Latest news with #summerreads
BBC News
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Buzzy titles to blockbusters: 10 of the best summer reads
From buzzy titles like Vincent Latronico's Perfection to Taylor Jenkins Reid's latest blockbuster, here's our pick of the best books to escape with this summer. Whether you're packing for a fortnight spent poolside or just taking advantage of the long evenings in your own garden or local park, the heady days of summer bring with them the desire to lose ourselves in a great book. Luckily, there are plenty to choose from this year. Depending on your tastes, the perfect summer read might mean catching up with 2025's most talked-about novels, immersing yourself in an epic family saga, or enjoying some biting satire on the current state of the world. Either way, these 10 titles are all worthy of escaping with for a few hours. The following numbered list is not ranked. 1. Waist Deep by Linea Maja Ernst A huge bestseller in Denmark, Waist Deep has now been translated into 10 languages, including English by Sherilyn Nicolette Hellberg. It follows a group of university friends, now in their 30s, who are reunited for a summer holiday in a rural cabin. What begins as a week of swimming, sunbathing and relaxing turns into uneasy self-examination of choices made over the past decade, and lives not lived. Vogue has dubbed this sensual book the "quintessential millennial novel" and it has drawn plenty of Sally Rooney comparisons. Its sun-soaked setting and languid literary vibes are ideal for this time of year. 2. The Names by Florence Knapp Arguably the most buzzed about debut of the year, The Names is a Sliding Doors story of how a name can determine your destiny. Cora sets out to register the birth of her second child, with the three options for his name coming from herself, her husband, and her young daughter. Each choice sends the story in a different direction, showing how split-moment decisions can shape our whole lives. The themes are heavy – namely, domestic violence – but the writing is not, with Knapp skilfully weaving the three stories together to create a book that is as full of hope as it is horror. 3. Perfection by Vincent Latronico This slim (120-page) novel is perfect for when you want to travel light but still read one of this year's most discussed books. Translated from Italian by Sophie Hughes, it tells the story of an expat millennial couple living and working in Berlin as digital nomads. Everything in their lives is carefully curated, from the houseplants and vinyl collection in their Art Nouveau apartment to their social life in the city. It all looks perfect from the outside (especially on the internet), but there's a creeping uneasiness about the inherent emptiness of a life in which aesthetics take priority. This short, sharp satire might make you think twice about posting that poolside selfie. 4. Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid It's no coincidence that the latest book from Taylor Jenkins Reid was published just in time for summer. The powerhouse author's novels, which include Daisy Jones & The Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn, have become go-to sun lounger fare thanks to their glamorous retro settings (the '70s rock scene, Golden Age Hollywood; the '90s professional tennis world) and emotional love stories. Reid's latest novel – her ninth – is set in the world of space travel, specifically the 1980s Nasa Space Shuttle mission. Its protagonist, Joan, becomes one of the first women to join the programme and is confronted with huge challenges, both in Mission Control and her relationships with the other astronauts. 5. Flashlight by Susan Choi Choi's last novel, Trust Exercise, was a huge success, scooping the National Book Award for Fiction and making countless best-of-2019 lists – including Barack Obama's. Her follow up looks set to make a similar impact. An ambitious generational saga meets mystery thriller that spans several decades and countries, it is told from the perspective of three members of the Kang family: a white American mother, a Korean father born in Japan, and their mixed-race daughter. The story begins with a disappearance, then ripples out from there for a compulsive read. 6. So Far Gone by Jess Walter Jess Walter is responsible for one of the classic contemporary beach reads, 2012's Beautiful Ruins, which combined a glamorous Italian location with a dose of old Hollywood romance – and even featured appearances from Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. Walter's latest has a less chic setting but an equally compelling premise. A retired, reclusive and disillusioned environmental journalist tries to opt out of modern life by going off-grid in his ranch but is forced to re-enter the real world when his daughter goes missing and his grandchildren are kidnapped. Cue a comedic road-trip through a divided America plagued by conspiracy theories. 7. The Benefactors by Wendy Erskine With two short story collections, Wendy Erskine has already gained a reputation as one of the most exciting voices to emerge from Northern Ireland in recent years, and her debut novel only cements that. It centres on three mothers brought together when their teenage sons are accused of sexual assault, but features an expansive cast of characters who together paint a vivid picture of life in contemporary Belfast (The Times said it has "the style of Woolf but the heart of Dickens"). An absorbing, powerful novel about class, trauma and consent. 8. Fundamentally by Nussaibah Younis It may have lost out on the Women's Prize, but Fundamentally is still one of the most lauded debut novels of the year. The subject matter - a British academic trying to de-radicalise IS brides – might not immediately scream beach read, but the writing is more hilarious than harrowing. Younis, who spent years working in international relations, even took a stand-up comedy course before writing the book because she wanted it to be a story that, above all, entertains people. Its word-of-mouth success proves it has succeeded at that. 9. The Sisters by Jonas Hassen Khemiri Summer downtime is a great opportunity to tackle a doorstopper novel and, at more than 700 pages, this one is certainly meaty, not only in length but in subject. The sixth novel by Swedish author Jonas Hassen Khemiri is his first written in English (he then wrote it all over again in Swedish) and has been called "a staggering achievement." Following three sisters over three decades and three continents, the novel is told in six parts, each covering a progressively shorter timespan – from a year to a day all the way down to one minute. One to sink your teeth into on the sun lounger. 10. Great Black Hope by Rob Franklin With the New York social scene providing a backdrop, Great Black Hope will allow you to vicariously experience a sweltering summer in the city – though this debut is much more than a simple tale of hedonism. Protagonist David Smith is a queer black Stanford graduate caught between two different worlds. His future looks bright, but when his roommate dies suddenly and he is arrested for cocaine possession at a party in the Hamptons, things start to unravel. This coming-of-age story explores the intersection of wealth and race, as well as friendship, grief and identity, with Vanity Fair hailing it "the novel you'll see by every Hamptons lounger this summer." -- For more Culture stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.
New York Times
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
The Best Summer Reads, as Recommended by the Book Review
Times Insider explains who we are and what we do and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together. An exploration of New York City's past. A beloved novel about a group of women in the publishing industry in the 1950s. An oral history of an indie rock band's 'iconic' third album. No summer is complete without a scintillating read. And who better to ask for recommendations than The New York Times Book Review team? To kick off the summer, Times Insider asked writers, editors and other members of the Book Review to choose the reads they'll take to the beach, barbecue and every place in between. Below are their responses, which have been edited for clarity. Joumana Khatib, editor and writer of the Books newsletter What book are you reading this summer? 'After Julius,' by Elizabeth Jane Howard Why do you love it? I'm enjoying it so much that I am planning to graduate to Howard's 'The Cazalet Chronicles,' the multibook series for which she is best known. I stumbled upon Howard only recently — criminally recently — and admire her ruthless social observations and wit. I think she captures the experience of precarity, whether emotional, financial, social, in incredibly fine detail. Who do you recommend it for? Anyone who appreciates the dramatic potential of a weekend in the countryside. Jennifer Harlan, service editor What book are you reading this summer? 'The Best of Everything,' by Rona Jaffe Why do you love it? This novel had been in my to-read stack for years but moved to the top when both Jennifer Egan and Candace Bushnell sang its praises for our Read Your Way Through New York City project. The book was published in 1958, and there are plenty of fun midcentury details — the fashion, the luncheonettes, the shockingly cheap apartments — but it also feels remarkably modern. You follow five young women who meet while working at a publishing house, and the ways they navigate love and sex and bad dates and heartbreak and awkward office parties all feel totally at home in this century. It's moving and very funny, and perfectly captures what it feels like to be a young woman making a life for herself in the city. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
CTV News
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
What books you should have in your beach bag
Atlantic Watch Author Chantel Guertin shares some of her favourite summer reads, including 'Atmosphere' by Taylor Jenkins Reid.
Condé Nast Traveler
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Condé Nast Traveler
Women Who Travel Book Club: 9 New Books to Dive Into This Summer
If you're in the midst of finalizing your vacation packing list, don't head to the beach or that hideaway Airbnb without tossing an exciting new read into your carry-on. So far, 2025 has proven to be a year with a bounty of great books. Victoria Lomasko's The Last Soviet Artist is a superb entry in graphic reportage. Charmaine Wilkerson returns with her sophomore novel Good Dirt. And Aisha Muharrar takes her screenwriting talents to the small page with her debut novel Loved One, which releases later this August. In this edition of the Women Who Travel book club, our editors are sharing the new books they just can't put down. Whether you choose to escape with another slam dunk from Taylor Jenkins Reid or delve deeper into the thornier sides of friendship, love, and parenthood, we've got you covered. Let us know what you're reading—and which great new books we've criminally missed—on Instagram or Facebook. Here, nine of our favorite reads to check out yourself this summer.
Telegraph
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
The 12 most memorable summer reads chosen by our writers
As temperatures soar across Europe many are taking shelter with a cool drink and a good book. As Iris Apfel, the American businesswoman and designer once said: 'A good book is the best accessory.' But what are the best reads for your summer? We asked Telegraph writers and readers which books they would recommend for your next holiday or sunny afternoon in the garden. Lucky Jim Somewhat jammily, I grew up in St Ives, Cornwall. I first read Kingsley Amis 's debut novel on the beach there when I was 13 or 14. And again the next summer. And the next, probably. I thought it was the funniest thing ever written. On some level I still do. Admittedly, the setting doesn't scream 'holiday': a provincial university in the 1950s, where our hero Jim Dixon works as a junior lecturer in medieval history. He doesn't love his subject ('The hydrogen bomb... [seemed] a light price to pay for no longer being in the Middle Ages.') He doesn't love his colleagues, reserving his least charitable thoughts for his boss, Professor Welch. He does, conveniently, fall in love with the girlfriend of Welch's preening son (the novel's chief antagonist). The slapstick parts are justly famous: Dixon accidentally setting fire to his bedsheets, pulling faces ('Sex Life in Ancient Rome', 'Evelyn Waugh') and giving a lecture while both drunk and black-eyed. But Lucky Jim is also a portrait of a changing Britain, alive with closely observed social comedy. Amis – who writes about booze, inebriation and hangovers better than anyone – would want you to read it with something cold to hand. Just be careful when you take your sips. Buy the book Five Decembers It used to be that you were allowed to delude yourself into thinking you could tackle a 'proper' book on holiday. Someone rocking up to the lounger with Stalingrad was to be admired rather than heckled. Mercifully, smartphones have put paid to all of that nonsense. Although beach reads still need to be respectable enough not to invite ridicule, today they must compete with the box of delights in your pocket. This means books must be short, interesting and funny; and in that order. Of this year's new fiction, I'd say David Szalay's Flesh and Vincenzo Latronico's Perfection fit the bill. But the only book I have ever had a 100 per cent hit rate with recommending is Five Decembers by James Kestrel, a perfect and bafflingly under-appreciated thriller set in the Second World War. A Certain Idea of France by Julian Jackson Charles de Gaulle changed the course of modern history; Julian Jackson will do the same for how you see historical biography. I once spent a week in Mallorca with a stack of books to hand, and I read just one, day after day: A Certain Idea of France. It was spellbinding, like being shown a vision of someone's soul. Over 900 patient and elegant pages, le Général emerged in all his contradictions. He could be haughty, silent, bombastic, jovial, often downright weird; he was a decolonising conservative, an anti-fascist with authoritarian tendencies. More than two metres tall and oddly proportioned, he dominated most rooms, and made sure of it. Roosevelt despised him; Churchill found him exasperating but unignorable. After de Gaulle, initially a mere brigadier general, escaped to London in 1940, turned against the Vichy regime and declared a 'Free France' – as if he were answering destiny's call – he spent his remaining three decades in tireless combat with not only Nazi Germany, but also America ('rootless'), Britain ('perfidious'), and most everybody else. He left politics soon after the war, but returned to save France in 1958, and his decade of rule made that nation, for better or worse, what it is today. He was never a moderate, nor sought to be. 'How can you govern a country,' he once quipped, 'that has 246 varieties of cheese?' Jackson's book is a masterpiece: it will fill a week by the pool, at least. And if you're a faster reader than that, never fear. You can chase it with his 2023 book France on Trial, a brilliant study of Philippe Pétain – the Maréchal whose surrender de Gaulle refused to obey. To me, William Boyd is a master storyteller, whose books fuse all the attributes of literary fiction – style, characterisation and intellectual rigour – with compelling narratives and what you might call the unputdownable factor. None are more unputdownable than Any Human Heart, a meditation on luck and chance which spans the 20th century, told in one glorious sweep through the personal journals of Logan Mountstuart, whose extraordinarily rich and eventful life sees him crossing paths with Virginia Woolf and Ernest Hemingway, recruited as a spy by Ian Fleming, dining with the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and hanging out with Jackson Pollock. I first read it on holiday in Corsica, and in the days spent sightseeing, walking and swimming found myself actively yearning to get back to the villa and the crucial business of finding out what happened next. You couldn't ask for anything more. Bryant and May I use my holidays to completely unwind so I avoid all non-fiction; political books are an absolute no no, and as for royal biographies, forget it. Instead, I usually opt for crime, thrillers and mystery books. I've read all of Lee Child's Jack Reacher series and everything Michael Connelly has ever written featuring Harry Bosch. But during my most recent period of annual leave, I made a new discovery: Bryant & May by Christopher Fowler. Golden Age Detectives in a modern world, Arthur Bryant and John May head the Peculiar Crimes Unit, London's most venerable specialist police team, a division founded during the Second World War to investigate cases that cause national scandal or public unrest. These beautifully written whodunnits have got everything a great holiday page-turner needs: compelling dialogue, plot twists and most importantly: a sense of humour. by Elif Shafak The summer read that comes to mind for me is The Island of Missing Trees, by Elif Shafak. It's stayed with me long after I read it a couple of summers ago, and everyone I've recommended it to has since also lapped it up. Set between a divided Cyprus in the 1970s and London in the 2010s, it follows the clandestine relationship between Kostas, a Greek Cypriot, and Defne, a Turkish Cypriot. Their love, shadowed by the island's conflict, finds an echo decades later as their daughter Ada, living in London, unearths the story of her family's past for a school summer project. It's part love story, part vivid portrait of Cyprus – the island of fig trees and sun-drenched tavernas – yet the novel never shies away from the pain of the civil war (which the book does a good job teaching you about). Some chapters are hard to read; but Shafak's writing is poetic and easy to follow, making for a perfect pool or beach-side page-turner that still has a bit of grit – whether that be in Nicosia or elsewhere. Buy the book Educated by Tara Westover This memoir, published in 2018, is pure escapism. Westover reflects on her childhood growing up in the mountains of Idaho in a deeply religious Mormon family, where she spent much of her time preparing for the world's end. Mental health is at the book's forefront: her brother is often violent and her father is descending into an increasing pit of radicalism. Westover never shies away from the uncomfortable crossover between illness and extreme religion in her parents. Eventually, at 16, she escapes – on a journey that takes her far from Idaho to Cambridge University, where she grapples with the dynamics of family life both in and out of the home. Her experiences both haunt and inform her later decisions and stay with you long afterwards. It's an excellent read to get lost in. H Wilbor, reader Buy the book The Professor by Charlotte Brontë I've just been to a wonderfully peaceful and beautiful Greek island, where I enjoyed my book group's selection of The Professor by Charlotte Brontë – hardly her best-known novel – which follows a love story, mostly set in Brussels. I found it profound, and delicately paced. Jane Dee, Reader Buy the book Mr Einstein's Secretary by Matthew Reilly What a refreshing change to read a well-written novel where fact meets fiction. We all know a little about Einstein but in this historical tale, we have a wonderful picture of his life, his love and his neighbour Hanna. During Hanna's early years, Einstein encourages her inquisitiveness: soon, she only wants to become a brilliant physicist. Because of the war and the loss of her parents (and for her safety), Einstein ships her off to America where she meets successful businessmen, gangsters and leading figures of the Nazi concentration camps. There's also a twin sister, who crops up in the most extreme of situations – at times, one is frightened of what the book's outcome might be. Hanna herself is well characterised by Reilly: I was rooting for her throughout her trials, tribulations and successes. Throughout this novel I felt enlightened and entertained – it's one to fire up all your emotions. Helen Smith, Reader Buy the book The Climb by Chris Froome Chris Froome's book, The Climb, is one of the best sports autobiographies I have ever read, and makes a particularly good summer read. I've since read it twice, and it's spurred on my love for cycling and all things sport. I definitely recommend it for any keen cyclist, gymmer, runner, swimmer or triathlete. Natasha Poole, reader Buy the book
