☀️ Summer Reading 2026 ☀️ 11 Hot Book Recommendations for You! July 23, 2026 Reading Time: 9 min ShareTweetPinShare0 Shares If you’re looking for some books to read over the holidays, here ‘s a fabulous mix of 6 fiction, 1 short stories & 4 non-fiction books to give your summer reading a boost! This year 10 of the 11 book recommendations came from our wonderful newsletter readers + kindness community members. A big thank-you to Mehnaz Amjad, Sally de la Rue Browne, Mary E Henry, Tracy Fallon, Helen Castillo, Kitty Koniali, Deanie Marin-Lucchesi, Nigel Burns, Melissa Phillipoff and Lori Warren! Skip straight to the list of books >> There’s something for everyone, whether you’re in the mood to escape into the past, lose yourself in magical worlds or curl up with hopeful contemporary fiction (and perhaps a sprinkle of romance), this collection has you covered. You’ll also find a fascinating journey into India’s wildlife and landscapes. Prefer non-fiction? Dive into books about resilience, journaling, the mind-body connection and the suprising impact of going above and beyond for others. PLEASE NOTE: The links below go to Bookshop.org (USA), so you can learn more about the book—and purchase online. I am now an affiliate for Bookshop.org! It’s a great alternative to Amazon as they give money back to small booksellers—and they also have a UK site. Although I also recommend directly supporting your local bookstore or buying second-hand eg. through AbeBooks which is also good for our planet. And even better for our planet? Use your local library! Lately I have been reading entire series of books through the library, and have placed holds on 3 of the books below already! Do you love reading—or listening to audio books? I’ve been an avid reader since I was young, and love to read every night in bed. My favourite time of the week is still a weekend morning, reading in bed with a great book and a good cup of tea. What about you? Books teach us about our world—and the people in it! Not only entertainment, pleasure or an escape from the stresses of life, stories offer us insight into other worlds: different lives, cultures, times (past or future) or an entirely different world. And non-fiction gives us knowledge, ideas and inspiration! In particular memoir and biographies give us deep insight into other life experiences. Different to movies, books tend to be more immersive, connecting us even more deeply to characters because we literally see inside their minds: their habits, reactions, quirks and thought processes. And all this makes us more empathic and possibly even brainier! Reading novels enhances brain function, brain connectivity, and mental agility. Dr Irena O’Brien (cognitive neuroscientist) So, what’s not to love? Books make learning fun! From a Fierce Kindness perspective, if you want to make a difference, books help us understand each other, our world—and how it came to be. So, if you’re wondering about big topics like addiction, poverty, colonisation, racism or what it’s like to be gay or queer, one of the easiest and most enjoyable ways to educate ourselves is to read novels written by people with personal experience—or stories that explore collective history. And here are the Summer 2026 Reading Recommendations Starting with 6 Fiction Novels Genre/Desc: Comfort Science Fiction, Thoughtful, Spiritual, Hopeful, Sweet. Buy on Bookshop 1) Monk and Robot by Becky Chambers If you need something light, yet deep, thoughtful and hopeful, this may be for you. This delightful “Cosy Sci-Fi” book is actually a multi award winning pair of novellas (A Psalm for the Wild-Built and A Prayer for the Crown-Shy). And what I loved most is that this book gave me hope for the future. Centuries ago the robots of the moon, Panga, became conscious. Humans, who of course had been using them for all kinds of work allowed them to leave—and the robots walked off into the wilds. Humans adapted. They downsized their expectations, took a gentler approach to their environment, and learned to live in a new way—with less. Until a robot called Mosscap, emerges from the undergrowth to surprise a tea monk, wanting to know how the humans have been doing with out them. It asks, “What do you need?” and the two set out to discover the answer. Awards: Hugo Award for Best Novella (2022), Nebula Award Nominee for Best Novella (2021), Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Science Fiction (2021), Mythopoeic Fantasy Award Nominee for Adult Literature (2024) and several more! Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Relationships, Redemption with some Magical Realism. Buy on Bookshop 2) Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt Published in 2022, this book is a fun and playful exploration of friendship, hope and the intelligence and personality of non-human creatures—in this case an octopus called Marcellus. A widow, Tova Sullivan, takes a night-shift cleaning job at the local aquarium to keep herself busy after her husband dies. This is what she does, especially after her adult son, Erik, vanished over 30 years previously. An unlikely friendship develops between Tova and Marcellus, but can the Octopus help Tova figure out what happened to her son before it’s too late? This has also recently been made into a movie by Netflix, with Sally Field playing Tova. Awards and Accolades: A Goodreads Nominee for Readers’ Favorite Fiction (2022) and Nominee for Readers’ Favorite Debut Novel (2022). Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Comedy-Drama, Heartwarming, Hopeful, Grief and Loss Buy on Bookshop 3) A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman This was described by our recommender as a sweet book about the kindness of neighbors. Set in Sweden, Ove is a “curmudgeon” who dislikes most people, has strict routines, lots of principles and loses his temper easily. Is he bitter? How can he not be when he walks around smiling—even as he finds fault with everything and everyone around him? But of course there’s a story behind his behaviour—and it turns out he’s stuck in grief… Until a friendly couple with two friendly children move in and accidentally flatten his mailbox. And now things start to turn around. This has also been adapted into a movie with Tom Hanks. Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Magical Realism Buy on Bookshop 4) The Bird Hotel by Joyce Maynard The Bird Hotel is a big, sweeping story spanning four decades, offering lyricism as well as whimsy. It follows a young American with a difficult childhood who after experiencing tragedy, decides to restore and run a hotel: La Llorona. Set in Central America, we meet a rich cast of characters—both locals and visitors, and there is also a mystery to resolve at the centre of this story. Our recommender loved the writing style full of emotion, imagery and resilience through life’s traumas and difficulties. Joyce Maynard is a New York Times bestselling author. Genre: Historical Fiction, Witches, Thriller, Thought-Provoking, Buy on Bookshop 5) Hour of the Witch by Chris Bohjalian Set in Boston, USA in 1662, this book follows a young Puritan woman (Mary Deerfield) who despises the male hypocrisy in her community. She is trapped in a violent marriage and dares to seek a divorce. Of course suspicion, superstition and fear of witchcraft spreads through the community, and she finds herself fighting not only for her freedom—but for her life. Rich in historical detail, this book is gripping and suspenseful and explores courage, resilience and the devastating consequences of fear and prejudice. I would imagine this book is not for the faint of heart, especially as Bookshop describes this as: “A terrifying story of socially sanctioned brutality and the original American witch hunt.” Awards and Accolades: Goodreads Nominee for Readers’ Favorite Historical Fiction (2021) Genre: High Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Time Travel, Romance Buy on Bookshop 6) The Book That Wouldn’t Burn by Mark Lawrence Our recommender describes this fantasy novel as an atmospheric read, with big themes based around a timeless almost infinite library. It deals with human nature and covers inter-species rivalry, how we fail to learn lessons from the past and much much more! The first book in The Library Trilogy, we follow two characters, Evar and Livira. One who has lived their entire life trapped in a vast library, and another who has lived only in a small settlement full of nightmares, but is brought to the library to be trained as a librarian. Their stories spiral around each other across worlds and time as they unlock secrets about themselves—and their world. Trigger + content warnings: slavery, violence of many kinds, grief, war, fire, blood magic Awards and Accolades: Goodreads Nominee for Readers’ Favorite Fantasy (2023) A book of delightful short stories Genre: Nature, India, Short Stories, Memoir Buy on Bookshop 7) My Favorite Nature Stories by Ruskin Bond Ruskin Bond is an icon among Indian writers. He loves nature, and in this beautiful collection of stories he shares encounters and experiences with the natural world around him. From cicadas to birdsong, seashells and more—if you love the natural world, you will love these writings. Our recommender says Ruskin Bond is their all-time favorite author. He “is 92 years old, lives in North Delhi and has stayed back in India, long after we gained independence from the British. You will love the language, as he takes you on a journey inside India, its diversity and a lot more if you can read between the lines 🙂 … The best part of his writing is the philosophy and humor written taken from everyday life.” Ruskin Bond is “one of the best-loved and most admired chroniclers of contemporary India.” 4 non-fiction books to expand your mind! Genre: Psychology and Health Buy on Bookshop 8) The Body Keeps the Score Subheading: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel Van Der Kolk Dr Van Der Kolk is both a scientific researcher AND active therapist. In this book he shares insights, learnings and insights from over 30 years of leading research and clinical practice. He shares how fear and isolation is at the core of trauma and how it literally rewires our brain and body, as well as the latest paths to recovery that can help free us from the “tyranny of the past”. If you want to understand the impacts of trauma on the mind and body, this book is for you. And it’s a fascinating and surprisingly easy read! Genre: Psychology and Resilience Buy on Bookshop 9) Resilient Subheading: How to Grow an Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength, and Happiness by Rick Hanson Rick Hanson PhD blends neuroscience, positive psychology and practical exercises to help you build lasting resilience from the inside out. Rather than simply teaching you how to cope with challenges, he shares how to strengthen 12 essential “inner resources” that bring greater calm, confidence and well-being. With decades of research and clinical experience, this book offers simple, actionable practices to help navigate life’s ups and downs with greater ease and strength. Or as our recommender said, a “wonderful book that approaches the life skill of being Resilient without complicating it too much.” Genre: Journaling, Memoir, Self-Help, Inspiration Buy on Bookshop 10) The Book of Alchemy Subheading: A Creative Practice for an Inspired Life by Suleika Jaouad (hardback only) Set in the context of everyday life and the transformative practice of journaling, this inspiring book explores how writing can help us navigate change, loss, joy, uncertainty, and everything in between. Blending Suleika Jaouad’s personal insights with essays and prompts from 100 writers, artists and thinkers, it offers both encouragement and deep self-reflection to live a more inspired life. The Book of Alchemy is a beautiful companion for anyone looking to cultivate creativity, gain clarity and connect more deeply with themselves through the power of journaling. Our recommender says “[this] has been a book that has stayed with me this year… so few books make me feel seen and I had several moments where like I have felt exactly that… a book for journalers… and as someone who battles health issues this aspect of the authors story was amazing.” Awards and Accolades: An NPR Best Book of the Year and Goodreads Nominee for Readers’ Favorite Nonfiction (2025) Genre: Economics, Poverty, Social Class, Society, America Buy on Bookshop 11) Unreasonable Hospitality Subheading: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect by Will Guidara (hardback only) Our recommender says, “a national bestseller about creating loyalty, trust, and differentiation through generosity and thoughtful attention to people.” This sounds like a perfect fit for Fierce Kindness! Based around the story of how Will Guidara transformed Eleven Madison Park into the world’s top-ranked restaurant by making extraordinary hospitality his guiding principle. Through engaging stories and practical leadership lessons, he shows how going beyond people’s expectations can create unforgettable experiences for customers, colleagues—and your teams too. An inspiring read for anyone who wants to lead with generosity, build a remarkable culture and make a lasting impact—whatever their industry. A New York Times Best Seller. Get the Summer 2026 Reads on Bookshop.org Wrap-up So, what books are you reading? Which books on this list have you read or inspire you? Share your book thoughts & summer read recommendations in the comments below! Liked these Summer Read Recommendations? You may also like: 2025 Summer Reads 2024 Summer Reads 2023 Summer Reads 2022 Summer Reads Change the world. Start with you! ShareTweetPinShare0 Shares Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.