May 19, 2025 (Summer)
Stupid Summer Reads
Our editors list the fluffiest and silliest books they recommend or are looking forward to reading now that finals are over.
Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer: I read the first book in this series last summer, which follows a young woman who took a job as an assistant to the villain (which is the title of the book) after being fired from her previous job. Chaos and yearning ensues. Was it the best thing I’ve ever read? No, but I still enjoyed it a lot, so I think the second book will make a perfect read for this summer. —Neesa Peak
Beach Read by Emily Henry: Need some witty banter and angsty romance this summer? Released in 2020, this contemporary novel follows January Andrews, a romance writer, and Augustus Everett, a literary fiction writer, who find themselves living in neighboring houses on Lake Michigan. Both struggling with writer’s block, they make a pact to swap genres for the summer. As they enter each other’s worlds, they slowly realize that there is more to their relationship than just a writing experiment. This was one of my favorites from previous summers, and I’ll keep recommending it if you are looking for something silly and fun to read. —Katie Frank
Chess Fan Fiction: In the wild world of fan fiction, people can write about anything, including the strategic board game chess. Using the pieces on the board, people have created works of love, betrayal, death, and more. All you have to do is type “chess fan fiction” in a search bar and click on the site “A03.” You will find 82 works of chess fan fiction, and trust me, it’s insane. Make sure to read the tags though, since you never know what chess pieces are going to do. —Julia Hahn
This isn’t a book that I’m going to read this summer, but it’s a book I’ve attempted to read a few times: Crave by Tracy Wolff. A vampire love interest with trauma, a human girl with a tragic past, a Gothic boarding school full of supernatural drama, and a cover that’s literally just an apple and a shattered rose? It’s like Twilight’s dramatic cousin who read too much Wattpad and said, “What if we did ALL the tropes at once?” —Jenna Fintelmann
The Family Across the Street by Nicole Trope: This novel has recently caught my interest due to its thrilling and suspenseful nature. What also attracts me to this book is its real-life nature and the possibility of something like this actually happening. It centers around the West family, who’ve just moved into a picture-perfect neighborhood. However, soon after moving in, the West’s neighbors begin to feel that something is off about the recently introduced family. They never join backyard barbeques, always brush away offers to babysit, and always shut visitors out rather than inviting them in when they knock on their front door. Something’s off about the Wests. … What is this picture-perfect family hiding behind closed doors? —Seth VanEss
The Hot Guy by Mel Campbell and Anthony Morris revolves around an incredibly attractive character who ruins the lives of everyone around him, including his girlfriend. It’s dumb, funny, and reads like a romantic comedy crafted during a wine-fueled group chat. —Cheyenne Shull
Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erickson: While not “ridiculous” in the way many would define the word, Steven Erickson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen is certainly a stretch of the imagination. Set in a world ruled by the Malazan Empire, this ten-novel dark military fantasy series delves deep into the realm of politics, gods, and war. The story is centered around the aforementioned Malazan Empire and the rulers’ efforts to keep the world pressed beneath their iron boot. However, not all will go according to plan, especially not if the story’s heroes have anything to say about it. Covering over 100 different points of view across the series, it is a story that has often been described as complex, but while I have yet to read it myself, I’m drawn to it because of its nuanced world-building. If you’re looking for an epic read this summer, Malazan may be for you. —Noah Spellich
One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus: Five students enter Bay View High School’s detention room, but only four come out. What about the fifth, Simon? Unravel the mystery of what happened in that room and who did what. Each student is a suspect. Each student has a motive. Uncover the truth and learn what Simon knew that may have led someone to take his life. —Karrie Wortner
I read a book that started as a Reddit post and now I can’t sleep. It’s called Penpal by Dathan Auerbach, and yes, it began on r/nosleep — the part of Reddit where people post creepy “true” stories that are 100% fake but feel 100% real at 2 a.m. The premise? A class project: write a letter; tie it to a balloon; let it float into the world. Cute, right? Wrong. Someone finds the narrator’s letter — and never lets go. What follows is a series of slowly unraveling childhood memories that start innocently and end in full psychological horror. There are no jump scares, no ghosts, no gore. Just the awful slow realization that something has been very wrong for a very long time. It’s self-published. It’s messy. It’s told out of order. It reads like a late-night text thread from a friend who’s spiraling. And it is TERRIFYING. I finished it in one sitting, and now I flinch every time I hear a balloon pop. 10/10 ridiculous choice for a summer read. Would recommend. Will not recover. —Ginger Knauer
If you’re looking for a summer read with a more peculiar premise than your average rom-com, check out Road Trip with a Vampire by Jenna Levine. Zelda, a reformed witch, wants nothing more to do with vampires — that is, until one shows up at her doorstep. Between Zelda’s mysterious past and her new blood-sucking acquaintance’s amnesia, secrets continue to be revealed along a cross-country road trip to find what they both have been looking for. —Brooke Schoening
Do you love flying? Linda has you beat in this unique love story. Although it is being advertised as a romance, Sky Daddy by Kate Folk is that and more. It is not a passenger or pilot she is romantically involved with — it is the physical plane. This story promises dark humor and many twists and turns. Let’s hope the book doesn’t crash and burn like Linda wants to — which is, after all, the only way to truly marry a plane. —Tiffany Jablonowski
One odd read I’d recommend if you’re a “summerween” lover is Trick or Treat by Richie Tankersley Cusick. After finding this book in an antique store a few years ago, I only just read it last summer in 2024 and was pleasantly surprised. Trick or Treat is a fun horror fiction novel from the ‘80s with some questionable relationships and incredible storytelling that leaves you itching for more. While it is an older book and not summer-based, it’s still a great, quick read if you’re looking for something a bit different! —Kendall Cox