‘Tis the Summer Reading Guide season! I hope you enjoy my 2026 selections!
What’s in your beach or pool bag?
Summer Reading Guide 2026
I’m linking up today with That Artsy Reader Girl for Top Ten Tuesday: Summer Freebie
You might have seen several Summer Reading Guides on social media in recent days. I love reading them for fresh reading ideas. Although I make many book lists and recommend many books, this is only my second Summer Reading Guide. I read the same during the summer as I read all year…something thought-provoking and engaging. My philosophy is that any book you read at the beach or pool or on vacation is a beach/pool/vacation read! My list might not be what you consider traditional or typical “beach reads.” For this FREE guide, I’ve chosen from books that I’ve read since last summer and can highly recommend for this year’s summer reading or for your book club. I’ve included a mix of genres and categories. Naturally, the selections will reflect my reading tastes. I hope you’ll find one that matches yours!
I must clarify that my list is NOT AI-generated. I have read and reviewed each title on my personally curated list! #100%HUMAN
(In no particular order)
Favorite Read of 2026 (so far)
This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page
Book Recommendations. Book Store. Grief. Sweet Slow-burn Romance.
A New Novella Series Set in Scotland
One beautifully written novella for each season! Christmas at Flora’s House, Spring at Flora’s House, and two more yet to come for summer and autumn. (A spin-off of Little Wing)
A Book About Books
This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page
Book Recommendations. Book Store. Grief. Sweet Slow-burn Romance.
Christian Nonfiction
Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools: An Invitation to the Wonder and Mystery of Prayer by Tyler Staton
Motivational and Inspirational.
Historical Fiction
(all non WWII)
Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hockhauser
Cinderella “untelling”
The Herring Girl by Chrissie Walsh
Set in Ireland
The Harvey Girls by Julliette Fay
1920s, United States
Biographical Historical Fiction
A Founding Mother: A Novel of Abigail Adams by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie
A fascinating woman! (Pub Date: 5/6/2026)
Romance
Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan (Pub Date: 5/26/2026)
New title by my current favorite women’s fiction author.
Literary Fiction
Where the Wildflowers Grow by Terah Shelton Harris
Thought-provoking and page-turning.
Christian Fiction
Faithful of Heart by Tracie Peterson (GR review)
For fans of a spiritual content in an engaging story.
Narrative Nonfiction: WWII
Family of Spies by Christine Kuehn
.Astonishing family secrets.
Character-Driven Literary Fiction
Theo of Golden by Allen Levi
FREE Book Club Kit for Theo of Golden
I can’t stop thinking about this “must-read” book.
Celebrity Memoir
Joan: Life Beyond the Script by Joan Lunden
Joan Lunden was the background soundtrack during the years I was home with my young family. Who can relate?
Middle Grade
The Trouble with Heroes by Kate Messner
My most recent favorite MG read.
Still Receiving all the Buzz
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
(2025 favorite of the year)
This is from my 2025 Summer Reading Guide, but it remains buzzy, is growing in popularity, and is receiving many accolades. If you missed it last year, it’s never too late to read a great book! I also created a FREE Book Club Kit for this one.
3 Back List Titles From My 2025 Summer Reading Guide
Abigail and Alexa Save the Wedding by Lian Dolan
An entertaining escapist read.
James by Percival Everett
Don’t miss this powerful reimagining of a classic.
Ordinary Time by Annie B. Jones
Thoughtful, gently-written essays. Audio is narrated by the author.
QOTD:
What are you reading this summer?
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Happy Summer Reading Book Friends
“Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.”
~Rainer Maria Rilke
“I love the world of words where life and literature connect.”
~Denise J Hughes
“Reading good books ruins you for reading bad ones.”
~Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
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~Madeleine Riley
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Fab selection, Carol!
Thanks, Nicki!
A great idea for a list! Defining Beach Reads is interesting. It depends on what speaks to me at the time (and what deadline books I have 😂)
Have a great week!
Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog
My post:
https://budgettalesblog.wordpress.com/2026/04/28/top-ten-tuesday-translated-books/
I’m not picky about what I read at the beach as long as I’m reading!
Fair enough 😂
Goodness, I’d never even think to use a LLM or AI to make a TTT list, but I’m glad this is 100% you generated.
lol! I keep remembering how a newspaper a couple of years ago was embarrassing by publishing a book list generated by AI that was so wrong in so many ways! 😂 I have Friends that use AI for everything and I wouldn’t be surprised to see a book list!
This Book Made Me Think of You and Theo of Golden are two of my top books this year!! Great Summer guide!
Yay! Thanks for sharing the love! 🙌
Terrific list! I see a few here that I loved (especially This Book Made Me Think of You) and a few I’m looking forward to reading. Now I’m just waiting for summer and hope that I’ll have as much reading time as I’d like!
Bring on the summer reading! 😎
You did a really nice job with this post. Yay for no AI or LLM usage!
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!
Thanks for stopping by! 🌷
I loved This Book Made Me Think of You and so glad you did too Carol!📚💜
A memorable and heartwarming read! 💖
Lots of amazing books! I love a good Christian fiction myself! I keep hearing great things about The Correspondent myself so I should add that to my list as well.
My list: https://thegentlechapter.blog/2026/04/28/top-ten-tuesday-freebie/
I hope you love The Correspondent! I wish I could read it again for the first time!
Thank you! I always love hearing that about books 🙂
Great post, Carol!! Best of all, I’ve only read a few of these.
Thanks, Lisa!
Adding the Lilly Page book to my TBR. Favorite of them all! Good enough for me. I love JAMES and THEO OF GOLDEN!
Here is a good link to my list: https://headfullofbooks.blogspot.com/2026/04/ttt-what-i-was-reading-freebie.html
Fav of the year so far but Theo and Correspondent still hold the top spot of recent reads! Thanks for stopping by!
Much like you, I don’t have a specific genre I read in the summer or at any time of the year. The one exception to that is holiday books. Typically, those I’ll read from the end of November until around Christmas. Though I may sprinkle one or two in over the summer for some cooler thoughts.
Here’s my TTT for the week: https://readbakecreate.com/the-xs-ys-and-zs-have-it-ten-titles-starting-with-x-y-or-z/
I have a Christmas book on my April reading wrap up post! 😂
What a great list, Carol. I’ve read 6 of these books, and have 7 of them on my TBR shelf (a couple I own). I’m not going a personal challenge next month, just reading what I want and several will be books I own, so some of these for sure. I agree, you can read anything in the summer by the pool, on the beach, or wherever, as long as you enjoy it.
Thanks Carla! Happy summer reading! 😎
Thanks for the recs!
Thanks for sharing your #TTT
My pleasure! 🌷
Great selection, I’m pleased this book made me think of you is getting so much love.
A memorable and heartfelt story! 💖
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