Announcing: the Bargain Booksy summer reading list!
To celebrate the first official day of summer (in our part of the world, at least), we’ve collected a list of the best summer books to toss in your beach bag this year. We’ve hand-picked each book from a few places: Oprah’s list of the best summer reads for 2013, reader nominations, popular charts on Goodreads, and our own brains (and wish lists). This list of summer books to read is segmented by genre, so no matter what type of book you’re craving, check out our picks below for our recommendations.
Romance / Women’s Fiction
The Sacramento Bee has called Debbie Macomber “the reigning queen of women’s fiction” – and she has a new book coming out on August 13th. ROSE HARBOR IN BLOOM is a heartwarming tale in line with other Macomber favorites. THE FOREVER OF ELLA AND MICHA is the second book in Jessica Sorensen’s Ella and Micha series – it’s a story of young love, long distance, and making it work when the odds are against you. (best of all, it’s only $2.99). Nora Roberts’ book WHISKEY BEACH is on the fast track to becoming a #1 bestseller – it’s a contemporary romantic suspense that makes for a perfect vacation (or weekend) read.
Young Adult / Teen Fiction
Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles books are high-tech, SciFi retellings of the classic Cinderella story. Don’t expect a damsel in distress, though – Cinder is a smart and kickass protagonist. The second book in the series, SCARLET, is a must-read for teen fiction lovers. THE SILVER STAR is by Jeanette Walls, the best selling author of THE GLASS CASTLE. It’s a novel of two teenagers discovering their father and learning about the meaning of true family along the way. Sarah Dessen’s book THE MOON AND MORE is a romantic, lighthearted novel about high school sweethearts headed for college. If you’re a Sarah Dessen fan, you have to add this book to your list!
Science Fiction
READY PLAYER ONE by Ernest Cline is a staff pick: our marketing manager will tell you it’s one of the best science fction books she’s ever read (up there with Ender’s Game). It’s nostalgic and fun with plenty of high-tech adventure – if you’re into 1980’s pop culture and video games at all, you’re going to LOVE this book. Pinky promise. Hugh Howey’s book DUST is for WOOL fans – and if you haven’t picked up a Hugh Howey book yet, shame on you. It’s modern scifi at its best. John Scalzi’s book REDSHIRTS is a futuristic adventure through space on the flagship Intrepid. If you love Star Trek-esque adventures, you can’t miss this one.
Fantasy
Our content manager would have a hissy fit if we dared put up a ‘summer reading list’ post without including Neil Gaiman’s new release. THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE is Gaiman’s first novel for adults since ANASI BOYS – and it’s a must-read for fantasy fans. DEAD EVER AFTER is the final (sniff sniff) Sookie Stackhouse book from best selling author Charlaine Harris. All good things must come to an end – and DEAD EVER AFTER is the adventure and romance filled finale to Sookie’s story. THE YIDDISH POLICEMEN’S UNION by Michael Chabon is equal parts fantasy and thriller – it’s an alternative history book in 1948 Israel.
Literary Fiction
Elizabeth Strout is one of our CEO’s favorite authors (and a Pulitzer Prize winner to boot), so her new release THE BURGESS BOYS is naturally on our summer reading list. It’s hard to follow up an award-winning book like OLIVE KITTERIDGE, but THE BURGESS BOYS lives up to all expectations and makes for a wonderful read. AND THE MOUNTAINS ECHOED is a new book from author Khaled Hosseini, who wrote the #1 best seller THE KITE RUNNER. It’s a novel about finding yourself by caring for another – it’s powerful, complex, and unforgettable. LIFE AFTER LIFE by Kate Atkinson is hailed by Gillian Flynn (author of GONE GIRL, one of our favorites) as one of the greatest novels of the century. It’s a historical novel of a woman who is born again every time she dies – and each life is an iteration of the one she left behind.
Nonfiction
LEAN IN by Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, is a well researched and inspirational book about women in the workplace. David Sedaris’ newest book, LET’S EXPLORE DIABETES WITH OWLS, is a collection of poignant and humorous essays typical of Sedaris’ unforgettable style. WILD is an Oprah Book Club pick – it’s a memoir about how one woman took a solo hike on the Pacific Coast Trail and put her life back together on the way.
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