Five Summer Reads For Home or Vacation

With summer in full swing, I have seen many people online recommend their favorite “summer reads.” Summer reads are essentially fun, enjoyable books that capture the sunshine and fun feels of the summer season. Whatever your summer looks like (whether it’s a vacation, a staycation, or simply your usual routine) here are my top five recommendations to capture the feeling of summer. I have included various genres so that you can find something you enjoy, something you can recommend, and hopefully a new favorite.

Heidi by Johanna Spyri

Heidi is a beloved classic which has been adapted many different times and in many different ways (my favorite being the anime). This book follows the story of an orphan girl sent to live with her stern grandfather out in the Swiss alps. Heidi befriends Peter, the local goat herder, and finds a way to crack her grandfather’s rough exterior. But one day her aunt returns for her and, under false pretenses, steals her away to the big city of Frankfurt to work as a companion for a rich girl named Clara. The city is full of new adventure but Heidi wants nothing more than to return to her beloved grandfather and home in the alps.

This book is a story on family, friendship, and home. While it takes place in various seasons, for me Heidi is a summer read because it encapsulates that warm, bright feeling of hope. It is a fun read and is perfect for young and old readers alike.

Two Years Vacation by Jules Verne

Another classic, Two Years Vacation opens up on the eve of a two week vacation where a group of 8-14 year-old boys are eagerly awaiting to set off on a schooner. But when they all wake up on the following morning, they find themselves adrift at sea, with no sailors or adults in sight, and no familiar land around them. They end up stranded on a deserted island and must find a way to survive completely on their own. Survival has its own challenges, but when the oldest people in the group they can lean on are only fourteen-years-old, survival takes on a different meaning.

This book is a story on loyalty, friendship, survival, and determination. What was destined to be a two week’s vacation ends up being a two-year adventure. If you want an adventure read in the lines of The Swiss Family Robinson, this one is for you.

The Christy Miller Series by Robin Jones Gunn

This contemporary young adult series is one of my all-time favorites and follows the life of Christy Miller, a teenager discovering her identity and learning how to love God through the highs and lows of life. The series opens up just days before Christy decides to give her life to God, and it shows her growth as a person and as a believer. Through it all, she navigates high-school, moving cities, complex family relationships, friendships, crushes, and love.

Best of all? It takes place on the beach! (How is that for a summer read?) This series is more than a fun, lighthearted read. It is grounded, solid, and has many great life lessons. Best of all? It follows Christy all the way into her married years for those fans who love to delve deep into literary universes.

Kilmeny of the Orchard by Lucy Maud Montgomery

While most popularly known for Anne of Green Gables, Montgomery wrote some fantastic stand-alone novels. One of my favorites is Kilmeny of the Orchard, a story of a young professor, Eric Marshall, who encounters a girl playing a violin in a (surprise!) orchard. He soon discovers that Kilmeny doesn’t speak. A series of visits makes an unlikely friendship blossom between them, and Eric soon finds himself in love with Kilmeny. He wishes to marry her, but Kilmeny believes her disability to be an impediment for any relationship between them.

This romance is a fun read with a happily-ever-after ending and all the charm of a Montgomery book.

Until the Dawn by Elizabeth Camden

This historical romance tells the story of Sophie van Riijn, a girl with a passion for meteorology and volunteer to the newly established Weather Bureau. She is determined to take the most accurate weather readings from the highest spot in her village, an abandoned mansion. But when the owner of the mansion moves in, a widower with a son, more than one type of storm brews on the horizon. Quentin Vandermark is determined to tear down the mansion that haunts him, but Sophie will do whatever it takes to keep her passion alive.

Until the Dawn reminds me of Beauty and the Beast combined with mystery, family drama, and romance. It is a fun read full of surprises that will keep you turning the pages.

I hope you found your next summer read (and maybe even a new favorite author)! Happy summer and thanks for reading.

Anna

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Photo by Uby Yanes on Unsplash