But what makes a good summer book? For some, it\u2019s revisiting the comforting reads that they associate with a certain place and time, while for others it\u2019s indulging in romantasy, diving into exciting debuts, page-turning thrillers or classics set in the destination you\u2019re sojourning in. <\/p>\n
Above all, you want to enjoy yourself \u2013 and you don\u2019t want to waste valuable sun lounging time on a bad book. Luckily, the IndyBest team is on hand with their literary recommendations for this summer. <\/p>\n
From a century-spanning William Boyd tome to a classic Patricia Highsmith thriller and Sarah J Maas\u2019s TikTok-viral A Court of Thorns and Roses series, these are the best summer books that deserve a special spot in your suitcase.<\/p>\n
Read more: Best new book releases to read this summer<\/a><\/p>\n \u2018A Month in the Country\u2019 by JL Carr, published by Penguin Classics: \u00a38.55, Amazon.co.uk<\/a> open image in gallery<\/p>\n (Amazon)<\/p>\n This is one of the best novels I\u2019ve ever read. I\u2019m certain that this forgotten classic will make its way onto best lists and university curricula over the coming decades. Set just after the First World War, it follows an ex-serviceman as he restores a medieval fresco in a Yorkshire village. Taking place over just a month in 1920, it\u2019s full of perfect portrayals of the English countryside. Anyone who has spent time in rural Yorkshire will love Carr\u2019s tight, neat descriptions of its fields and woods in summertime. This quiet novel is a surprising page-turner; as Tom Birkin chips away at the wall painting, he confronts his damage from the war, and draws you further and further into his relationship with the villagers and the painting he uncovers. It\u2019s a short book \u2013 you can read it in an afternoon by the pool \u2013 but it\u2019s one of those novels that stays with you for months after you read it. The book is available in the usual places, but you can also buy a copy from Carr\u2019s own Quince Tree Press (\u00a310, Quincetreepress.co.uk<\/a>). Alex Aitcheson-David<\/a>, Deputy IndyBest Editor <\/p>\n \u2018The Covenant of Water\u2019 by Abraham Verghese, published by Grove Press: \u00a310.11, Amazon.co.uk<\/a> open image in gallery<\/p>\n (Amazon)<\/p>\n A truly great family saga is one that spans generations, cleverly weaves together different plots and intertwines personal stories with historical events \u2013 The Covenant of Water is a story that ticked all these boxes for me and more. The novel opens in 1900 in Travancore, in south west India (in what is now part of Kerala), where a young girl is sent by boat to meet her much older husband-to-be for the first time. From that moment we see her grow into the matriarch of her family, affectionately known as Big Ammachi. Over the next seven decades, we witness the lives, deaths, marriages, triumphs and more of her descendants, all touched by a mysterious curse. In every generation, at least one person dies by drowning and yet, their home of Parambil, is surrounded by water. <\/p>\n Verghese crafts an epic tale with a cast of beautifully written characters and unexpected twists. The lakes and rivers of southern India are brought vividly to life and I felt completely drawn into the world he so wonderfully creates. With more than 700 pages, it\u2019s a chunky read, but the storytelling is so immersive that you won\u2019t want it to end. It\u2019s ideal for a long summer getaway but if you\u2019re travelling light, it\u2019s definitely one to download on your e-reader. If you\u2019re a fan of Pachinko or Homegoing, I think you\u2019ll love this too. Sabrina Sahota<\/a>, Consumer Editor <\/p>\n \u2018Any Human Heart\u2019 by William Boyd, published by Penguin: \u00a38.99, Amazon.co.uk<\/a> open image in gallery<\/p>\n (Amazon)<\/p>\n I envy you if you\u2019re yet to devour William Boyd\u2019s Any Human Heart. Just as enjoyable on its first read as it is on its second (or even third), the cult novel follows Logan Mountstuart\u2019s life that stretches across the 20th Century. Spanning an anything-but-ordinary existence as a writer mingling with Hemingway in Paris, a spy during the Second World War recruited by none other than Ian Fleming, an art dealer in the swinging Sixties and much more, Boyd explores familial, romantic and platonic love his signature warm and witty voice. A modern classic, it\u2019s a masterclass in storytelling that\u2019s just as joyous as it is emotional (be warned), and the perfect companion on your sun lounger this summer. Daisy Lester<\/a>, Senior Shopping Writer<\/p>\n \u2018A Court of Thorns and Roses’ by Sarah J Maas, published by Bloomsbury: \u00a35, Amazon.co.uk<\/a> open image in gallery<\/p>\n (Amazon)<\/p>\n After seeing so much hype online about Sarah J Maas\u2019s romantesy series, A Court of Thorns and Roses, I hesitantly brought the first book with me on a family holiday last summer. It wasn\u2019t long before I was hooked and immediately regretted not bringing the entire six-book series with me. In the novel, we meet Feyre, a human huntress who kills a wolf that is not all it appears to be. Feyre is soon taken prisoner in the faerie realm, as revenge for the murder of a fellow faerie. As she discovers more about her captor, the high lord of the spring court Tamlin, Feyre develops feelings for her enemy (in true \u201cromantasy\u201d style). Meanwhile, a war is brewing, thanks to Amarantha, the evil and vindictive high queen of Prythian. Yes, it all sounds faintly ridiculous, but as a former fantasy literature hater, Sarah J Maas has made me a convert. It\u2019s excellent at world building while the enemy-to-lover storyline keeps you hooked until the very last page – the true marker of a good sun lounger read. Daisy Lester<\/a>, Senior Shopping Writer<\/p>\n \u2018The Secret History\u2019 by Donna Tartt, published by Penguin: \u00a37.99, Amazon.co.uk <\/a> open image in gallery<\/p>\n (Amazon)<\/p>\n Part psychological thriller and part story of disaffected university students, Tartt\u2019s tome follows a group of clever misfits at an elite New England college and the chain of events that led to the death of a classmate. Although from a lower-class family, newbie Richard is accepted into the clique of students who are all under the cult-like influence of their charismatic Greek classics professor. When one member of the group threatens to reveal the group\u2019s role in the murder, tensions rise and the second half of the novel explores the psychological consequences of hiding such a terrible secret. Offering pure escapism, Tartt both thrills and intrigues the reader. Daisy Lester<\/a>, Senior Shopping Writer<\/p>\n ‘Quicksilver’ by Callie Hart, published by Hodderscape: \u00a314, Amazon.co.uk<\/a> open image in gallery<\/p>\n (Amazon)<\/p>\n If you’re on the romantasy train then let Quicksilver be your next point of call after the dreaded Fourth Wing slump. Set across several worlds abundant with vampires, fae and wolves, the novel follows the journey of Saeris Fane as she struggles to keep her family safe. Within the first couple of chapters, you’ll watch as her life changes overnight and, seemingly, everything she knows to be true turns on its head. Expect enemies-to-lovers arcs, ‘chosen family’ (as the #booktok community calls it) and plenty of action and mystery. The male protagonist, Kingfisher, will prove an ultimate summer holiday romance \u2013 even if he is fictional \u2013 and there’s even a bit of spice to keep things interesting. Don’t balk at those 600+ pages, you’ll be cover-to-cover before you know it. Lucy Smith,<\/a> Beauty Writer<\/p>\n \u2018Dear Dolly\u2019 by Dolly Alderton, published by Fig Tree: \u00a34.48, Amazon.co.uk<\/a> open image in gallery<\/p>\n (Amazon)<\/p>\n I read this book last summer on holiday in Croatia after falling in love with Dolly\u2019s now infamous 2018 memoir, \u2018Everything I Know about Love\u2019. It\u2019s a collection of entries from her Sunday Times Style agony aunt column, which covers everything from friendship to careers and, of course, love lives. An easy and insightful read, the book\u2019s plotless nature makes it a great one to dip in and out of in between fun-filled vacation excursions. You\u2019ll naturally find yourself relating to the queries of both those writing in and Dolly\u2019s comforting, non-judgemental big sister advice. It doesn\u2019t try too hard to be all-knowing or too existential, instead walking the line between self-help and having a chat with a friend. Additionally, the scenarios that readers write in make for great conversation topics over evening cocktails. <\/a>Ella Duggan<\/a>, Production Journalist<\/p>\n \u2018Butter\u2019 by Asako Yuzuki, published by Fourth Estate: \u00a311.99, Amazon.co.uk<\/a> open image in gallery<\/p>\n (Amazon)<\/p>\n I have yet to read this one but can\u2019t wait to pick it up this summer. It sounds like the perfect mix of crime thriller, twisted feminist fantasy and gourmet cooking \u2013 what more could you want? The plot follows a chef as she sits in a Japanese detention centre, accused of murdering lonely businessmen after seducing them with her cooking. Once a scrappy journalist begins to break down her walls through a, seemingly, shared love of food we begin to learn more about obsession, romance, misogyny and the layered relationship between Japan and food. <\/a>Ella Duggan<\/a>, Production Journalist<\/p>\n \u2018Big Swiss\u2019 by Jen Beagin, published by Faber & Faber: \u00a37.87, Amazon.co.uk<\/a> open image in gallery<\/p>\n (Amazon)<\/p>\n I’m only halfway through this book, but I\u2019m completely hooked. The story follows a woman who transcribes sex and relationship therapy sessions in a quirky small town. As she listens to her neighbours\u2019 most intimate confessions, their secrets start to seep hilariously, and often cringe-inducingly, into her own life. One voice inparticular captures her attention: the enigmatic \u201cBig Swiss.\u201d As fate (and small-town dynamics) would have it, she meets this woman in real life, and the story takes off with intrigue, drama, and unexpected connection.<\/p>\n The writing is sharp, sexy, and packed with dry humour. It’s gossipy in the best way, like eavesdropping on a very juicy secret. A perfect summer read that\u2019s both smart and irresistibly entertaining. Even more exciting? It\u2019s being adapted into an HBO series starring Jodie Comer. If you love character-driven, offbeat stories with a voyeuristic twist, this one\u2019s a must. <\/a>Ella Duggan<\/a>, Production Journalist<\/p>\n \u2018My Brilliant Friend\u2019 by Elena Ferrante, published by Europa Editions: \u00a39.95, Amazon.co.uk<\/a> open image in gallery<\/p>\n (Amazon)<\/p>\n The first book in the epic Neapolitan novels series charts the early years of the relationship between protagonist Elena and her friend Lila. The dark heart of their neighborhood is exposed after the murder of crime boss Don Achille, a sinister figure whose death rearranges the power dynamics of the intertwined families. Against the backdrop of an impoverished Naples and woven into a complex and claustrophobic community, the two girls navigate love, class, education and betrayal. But through books and writing, Elena is given glimpses of life outside her neighbourhood.<\/p>\n Each character is flawed and complicated, and we experience the sometimes catastrophic consequences of their decisions along with them. Will Elena\u2019s education, always measured against her intelligent but sometimes cruel friend Lila, allow her to transcend her oppressive situation? Samuel Mathewson, Audience Editor<\/a><\/p>\n \u2018The Talented Mr. Ripley\u2019 by Patricia Highsmith: \u00a37.90, Amazon.co.uk<\/a> open image in gallery<\/p>\n (Amazon)<\/p>\n With the critically acclaimed Netflix series Ripley causing a stir earlier in the year, American novelist Patricia Highsmith\u2019s wily anti-hero Tom Ripley has captured a new generation of fans. The first book in the series, which was originally published in 1955, tells the story of Tom Ripley, a young, aimless man from New York who is offered a lot of money by the wealthy father of Dickie Greenleaf to go to Italy and persuade him to return to America. Tom integrates himself with Dickie and his girlfriend Marge on the sunny Italian coast, and becomes enamoured with the Mediterranean lifestyle. But when Tom\u2019s relationship with Dickie becomes more and more unsettling, Marge begins to suspect that Tom isn\u2019t everything he claims to be. Things turn deadly and Tom has to go on the run from the Italian police. The book\u2019s vivid portrayal of towns and cities across Italy coupled with a nail-biting narrative will draw you into Tom Ripley\u2019s twisted universe. Samuel Mathewson, Audience Editor<\/a><\/p>\n \u2018A Woman in the Polar Night\u2019 by Christiane Ritter, published by Pushkin Press: \u00a310.45, Amazon.co.uk <\/a> open image in gallery<\/p>\n (Amazon)<\/p>\n If you find yourself sweltering by a pool this summer, forget dipping in the water to cool off. Instead, dive into this captivating memoir, which follows painter Christiane Ritter as she decides to join her hunter-trapper husband in the Arctic Circle, where the mercury falls as low as -35C. Just reading about the icy, sub-zero conditions is enough to make your temperature drop. Spending a year living in an isolated hut in Spitsbergen \u2013 an island in the Svalbard archipelago \u2013 Ritter endures everything from dwindling supplies to the threat of polar bears. From unblinking daylight and glittering glaciers in summer to never-ending nights and severe storms in winter, Ritter marvels at her surroundings and discovers what it takes to survive so far north. What makes the author\u2019s Arctic adventure even more awe-inspiring is the fact it took place in the 1930s, without any of the hi-tech gear used by polar explorers today.<\/p>\n Like all the best travel writers, Ritter transports readers to the otherworldly landscape she encounters. Even if your own travels are more likely to involve swimwear and sangria than snow boots and sea ice, you can\u2019t help but be drawn in by Ritter\u2019s grit and good humour. The \u201cunimaginable world of splendour and beauty\u201d she describes is enough to make you want to say goodbye to sun loungers in Saint-Tropez, in favour of eking out an existence in a frozen shack in Svalbard. Well, almost \u2013 on second thought, perhaps it\u2019s better to stick to reading about it by the pool. Angharad Moran, Senior Production Journalist<\/p>\n \u2018My Year of Rest and Relaxation\u2019 by Ottessa Moshfegh, published by Jonathan Cape: \u00a38.41, Amazon.co.uk<\/a> open image in gallery<\/p>\n (Amazon)<\/p>\n Everyone was reading or talking about this book at one point, and it\u2019s still a strong contender for your summer reading pile. The main character uses sleep as a form of extreme \u2018rest and relaxation\u2019 \u2013 the goal being to sleep for a year to escape feelings of disillusionment and emerge anew, which she attempts by getting sleep-inducing medications from a bizarre, very questionable psychiatrist. It mostly unfolds in her New York apartment, and socialising is more of less limited to one dysfunctional friendship, so it’s a claustrophobic read. Dark, but very funny, it covers themes of isolation, grief, and privilege. If you like a book with lots of twists and turns then this may bore you (it can be quite repetitive), but it’s an interesting take on something like self care, and quite addicting.<\/p>\n \u2018My Husband\u2019 by Maud Ventura, published by Penguin: \u00a39.19, Amazon.co.uk <\/a> open image in gallery<\/p>\n (Amazon)<\/p>\n I\u2019m about halfway through Maud Ventura\u2019s My Husband, translated from French by Emma Ramadan, on Audible, and I can\u2019t wait to get back to it. Consumed with thoughts of her husband, even after years of marriage, the protagonist of the novel is, to put it plainly, obsessed with him. She ruminates on her husband\u2019s behaviour, second-guesses his feelings for her, and, in pursuit of a perfect relationship, takes things to the extreme. It\u2019s unnerving and, at points, quietly hilarious. A dark, compelling novel, this reads as easily as a hot knife glides through butter, making it (so far) the perfect psychological thriller to pick up and rip through by the pool this summer. Lois Borny<\/a>, Production Journalist and Writer <\/p>\n \u2018Tiny Beautiful Things\u2019 by Cheryl Strayed, published by Atlantic Books: \u00a39.99, Waterstones.com<\/a> open image in gallery<\/p>\n (Amazon)<\/p>\n I knew from the start that Tiny Beautiful Things was going to be something special. As an anonymous advice column turned book, this read is for the deep and introspective \u2013 for those who see a holiday as a time to slow down and reconnect with themselves. <\/p>\n I found pieces of myself in stories that weren\u2019t mine, reminding me how deeply connected we all are. It\u2019s a book that nudges you to spend more time with your thoughts, along with the quiet, everyday moments that make up your life. It\u2019s raw, honest, and comforting in the way a conversation with someone who truly sees you would be. A perfect companion for long, reflective summer days. Niki Cottrell, Social Media Editor<\/p>\n \u2018Men without Women\u2019 by Haruki Murakami: \u00a39.19, Amazon.co.uk <\/a> open image in gallery<\/p>\n (Amazon)<\/p>\n In seven short stories, Haruki Murakami leads the reader through the lives and stories of men who have loved and lost women in some way in their lives, and the lasting impact that each of these relationships hold. Although translated from Japanese, so I\u2019m not reading it in its original form, Murakami has a unique way of storytelling that makes all of his books so easy to read. This one felt especially impactful in the way that it examined completely different relationships with completely different types of people and, while remaining fully their own stories, brought together an overall message of appreciation for women and their impact on men. I took Men without Women with me on a beach holiday this year and it was a perfect holiday read in it being a short, easily digestible book with vivid imagery and depth. There was a sense of calm that I had while reading this book, as I\u2019ve experienced with other Murakami books, that keep the author at the top of my list in stories to reach for. <\/a>Niki Cottrell, Social Media Editor<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/month-in-the-country.png\")
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