2021 summer reading list: 48 of the best books for adults, teens, and kids

With spring already sprung and summer not far away, it's time to add some great new reads to your list.

Whether it's thrillers, romance, mysteries, dark comedy, drama, history or true crime, this list compiles noteworthy titles that adults, teens and kids can read at the beach, park, the pool or anywhere they want to be.

FICTION

"The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba" by Chanel Cleeton: The year is 1896, and three women are changing society in different ways. When reporter Grace Harrington lands a job at a newspaper owned by William Randolph Hearst, she finds herself caught in a cruel world dominated by men. Unjustly imprisoned in a notorious Havana women's jail, 18-year-old Evangelina Cisneros rapidly becomes a beacon for American intervention in the battle for Cuban independence. With the help of Marina Perez, a courier secretly working for the Cuban revolutionaries in Havana, Grace and Hearst's staff attempts to free Evangelina. But the fight for independence will not be without sacrifice.

Cleaton faithfully portrays New York and Cuba of the 19th century, making this an enthralling read for historical fiction fans. Released May 4, Berkley.

"Hour of the Witch" by Chris Bohjalian: Readers who love historical fiction related to the Salem witch trials, will find that Bohjalian flawlessly delivers with his new novel. As a young Puritan woman in 1662 Boston, Mary Deerfield is the second wife of Thomas, an abusive and powerful man. When a boy she has treated with herbs dies, and her servant runs screaming in fright from her home, Mary is in for the fight of her life to escape not only her husband but also a certain death sentence for witchcraft. Released May 4, Doubleday.

"While Justice Sleeps" by Stacey Abrams: Abrams proves to be not only a political force, but also a terrific thriller writer with her new novel. The story is about law clerk Avery Keene, a brilliant young woman who shines in a difficult job with the court while also dealing with a troubled family. When news breaks that her boss, Justice Howard Wynn, is in a coma, Avery’s life changes dramatically. As his legal guardian and power of attorney, she discovers Wynn suspected a conspiracy lurking in the vast power hold of Washington. Released May 11, Doubleday.

"Our Woman in Moscow" by Beatriz Williams: Williams’ thrilling Cold-War era spy novel perfectly portrays the ambiance of the era. It’s autumn 1948 when Iris Digby vanishes from her London home with her American diplomat husband and their two children. No one knows what to make of it. Were they eliminated by the Soviet intelligence service? Four years later, Ruth Macallister receives a postcard from her twin sister Iris begging for help and in days she heads to Moscow, posing as the wife of a counterintelligence agent in a dangerous plot to extract the Digbys from behind the Iron Curtain. June 1, William Morrow.

"The One Hundred Years of Leni and Margot" by Marianne Cronin: At 17, Lenni Pettersson lives in the Terminal Ward at the Glasgow Princess Royal Hospital because of a blood disorder. One day, she meets 83-year-old Margot at the hospital’s arts-and-crafts class. Soon, the two establish a friendship and Margot decides to show Lenni how to live life in the best way.

Readers will need a box of tissues for this one. June 1, Harper.

"The Palace of the Drowned" by Christina Mangan: Imagine your best friend offers a family palazzo in Venice to live rent-free while you rest and work on your novel. Tempting? It’s the year 1966 when novelist Frankie Croy accepts this generous offer, which is welcome after the nervous breakdown that sent her to a hospital. In Venice, she meets Gilly, a self-proclaimed fan of her books. As Gilly pushes her way into Frankie’s life, strange things begin happening at the palazzo. Frankie begins questioning her sanity, and how much she really knows about Gilly.

Mangan pens a great psychological thriller with a very unexpected ending. June 1, Flatiron.

"The Woman in the Purple Skirt" by Natsuko Imamura: Imamura writes the perfect voyeuristic story about a woman only described as wearing a purple skirt is watched daily by another woman wearing a yellow cardigan. Why is this woman watching? Why does she lure the woman in the purple skirt to work at the same place she does? And why is no one watching who the woman in the purple skirt is watching, when that is the most important thing of all? June 8, Penguin Books.

"Animal" by Lisa Taddeo: “I am depraved. I hope you like me,” is the first line uttered by Taddeo’s protagonist, Joan. She has endured cruelties from men her whole life; but when one commits a shocking act of violence in front of her, she escapes New York City in search of someone who can help her make sense of the horror she witnessed while also making sense of her turbulent past. June 8, Avid Reader Press.

"Rainbow Milk" by Paul Mendez: An provocative coming-of-age story from debut author Mendez, "Rainbow Milk" follows 19-year-old Jesse McCarthy as he struggles with his racial and sexual identities against the background of his Jehovah's Witness upbringing at the end of 20th century London. June 8, Doubleday.

"The Maidens" by Alex Michaelides: What would you do if you were certain someone was a murderer? Group therapist Mariana Andros knows Cambridge University Greek tragedy professor Edward Fosca is a killer, but he is loved by staff and students, particularly by the members of a secret society of female students known as The Maidens. When a friend of Mariana’s niece Zoe is found murdered, she knows Fosca is responsible. But will she ever be able to prove it? June 15, Celadon Books.

"Bath Haus" by P.J. Vernon: In this addictive cat-and-mouse thriller, recovering addict Oliver Park seems to finally have his life together. He’s sober and has a loving new partner in Nathan. But some habits are hard to break, and Oliver ends up visiting Haus, a gay bathhouse for one final anonymous encounter. He didn’t expect for things to go terribly wrong and Oliver flees vowing Nathan will never know the truth of what really happened. June 15, Doubleday.

"Shutter" by Melissa Larsen: After the sudden death of her father, Betty Roux agrees to star in a mysterious indie filmmaker's latest project despite her mother’s objections. The director, Anthony Marino, proposes she live in a cabin on a private island off the coast of Maine with the cast and crew. When strange things start happening on the island, the film turns into something completely different.

Larsen’s chilly thriller promises a page-turning read with an unexpected ending. June 15, Berkley.

"What A Happy Family" by Saumya Dave: Decades ago, Bina and Deepak Joshi immigrated to America, where she became a pillar of their local Indian community in Atlanta and he, a successful psychiatrist. Their children Anuj, Suhani and Natasha are successful and a testament to their parents’ hard work.

But Bina suddenly finds herself as an outsider in the community she helped build. Suhani discovers that her perfect marriage isn’t as solid as she thought and Natasha faces a series of rejections that threaten to upend her life. Dave’s moving but also funny novel is the portrayal of hidden truths and harsh revelations. June 22, Berkley.

"Dream Girl" by Laura Lippman: Readers of Stephen King’s “Misery” will love Lippman's novel. Author Gerry Andersen is confined to a hospital bed after an accident and dependent on two women he barely knows: his young assistant and a night nurse. One night, he receives a call from someone claiming to be Aubrey, the title character from his most successful novel, "Dream Girl." But Aubrey isn’t real.

Gerry is now trapped between fact and fiction, not knowing whether someone is trying to drive him insane or he’s actually losing grip on reality. June 22, William Morrow.

"Silver Tears" by Camilla Lackberg: Lackberg writes great psychological intrigue, and "Silver Tears" is no exception. The story centers on Faye Adelheim, the wealthy chairwoman of an upcoming cosmetics brand. Her tragic past includes her ex-husband, a media-labeled monster who killed her daughter. But Faye hides a secret: Her daughter is very much alive. This page-turning read delivers a rather unexpected finale. July 6, Knopf.

"Dear Miss Metropolitan" by Carolyn Ferrell: Fern seeks escape from her mother’s drug addiction and boyfriends by watching "Soul Train"; Gwin finds solace in Prince’s music and Jesenia knows her intelligence is the only way out of her troubled home. When the three girls are kidnapped by a mobster, everyone claims ignorance, including lifetime resident Miss Metropolitan, the advice columnist for the local weekly.

The question on everyone’s mind: How could a reporter have missed the story right across the street? And why is it that only two of the three girls ― now women ― were found? Readers will be absolutely enthralled with Ferrell's characters and narrative voice. July 6, Henry Holt.

"Kill All Your Darlings" by David Bell: With hints of Patricia Highsmith’s “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” this is a riveting thriller about college professor Connor Nye, who after years of trying to write a novel after the deaths of his wife and son, finally publishes his first book — a thriller about the murder of a young woman.

But Connor didn’t write the book. One of his students who has been presumed missing did. And now she shows up on his doorstep, threatening to expose his lie to everyone he knows. July 6, Berkley.

"The Paper Palace" by Miranda Cowley Heller: It seems like a carefree July morning when 50-year-old Elle, a married mother of three, wakes up at the family vacation home dubbed “The Paper Palace.” But this morning is different, because the previous night, Elle began an affair with her oldest friend, Jonas, while their partners talked inside. This choice will lead both Elle and Jonas down uncharted waters as they decide whether what has started between them is worth keeping or best forgotten. Heller paints a complicated family drama, with surprisingly relatable characters. July 6, Penguin Group.

"Count the Ways" by Joyce Maynard: When Eleanor and Cam meet at a Vermont crafts fair in the early 1970s, they fall in love immediately. A few years later, they are parents to three children and live on a thriving farm. Even if their relationship seems to be stuck, they are happy. Until a tragedy caused by Cam irrevocably breaks their family apart.

Maynard follows the family through the decades, chronicling both their losses and gains with a poignant narrative. July 13, William Morrow.

"Intimacies" by Katie Kitamura: Kitamura’s complex and nameless protagonist escapes New York to work at the International Court at The Hague, looking for a place to finally call home. As she grapples with her married lover not leaving his wife and her good friend a witness to a seemingly random act of violence, the interpreter is pulled into political controversy when she’s asked to translate for a former president accused of war crimes. July 20, Riverhead

"Palm Beach" by Mary Adkins: We couldn’t leave Palm Beach out of this list. Adkins writes a smart page-turner that captures the common divide between the haves and have-nots in America with the portrayal of a struggling couple who move to Palm Beach in search of opportunities. Once there, they befriend a billionaire venture capitalist and his wife, but the friendship soon unravels when secrets about her new friends are revealed. Aug. 3, Harper

"In the Country of Others" by Leila Slimani: Once again, Moroccan writer Slimani masterfully crafts a story that is both real and poetically told. Mathilde falls in love with Amine, a Moroccan soldier in the French army during World War II. The couple move to Morocco to cultivate his family farm's rocky terrain, where Mathilde feels her life stunted by the isolation, harsh climate, the lack of money and the mistrust of neighbors.

When tensions rise between Moroccans and the French colonists, Amine is trapped between his duty to his country and his love for his French wife, who refuses to bow to Morocco’s patriarchal system. Aug. 10, Penguin Books.

"The Perfect Family" by Robyn Harding: Harding takes the reader on a wild psychological ride with this addictive thriller. The story’s focus is on Thomas and Viv Adler, who wake up one morning, after their porch is pelted with eggs. Thomas thinks it's a prank. But when a smoke bomb is tossed on their front lawn, and their car’s tires are punctured, it doesn't feel like a joke. As police dismiss their concerns, Thomas and Viv are helpless as the assaults escalate into violence. But the Adlers keep secrets — ones that can be very dangerous. Aug. 10, Gallery Books.

"Velvet Was the Night" by Silvia Moreno-Garcia: Author of acclaimed novel, "Mexican Gothic," Moreno-Garcia paints a brilliant new story set in 1970s Mexico City. Maite is a secretary who escapes the reality of daily protests and upheaval with the new issue of Secret Romance. When her neighbor disappears under suspicious circumstances, Maite finds herself searching for the missing woman while delving deeper into a world filled with political corruption. Aug. 17, Random House.

NON-FICTION

"On Juneteenth" by Annette Gordon Reed: Gordon-Reed’s flawlessly researched book provides a historian’s view of the country’s long journey to Juneteenth, recounting its origins in Texas and the difficulties that African-Americans have endured from Reconstruction through Jim Crow until today. Released May 4, W.W. Norton.

"Heartwood: The Art of Living With the End in Mind" by Barbara Becker: No one wants to think about death, but like Becker points out, it will happen to all of us. So how can we deal with the notion of dying in a healthy way? The book invites readers to live with the end in mind and to turn toward loss rather than away from it — the only way to live life to the fullest. Released May 4, Flatiron Books.

"Billie Eilish" by Billie Eilish: In this photographic narrative through her life, the pop icon and Grammy-award winner takes readers through different facets of her life, including her childhood, life on tour and how she became one of the biggest music artists of a generation. Released May 11, Grand Central Publishing.

"The Menopause Manifesto: Own Your Health With Facts and Feminism" by Dr. Jen Gunter: USA Today best-selling author of "The Vagina Bible," Gunter returns with a new book that advocates for women’s health with facts, science and historical research. May 25, Citadel.

"Footnotes: The Black Artists Who Rewrote the Rules of the Great White Way" by Caseen Gaines: An incredibly written story about the history of Black artists on Broadway, "Footnotes" narrates how composers Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake, along with comedians Flournoy Miller and Aubrey Lyles, overcame poverty, racism and violence to harness the energy of the Harlem Renaissance during the Roaring Twenties. May 25, Sourcebooks.

"Ethel Rosenberg: An American Tragedy" by Anne Sebba: Long considered traitors to their country and accused of selling secrets to the Soviet Union, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were put to death in June 1953, electrocuted moments apart from each other. Sebba’s shocking investigation reveals what was kept secret from the public: The government’s evidence of espionage against Ethel was tentative at best and mostly based on the perjury of her own brother. June 8, St. Martin’s Press.

"Live Your Life: My Story of Loving and Losing Nick Cordero" by Amanda Kloots: Widowed after losing her Broadway actor husband to COVID-19 last year, Kloots pens deep reflections about love and grief after Cordero’s death and being left to raise infant son Elvis by herself. June 15, Harper.

"Books Promiscuously Read: Reading as a Way of Life" by Heather Cass White: Books have provided much solace during the pandemic. White’s book about the pleasures of reading and its power in shaping our internal lives echoes the unique experiences that reading provides when we want to calm the mind and soul. July 6, Farrar Straus and Giroux.

"Couple Found Slain: After a Family Murder" by Mikita Brottman: True crime author and psychoanalyst Mikita Brottman takes readers into the life of a murderer who one day walked into a Florida police station and confessed to shooting his parents. This story follows convicted killer Brian Bechtold during his 27 years at a maximum security psychiatric hospital. July 6, Henry Holt.

"The Case of the Murderous Dr. Cream: The Hunt for A Victorian Era Serial Killer" by Dean Jobb: In the span of 15 years, Dr. Thomas Cream killed in Victorian London more victims than Jack the Ripper with poison as his weapon of choice. Jobb follows Cream’s murderous spree and how botched investigations and corrupt officials allowed him to prey on vulnerable and desperate women. July 13, Algonquin Books.

YOUNG ADULT FICTION

"Hurricane Summer" by Asha Bromfield: Tilla can't understand why her father abandons the family every six months to return to his home in Jamaica. When Tilla’s mother tells her she’ll be spending the summer on the island with her father, Tilla dreads the idea but hopes to discover the secrets he's keeping. Released May 4, Wednesday Books.

"Tokyo Ever After" by Emiko Jean: This fresh, funny story reminiscent of "The Princess Diaries," follows Izumi, a Japanese-American girl who discovers that her father is the crown prince of Japan. In America, she was never “American” enough, but when she travels to Japan to meet her father, she must prove she’s “Japanese” enough to be a princess. The question is, who does Izumi want to be? Released May 18, Flatiron.

"The Black Flamingo" by Dean Atta: Michael, a mixed-race gay teen growing up in London, has experienced what it means to be Greek-Cypriot and Jamaican. But Michael has never felt Greek or Black enough. Atta’s raw and honest narrative takes readers on Michael’s journey as he gets older, his coming out, and his discovery of the Drag Society, where he finally feels like he belongs. To be released Wednesday, Balzer + Bray.

"Little Brother: A Refugee's Odyssey" by Ibrahima Balde and Amets Arzallus Antia: The book tells the childhood story of the author himself, who as the eldest son but still a child, left his home village in the Guinean countryside in search of work to support his family after the death of his father. Apprenticed to a trucker, he learns that his younger brother has dropped out of school and fled to Libya. June 1, Skyhorse Publishing.

"Trouble Girls" by Julia Lynn Rubin: With this LGBTQ reimagining of "Thelma & Louise," Rubin uses dark humor and harsh reality to portray the story of two regular high-school girls who are transformed into wanted fugitives after a violent event. June 1, Wednesday Books.

"The Brittanys" by Brittany Ackerman: If Gen Z’s parents read Ackerman’s namesake novel, the cult classic movie "Heathers" will come to mind. Set in an elite Florida prep school, the novel portrays what it's like to be a teenage girl in a tight-knit group and what happens when one of them diverges from the flock. June 15, Knopf.

"Heatwave" by Victor Jestin: While sitting in a playground at night, 17-year-old Leo witnesses how another boy strangles himself with the ropes of the swings. In a panic, Leo drags him to the beach and buries him. What follows is Leo’s increasing guilt when he's caught in the fallout from his mistake. June 29, Scribner.

"Fresh" by Margot Wood: College is never how we envision it, a reality that is dawning on Elliot McHugh. Occupied with dancing all night at off-campus parties, testing her RA’s patience and making friends, she’s not ready when the illusion shatters in the form of finals and a less-than-reliable boyfriend. Wood pens a hilarious story about the college experience and mistakes we make when we’re young. Aug. 3, Amulet Books.

CHILDREN'S FICTION

"When Lola Visits" by Michelle Sterling: In Sterling’s heartwarming book, a young girl looks forward to summer: No school, days spent at the pool and picking limes off the trees. But summer doesn’t really begin until her Lola, her grandmother from the Philippines, comes for her annual visit. Released Tuesday, Katherine Tegen Books.

"The Bench" by Meghan the Duchess of Sussex and illustrated by Christian Robinson: Meghan Markle’s, first children’s book, "The Bench," portrays the relationship between father and son as seen through a mother’s eyes. June 8, Random House Books for Young Readers

YOUNG READERS FICTION:

"Instructions for Dancing" by Nicola Yoon: In this unique and funny love story, Evie Thomas doesn't believe in love because she knows all relationships eventually end. Finding herself one day at a dance studio signing up for classes, she meets a boy named X. As Evie begins to have feelings for her new dance partner, she begins to doubt everything she thought she knew about love and relationships. June 1, Delacorte Press.

"Marcus Makes a Movie" by Kevin Hart: Stand-up comedian and actor Kevin Hart writes this illustrated novel about a middle-school student who dreams of making a Hollywood superhero film. The problem? He has no clue how to do it. Crown Books for Young Readers, June 1, Crown Books.

"The Islanders" by Mary Alice Monroe: Best-selling author Monroe writes a touching story about tragedy and friendship centered on 11-year-old Jake, whose father was wounded in Afghanistan, and his mother, who is going to leave to care for him. Jake now has to live at his grandmother's — where there are no cell phones, no video games and no friends. Jake soon meets Macon and Lovie, who show him life on the island. When a turtle nest is threatened by coyotes, the three friends must find a way to protect it. June 15, Aladdin.

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