26 Reasons to Get Excited: My Ultimate Summer Book Haul

About: Checkout my summer book haul of 26 exciting books, including a few perfect fall transition reads. I’m not just summarizing plots but digging into why I bought each book.

Overview

My last book haul was almost a year ago, in November 2022. Of course, I didn’t stop buying books. But, different from my old book haul posts, this post will focus on why I purchased each book – what drew me to it and why I’m excited to read it – rather than re-summarizing the plot/listing its tropes.

To break down this book haul, here are a few standouts:

Most Anticipated? Blood Gift by Vela Roth since it’s the newest book in a very long series!

Longest Book? Blood Gift (Blood Grace, #7) by Vela Roth at 774 pages
Shortest Book? The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman at 269 pages

After discussing the themes of this book haul, I split the haul into nine stacks based on genre. The book haul comes to a total of 26 books!

Prevalent Themes

You can use the table of contents below to jump to the genre you’d prefer to read about.

Table of Contents

Book Haul

Feminist Historical Fiction

Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

Feminism and a young woman circumventing a male-only profession in 15th-century China? Sign me up!

The First Ladies by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

I love books that focus on meaningful yet complex friendships, which this book promises to deliver. I had also just finished reading a book that was an ode to Eleanor Roosevelt’s contributions to the US, which I loved. So, coming across this book in my Book of the Month subscription seemed like fate.

A Rip Through Time by Kelley Armstrong ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

I loved the idea of a competent protagonist – like a detective – accidentally travelling in time. Even better, the protagonist ends up using her knowledge to help a crime-solving duo catch a serial killer. The book is set in 1800s Edinburgh, and sexism, homophobia, and racism are acknowledged and challenged in this book. Which shouldn’t be so rare in historical fiction/mysteries. Finally, the coincidence that the protagonist is also Canadian and the book is set in Edinburgh (near where I attended uni) made this a fun book to buy. I’m also a sucker for a slow-burn romance.

The Water Outlaws by S.L. Huang ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

It was inevitable that this book would be included in a book haul since it’s actually one of my 23 books to read in 2023. The main reason I want to read this queer historical fiction is because the whole story revolves around a band of women. I’m over the center group being a group of guys who collect girlfriends as the story progresses (pretty much most contemporary romance series). Instead, I want to follow a bunch of complex women and queer outlaws who band together to fight oppression, just as this book promises!

The Bookbinder by Pip Williams ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

To conclude my book haul featuring books that explore feminism, this book follows two sisters in post-WWI Oxford who work as bookbinders. What drew me to this book was the complicated relationship between the sisters; they love each other but will have to navigate tension as their dreams diverge. A big part of this book is one of the sister’s desire to pursue a degree at Oxford. Of course, there’s a romance and lots of war and immigration commentary.

Romantasy

Blood Gift by Vela Roth ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

The latest book in one of my favourite romantasy series that heavily focuses on politics and world-building. It doesn’t hurt that the world is queer-normative and features (mostly) pacifist vampires.

House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

I’ve been putting off reading this book since it came out in 2020, but given the Maas-verse reveal (ifykyk), it’s about time I read it. Plus, romance and fantasy are my two favourite genres, so I’m hoping it delivers on both.

Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

A workplace romance between a grumpy Villain and his sunshine assistant? Say less! I couldn’t believe that this book was marketed for fans of the TV show Once Upon A Time (my favourite TV show), so this was an instant purchase.

Romance

Unfortunately Yours by Tessa Bailey ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

I don’t think I’ve ever read a marriage-of-convenience romance by Tessa Bailey before, so I’m excited about how the author approaches this trope. Initially, I hesitated to buy this book because the hero is very biased against the heroine. He sees her as a “poor little rich girl,” which I find so annoying. But, since Brandon Taggert in It Happened One Summer had a similar initial impression of Piper and then turned into such a simp, there’s a high chance that could be replicated in this book! (BTW, It Happened One Summer is my favourite book by Tessa Bailey and, therefore, the golden standard.)

Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

I decided to finally pick up this book and add it to my book haul because of its play on the fake dating trope. To make ends meet, the protagonist pretends to be the girlfriend of her clients, and her love interest ends up being the brother of her favourite client. Of course, he’s also on the hiring panel for the tenure track professorship she wants at MIT. While I was a bit put off by critical reviews of this book – citing the heroine as a chronic people pleaser – I decided to add this book to my collection because so many reviews said the love interest (and romance) was stellar.

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

I was looking for a sweet, slow-burn romance that actually took the time to develop the relationship when I decided to buy this book. I love that the premise of First Son Alex and Prince Henry was enemies to fake friends to friends to lovers. Also, I’m so happy that politics actually plays a significant role in this book. While the romance takes precedence – it is a romance novel – given Alex is the son of the President of the US, and Henry is the Spare to the throne of Britain, it makes sense to engage with the socio-political impacts of their relationship. Also, can I just say… the banter.

The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

This was exactly the end-of-summer romance I was looking for when I was at my cottage. It’s short and promised to be a funny and entertaining romantic suspense. The premise of the heroine being mistaken for her CIA operative twin sister, plus a case of amnesia (which, surprisingly, I didn’t mind), was incredibly intriguing. There’s also a great push and pull between the two main characters. They’re obviously into each other but don’t know how their lives would blend.

A Lady’s Guide to Scandal by Sophie Irwin ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

I couldn’t believe it when I came across this book in the bookstore! I adored Sophie Irwin’s debut novel and immediately added this book to my book haul. I’m also excited about this book because it delves into the story of a recently widowed countess who can finally break free from the societal constraints imposed on young women – she married who she was expected to, and now she desires to live life on her own terms. While the cover suggests a love triangle – which I usually try to avoid – I trust the author, and given the blurb, I’ve decided to approach this book as one that focuses on the heroine’s journey rather than principally a romance.

Young Adult

Little White Lies by Jennifer Lynn Barnes ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ backlist has been going viral this summer, so I decided to jump on the bandwagon. I love the premise of this book; it’s giving mystery Princess Diaries vibes. Essentially, the protagonist is offered a trust fund to pay for college by her estranged grandmother in exchange for participating in the debutante season. However, there’s an additional incentive: she’ll be given the opportunity to find out who her birth father is and why her mother left that world.

Mina and the Undead by Amy McCaw ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

This book has been on my TBR list for a while! It’s my only horror novel in this book haul. I’m slowly starting to branch out into horror, and the fact that this book includes vampires and a slow-burn romance combines two of my favourite tropes. I’m also looking forward to the exploration of the protagonist’s relationship with her sister, which the blurb hints at being quite complex.

The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

This is the Jennifer Lynn Barnes book that has been going viral this past summer. The premise sounds right up my alley: teenagers with special abilities are recruited by the FBI to help them solve cold cases and catch serial killers. I’m just hoping the love triangle isn’t too angsty.

Magical Realism

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

I was actually hesitant to buy this book since I don’t love the angst of competitions (especially ones where fans are competing for the only unpublished manuscript of their childhood favourite author). But, the sentimentality of the plot appealed to me. The protagonist joins the competition in hopes of being able to sell the manuscript so that she can afford the lifestyle she needs to foster and eventually adopt an orphan in the class where she’s a teacher’s aide. I love the promise of found family in this book but also confronting your past.

Shark Heart by Emily Habeck ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

None of the books in the August Book of the Month box were immediately appealing to me, but then I remembered that I joined this book box to expand the genres I read. And what says growth more than this book, which follows a man who’s diagnosed with a terminal illness where he slowly transforms into a shark? What compelled me to add it to my book haul, though, was reviews that applauded the combination of third-person narrative and blank verse. I’m intrigued by the more experimental aspects of this debut.

The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

I decided to give Alice Hoffman a second chance after I DNF’d Practical Magic last winter. What pulled me into this book was the fact that it focuses on how books save lives and follows the protagonist as she travels back in time to meet the author of her favourite book, The Scarlet Letter: Nathaniel Hawthorne. I purchased Hester, which reimagines the woman who inspired The Scarlet Letter. So, I’m looking forward to seeing Alice Hoffman’s interpretation of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s work. Also, I love a book that focuses on character development.

Thriller

All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

I’m excited to read S.A. Crosby’s latest release. The thrilling element of this thriller appears to be the protagonist hunting a serial killer. However, the premise of the book suggests the author will be exploring the prevalence of gun violence, racism and policing in the socio-political culture of small-town Republican USA.

The Deep Sky by Yume Kitasei ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

I’ve recently discovered an interest in sci-fi space exploration that ponders the meaning of life (profound, I know). I’m so excited that this book is part of my book haul! The world is ending due to a series of climate disasters, and the protagonist finds herself one of the last chosen for a space mission to find another inhabitable planet for the human race. While grappling with imposter syndrome and what it means to represent Japan as someone who is biracial, there’s a terrorist on the ship that is working to stop the crew from completing its mission. I’m looking forward to the social commentary and also learning why the perpetrator doesn’t want the crew to be successful.

Family Drama

The Connellys of County Down by Tracey Lange ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

I decided to add this book to my book haul because it’s supposed to be a highly introspective family drama. It explores the challenges of family secrets and buried trauma. I’m particularly compelled by the blurb highlighting the varying flaws of each family member rather than vilifying the previously incarcerated protagonist.

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

I’m eager to read this book because so many reviewers remark on its incredible summer atmosphere. I’m intrigued by the hype surrounding Ann Patchett, specifically her exploration of family dynamics.

Fantasy

Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

I’m intrigued by the magic system in this book – I love fantasy novels that use grimoires and explore the creation of magic through knowledge. I’m also fascinated by the dynamics between the estranged half-sisters, who are the main characters of this book. Both are keen on solving the mysteries death of their father and what it has to do with the grimoires they protect.

The Will of the Many by James Islington ❃ Add on Goodreads and The StoryGraph

This book is one of my most anticipated fantasy books, and I’m so excited it’s finally included in my book haul! The plot of this book subverts the magic school trope by having the protagonist infiltrate the school as a spy for (I’m assuming) a revolutionary group. The reviews promise a well-plotted narrative, and I’m hoping that the author explores the complexity of being a spy: to be above suspicion, the main character will have to make friends who do believe in the school and government, which could prove difficult for the protagonist.

Nonfiction

Books I’ve Already Read

In Conclusion

My summer book haul includes 26 books that I can’t wait to read – and ten that I’ve already read. Exploring diverse genres and themes, I can’t wait to delve into these pages and discover new worlds, perspectives, and stories. There’s something about buying (or borrowing) books that ignites my love of reading.

Comment below what books you’ve purchased or borrowed recently!

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