I know what you read this summer

The definitive summer book list, by our glorious publishing insider; Anouska Levy

Nothing says Summer like Summer reading – aside from piss-warm pints, bikini bras worn as tops, and the egregious stench of the hot dog stand by Brixton station wafting in the warm air. Not to be a grinch – who I miss dearly, December come soon! – but I spend most of the Summer months with my head nestled too close to someone’s armpit, wiping sweat from crevices I didn’t know existed, and looking generally hot. No, not in that way. I mean dishevelled, sodden, burnt or a combination of all the above. Hot girl summer? Yeah right. 

If, like me, you can’t choose looks, you might as well choose some bloody good books. And I’m here to help you out – with a list of Summer reads, for every type of Summer reader. The good, the gauche, and the ugly (only in the Summer, come Autumn I’m back to my ravishing self).

The Escapist - Welcome to Glorious Tuga by Francesca Segal

Whether you’re off somewhere sunny, or stuck at home, this is an utterly transporting read which is as heartwarming as it is hilarious. Once you’ve visited the glorious isle of Tuga, you’ll never want to come home, and you might just want a pet tortoise too.

The Tastemaker – Orbital by Samantha Harvey

If you like to be reading the ‘right’ thing – by which I mean you want to show off to your new date or hold court at a family dinner – the freshly announced Booker Prize longlist is a good place to start. Bragging rights aside, Orbital is one of the most lyrical, meditative and frankly terrifying books I’ve read this year. It’s also the only longlistee that’s out in paperback, so your wallet can thank me later. 

The Thriller Seeker – None of This is True by Lisa Jewell

This is the ultimate sunlounger thriller. It’s so gripping it should come with a bad tan-line warning, you will be stuck by the poolside I can guarantee. Hot tip: the audiobook is a real treat. The main character is a podcaster, and this lends a whole new dimension to the listening experience. It’s bone-chilling, on the nose, and has the twistiest twist you ever did read.

The Latecomer – Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

You haven’t read this? Have you been living under a rock? This is without any doubt my favourite book I have read in the last year (honestly, it’s now one of my all-time favourites – a true modern classic). Don’t trust me? It’s won basically every prize going. I’m not even going to say all that much about it. Demon is one of the best voices I’ve read, and he can more than speak for himself. Read it and weep, literally!

The Heatseeker – Greta & Valdin by Rebecca K. Reiley

Are you looking for something spicy? Something to get you hot under the covers? Someone to whisper sweet nothings to? Greta & Valdin is a sexy, fun, snappy summer treat. It’s a love song to nights out, to messing up and growing up. It’s about how the truest love of all, might have been standing there all along.

The Globetrotter – Butter by Asako Yuzuki

Are your hinge prompts and Dad jokes getting lost in translation? Reading translated fiction is one sure (and cheap) way of broadening your horizons. Butter by Asako Yuzuki is a great place to start. It’s got the richest setting in Tokyo, a workplace that will make you wince, food writing that will make you salivate – oh and it’s got a serial killer who has poisoned all her exes. And if that’s not enough she comes out with one liners like: ‘There are two things that I can simply not tolerate: feminists and margarine’ Get that on a tshirt.

The Traditionalist – Travels with my Aunt by Graham Greene

For those of you who know that oldies really are goodies – I’m bringing you a blast from the past. Travels with my Aunt is a rollicking good time. It’s short, sweet, and will have you in proper giggles. The eponymous Aunt is also soooo …. BRAT.

Happy reading! *

* Editorial compels us to add a disclaimer about shopping in independent bookshops. BookBar, for example, is fabulous and does what it says on the tin.