GoKawiilSummer is here. Prime Day is here. Are those two things related? Probably not but it feels like they should be. Either way, it's the perfect excuse to put together a quintessential summer reading list, and Prime Day just happens to have books on sale. Most of them are available on Audible too and with your monthly credit you can grab any one of them for free. So, it may be worth grabbing that free three-month trial while you can which affords you three free credits and a a $20 credit voucher.
We asked the CNET team for their picks and, to no one's surprise, they have great taste. This list covers a lot of ground -- sci-fi, romance, memoirs, thrillers and more. Whether you're looking for a beach read or to be transported to a different world (literally in some cases), there's something here. Your TBR pile is about to get a whole lot longer. You're welcome.
A Novel Love Story - Ashley Poston Read by Katelyn Chedraoui Have you ever wanted to live inside the world of your favorite book? I mean, really dive in and meet your favorite characters, stroll the same streets as the protagonists, eat their go-to meal at the local diner? Well, that's what happens to our girl, book lover Eileen, in "A Novel Love Story" by Ashley Poston. But once the initial excitement wears off, she quickly realizes it's harder than it seems to escape her favorite fictional town -- even with the help of the town's grumpy bookstore salesman, who is the only other person who knows they're living in a novel.
This book is essential reading and one of my most-recommended books. Particularly if you're looking, like Eileen, to escape the horrors of real life to dive into a story you know has a happy ending. 1 credit/$20 at Audible
Legacy of Shadows series - Jen Karner Read by James Bricknell Former CNET writer Jen Karner has written a fantastic little series of books in the Legacy of Shadows. Drawing inspiration from shows like Supernatural, Buffy and other tales of fantasy, Cinders of Yesterday is the first of two books currently in the series, with Sins of Survival the second. The best way I can describe it is to imagine the Winchesters weren't brothers or related in any way. What shenanigans might they get up to? It's a sapphic story, in the middle of a fantasy one, and it's a lot of fun. $23 at Amazon
Tiny Beautiful Things - Cheryl Strayed Read by Ingrid Cruz Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed was originally published in 2012. However, I re-read it about once a year because of Strayed's powerful essays, empathetic advice, and vulnerability.
What makes this book so fun is that it began as the Dear Sugar column. The book has taken a life of its own, and episodes of Dear Sugar are available as a podcast. After Tiny Beautiful Things became a Hulu series starring Kathryn Hahn, I re-read it. I not only recommend reading the book itself, but also listening to the podcast or watching the Hulu series if you're ever feeling confused and in need of a little authenticity. I have yet to see the live play (adapted by Nia Vardalos), but that, too, is on my list. $6 at Amazon
East of Eden - John Steinbeck Read by Kaylyn McKenna As a NorCal native, Steinbeck's work always hits close to home. This is my favorite Steinbeck novel, and I just re-read it last month. It's a multi-generational tale of two intertwined families in the Salinas Valley that explores identity, love, complex family relationships, and the power to choose between good and evil.
There is a Netflix adaptation coming out this fall with Florence Pugh, so it's a great book to add to your summer reading list, so that you can read the book before you watch the show. $9 at Amazon
We Are Legion (We are Bob) - Dennis E. Taylor Read by James Bricknell It's been a while since I've read some proper hard sci-fi. Project Hail Mary and The Martian are great, but not as fantastical as I often like my Sci-Fi. We are legion is about a guy named Bob from our time who awakens to find his brain has been made into a deep-space probe after a car accident.
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