Sizzling Summer Books for 2021

11 Must Read Fiction Books (Including the Two I Think Will Be the Biggest Blockbusters)

Looking for suggestions or inspiration for fresh summer reading? These summer releases for 2021 look like they’ll make for a great season! I’m especially excited about female-driven fiction books written by female authors.

Summer days with longer sunlight can make it feel like there’s more time to read. After many years of being out of school, I still get excited about getting to read what I want in the summer. There are many books I’ve read, like Elin Hilderbrand’s Summer of ’69 two summers ago, that the mere memory can transport me to the Adirondack chair where I read it (in Northern Wisconsin, over a thousand miles from the book’s setting in Nantucket). My children say they think of me, a summer read, and a tall glass of Arnold Palmer as synonyms. When they were little I survived long days by putting them in a kiddie pool where I could put my feet in and supervise. As they got older, reading in a lounge chair at the neighborhood pool was my definition of luxury. Making friends with other moms at the beach or pool because we liked the same books was a bonus.

There are other reasons to savor fiction in the summer. Reading can lower blood pressure, heart rate, and stress levels. According to a 2009 study conducted at the University of Sussex, reading can reduce stress by up to 68 percent. Six minutes of reading can help you lower your heart rate and improve your health. Reading can soothe the body and calm the mind. This can aid in the prevention of stress-related illnesses and assist in the treatment of existing stress-related illnesses.

Reading doesn’t have to cost any money. Libraries allow you to reserve books and will alert you when your book is available. Libraries will also allow you to defer your selection (this takes away the stress of preordering several books in advance). It’s also fun to pool resources with friends and share favorite summer books. At the end of last summer, my friends and I donated our shared collection to a local Little Free Library.

Here is a list of books I’m most looking forward to making reading memories with this summer. I’m sure more titles will pop up from recommendations, and I’m…