By: Logan Cunningham

It’s officially summer Warhawks, you know what that means… more time to read! Whether you’re an avid reader or just getting started, this list features some of the most popular books I’ve personally enjoyed or seen highly recommended by fellow readers. All of these are great for beach days, long road trips, coffee shop afternoons, or relaxing breaks between shifts.

Beach Reads

Are you looking for books to cozy up with while enjoying a day outside? These beach reads will be perfect! Full of warm and comforting vibes with insanely engaging plots that will keep you from putting the book down.

  • The Summer I Turned Pretty — Jenny Han (Logan’s 5-Star Pick)
    • “Every summer, Belly Conklin returns to Cousins Beach, where she spends time with the Fisher family and the two brothers she’s known all her life. This year feels different as Belly begins to see herself and the boys in a new light. Amid first love, heartbreak, and growing up, one unforgettable summer changes everything.”
    • This show’s out on Prime Video! Watch seasons 1 through 3 and see the book brought to life!
  • Better Than the Movies — Lynn Painter (Logan’s 5-Star Pick) (Film Adaptation)
    • “Liz Buxbaum is a hopeless romantic who dreams of experiencing the kind of love stories she grew up watching in rom-coms. When her longtime crush moves back to town, she enlists the help of her annoying next-door neighbor, Wes, to get his attention. As their scheme unfolds, Liz discovers that real-life romance doesn’t always follow the script she expected.”
    • The movie is in pre-production and estimated to be out late 2027 or 2028.
  • People We Meet on Vacation — Emily Henry (Film Adaptation)
    • “Poppy and Alex have been best friends for years despite being complete opposites, sharing an annual summer trip that becomes the highlight of their lives. After a mysterious falling-out leaves them estranged, Poppy convinces Alex to take one last vacation together. As they revisit old memories, they must confront what really happened between them and whether friendship is all they’ve ever wanted.”
    • The movie is out now on Netflix! Give it a watch after reading the book.
  • Happy Place — Emily Henry
    • “Harriet and Wyn were once deeply in love, but they secretly broke up months ago and haven’t told their close-knit group of friends. When they’re forced to spend a final vacation together at their beloved Maine getaway, they pretend to still be engaged to avoid disrupting the trip. Surrounded by old memories and unresolved feelings, they must decide whether their relationship is truly over.”
  • Book Lovers — Emily Henry
    • “Nora Stephens is a successful literary agent who never sees herself as the heroine of a romance novel. When she accompanies her sister to a small town for a month-long getaway, she repeatedly runs into Charlie, a book editor she already knows from work. Their unexpected connection challenges Nora’s assumptions about love, family, and the life she truly wants.”
  • Every Summer After — Carley Fortune
    • “Percy Fraser spent six magical summers falling in love with Sam Florek at a lakeside retreat before one devastating mistake tore them apart. Years later, Percy returns to the place she once considered home and comes face-to-face with the people she left behind. Moving between past and present, the story explores first love, regret, forgiveness, and second chances.”

Fantasy

For readers who want to escape into worlds filled with magic, adventure, and unforgettable characters, these fantasy novels are must-reads! The world-building and storylines are highly detailed and provide so much imagination for the reader.

  • Fourth Wing — Rebecca Yarros (Logan’s 5-Star Pick)
    • “Violet Sorrengail expects to live a quiet life as a scribe, but her powerful mother forces her into Basgiath War College, where aspiring dragon riders face deadly trials. Despite her physical limitations, Violet forms unlikely alliances, bonds with dragons, and becomes entangled with the dangerous and enigmatic Xaden Riorson. As she struggles to survive, she uncovers secrets that could change everything she believes about her kingdom.”
  • Six of Crows — Leigh Bardugo
    • “Criminal mastermind Kaz Brekker is offered an enormous reward for completing an impossible heist: infiltrating the heavily guarded Ice Court and extracting a valuable prisoner. To pull it off, he assembles a team of six outcasts, each with unique talents, troubled pasts, and personal motives. As the mission grows more dangerous, loyalty, betrayal, and survival become just as important as the prize itself.”
  • The Cruel Prince — Holly Black
    • “After her parents are murdered, Jude Duarte is taken to the magical world of Faerie, where mortals are despised and constantly underestimated. Determined to earn power and respect, Jude becomes involved in deadly court politics, deception, and a fierce rivalry with the cruel Prince Cardan. Her ambition draws her into a dangerous game that could reshape the kingdom’s future.”
  • A Court of Thorns and Roses — Sarah J. Maas
    • “When huntress Feyre Archeron kills a wolf in the woods, she is taken to the magical land of Prythian as punishment by a powerful faerie lord named Tamlin. As she adapts to life in the Spring Court, Feyre discovers that a dark curse threatens the faerie realm and everyone she has come to care about. What begins as a tale of captivity and distrust evolves into a story of sacrifice, love, and confronting ancient evil.”
  • Assistant to the Villain — Hannah Nicole Maehrer
    • “Evie Sage desperately needs a job and unexpectedly becomes the assistant to the kingdom’s most feared villain. While managing chaotic office duties, suspicious plots, and eccentric coworkers, she discovers that her employer may be far more complicated than his reputation suggests. Blending fantasy, romance, and workplace comedy, the story follows Evie as she navigates danger, mystery, and growing feelings for her enigmatic boss.”

Thriller/Horror

Looking for an edge-of-your-seat read? These trending thriller and horror books will be perfect for a rainy day or spooky night.

  • A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder — Holly Jackson (Logan’s 5-Star Pick)
    • “For a school project, high school senior Pip Fitz-Amobi reopens a local murder case that everyone believes was solved years ago. Convinced the accused boy was innocent, she begins uncovering hidden evidence and long-buried secrets in her small town. The deeper she investigates, the more dangerous the truth becomes.”
    • This show is out now on Netflix! Go binge season 1 and season 2 once you’re done reading.
  • We Were Liars — E. Lockhart (Logan’s 5-Star Pick)
    • “Cadence Sinclair returns to her wealthy family’s private island after a mysterious accident left her with memory gaps and chronic headaches. Determined to understand what happened during the summer she can’t fully remember, she reconnects with her close-knit group of friends known as “the Liars.” As her memories slowly return, she uncovers a devastating truth about her family and herself.”
    • This show’s available to watch on Prime Video with season 2 in production now! Go check it out!
  • The Silent Patient — Alex Michaelides
    • “Alicia Berenson, a famous painter, is accused of murdering her husband and then mysteriously stops speaking altogether. Years later, psychotherapist Theo Faber becomes determined to uncover the truth behind both the crime and Alicia’s silence. As he digs deeper into her past, he discovers that nothing about the case is as straightforward as it seems.”
  • None of This Is True — Lisa Jewell
    • “Successful podcaster Alix Summer meets Josie Fair, a woman who shares her birthday and claims to have an extraordinary life story. When Alix begins featuring Josie on her podcast, she becomes increasingly entangled in a web of unsettling secrets and contradictions. What starts as a fascinating human-interest story turns into a chilling psychological thriller about obsession, manipulation, and the nature of truth.”
  • The Housemaid — Freida McFadden
    • “Millie Calloway, a woman with a troubled past, lands a live-in housekeeping job for the wealthy Winchester family. Although the opportunity seems like a fresh start, strange behavior from her employers and unsettling discoveries within the house make her question everything. As tensions rise, shocking twists reveal who is really in control and who is in danger.”
    • New movie available to watch on Prime Video, Starz, Hulu, and much more!

Mythology

Are you a big fan of all things mythology and myths? This list of various mythology (Greek, Egyptian & Norse) will keep you entertained all summer long.

  • The Red Pyramid – Rick Riordan (Logan’s 5-Star Pick)
    • “After a disastrous experiment at the British Museum unleashes ancient Egyptian gods, siblings Carter and Sadie Kane discover they are descended from powerful magicians. Thrust into a hidden world of Egyptian mythology, they must learn magic, rescue their father, and stop the chaos god Set from destroying the world. The novel combines fast-paced adventure, humor, and mythology while exploring family, identity, and destiny.”
  • Circe — Madeline Miller
    • “Circe retells the story of the infamous Greek witch from her own perspective, following her journey from an overlooked daughter of the sun god Helios to a powerful sorceress. Exiled to the island of Aiaia, she encounters legendary figures from Greek mythology including Odysseus, Daedalus, Medea, and the Minotaur, while discovering her own strength and identity. The novel explores themes of independence, transformation, love, and what it means to choose humanity over divine immortality.”
  • Song of Achilles — Madeline Miller
    • “This novel reimagines the events of the Iliad through the eyes of Patroclus, a young prince who becomes the closest companion of the legendary warrior Achilles. Their friendship deepens into a profound romance as they grow up together and are eventually drawn into the Trojan War. Against a backdrop of prophecy, gods, and battle, the story focuses on love, sacrifice, and the tragic cost of glory.”
  • Lore — Alexandra Bracken
    • “In a modern-day New York City where Greek gods periodically become mortal, seventeen-year-old Lore Perseous is pulled back into a deadly competition known as the Agon. During this hunt, descendants of ancient heroes seek to kill weakened gods and claim their powers. Forced to confront her family’s violent past and a growing threat that could reshape the world, Lore must decide whether revenge is worth the price.”
  • The Shadow of the Gods – John Gwynne
    • “Set in a brutal Norse-inspired world where the gods died in a cataclysmic war, the story follows three characters: Orka, Varg, and Elvar. Their lives become intertwined by quests for vengeance, glory, and survival. As ancient powers begin to reawaken, each must navigate a land filled with monsters, mercenaries, and the lingering influence of the fallen gods. The novel delivers epic battles, rich world-building, and a dark exploration of loyalty, fate, and family.”

Motivational

Looking to build healthy habits, train for a new goal, or make positive changes in your life this summer? These motivational reads offer practical advice and fresh perspectives. After reading these books, your outlook on life will change for the better.

  • Atomic Habits — James Clear
    • “Atomic Habits argues that lasting change comes from small, consistent improvements rather than dramatic transformations. Clear explains how habits are formed through cues, cravings, responses, and rewards, and provides a practical framework for building good habits and breaking bad ones. The book emphasizes that success is driven more by effective systems and identity-based habits than by goals alone.”
  • The Mountain Is You — Brianna Wiest
    • “The Mountain Is You explores how self-sabotage often stems from unresolved emotions, limiting beliefs, and unconscious coping mechanisms. Wiest uses the metaphor of a mountain to show that the greatest obstacles to personal growth are usually internal rather than external. The book guides readers toward self-mastery by developing emotional resilience, confronting fears, and transforming destructive patterns into opportunities for growth.”
  • 101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think — Brianna Wiest
    • “This collection of essays challenges readers to rethink their assumptions about life, relationships, success, and personal growth. Wiest examines how thought patterns shape reality and encourages greater self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and mindfulness. Through short, reflective pieces, she offers practical and philosophical insights designed to help readers develop healthier perspectives and more intentional lives.”
  • Deep Work — Cal Newport
    • “Deep Work argues that the ability to focus intensely on demanding tasks without distraction is one of the most valuable skills in the modern economy. Newport explains how constant interruptions and shallow work reduce productivity and proposes strategies for cultivating sustained concentration. The book provides a framework for creating habits and environments that enable deeper thinking, higher-quality work, and greater professional success.”

Quick Reads

Don’t have a lot of free time this summer but want to keep up with your reading? Fly through these novels that are shorter than the 600 page books but still pack a full story.

  • Before the Coffee Gets Cold — Toshikazu Kawaguchi (Logan’s 5-Star Pick)
    • “In a small Tokyo café, customers can travel back in time under a strict set of rules, including returning before their coffee gets cold. The novel follows four interconnected stories of people revisiting pivotal moments with loved ones, seeking closure, forgiveness, or understanding. Rather than changing the past, the journeys reveal how confronting regret can transform the present.”
  • The Alchemist — Paulo Coelho (Logan’s 5-Star Pick)
    • “Santiago, a young Andalusian shepherd, sets out on a quest to find treasure he dreams is hidden near the Egyptian pyramids. Along the way, he encounters mentors, challenges, and signs that teach him about pursuing his “Personal Legend”, his life’s true purpose. The novel is a philosophical fable about self-discovery, faith, and the courage to follow one’s dreams.”
  • Convenience Store Woman — Sayaka Murata
    • “Keiko Furukura, a 36-year-old woman who has worked in a convenience store for nearly two decades, finds comfort and identity in the store’s routines and rules. As family and society pressure her to conform to expectations around career, romance, and marriage, she struggles with what it means to live authentically. The novel is a sharp, often humorous exploration of social norms, individuality, and belonging.”
  • We Should All Be Feminists — Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
    • “Adapted from Adichie’s acclaimed TED Talk, this essay argues that gender inequality remains deeply embedded in modern society and affects everyone. Drawing on personal experiences and cultural observations, she challenges stereotypes about feminism and explains why equal opportunities benefit both women and men. The book is an accessible, persuasive call for a more inclusive and equitable world.”

I hope these book recommendations will help you choose the perfect novel to kick off your summer reading. Have a great summer Warhawks! Happy reading!