There’s something about sitting out in the sun by the pool, with a book in hand that feels heavenly during the summertime. Lucky for you, we’ve gathered our top summer book reads that you need to add to your list. So, these are the books that we’ll be throwing into our beach bag to devour through the hotter months.

In our opinion, these are the best summer reads of all time!

Top Summer Book Reads – Summer Books We Recommend

Where the Crawdads Sing

Soon to be a major motion film, this book, Where the Crawdads Sing, is a coming-of-age story set in North Carolina. This book follows a young woman growing up in the marshlands of NC during the 1950s. In our opinion, the book is always better than the movie. But we’re also excited to see this story on the big screen! So, grab your copy from Target before you see it in theaters!

Big Summer: A Novel by Jennifer Weiner

From the author of Mrs. Everything comes Where the Crawdads Sing into romance, female friendship, and some glorious beachside mansions. The protagonist, Daphne, has finally escaped the toxic hands of Drue Cavanaugh. When she becomes a plus-sized influencer, Drue begs her to be in her wedding on Cape Cod. Daphne agrees, but she soon finds herself involved in a scandal nobody expected.

Heatstroke by Hazel Barkworth

It’s too hot to sleep and too hot to work, let alone be questioned by police time and time again. But that’s what happens when not-a-girl, not-yet-a-woman, Lily, goes missing one summer. This is a sultry novel that explores themes like power, consent, and womanhood. As such, you need this page-turner in your beach bag this summer!

The Wrong Move by Jennifer Savin

WARNING: If you’re in a flat-share, we recommend not reading this pick. This modern thriller follows Jessie, who thinks she found the perfect place to live. She moves into Maver Place and meets fellow flatmates Lauren and Sofie. Needless to say, she gets it very wrong. We promise you’ll be on the edge of your seat the whole way through!

The Pull of the Stars: A Novel by Emma Donoghue

From the author of Room comes this Where the Crawdads Sing set during a flu pandemic. It follows three women working in a quarantine maternity ward, dealing with horrific loss and new life in tandem, who help hold each other up through it all.

The Sight Of You by Holly Miller

If you loved The Time Traveler’s Wife, this book is a no-brainer for you! Would you want to fall in love if you knew how it would end? This is the question at the core of this heartbreaker. After all, Joel has visions that keep coming true, and Callie is lost. When they meet, it feels as if they are soul mates – until Joel sees how their coupledom is fated to end.

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Mothers comes this astonishing novel. It entwines together the threads of one family across multiple generations. Twins Desiree and Stella run away from their town at the age of 16. With one passing as white and the other returning to their hometown, the two go on to live totally different lives. This searing novel contains an important message about racism and its catastrophic impact.

Nothing Can Hurt You by Nicola Maye Goldberg

If Little Fires Everywhere was a real page-turner for you, you’ll be all over this intoxicating read. It follows the aftermath of a student’s murder and the network of people all with a connection to the murder. Inspired by a true story, this gets you thinking about how women are treated in life – and in death.

Beach Read by Emily Henry

This novel follows a romance novelist who stops believing in love and meets a literary writer…who happens to live just a few houses away from her summer beach getaway. Yes, this read is as indulgent—and perfect for summer—as it sounds.

More Book Ideas

We hope you enjoyed reading our list of top summer book reads!

Want more books for your beach trip? Introducing The Book Drop from CrateJoy. This subscription box delivers hidden gem books to your doorstep, from an independent bookstore by the beach! Grab yourself a big blanket, sit by the beach, and get started on our top summer book reads!