Summer Good Reads

What makes for good vacation reading? According to our 20 million members, this summer it's pirates, sexspionage, historical intrigue, plenty of romance, and most importantly, fantastic writing! These seven warm-weather reads have achieved that coveted 4.0 average rating—and garnered dazzling reviews to back up those high marks. So get reading! And tell us, what vacation books are you devouring this summer?

A Hundred Summers
by Beatriz Williams (Goodreads Author)
4.01 average rating
Ah, young love! So giddy and so doomed. In this juicy beach read, two New York socialites summer in 1930s Rhode Island and get romantically entangled with the same handsome boy. Goodreads member Amy says, "Filled with scandal, deception, and family secrets, A Hundred Summers is the perfect novel to get lost in on a summer's day...a captivating and unforgettable read."

Red Sparrow
by Jason Matthews
4.03 average rating
Learn the secrets of "sexpionage" as a trained seductress circles her prey, a young American spy. Penned by a former CIA officer, this globe-trotting thriller zigzags across Moscow, Helsinki, Rome, and Athens. Goodreads member Paul says, "Excellent, one of the best spy novels I have read in a long, long time...there is not one dull moment in the entire book."

Cinnamon and Gunpowder
by Eli Brown (Goodreads Author)
4.06 average rating
Pirates mixed with fine dining on the high seas? Goodreads reviewers relish this swashbuckling romp about a cunning pirate queen who kidnaps a chef and demands that he prepare gourmet meals onboard her ship—or walk the plank! Goodreads member Annie says, "I lost an entire day to this darn book; it was so fun, suspenseful, and even enlightening...battle scenes galore, dastardly bad guys, dastardly good guys, and great food—what more could you possibly want?"

The Firebird
by Susanna Kearsley (Goodreads Author)
4.20 average rating
Readers love this romantic novel that mixes history and art with a hint of fantasy. It follows Nicola Marter, a Russian art expert who carefully hides her special talent—when she touches an object, she can see its past—as she investigates the origin of a wooden carving that may have belonged to Empress Catherine. Goodreads member Katherine says, "Kearsley writes in lovely, lilting prose...from first page to last, The Firebird is a sensual, richly imagined tale."

Lexicon
by Max Barry (Goodreads Author)
4.06 average rating
Nothing is more powerful or dangerous than words in this riveting thriller about a secret society that trains "poets" to use language to control people, literally. Emily, an oprhaned street hustler recruited by the poets, and Wil, the lone survivor of a catastrophic event that erased his memory, may be the only two who can save mankind. Jaclyn says, "Lexicon is thinky, and tricky, and darkly funny. Read it to get a taste of what sci-fi can be and should be more often."

The Universe Versus Alex Woods
by Gavin Extence
4.10 average rating
This quirky novel follows the coming of age of bookish bully-target Alex Woods, who is a bit of a celebrity since being struck by a meteorite as a child. He goes on an unlikely adventure with a crotchety Vonnegut-reading Vietnam vet. Goodreads member Marleen says, "Thought-provoking...and original, this is the best book I've read so far this year...it is nothing short of brilliant."

White Dog Fell from the Sky
by Eleanor Morse (Goodreads Author)
4.18 average rating
Literary lovers on Goodreads praise the vivid language in this novel that tells the story of a medical student who flees apartheid South Africa for Botswana. Goodreads member Samantha says, "Beautifully written, and both unflinching and compassionate, White Dog Fell From the Sky very nearly achieves that completeness that so many novels strive for."

Want more? Try some Goodreads Listopias: Best Beach Reads 2013, What's the book you can't wait to read this summer?, Smart Summer Reads, and more!