Our staff have shared their favorite books to read during those long, lazy summer days.
This book was such a good rivals to lovers story about finding love where you might not have expected it! It's both a great, light summer read and a perfect pride month pick :)
- Hilary C.
If you are looking for a quick and upbeat story, this book is not it. However, Woolf's breathtaking, reflective prose, intriguing characters, and the seaside setting make it an ideal read for anyone interested in embracing a more nostalgic summer mood.
- Clark G.
A secluded island, magical children, discovering yourself. It's enchanting.
- Leea S.
A poignant and (imo) hilarious read about "fitting in" with contemporary societal/work expectations, and it's short enough to knock out in a day on the beach. :-)
- Emily L.
Song of Solomon is by far my favorite Toni Morrison book, she is such a dense storyteller and there is endless richness to this text perfect for long summer afternoons.
- Georgia M.
Why pack multiple beach reads when you can take one giant tome instead? For fans of Shannon's "The Priory of the Orange Tree," this prequel richly fills in past historical events and illuminates family sagas of favorite characters -- and for newcomers, it's just as enjoyable as a standalone fantasy epic.
- Nicole K.
A powerful postcolonial response to Albert Camus' "The Stranger," narrated by the brother of the unnamed Arab man murdered by Meursault: now an old man, and desperate to tell his family's story before it is further overwritten. Daoud's novel lends new dimensions to Camus' narrative while challenging its colonial underpinnings.
- Nicole K.
A literary cocktail of romance, sly humor, with just a twist of discomfort that comes from having the plot hit a little too close to home.
- Elizabeth C.
Because when it's the summertime, I want to be gone fishing -- just like the subject of this book.
- Aidan O.
This book gave me many belly laughs-- I don't usually like non-fiction or memoirs but this one is funny, insightful, and short.
- Sophie L.
Looking for something exciting to read by the beach or pool? Agatha Christie's mysteries are delectable-- but I far prefer the Miss Marple Mysteries to Hercule Poirot. She always surprises!
- Sophie L.
While this book is the second in the four-part Neapolitan Novels series, this one is the most suited for summer in my opinion! It's a bit of a darker, grittier summer read, as it is the second chronicle in a long narrative about two young women, Lenu and Lila, growing up in postwar Naples against a backdrop of urban poverty and organized crime. However, the most important action in this book takes place when the two girls visit the beach in Ischia for the summer. Love triangles, envy, and unrequited love unfold and have consequences for the rest of their lives. Rereading the beach scenes in both this book and the first of the series genuinely made me want to go to the beach more often this summer! And, these novels contain some of the most powerful exploration of women's relationships with each other and the men in their lives you'll probably ever read.
- Sabrina F.
A favorite summer tradition of mine is to listen to the audio book while I'm hiking. If you think about it, The Hobbit is really just about a bunch of guys going on a hike together.
- Eleanor F.
If you enjoyed watching Bridgerton and were looking for a great pride month pick, this book is perfect for you!
- Hilary C.
The plot of Spike Lee's 1989 classic unfolds over the course of a very hot day in New York. Watching it while it's oppressively hot where you are really enhances the experience.
- Chris S.
This is probably a very unconventional summer read. It is a great memoir - an eloquent narrative in which a young black man searches for his roots—against the wishes of his mother. Insightful, heartbreaking at times, and certainly uplifting! After finishing the book you will be left with a heart full of hope and love.
- Katya V.
Honestly, this is a great read for any time of year, but the massiveness of the pages and of the ideas contained there, is best absorbed by reading it outside during the summer.
- Cindy F.
There's nothing like an Ice Court heist to cool you down on a hot summer day!
- Madeline D.
There is water on the cover! And it's a devastating read so best done in summer when you will have time to process it all.
- Jo M.
This is not a brand new book, and it's not escapist fare; however, if you have a fascination with history, this is an extraordinary read. I know that Churchill is a complex figure, but his courageous stand against Hitler is the stuff of legend, and this book tells that story with remarkable granularity.
- Steve D.
