The 5 Best Books to Read this Summer
By Greer Valaquenta
Some people pack multiple bikinis. Others plan every outfit packing cube by packing cube. Greer, however, starts with the books.
As one of the founding members of The Hood Collective, Greer brings a naturally curious eye to everything she recommends. A lifelong reader with a particular love of literary fiction, forgotten histories and stories centred on complex women, her holiday reading list is refreshingly different from the predictable bestseller round-up.
Whether you're heading for a Greek beach, a Scottish staycation or simply claiming a quiet corner of the garden, these are the five books to pop in your bag or upload to your Kindle.
The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton
"I love an Edwardian novel that captivates you with morally ambiguous and conniving characters. This one is my favourite for its acidic comedy and girly narrative of how to marry a millionaire (a few times over)."
If your idea of holiday reading is razor-sharp wit wrapped up in period glamour, Edith Wharton's classic delivers. Undine Spragg remains one of literature's most fascinating anti-heroines, ambitious, unapologetic and endlessly entertaining.
City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert
"This story is set in 1940s New York City as a good girl goes bad and leaves the safe haven of Connecticut for the rush of theatre life on Broadway. The perfect frothy summer read for the beach!"
Elizabeth Gilbert swaps self-help for sparkling fiction in this joyful coming-of-age novel. Full of showgirls, sequins, romance and reinvention, it's exactly the kind of immersive page-turner you lose entire afternoons to.
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
"This is being made into a film starring Anne Hathaway and it's on my reading list this summer. About a 'trad-wife' social media influencer who wakes up back in the 19th century and has to now live what she preaches!"
This clever little time-slip novel is generating plenty of buzz ahead of its film adaptation as it asks what would really happen if social media fantasy collided with historical reality. Expect humour, satire and plenty to think about.
Milk Teeth by Jessica Andrews
"Another novel on my reading list, I've been told this is a narrative that girls in their twenties will find deeply relatable. 'This girl will try anything except therapy,' according to one review on Goodreads!"
One of Greer's most anticipated reads this summer, Milk Teeth explores identity, relationships and modern womanhood with honesty and humour. If you're looking for contemporary fiction with emotional depth, this is one to add to the pile.
The Mysterious Case of the Victorian Female Detective by Sara Lodge
"I have a hyperfixation with the Victorian period. There's just something so fascinating about it and this book made me question everything I thought I knew about the role of women detectives in a society that didn't want to credit any of them. And yes, I'm biased because it's written by my favourite former tutor."
For readers who enjoy discovering the extraordinary stories history forgot, this fascinating non-fiction title shines a light on the pioneering women investigators who worked in the shadows of Victorian Britain.
Greer Valquenta
Greer Valaquenta is a writer, artist and creative who contributes to visual arts and lifestyle publications including Musée Magazine. She graduated from the University of St Andrews after reading Art History and English, and then moved to Edinburgh. She has a love for all things beauty and lifestyle and is a multi-platform content creator. She loves all things makeup, fashion, and fun, and loves combining a think piece with a skincare routine.