15 books at the top of Fashion Journal’s summer reading list
IMAGE VIA @plantmama_/INSTAGRAM
WORDS BY DAISY HENRY
Guaranteed page-turners.
From trips away to weekends at home with the windows open, lounging around with a book in hand in January and February feels like the ideal way to ease into the new year.
Along with fresh mangos and regular beach days, uninterrupted reading time in the sun is one of our favourite things about summer (fruity little cocktails also rank pretty high on this list).
For other perspectives on the people around us, head to our Life section.
From compelling thrillers to light-hearted rom-coms, here are the 15 books at the top of our summer reading list.
Green Dot by Madeleine Gray
Green Dot is Madeleine Gray’s debut fiction and follows Hera, a mid-twenties bisexual woman who works as a comment moderator in a newsroom in Sydney. Though Hera has spent the years since high school intentionally rejecting the traditional markers of success that those around her have clung to, she wonders if she’s instead being left behind. After meeting Arthur, an older, married colleague, Hera becomes intoxicated by the type of ordinary happiness he represents.
Grab a copy here.
Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth
Few authors can do a domestic thriller as good as Sally Hepworth. Her latest release, Darling Girls, unfurls as a body is discovered under the childhood home of foster sisters, Jessica, Norah and Alicia. This page-turner is filled with secrets, suspense and murder, making it the perfect book to get lost in.
Grab a copy here.
Lola in the Mirror by Trent Dalton
Lola in the Mirror is the latest release from the bestselling author of Boy Swallows Universe and Love Stories, Trent Dalton. It follows a nameless girl and her mother, who have been fugitives on the run for sixteen years, as they seek refuge in a rundown van by the Brisbane River. To achieve her dreams of becoming a celebrated artist, the girl must find Lola. And to do that, she must face the difficult challenge of looking in the mirror.
Grab a copy here.
Good Material by Dolly Alderton
Dolly Alderton’s latest release is a relatable tale of heartbreak and friendship. Infused with Dolly’s signature humour and tenderness, Good Material is told from the perspective of Andy as he tries to solve the puzzle of his broken relationship with Jen. Releasing November 2023, this one will get special priority in our suitcase.
Grab a copy here.
But the Girl by Jessica Zhan Mei Yu
Jessica Zhan Mei Yu’s debut novel, But The Girl, is a coming-of-age fiction recommended for readers of The Idiot by Elif Batuman and Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner. It follows an unnamed protagonist as she spends the spring at an artist’s residency in Scotland, far from her home in Australia and her tight-knit Malaysian family. As she works on her PhD, she is distracted by questions of family, identity and postcolonialism.
Grab a copy here.
The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue
Bestselling author of Promising Young Women and Scenes of a Graphic Nature, Caroline O’Donoghue is back with a new contemporary fiction. When Rachel falls in love with her married professor, Dr Byrne, her best friend James devises a plan for Rachel to seduce him. As the year progresses, a web of secrets forms and begins to disrupt the lives of everyone involved.
Grab a copy here.
Bite Back by Hannah Ferguson
In need of some sharp and insightful non-fiction for your holiday reading? Look no further than Bite Back. As the Founder and CEO of Cheek Media, Hannah Ferguson’s debut book covers everything from how to have difficult conversations about politics with family to ‘girlboss culture’, White feminism and more.
Grab a copy here.
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
Iron Flame is the highly anticipated sequel to the bestselling fantasy book, The Fourth Wing (which if you haven’t read, add to your list immediately). Iron Flame follows Violet as she tries to survive her second year at Basgaith War College. Packed full of sexual tension, battles and dragons, this series is perfect for fans of House of Dragon and readers of Sarah J. Maas.
Grab a copy here.
Small Worlds by Caleb Azumah Nelson
Set over the course of three summers in Stephen’s life from London to Ghana, Small Worlds is a captivating novel infused with Nelson’s signature prose. From dancing at Church with family to underground basements with DJs to dancing alone to his father’s records, music and movement have always solved Stephen’s problems.
Grab a copy here.
Yellowface by R. F. Kuang
From the highly acclaimed author of Babel and The Poppy Wars comes Yellowface, a thrilling and unputdownable book about racism and the publishing industry. When Athena Liu, a young and highly-successful author suddenly dies in a freak accident, her friend June impulsively steals her unreleased manuscript about Chinese laborers’ contributions to WWI efforts. June and her publishers then begin a rebrand, releasing the novel under an ambiguous author name and photo. Yet June’s secret can’t stay hidden forever and emerging evidence threatens to expose her.
Grab a copy here.
August Blue by Deborah Levy
Deborah Levy’s latest release is a mesmerising story that will take you from a flea market in Athens to the streets of Paris. August Blue follows Elsa M. Anderson, a famous pianist who walks off the stage mid-performance at the height of her career. After first noticing her doppelganger purchasing a pair of mechanical dancing horses at a market, Elsa’s double seems to follow her everywhere. What follows is a vivid story about identity and belonging.
Grab a copy here.
What You Are Looking For is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama
What You Are Looking For is in the Library is an uplifting and feel-good novel about the power of a good book. It follows Sayuri Komachi, a librarian who helps five visitors find what they’re looking for. This heartwarming read is recommended for fans of The Midnight Library and Before the Coffee Gets Cold.
Grab a copy here.
With Love, Chaos and Rigatoni by Jenna Holmes
Some of you may know Jenna Holmes best as ‘P Mami’ and be familiar with her online account ‘Pasta Mama’, where she shares chaotically aesthetic tablescapes, hosts dinner parties and shares delicious recipes. Her first book, With Love, Chaos and Rigatoni explores the nine core principles that guide all of the decisions to build a creative and inspired life. With a range of stories, travel tips and recipes, this is the ideal read for anyone who wants to move into the new year with a reclaimed zest for life.
Grab a copy here.
A House for Alice by Diana Evans
From the author of Ordinary People comes A House of Love. The story follows Alice Pitt, who, shaken by loss and in need of closure, wants to leave England where she has lived for 50 years in order to live out her final days in her homeland of Nigeria. As her daughters grapple with the issue of whether she stays or leaves, the foundations holding the Pitt family together begin to crack.
Grab a copy here.
Happy Place by Emily Henry
No summer reading list is complete without Emily Henry. Her latest release, Happy Place, follows Harriet and Wyn as they try to keep their breakup a secret from their best friends during a trip away. Determined not to ruin everyone’s final trip to the cottage, they try faking their relationship for one week. Sweet yet steamy, Happy Place is a fun and light-hearted rom-com.
Grab a copy here.
For a list of the best summer novels of all time, head here.
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