Summertime is in full swing, which means pool parties, trips to see friends, and many days lounging at the beach. But for the bookworm, summer means hotly anticipated book releases and more time to read.

So much emphasis is placed on the beach read, but what about all the other places that we go to in the summer? Here is a guide to the best books for every summer vacation and staycation location.

 

Plane rides

Whether going on a quick flight to see family and friends or traveling to another country, chances are you might find yourself sitting on a plane for a few hours this summer.

If you are the type of person who can do work on a plane, I envy you. Every time I get on a plane, I have goals read hundreds of pages before the plane lands. But I always end up falling asleep or staring out the window. So this rec is for the people who can resist falling asleep the second the plane lifts off.

For an hour or more, thousands of feet above the ground with little to no Internet access, long flights are perfect for finally finishing that behemoth of a book that has been on your TBR pile for too long. I recommend long books for those long flights.

Book recommendations:

• Any classic that has been on your TBR for too long

  • For me, that would be Underworld by Don DeLillo (827 pages), To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara (720), and Ulysses by James Joyce (783).

 

Parks

What is better than a staycation? Unfurling a blanket on the grass and reading in the shade is the absolute best. Bring a hat, some snacks, and enjoy the quiet change of pace from bedroom reading.

For park reading, I recommend something romantic and dreamy. Romanticize your life with a classic romance or some timeless poetry. At a park without interruptions, you will have time to concentrate on a tougher read.

Book recommendations:

• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

• Poetry collections from Romantic poets like Lord Byron or Percy Bysshe Shelley

• If reading something written before the invention of the lightbulb makes you want to fall asleep, but you still want some romance, try Evie Dunmore’s series “A League of Extraordinary Women.”

  • The first in the collection, Bringing Down the Duke, is set in Victorian times with witty dialogue and enemies to lovers.

  • While I haven’t read this yet, it has been on my TBR list for ages and I have heard great things.

 

Beach

The ubiquitous beach read. The whole grail of book recs. When I am reading a book, I can tell if it is going to be a good beach read or not. But defining a beach read is a little harder and can vary from person to person.

To me, a good beach read is fun, something you can pick up, read a little, then put down as you take a dip in the ocean. It has fast-moving plot and engaging characters, just an overall fun read. I feel like I always want to save new books that I have been looking forward to for the beach.

Book recommendations:

• Anything Ali Hazelwood

  • Love on the Brain, Loathe to Love You, The Love Hypothesis, and her new book Love, Theoretically.

• Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

  • Takes place in Malibu with a revolving cast of characters and alternating time periods.

• That new book you just bought that you have been saving for a special occasion to start? The beach is the perfect place to crack it open.

 

When it is too hot to go outside

Summer is so fun …until it is 100 degrees and the sun feels like a million lasers on your skin.

Summer is the perfect time for traveling, but what about the times when it is too hot to go outside? In these moments, it is time to crank up the A/C, close all of the blinds, and read a book.

When you are stuck inside, you want something thrilling with a fast-paced plot to get your mind off of the heat. These book recs are so engrossing that you will hopefully forget the triple-digit weather outside.

Book recommendations:

• My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

  • Hendrix is the 21st-century king of horror, and this demon possession set in the 1980s will send chills down your spine, despite the heat.

• My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh

  • This is one of the few books I have read in a single day.

• Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire

  • This book is the first in a series, so it is perfect for devouring the entire series in a night.

  • You can read my full review here.

• Yellowface by R.F Kuang

  • From the very first chapter, this book stuck its teeth into me and would not let go. Full review here.

 

Poolside

The poolside read is similar to the beach read. To be honest, I had trouble finding a difference between the pool and the beach reads. For me, I feel like the difference between the two is the setting.

At the pool, I want something a little more character-driven and that takes place somewhere cool.

Book recommendations:

• The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

  • Glitz and glam of old Hollywood meet superior character development in Reid’s bestseller.

• The Guncle by Steven Rowley

  • Set in Palm Springs, this story about a washed-up sitcom star taking care of his niece and nephew is full of heart and humor.

 

Camping

“I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately” – Henry David Thoreau

Whether camping in the mountains or the dusty desert, summer is the perfect time to enjoy nature. When camping, you might not have as much downtime to read when compared to the other activities on this list. But it is still important to have a book on hand.

When camping, there are two types of reading that come to mind: poetry and nonfiction. Nature is the perfect time to reflect, so either nonfiction or poetry will offer you a space to meditate on some big ideas. The shortness of poems is great because you can read them when you have downtime, in between hikes while lounging on a hammock.

Book recommendations:

• How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy by Jenny Odell

  • An insightful guide into reclaiming our attention and our life

• Call Us What We Carry by Amanda Gorman

  • Currently reading Amanda Gorman’s gorgeous poetry collection.