Whether you’re staying home, travelling, or taking classes, these books are perfect to pick up this summer
Photos via amazon.ca, collage by Sage Blackwell.
Finally have time to read now that classes are done, but have no idea where to start? From speculative fiction to cozy fantasy, here are six books you should try this summer.
‘Before the Coffee Gets Cold’ by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
For over 100 years, a mysterious back alley Tokyo café has offered customers the opportunity to travel to the past. Before the Coffee Gets Cold tells the story of four visitors in the café over one summer hoping to travel back in time, each with their own motivations and desires. However… you can only stay until the coffee gets cold.
‘Island Witch’ by Amanda Jayatissa
Set in nineteenth-century Sri Lanka, Amanda Jayatissa’s Island Witch follows Amara, the daughter of a demon-priest, as she works to clear her father’s name in the wake of a series of attacks targeting men in her village. Jayatissa blends Sri Lankan folklore and gothic horror with an underlying commentary on the influence of British colonization.
‘Shutter’ by Ramona Emerson
Forensic photographer Rita Todacheene has a secret that follows her to every crime scene: she can see the ghosts of the victims. But when one ghost continues to torment Rita, she finds herself caught up with one of the most dangerous cartels in New Mexico. Set in the Navajo Nation, Shutter is described as “equal parts gripping crime thriller, supernatural horror, and poignant portrayal of coming of age on the reservation.”
‘How to Stop Time’ by Matt Haig
Tom Hazard has been alive for centuries; moving through time with the help of the secret Albatross Society. How to Stop Time explores Tom’s journey as he navigates through different periods of time, struggling with the burden of his immortality and searching for a way to live a “normal” life.
‘Shut Up You’re Pretty’ by Téa Mutonji
Shut Up You’re Pretty is the debut short story collection by Congolese-Canadian author Téa Mutonji. From a teenage girl searching for happiness in a pack of cigarettes, to a mother and daughter reconnecting through fish, the collection highlights the challenges of growing up while exploring the experience of immigrants, mental health and suicide, drug use, and issues of race.
‘The Honey Witch’ by Sydney J. Shields
If you’re searching for a cozy fantasy to read this summer, The Honey Witch is the perfect mix of queer romance, historical fiction, and magical realism. No man can fall in love with the Honey Witch of Innisfree, but when a skeptical woman shows up at her door, Marigold Claude is willing to do anything to prove her magic is real — even if she risks losing everything.
