Fulton Library’s Summer Reading Recommendations

Students in the library stacks at UVU Fulton LibraryLooking for your next summer read? We’ve curated three booklists to help you find your next five-star book, with more than 55 other lists available to browse online. Keep reading for a rundown of our favorite books for summer!

Short Books for Long Summer Days

As the days lengthen and temperatures rise, no one wants to lug around a 1,000-page, Sanderson-esque tome. This list features reads that are each less than 250 pages—perfect for sipping on a drink, lounging in the sun, and reading a book in one sitting. Whether you’re kicking back at the pool or sprawling in a park, these compact and captivating stories are sure to be the perfect summer escape.

Be sure to check out a few of our favorites: Annie Dillard’s Holy the Firm offers striking, lyrical descriptions of the author’s two-year stint near the Puget Sound; Becky Chambers’ A Psalm for the Wild-Built depicts a soft, cozy tale of a tea monk whose life is upended by a robot; and Maggie Nelson’s The Argonauts is a genre-bending memoir exploring desire, identity, love, and language.

Check out the full booklist for these books and more.

It’s Giving A24

From horror to literary fiction, the books on this list channel scary, wacky, and heart-wrenching vibes—basically, books that could realistically be made into A24 adaptations. A24 corners the market on movies that keep you thinking long after the credits roll, whether you’re hyper-analyzing the storyline, holding in sobs, or double checking every dark corner of your home. Just like an A24 film, turn to these books if you’re looking for a book that’ll leave a mark.

On this list, you’ll find books about a woman dying in a rural hospital, told in nightmarish tones (Fever Dream by Samantha Schweblin), a stay-at-home mom convinced she’s turning into a dog (Nightbitch by Rachel Toder), and twins who spontaneously combust (Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson).

Check out a few of our suggestions below, but don’t forget to browse the full list.

Niche Nonfiction

Discover standout nonfiction that’s by turns stunning, stirring, and stranger than fiction. With this list, explore hyper-specific nonfiction topics that are anything but dull. Whether you want to brush up on niche areas of history or learn about an issue facing humanity that you never knew existed, this list has it all.

Fascinated by all things morbid? Check out Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty. If you’re interested in our changing climate (and learning about who will be impacted the most), pick up Elizabeth Kolbert’s Field Notes from a Catastrophe: Man, Nature, and Climate Change. Finally, check out Robin Wall Kimmerer’s brilliant book, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and The Teachings of Plants, to learn how to incorporate sustainable indigenous practices into your own life.

Here are a few of our favorites, but browse the full booklist for more. Happy summer reading!