According to the school calendar, summer is over. However, according to the actual calendar, summer is still here. And as someone who is a fan of fall above all else, I have a strict rule: No sweaters or campus novels until September 21st! Students and teachers may be inside, but the 90-degree days (unfortunately) will continue well into September (thanks, climate change). That means many of us, myself included, are still craving books that convey summer vibes.
What follows is a list of literary recommendations that either fit the stereotypical definition of a beach read or will satisfy a specific kind of summer reader. Some folks want light reads, others want a big book to sink into, and a select few want their hearts broken. These books, which I have thoroughly enjoyed, happen to be by authors of the Global Majority, writers whose books are consistently overlooked in the typical “beach reads” lists that splash over our timelines in the early days of summer. They are also mostly paperbacks because I firmly believe that is the best kind of book to read on the go. There’s enough here to read one every few days if you so choose until September 21st. So sit back, curl up in the AC or outside, and get ready to be entertained.
Curvy Girl Summer
by Danielle Allen
Bramble
This book has “summer” in the title, so now is definitely the right time to read this laugh-out-loud (literally, my husband kept asking me why I was giggling) romantic comedy. It’s about a fat Black woman, Aaliyah, searching for love to put an end to her family’s meddling in her dating life. Be warned: there are some fatphobic comments expressed by Aaliyah’s family, but the focus of the book is on her dating misadventures, wisecracking group of friends, and her body positivity. Hilarious and heartfelt.
Let The Games Begin
by Rufaro Faith Mazarura
Flatiron Books
If you’re looking for a read to keep you in the Olympic spirit, this romance between an Olympic runner (Zeke) and an Olympic village volunteer (Olivia) fits the bill. This book provides a fun look at the inner workings of a modern day Olympic village and its quirky residents, from athletes to staff. It’s a frenemies to lovers romance that isn’t pure fluff as it also explores mental health and the constant presence of grief after the death of a loved one. Sweet and sporty.
Let The Games Begin
by Julie Tieu
Avon Books
There are always a lot of weddings in summer and early autumn, so why not read a wedding-themed romance? Elise is the owner of a floral shop who also happens to be a bridesmaid in several of her friends’ upcoming weddings. She’s mostly content with being single, but she does have to adjust to the changing nature of her friendships and feeling neglected by her soon-to-married friends, all while trying to keep her small business afloat. The emphasis here is friend love rather than romantic love, although there are plenty of East Asian wedding traditions present. There’s also a love interest who is delightfully awkward but charming. Light-hearted and layered.
You Can’t Stay Here Forever
by Katherine Lin
Harper Perennial
After her husband dies in a car crash, Ellie flees with her best friend Mable to the French Riviera to grieve and get a reprieve from her law firm career and her somewhat overbearing mother. This is not actually as sad as it sounds because of some truths revealed about her husband. The book’s not so much about grief, but rather it’s a fascinating story about mourning, young widowhood, mother-daughter relationships, the evolutions of female friendship, and self-discovery. With a luxurious Southern French resort as the stunning backdrop, Mable’s radical candor and a mysterious couple that both women are inexplicably drawn to, tensions run high and a blow up is inevitable. Cutting and contemplative.
Enter Ghost
by Isabella Hammad
Grove Press
This book is perfect for those who want to spend their summer with a reinterpretation of Shakespeare. Set in present day Palestine, Sonia returns to Haifa to reconnect with her older sister Haneen who remained behind while Sonia lived in London to make a career as an actress. Soon she gets involved with a local director who plans to put on a daring production of Hamlet in the West Bank. This is a story that’s deceptively quiet, its power lies in capturing the everyday indignities and policing that make life in the West Bank harrowing and traumatic to its residents. A reminder that the arts can be a form of political resistance and strength. Poignant and profound.
Murder on the Red River
by Marcie R. Rendon
Soho Crime
Set in North Dakota/Minnesota (Fargo Moorhead), this is the beginning of a historical mystery series starring reluctant detective and pool shark Cash Blackbear. Cash is a young Ojibwe woman with a close connection to the local sheriff who helped her leave foster care. When an Ojibwee man’s body is discovered in a field, the sheriff enlists her help to investigate given her familiarity with the local reservation and her talent for interpreting dreams. The mystery takes somewhat of a backseat to setting up the series, but the book’s depiction of 1970s rural life, quirky characters, and its unflinching look at the horrific treatment of Native children in foster care make it a compelling read. Engrossing and enlightening.
The Emperor of Ocean Park
by Stephen L. Carter
Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Set in Martha’s Vineyard, this novel is a legal thriller about the suspicious death of a judge and the surrounding scandal (and subsequent additional deaths). At 654 pages, this book is hefty and there are a lot of characters, but each twist is shocking and the mystery unfolds at a good pace. Give it a go and then watch the TV adaptation to compare notes. Grim and gripping.
Betty Boo
by Claudia Piñeiro
Bitter Lemon Press
This book is complicated to sum up, but just know it’s a perplexing mystery involving five wealthy murder victims whose case needs to be solved by an eccentric cast of characters consisting primarily of a novelist and two journalists. I love mysteries with social commentary and this has plenty about the state of Argentinean politics, middle-aged dating, classism, and the declining media landscape. The characters are memorable, the ending is meta, and the pacing is leisurely, unraveling gradually. Taut and thrilling.
The Veins of the Ocean
by Patricia Engel
Grove Press
Set in a small town in the Florida Keys, Reina is rebuilding her life after her brother is sentenced to death. She finds solace living near the ocean and connecting with Nesto and other immigrants living on the coast. It’s a heartbreaking story of the immigrant and carceral state experience paired with themes of displacement, guilt, spirituality, suffering, and trauma. The coastal Florida setting and subsequent trips to Havana and Cartagena, along with Reina’s role caring for dolphins in captivity, make this an appropriate summer read for those who want their emotions stirred up while reading about warm climates. Disturbing and devastating.
Brotherless Night
by V.V. Ganeshananthan
Random House Trade
With one of the best opening lines and titles in contemporary literature, this is a gut punch of a novel about political violence, divided families, and the Sri Lankan civil war. Sashi is an indomitable main character, but each secondary character is beautifully rendered, even if only on the page for a few chapters. It’s an intense story of love, war (and women’s roles), and resilience. Agonizing and astonishing.
