Book Recommendations for a Bookish Summer Friday

There’s nothing more delightful than Summer Fridays. They’re fun, they’re unexpected, and it really feels like you’re getting away with something by not going into the office. But what are you going to do with all that extra free time? At Quirk Books, we believe the best Summer Friday is a bookish Summer Friday. Here are four of our favorite books that can (and should) be read in one gorgeous day.

Department of Speculation by Jenny Offill

Move this novel to the very top of your Summer Friday reading list. It’s that good. Jenny Offill’s portrait of a marriage is simultaneously potent and poignant and her portrayal of the inner workings of a writer is so incredibly spot on. Do yourself a favor and carve out a few hours of uninterrupted reading time. This book deserves to be devoured in one sitting.

Kissing Ted Callahan (And Other Guys) by Amy Spalding

This fantastic young adult novel is compulsively readable and will make you wish you were in the hallways of your high school instead of enjoying a mid-summer break from your office job. Between the sheer amount of ambition these guitar-wielding teenagers possess and Spalding’s beautiful depictions of Los Angeles that turn the city into a character, it’s almost impossible not to read this book in one day.

We Should all be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

We Should all be Feminists is a perfect quick read for a thought provoking Summer Friday. The book itself is only 64 pages and is a great reminder both that there are strong voices advocating for feminism and that we still have a long way to go – both here in the United States and globally. If Adichie’s TED Talk of the same name has been on your “to watch” list for quite some time – or if you’re looking for another avenue to enjoy her fantastic speech – this book is a must read. 

Far From You by Tess Sharpe

Far From You is an incredible young adult book about incredible friendship, profound love, and deep loss. And while – clocking in at 353 pages – this novel is more of a sunup to sundown read than some of the others we’ve listed, it’s definitely worth experiencing in one luxurious summer day. It’s the book you’ll be reading during breakfast. And before dinner. And during pretty much every other hour because you will be so hooked on this book.