A Summer Reading List (Unread)

Last weekend we had hailstones as big as golf balls, rooftops whitened for the afternoon. One Christmas Day in the 1970s with cousins in Amberley, we even had snow. Today it’s 30 degrees.

As December approaches, everything seems to accelerate. Gift guides, last-minute lists, the seasonal ‘shoulds’ and ‘musts’. Most of us aren’t longing for more things (certainly not things that require us to clear space to store them). What we want is rest, and time off from our minds.

Instead of a gift guide, here’s an outline for a summer of reading and disappearing into other worlds.

The Summer Book by Tove Jansson

Set on a Finnish island. This is first up on my reading list to slow me down and to begin noticing again.

The Enchanted April by Elizabeth Von Arnim

Four women travel to an Italian castle and discover a different way of being in the world.

Still Life by Sarah Winman

A story of art, colour, friendships and found family.

Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield

An atmospheric tale set along the Thames, drawing on folklore and storytelling.

Circe by Madeline Miller

A retelling of Greek myth that brings a goddess’s story to life.

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

A cosy story about belonging, magic and unexpected community.

I can’t recommend any of these books yet, because I haven’t read them. But I’m excited for every single one. And that feels like the perfect way to begin summer.

I’m imagining a hammock in the backyard, the dog asleep in the shade, lazy afternoons, iced tea, and a pile of borrowed books.

That’s the plan, anyway.

I’d love to know what you’re planning to read this summer. Any favourites or recommendations are welcome.