Summer Reads

As we pass the official start of summer, our minds turn to thoughts of fun times in the sun! Whether your idea of summer is lounging at the seaside, touring a European city or going to the countryside.. fitting in time with a good book is just the thing to sate the soul and truly relax and unwind. Here’s a list of our top books to read this summer- from newly released to some older favourites- we’ve got you covered.

See What I Have Done, Sarah Schmidt

If you love a true crime novel, this is the book for you. Following the story of Lizzie Borden accused of the gruesome murders of her father and stepmother in 1892, Schmidt retells this notorious unsolved mystery. Taking you on a journey through the mind of a murderer and into the heart of a family devoid of love, this book is a chilling and unsettling and yet impossible to put down.

City of Girls Elizabeth Gilbert

From the author of the much loved, Eat, Pray, Love comes a new novel that is bound to enthrall. The perspective has shifted, from Liz Gilbert to 95 year old Vivien as she reflects on her youth in the 1940s  and recounts her life with much flair, wit and adventure. Be transported to buzzing 1940s New York and follow along with her decadent self discovery, love affairs and her truly full but flawed life. A relatable and uplifting read!

With The Fire on High, Elizabeth Acevedo

Dominican author Acevedo has written a dazzling coming of age novel that will leave you rooting for her protagonist, Emoni as she navigates her often difficult life, making sense of it through her love of food and cooking. There is a beautiful and poetic tone to her prose and Acevedo’s descriptions of food are mouthwatering! This would make the perfect book to read on holiday while while enjoying an excess of culinary delights.

Machines Like Me-  Ian McEwan

In Booker Prize winner, Ian McEwan’s latest novel,  an alternate 1982 London is technologically advanced and robots are on sale to the general public. Narrator, Charlie, impulsively buys one of these robots, Adam bringing him home to live with him and his girlfriend Miranda. A love triangle develops among the three, that is  both disturbing and problematic while still being tenuous and gripping. The story nudges the reader deep into existential questions on the morality of artificial intelligence and the nature of being human. A thought provoking novel told through a very intimate lense.

The Night Tiger, Yangsze Choo

The Night Tiger takes us into a suspenseful world of superstition and mystery. A mesmerising thriller that pulses with the heat of 1930s Malaysia, in a story rich with spirits, magic, lore and even a tyrannical tiger. There is so much to love in this book- it grabs you, pulls you into its magical world and is a true page-turner!