Hey friends!

It’s June 1st, and I am feeling the summer vibes.

Actually, I feel like summer actually starts on May 1st. So, it’s been my own personal summer for a month now. And what better way to get into the season with some book recommendations!

These are books that I feel are good fits for the early days of summer when the weather is just warming up, and you want a quick story that feels light and easy. Bring it to the beach, the pool, or the couch with a nice hit of air conditioning. These stories will be sure to transport you to another world, make you fall in love, or become your new favorite summer read.

Myth Retelling

Atalanta by Jennifer Saint

After reading Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier, I was looking for more adventure, more intrigue, more mythology/fairytale type stories. Enter Atalanta. The novel tells the tale of Atalanta, a follower of the goddess, Artemis, who joins the Argonauts on their quest for The Golden Fleece. I ate this book up. Saint does an amazing job of getting you into the minds of her characters and creates an incredible sense of atmosphere. Her descriptions of the cities, the forests, and the sea make you feel as though you are there fighting beside the Argonauts on their journey. But it is also a beautiful story about listening to one’s intuition and owning one’s truth. I loved the message just as much as I loved being enraptured by the pages.

Historical Fantasy Fiction

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo

The Familiar was my first foray into the land of Leigh Bardugo, and I was NOT disappointed. This is not necessarily a summer book, but if you are looking for escapism and intrigue, this is your jam. The story is about a scullery maid named, Luzia, who possesses magical powers. When the disgraced secretary to the king takes a shine to her, Luzia finds herself one of the contestants in a tournament that will either bring favor or terrible consequences to her and her patron. Set during the inquisition in Madrid, the atmosphere of the story is dark (good for fall reading…) but Bardugo sets the stage and the stakes that have her readers rooting for Luzia and falling into the world that she describes so vividly. It reads like a dark fairy tale. And the ending is sooooooo satisfying!!!!

Romance

Funny Story by Emily Henry

Emily Henry done did it again. For fans of fake dating and stories set in quaint towns in Michigan, this is for you. This is going to be a pain to describe but here goes. The story is about Daphne, a librarian who moves to Waning Bay, Michigan for her fiance. When her fiance leaves her for his best female friend, Petra, Daphne moves in with Petra’s ex-boyfriend, Miles. Miles then makes it his mission to make Daphne fall in love with Waning Bay. The parts of this novel that I liked most were everything that wasn’t the romance. I am not really a romance fan, but I really loved the parts where Miles was taking Daphne around Waning Bay to beaches and farm stands. I really felt for Daphne and loved the evolution of her character as she finds her sense of self and place. Definitely a great summer read.

The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren

For fans of fake dating and grumpy sunshine romances, you’re gonna love this one. The Soulmate Equation is about Jess, who ships her DNA off to a new dating app that matches people by their…DNA. When she finds out she is a 98% match with the founder of the dating app (who is also the grumpy guy who orders an Americano every morning at 8:24am at the cafe where Jess goes) hijinx ensues! Listen, don’t hate me for this, but there was too much science in this one for me. hahaha…no but really. There were some details that took my head out of the game with this one. And, like Funny Story, my favorite parts were the parts where Jess is figuring out her life or talking to her daughter, Juno. But River, the male love interest, sounded pretty hot. I think he was described as looking like Keanu Reeves…? Any way, it’s a light hearted romp that’s great for a day by the pool.

Honorable Mentions: Books that Feel Like Summer

Disclaimer: I know I have mentioned these books in previous blog posts, but I feel they are worth mentioning, especially if you are putting together a multi-month summer TBR. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

A Final Word

That’s it for now, friends! Please drop your book recs in the comments. I’d love to hear about what you’re reading and add to my own ever growing TBR!

Until next week, let the summer begin!