At A Glance: Our Top 5 Picks for Books You Have to Read This Summer:
- When Dimple Met Rishi By Sandhya Menon – Our Top Pick
- 13 Little Blue Envelopes By Maureen Johnson
- The Flatshare By Beth O’Leary
- The Switch By Beth O’Leary
- Followers By Megan Angelo
We’ve barely entered Spring but let’s admit that we are all craving for Summer to hurry up and take over so that we can spend our free time guilt-free, sitting out in the sun, and reading to our hearts content.
And with everything that is currently going on in the world right now, it wouldn’t be a bad thing at all to escape into a novel or two while soaking up the sun.
Earlier this year CG Drews wrote in her post for the Best Young Adult Fiction books to read in 2021 that rather than approaching the new year with the mindset of new you, we should change that. I completely agree, ‘new year, new books’ is a way better resolution to follow which is why I want to mention the books you should read this summer.
In this list, I will admit I have also included some of my own YA choices but have expanded my search for the best books to read this summer from all different genres.
From romance to general fiction, to cozy classics and sinister crime and thrillers, I’ve even delved into some fantasy and have a couple of non-fiction books too.
Young-Adult Fiction
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | |
|---|---|---|
 | Our Top Pick When Dimple Met Rishi By Sandhya Menon
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 | 13 Little Blue Envelopes By Maureen Johnson
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 | The Flatshare By Beth O’Leary
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 | The Switch By Beth O’Leary
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 | Followers By Megan Angelo
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 | The Last Wish By Andrzej Sapkowski
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 | Emma By Jane Austen
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 | David Copperfield By Charles Dickens
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 | Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
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 | The Majesties By Tiffany Tsao
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When Dimple Met Rishi By Sandhya Menon
Released back in 2017 but undoubtedly one of my favorite books to read during the Summer, When Dimple Met Rishi is a fun, addictive story concerning two teenagers Dimple and Rishi.
Dimple’s mother is obsessed with finding her a husband, while Rishi is a hopeless romantic completely okay with the idea of a setup.
Set over the summer with both attending the same aspiring web developers program, Dimple is completely unaware of the setup but it isn’t long till Rishi begins to grow on her and the prospect of this arrangement doesn’t seem too bad.
Brilliantly written. Sandhya Menon has a way of writing witty dialogue that sweeps you away and before you know it, you’ve finished the book in a single sitting.
13 Little Blue Envelopes By Maureen Johnson
Another throwback that was first released in 2005 but one I think will suit anyone who wishes they could be off traveling right now, 13 Little Blue Envelopes is a tale of adventure, mystery, and traveling around Europe.
Following her aunt’s passing, Ginny receives a package and they contain 13 little blue envelopes all of which have specific instructions from her aunt as she is about to send Ginny on an adventure unlike any other.
Fiction
The Flatshare By Beth O’Leary
Although The Flatshare has been out for a year now, it’s one of those books that no one has seemed to stop talking about and with Summer approaching once more it seems that it’s certainly picking up again.
Set in London, Tiffy has found herself without a place to live when she comes across a strange advertisement for a flatshare.
Leon works nights in a healthcare facility and needs the cash so he offers his flat for an arrangement, during the day he sleeps there and the rest of the time the flat is Tiffy’s.
The only catch, they have to share the same bed, albeit at different times. What ensues are countless notes dotted around the flat, obsessive exes, wrongly imprisoned brothers and that’s all before Tiffy and Leon even meet!
The Switch By Beth O’Leary
Soon to be released at the end of April, Beth O’Leary’s second novel appears to be just as promising as her first. Following the huge success of The Flatshare, it seems she has created yet another hilarious and meaningful Summer read.
Whether you choose to read The Flatshare, The Switch, or both, it’s clear that either should be on your list of books to read this summer.
After being told to take a sabbatical from work Leena goes to her Grandmother’s in rural Yorkshire for some rest.
Eileen is in her eighties and doesn’t want to give up on love but in her rural village, there aren’t a lot of suitors which is when Leena suggests they switch.
Staying in Yorkshire, Eileen heads to London, and with that adventures ensue.
Followers By Megan Angelo
Social media is a huge part of most of our lives, it’s grown and evolved in a way that no one could predict. Following budding novelist Orla as she tries to achieve the success she longs for, her path crosses with Floss, a hopeful A-Lister, and soon the pair devise a plan to propel both to the high-profile life that they desire.
An intriguing novel that considers the way we worship celebrities but also the consequences that come with being considered high-profile. Followers in an intriguing novel with plenty of twists and turns meaning that you are unable to put it down.
If you’re in search of something that is a little bit of everything then Followers must be on your books to read this summer.
The Last Wish By Andrzej Sapkowski
I think we all saw the latest Netflix Original and have gotten obsessed. Based on both Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher series and the videogames, the new Netflix show is incredibly addictive, and with production paused at the moment it looks like we are going to have to wait longer for the second series.
As the first series is based on Sapkowski’s first short story collection, The Last Wish, you will be pleasantly surprised to see that some stories don’t feature in the tv series adaptation but you wished they did.
So in the meantime, why not add The Witcher series to your books to read this summer, as it spans eight novels including the short story collections, and find out what fate has installed for Yennefer, Geralt, and Ciri.
Cozy Classics
Emma By Jane Austen
Due to the recent release and cinematic success of one of Jane Austen’s most beloved books, Emma is a must-see in cinemas. But how about reading the book which this inspiring adaptation is based on?
Beautiful, spoilt, and incredibly witty, Emma can’t help but meddle in the love lives of the inhabitants of her local village.
Viewing herself as being a bit of a matchmaker it isn’t long before she meets her match and finds out there are consequences to her actions.
David Copperfield By Charles Dickens
Another recent cinematic release, The Personal History of David Copperfield is perhaps one of the most prolific adaptations of this Charles Dickens novel.
With this, why not take the opportunity to read the original book – although it is a hefty one spanning almost a thousand pages in some editions.
This is a novel that can quite literally keep you going for the entire summer.
Crime and Thrillers
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Due to be released in June, Mexican Gothic revives the classic gothic narrative with a twist. A story about an isolated mansion in 1950s Mexico, and a brave socialite who dares to enter in hopes of rescuing her cousin, it isn’t long before this story spirals into the darkness with many secrets ready to be revealed.
Who doesn’t enjoy a bit of suspense, mystery, and intrigue and that is what Mexican Gothic gives any of its readers. I, for one, cannot wait to dive in and read this novel for sure.
The Majesties By Tiffany Tsao
Gripping suspense with family being the heart of it all. A good thriller is always needed on any reading list and The Majesties by Tiffany Tsao is just that for any keen reader.
Gwendolyn and Estella were always close as sisters but when Gwendolyn lies in a coma after being the lone survivor of Estella’s poisoning of the entire family, she struggles to regain consciousness and begins to relieve the memories and questions everything she once thought was true.
Non-Fiction
The Third Rainbow Girl: The Long Life of a Double Murder in Appalachia By Emma Copley Eisenberg
In June 1980, two women from Pocahontas County, West Virginia were murdered in an isolated clearing, they had been hitchhiking to a festival known as the ‘Rainbow Gathering’.
Although no one was prosecuted for thirteen years, Emma Copley Eisenberg reinvestigates these tragic murders and examines the lasting effect that it has had on Pocahontas County. If you are interested in adding a true crime novel to your Summer reading list then this is one to consider.
Recollections of my Non-Existence: A Memoir by Rebecca Solnit
Rebecca Solnit’s novel, Recollections to my Non-Existence although primarily a memoir of Rebecca’s life can also be considered a poignant examination of gender representation along with the experience of existing as a woman in the past forty years.
Her narrative uses her own experiences to reflect on how feminism has evolved over the past forty years and the impact that it had on her.
An incredibly insightful novel, if the evolution and lived experience interest you then Rebecca’s novel will certainly be your cup of tea and one to add to any book collection.
About the Author
An avid reader and writer, Hannah always has a cup of tea at hand along with a book.