Today is Book Lovers Day! The panel of People Who Name Days has granted us a day all to ourselves, who knew? Oh hang on, I’ve just seen that it is also National Rice Pudding Day. It looks like we will have to share the stage today with this titan of desserts. Regardless, in honour of this magical and momentous day (as I’m sure you’ll agree), we’ve rounded up our top summer reads, just in case you aren’t sure what books to pack in your suitcase this year.
This list features books old and new, light novels and more meaty get-your-teeth-into volumes. If I’m on holiday I like to read entertaining frivolous frippery so that I don’t mind when the sun melts the bindings, all the pages fall out and I drop it in the pool. Some people take their holiday time to really get stuck into books they wouldn’t have the time or concentration to read otherwise. Either way, there’s a book here for you!
Malibu Rising, by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Set in Malibu in the 70s, this is the story of four famous siblings and the party they throw to celebrate the end of the summer, with all the family drama that ensues. Light and easy to read, by the author of Daisy and the Six.
Klara And The Sun, by Kazuo Ishiguro
Fans of Ishiguro’s previous work will not be disappointed in this novel about Klara, an artificial intelligence and the exploration of love and faith in dystopian times.
The Whalebone Theatre, by Joanna Quinn
The tale of Christabel Seagreave that starts in the 20s with a whale washed up on the beach in England and continues into the second world war, a world of undercover operations and secret agents.
The Great Alone, by Kristin Hannah
A story of love, family and survival in Alaska. In the 1970s, a desperate family seeks a new beginning in the wilds of Alaska where they find community, friendship and are faced with the hardest challenges of their life.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, by Gabrielle Zevin
Two friends come together as creative partners in the world of video game design - a collaboration that will launch them to stardom and all the complications that that entails.
A Bit Of A Stretch, by Chris Atkins
A shocking and darkly funny account of the state of British prisons. This is film-maker Christ Atkins’ true account of life behind bars, after he was sent down for five years after being found guilty of tax fraud to fund his films. Disturbing, funny and eye-opening.
Things I Learned From Falling, by Claire Nelson
The true survival story of Claire Nelson, who fell over 25 feet by wandering off a trail in Joshua Tree, where she lay for the next four days, before rescuers found her. This is the account of that story and of the things she learned from her experience.
A Man Called Ove, by Fredrik Backman
A grumpy yet loveable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door. This novel explores the complicated relationships between people and how first impressions can be misleading.
Fleishman Is In Trouble, by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
This is the story of Toby, a doctor in New York and of his divorce from his wife of fourteen years , narrated by his college friend Libby. Sharply funny, highly original and insightful.
Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo
Girl, Woman, Other follows the lies of twelve principal characters as they navigate the world. Exploring the themes of race, sexuality, gender and privilege, this book was a co-winner of the Booker prize in 2019.
How To Stop Time, by Matt Haig
Due to a rare condition, Tom Hazard has been alive for centuries. Now working as a school teacher in the UK and under constant surveillance by the ALbatross Society, who claims to look out for people like him, he needs to decide whether to remain in the past or confront the present.
Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mandel
Set in the days after a pandemic wipes out most of the world’s population, a nomadic group of survivors roam the scattered remaining outposts, risking everything for humanity.
