June 21 is officially the start of summer, which means that it’s time to stock up on books that will keep you entertained (as well as informed) while achieving that perfect golden tan. Tapping into its network of 40 million readers, Goodreads has put together a list of summer books that are just starting to break out as well as others that are already clear favorites—including one thrilling adult novel that may be the fastest selling in history.
by Kristin Hannah
ADVERTISEMENT
Goodreads members are giving rave reviews (with a sky-high 4.54 average rating) to the bestselling author’s latest novel, a World War II epic inspired by the true story of a heroic young woman who led Allied soldiers out of occupied France.
by Rowan Coleman
Told in the voice of a woman facing early-onset Alzheimer’s, this moving, humorous novel describes how Claire fights to hold on to all she knows and loves about her life—including her husband, whom she’s starting to forget.
Pirate Hunters: Treasure, Obsession, and the Search for a Legendary Pirate Ship
by Robert Kurson
Treasure hunting! Pirates! The best part of this high-seas adventure, is that it is all true. Goodreads members say that Kurson’s nonfiction account of two divers’ quest to find a lost 17th-century pirate ship, the Golden Fleece, is as thrilling as any novel.
The Life and Death of Sophie Stark
by Anna North
An eccentric, magnetic filmmaker alienates friends and lovers, sacrificing her personal relationships for the sake of her art in this intriguing character study that explores the nature of creative genius. Goodreads members are calling it “fearless” and “unforgettable.”
by Michelle Moran
The remarkable story of Lakshmi, an Indian queen who raised an army of women to revolt against the British in 1857, is narrated by one of her female bodyguards in this vivid work of historical fiction.
by Paul Tremblay
In this new work of psychological horror, a hit reality-TV show documents what happens when a desperate suburban family asks a priest to perform an exorcism on their teen daughter, who is showing signs of schizophrenia…or something else?
by Hanya Yanagihara
For those looking for more immersive summer reading, this powerful literary novel is getting some of the year’s best reviews on Goodreads. An emotional journey, A Little Life follows three decades of highs and lows experienced by a quartet of friends—a painter, an actor, an architect, and a troubled lawyer—each making their way in New York City.
by David McCullough
Goodreads members say David McCullough has done it again. With his signature knack for making stories from the past fascinating, the venerated historian offers an absorbing biography of Wilbur and Orville Wright, two bicycle mechanics who “taught the world how to fly.”
by Paula Hawkins
If you haven’t read it yet, this is the “it book” everyone’s talking about on Goodreads! During her daily London commute, an embittered divorcée makes up imaginary lives for a happy couple she sees regularly at a train stop. But when she witnesses something shocking, she soon gets embroiled in an investigation.
