2025 Summer Reading List
15 books to help you while away a summer afternoon from mysteries and romance to new parenting philosophies and historical deep dives!
There is nothing I enjoy more than reading for some quiet “me” time. Getting lost in a good book is my ideal relaxation activity. I usually have more than one book going at a time, and my to read pile is stacked high both physically and virtually. I like to create a summer reading list to organize my stack and prioritize, so I thought I would share this summer’s books in case you are looking for a great read.
My summer reading list is organized by category, so you can find the genres you like best and go from there. I am an eclectic reader who enjoys everything from mysteries to romance and historical monographs to fantasy. I started my list back in June, so I have finished a few of these, and I’ll share my thoughts below.
Let’s get your summer reading list together and spend some quality “me” time reading in bed!
My Summer Reading List
Educational Books
Good Inside: A Practical Guide to Resilient Parenting by Becky Kennedy
Free on Kindle Unlimited!
Good Inside is a comprehensive resource for a generation of parents looking for a new way to raise their kids while still setting them up for a lifetime of self-regulation, confidence, and resilience.
I’ve been following Kennedy on IG for a while now and really appreciate her firm boundary setting approach that still prioritizes connecting with your kids. I’m looking forward to taking a deeper dive into her parenting philosophy and strategy.
Our Declaration by Danielle S. Allen
In just 1,337 words, the Declaration of Independence changed the world, but curiously it is now rarely read from start to finish, much less understood. Unsettled by this, Danielle Allen read the text quietly with students and discovered its animating power.
This interview with Allen totally sparked my fascination! Then I had to order her book to fully delve in!
The Small and Mighty by Sharon MacMahon
Sharon McMahon proves that the most remarkable Americans are often ordinary people who didn’t make it into the textbooks. Through meticulous research, she discovers history’s unsung characters and brings their rich, riveting stories to light for the first time.
I started this on audiobook a few days ago, and I am hooked. I even sat in my car an extra 10 minutes after I arrived at my destination to finish a chapter the other day. MacMahon is a gifted story teller, and I love hearing her read her own book. My Audible membership gets a workout, and I love to listen to books in the car and working around the house cleaning. Learn more here.
Children of Ash and Elm: A History of the Vikings by Neil Price
Based on the latest archaeological and textual evidence, Children of Ash and Elm tells the story of the Vikings on their own terms: their politics, their cosmology and religion, their material world. Written by a distinguished archeologist with decades of expertise.
I just finished this on audiobook, and it was a really fascinating delve into the history of the Vikings from 750 to 1050. Price is clear and concise, but also skilled at bringing the alien world of the Vikings to life. I enjoyed how he balanced archeological evidence with the written record to verify what we can actually know and what we can’t truly understand. He is very upfront about the pitfalls in evidence and the biases that have and do cloud our vision of the Vikings.
Classics
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
When orphaned Mary Lennox comes to live at her uncle’s great house with nearly one hundred rooms, she finds it full of secrets. Her uncle keeps himself locked up, and at night Mary hears the sound of crying echoing down one of the long corridors. The gardens surrounding the large property are her only escape. Then one day Mary discovers a secret garden, surrounded by walls and a locked gate. With the help of two unexpected companions, Mary discovers a way in–and becomes determined to bring the garden back to life.
Can you believe I never read this as a kid? I saw most of the movie versions, but never picked up the book. Well…I just finished the audiobook and thoroughly enjoyed it! Now as a mother it definitely hit a lot harder, and I really felt so pained for these neglected children. Mrs. Sowerby was totally my hero in this re-read/listen. The story is magical from the awakening secret garden to the transformation of Colin and Mary.
Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell
The novel follows the day-to-day social lives of a group of upper-middle-class women in the small, fictional town of Cranford, England. Rather than having a strong narrative, the novel delivers a tableau of social goings on that illuminate the characters and their lives.
I love Gaskell’s novels. North and South is probably one of my all time favorite books, so Cranford has been on my list for a while. I’m committing to delving into this story this summer.
Mystery
A Curious Beginning (A Veronica Speedwell Mystery) by Deanna Raybourn
In 1887 London, an orphaned lepidopterist thwarts her own abduction, then teams with a grumpy naturalist to solve a German baron’s murder while evading mysterious pursuers.
Victorian London…adventure…intrique…murder…a smart and sassy heroine…SIGN ME UP!
Fiction
The Library of Lost Love by Norie Clarke
Just $2.99 on Kindle.
In a quiet Notting Hill street, Joan sits alone with memories of the man she walked away from one New York evening years ago. In need of company, she advertises for a lodger.
I’m totally intrigued by this book’s description, and since it was on sale, I added it to my library.
Voice Like a Hyacinth by Mallory Pearson
Five young women eager for success rely on the unspeakable to make their dreams come true in a chilling novel about martyrdom, ritual, and obsession…
This sounds like an amazing blend of art, female sisterhood, and spooky occult.
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an average woman. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel–prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with—of all things—her mind. True chemistry results.
Yes, I totally watched the Apple show first. It was great, but I wanted to delve into the book and enjoy more of the maverick that is Elizabeth Zott. I ended up listening to this novel via Audible. The narration was perfect! The show does follow the book very closely, but I think you get a better sense of Zott’s inner workings in the book. Highly recommend!
Romance
The Art of Starting Over by Heidi McLaughlin
In this journey from first love to second chances, New York Times bestselling author Heidi McLaughlin brings a single mom and a widower back home to renew the spark that will light their way forward.
As I’ve gotten older I am more interested in second chance romances, and this one sounds like a sweet hometown love story.
Happiness for Beginners: A Novel by Katherine Center
Happiness for Beginners is a nourishing, page-turning, up-all-night read about how to get back up. It’s a story that looks at how our struggles lead us to our strengths. How love is always worth it.
I really enjoyed the Netflix movie of this book, but at times it felt a little too “Hallmark-y” — if you know what I mean? So when it popped up on my recommendation list, I thought I should give the book a chance.
A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting by Sophie Irwin
A whip-smart debut that follows the adventures of an entirely unconventional heroine who throws herself into the London Season to find a wealthy husband. But the last thing she expects is to find love…
A funny Regency romp sounds like the perfect light hearted summer read!
Fantasy/Paranormal
The Things We Water by Mariana Zapata
Once upon a time, a girl found a magical puppy, and her life was never the same again.
Mariana Zapata is the queen of slow burn romance, and I love her novels, but this one fell a bit flat for me. Don’t get me wrong, it was an enjoyable and easy read, which is part of the problem for me. I expect a bit more emotional connection, angst, and conflict from Zapata’s works. There are some really hilarious moments, and Nina and Henry are very likable.
The Librarian of Crooked Lane by C.J. Archer
A librarian with a mysterious past, a war hero with a secret, and the heist of a magic painting.
Yes, please! A book with all of these things sounds amazing! And it is a series….SCORE!