BookJingle Blog

Whether your summer plans include lounging on the beach or swatting mosquitos in your own backyard, chances are that you’ll find some extra downtime for reading. Finding that perfect summer book can make all the difference in making your summer perfect. Here are ten of my favorite books for summer reading, books that will be a pleasure to read and impossible to forget.

1. Terror by Dan Simmons. This tale of an ill-fated Arctic expedition makes a powerful read anytime, but I suggest reading it in the heat of summer. Otherwise, the descriptions of ice and sub-zero temperatures just might give you frostbite.

2. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. This classic novel set in Nigeria presents an unforgettable, tragically-flawed protagonist, Okonkwo. His story will make you think about what it means to be a hero.

3. Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel. Romance, family feuds and fantastic cooking make this the perfect novel for reading on the beach.

4. The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir. While not a novel, this historical account of Britain’s most notorious monarch contains enough intrigue and scandal to outpace any steamy paperback. Plus, you will learn something about British history.

5. The Stand by Stephen King. This bone-chilling, heart-warming tale of the ultimate battle between good and evil is my favorite stand-alone King novel. It’s one of those books that begins to feel more real than the world around you.

6. Otherland by Tad Williams. I do not usually read science fiction, but this book defies its genre. The story is so fantastic, you’ll forget it’s sci-fi.

7. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. We all know the story, but this book is so classic, it’s required beach reading.

8. Summer Sisters by Judy Blume. This book is an addictive, guilty pleasure. Set over the course of many summers, Blume will make you long for the beach, if you’re not already there.

9. Here Be Dragons by Sharon Kay Penman. A historical novel set in thirteenth century Wales, this book has feuding royals, political marriages, betrayal, murder, and the constant struggle for power. In other words, this book’s got everything.

10. She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb. Once you’ve read this book, it will stay with you forever. Dolores Price is one of the few literary characters to actually make me weep, a lot. I loved her.

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