With millions of books to choose from, it can be hard to pick your next read.
Whether you want to enjoy a romance while relaxing on the beach or devour a thriller to distract you from the hot weather, we’ve found the best new books to help you pass the time.
Keep reading to discover seven fantastic novels for you to enjoy this summer.
1. I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai
Bodie Kane worked hard to become a successful film professor and podcaster. She doesn’t have time to reminisce about the tragic death of her high school roommate, or the controversy surrounding the arrest of the school’s athletic trainer for the crime.
But when she’s invited back to Granby School decades later to teach a course, she falls down the very rabbit hole she’s desperate to avoid. The real killer could still be out there. And she’s the only one who can finally solve the mystery of Thalia Keith’s death.
Makkai’s thrilling writing and clever mystery provide the backdrop for an investigation into racism, grooming, and cancel culture. Her ability to balance the sad reality of the American judicial system with the melodrama of teenage lives is what makes the novel so hard to put down.
2. In Memoriam by Alice Winn
In the idyllic English countryside, the first world war seems so far away. Half-German Henry Gaunt’s two biggest problems are the town’s growing coldness toward his family, and his forbidden crush on his classmate, Sidney Ellwood.
When his family ask him to enlist to prove his loyalty to the Allies, he’s more than happy to solve both of his problems in one go. But when Sidney and the rest of his classmates join him on the front lines in a show of solidarity, the war suddenly seems a lot closer to home.
Alice Winn’s heartbreaking tale of loyalty, war, and forbidden love will transport you to the front lines in 1914 alongside Henry and Sidney.
3. Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
Writer Sally Milz abandoned the notion of love a long time ago. But when Noah Brewster signs onto the late-night comedy show she writes for, she realises that love hasn’t given up on her yet. But dreamily handsome pop sensations like him only fall in love with girls like her in romcoms, and this is real life… isn’t it?
Sittenfeld’s exciting and wonderous depiction of love draws readers back to her books time and time again. But it’s her wit and sly exploration of gender norms in romantic relationships that will keep you turning the page.
4. Hungry Ghosts by Kevin Jared Hosein
On a hill overlooking Bell Village sits a farm. Marlee and Dalton Changoor live in the type of luxury that the Saroop family – crammed into the ramshackle hut at the bottom of the hill – can only dream of.
But when Dalton disappears and Hans Saroop is lured in by Marlee’s generous payment for a new watchman, the two families become insidiously entwined as their community starts to change forever.
Set in 1940s Trinidad, at the end of American occupation and British colonialism, Hungry Ghosts is a beautifully harrowing novel about religion, class, and the consequences of generational trauma.
Hosein’s stunning writing and gripping mystery will keep you glued to the page from beginning to end.
5. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Violet Sorrengail trained to work in the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life documenting battles rather than fighting in them. But when her mother – also known as the commanding general – forces her to join the war, there are only two options for Violet: graduate from the dragon rider academy or die.
There’s only one thing she can do to prevent her untimely death: outsmart her classmates and choose her alliances carefully. Because dragons don’t bond with fragile riders. They incinerate them.
Yarros’ exhilarating worldbuilding, fast-paced plot, and seductive romance make Fourth Wing a brilliant choice for new or long-standing fans of fantasy novels.
6. Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey
Maggie is coping well. She’s embraced her life as a surprisingly young divorcee, and with the encouragement of her friends and academic adviser, she’s going to enjoy her first year of being single as much as possible. Even if her life is a mess.
Heisey’s depiction of Maggie’s journey to recovering from the unexpected breakup is hilarious and heartwarming.
Filled with sharp observations about the uncertainties of modern love and the importance of friends, Really Good, Actually will make you laugh out loud.
7. The Happy Couple by Naoise Dolan
Luke and Celine appear to be a happy couple. But as their wedding day approaches, both begin to suspect that the other has fallen out of love.
With the clock ticking down to their big day, it’s up to three guests – the best man (and Luke’s occasional lover), Celine’s suspicious sister, and an objective guest – to decide whether they make it to the end of the aisle, or if their marriage is over before it can begin.
Switching between the five perspectives as their lives intersect, Dolan’s ingenious comedic timing and clever satire are to the fore. They come together to create a soulful and amusing story about the search for happiness, and whether romance can really complete somebody.
