstopper selection from The Deep-Focus Reader collection. Maybe it’s just the opposite and your attention span suffers in the sun. Try a short story collection from The Busy Bee Reader selection. We like to think we’ve covered many, if not all, possible contingencies: The Gotta-Impress-My-Book-Club Reader! The Minimalist Packer Reader! We’re even committed to those of you who are dealing with winter just now, with cold-weather reads for The Southern Hemisphere Reader.
 
Scroll around the categories below to find your perfect summer read. You can click through the book cover images for more information about each title. Feel free to track your choices with the Want to Read button, and add any further suggestions or discoveries in the comments section.


The Very Literal Summer Reader:

I'm going to focus on books with "summer" in their titles.

   


The Top-Bunk Reader:

I'm looking for page-turners set at summer camp.

   


The On-Point Theme Reader:

I'd love nonfiction about summery activities and topics.

 


The Movie Buff Reader:

I'm an absolute book-to-screen fiend.

 


The Minimalist Packer Reader: 

I need new paperbacks that won't weigh me down.

   


The Jet-Setting Reader:

I like reading novels where the characters travel (while I also travel).

   


The Deep-Focus Reader:

I finally have time to sink into a long book! Whaddya got for me?

 


The FOMO Reader:

I want to catch up on the buzzy recent books everyone's been talking about.

         


The Busy Bee Reader:

I've got a packed itinerary for summer, but I'll save time for short stories!

 


The Summer Lovin' Reader:

I'm always looking for a fling with a highly rated romance!

         


The Southern Hemisphere Reader:

It's not summer where I am. Can you show me some books set in cold climates?

     


The Lifelong Learner Reader:

I live for a super-niche nonfiction deep dive.

     


The Gotta-Impress-My-Book-Club Reader:

Show me some recent award-winning books, please.

 


The Outdoorsy Reader:

Inspire me to explore nature!

 


The Desperate Parent Reader:

PLEASE help me find some books to keep my middle schoolers reading over summer break.

         



What kind of summer reader are YOU? Let us know what your summer-reading persona is and what books you're planning to read in the comments below!
 

Comments Showing 1-50 of 69 (69 new)


message 1: by Aubrey (new)

Aubrey Oh my gumdrops, I am SO the FOMO reader. 😂


Mariana Vidal Pinheiro great article!!


message 3: by Law (new)

Law I have to give credit to the person who made this list. You really did include everyone. I don't have anything to add.


message 4: by Jezzy (new)

Jezzy for this year, i'll have 2 books lined up for 'Very Literal Summer Reader' & 'Desperate Parent Reader' (MG genre for myself, i'm not a parent).


message 5: by Jasmine (new)

Jasmine Demon Copperhead and The World in a Grain are EXCELLENT.


message 6: by Nicole (new)

Nicole Lewis I’ll be doing quite a bit of traveling so this list is perfect!


message 7: by Jenny (new)

Jenny FINALLY a list featuring middle grade reads. More please! I added every one.


message 8: by Laceygoodbooks (new)

Laceygoodbooks I have a couple of these books. Can’t wait to read in this summer.


message 9: by Renee (new)

Renee Some of the books on the deep focus list are among my favourite books of all time!


message 10: by Emma (new)

Emma Litsinger Such a great article! Really something here for everyone!


message 11: by Allie (new)

Allie Love I got Funny Story by Emily Henry for my birthday. I can’t wait to read it!


message 12: by Danielle Langley (new)

Danielle Langley I love all the genres but generally will only choose ones that are rated 4.0+ love these lists! Added several more to my to read list


message 13: by Marilyn (new)

Marilyn Deep Focus Reader... It looks to be an interesting Summer.


message 14: by Lisa (new)

Lisa I'm a summer rereader--Harry Potter, Jan Karon's Mitford series, Dean Hughes' "Children of the Promise" series, The Chronicles of Narnia, Brother Cadfael, Sister Frevisse, Elm Creek Quilts--this could last into autumn!


message 15: by Sarah (new)

Sarah Thanks for thinking of us winter bound readers, though it is a little bit funny that all the southern hemisphere books appear to be set in the northern hemisphere 😅


message 16: by Roberta (new)

Roberta A really creative approach to reading lists! Fun to see books I’ve read included and I found several for my “want to read” pile.


message 17: by Tiffany (new)

Tiffany Great list, but Goodreads, you guys missed the anything for anyone who wants to read a good mystery this summer. Sigh.


message 18: by Pandora (new)

Pandora Gallusser Maybe add The Summer I Turned Pretty for the very literal readers lol?


message 19: by Anna-Maria (new)

Anna-Maria Nylund I´m raising my thumb as well due to this list and its maker! Fun and added several to my list of want to read´s.


message 20: by will (new)

will this is the kind of book recs that i prefer to see, it's more broad


message 21: by Ru (last edited May 27, 2024 08:59AM) (new)

Ru we need recs for romantasy loversssss (and epic fantasy in general).


message 22: by Shaleen (new)

Shaleen I like these lists!


message 23: by Sue (new)

Sue Myers Seriously, no historical fiction category!


message 24: by Barbara (new)

Barbara Ford Have added a few here on to my TBR List lol!


message 25: by Berengaria (new)

Berengaria Great article! Lots of choice, lots of types. Brava!


message 26: by Danielle ♥ (new)

Danielle ♥ This is a really great list! Thank you!! Well done.


message 27: by Anne (new)

Anne What about the classical book nerd reader? 😢


message 28: by Rhea- (new)

Rhea- Maryse Aubrey wrote: "Oh my gumdrops, I am SO the FOMO reader. 😂"
Girl , SAME


message 29: by Rhea- (new)

Rhea- Maryse Ru wrote: "we need recs for romantasy loversssss (and epic fantasy in general)."

YESSSSSSS


message 30: by Aubrey (new)

Aubrey P Fabulous list


message 31: by Ms. Dess (new)

Ms. Dess Meh - Missing some Thriller/Dark romances... Not just horror.. :(


message 32: by Lee (new)

Lee What about the senior reader who is lonely and whose adult children have long ago forgotten them? What is life at the end?


message 33: by Kiwi♡ (new)

Kiwi♡ Does anyone have any good nonfiction books for middle school to highschool readers? Any sort of topic if fine, I just need recommendations. Thanks!


message 34: by Fer (new)

Fer this will be my list for summer reads <333


message 35: by Chrisiya (new)

Chrisiya Aubrey wrote: "Oh my gumdrops, I am SO the FOMO reader. 😂"

SAME GIRL


message 36: by Elizabeth☮ (new)

Elizabeth☮ I love this list.


message 37: by Maggie (new)

Maggie McVey Sooo extensive and detailed! This is awesome.


message 38: by Thaizi (new)

Thaizi Ono Hello Sharon, amazing list!

I am from Brazil and my favorite is "Southern Hemisphere Reader".
When I saw the list, I thought : "Summer, which summer?" ... Just kidding!

We are in fall season here :)

Two books went to my "WANT TO READ" list - The short story collection Old Babes in the Wood by Margaret Atwood, one of my favorite writers and Time Shelter by Georgi Gospodinov, Bulgarian Literature is very new to me.


message 39: by Paige (new)

Paige Love this list! Cudos to the person who came up with the desperate parent category!!


Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* Love the snow categories - reading The Gathering right now


message 41: by Nicholas (new)

Nicholas Foster 'The Go-Between' by L.P.Hartley has to be one of the finest Summer novels ever.


message 42: by M.R. Franklin (new)

M.R. Franklin AKA Nerdywordyreviews These all sound very good!


message 43: by Lily (new)

Lily I'm quite old but without childrens and some way I have already all the books on "desperate parents" part


message 44: by Calida (ON REVIEW HIATUS UNTIL JULY 12) (last edited Jun 02, 2024 05:12PM) (new)

Calida (ON REVIEW HIATUS UNTIL JULY 12) Aubrey wrote: "Oh my gumdrops, I am SO the FOMO reader. 😂"

lol same I binge-read ACOTAR bc I was scared to be left out lol.


message 45: by Nicole (new)

Nicole Amazing article!


message 46: by Linda (new)

Linda Boettcher I love sci-fi and post-apocalyptic.


message 47: by Sydney (new)

Sydney Scarbrough love this!! i am so the literal reader. i LOVE murder mysteries and mysteries in general but find that i can't read them in the summer because i prefer the fluffy stuff, only to devour them the second august turns to september.

elin hilderbrand is the queen of summer!

(and anthony horowitz is my king of fall, in case anyone was wondering)


message 48: by Stéphanie (new)

Stéphanie Labonté 🔥🔥🔥


message 49: by Katrina (new)

Katrina Mariana Vidal Pinheiro wrote: "great article!!"

Just to play devil's advocate, not really. I've read one book on this list and only one is on my TBR shelf


message 50: by Lindy ♡ (new)

Lindy ♡ love these categories 😂


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