Jim's Summer Reading List 2026

Sunshine, hammocks, and great books — Jim's picks for the perfect summer reads. Nothing too heavy, nothing too long, just pure reading pleasure to enjoy with your toes in the sand (or the dirt, if you're a worm).

Published March 7, 2026

1

The House in the Cerulean Sea

by TJ Klune

4/5

Linus Baker is a by-the-book caseworker at the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. When he's sent to a mysterious orphanage on a remote island to evaluate six dangerous magical children and their enigmatic caretaker Arthur, Linus must decide whether to follow the rules or follow his heart.

2

Circe

by Madeline Miller

5/5

In the house of Helios, god of the sun, a daughter is born — but Circe is a strange child, not powerful like her father nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers a power forbidden to the gods: witchcraft. Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her craft and encounters legends of mythology.

3

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

by Douglas Adams

5/5

Seconds before the Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Together they begin a journey through space aided by quotes from the Guide and a large, friendly towel.

4

Anxious People

by Fredrik Backman

4/5

A failed bank robber locks himself in a Swedish apartment with eight strangers during an open house viewing. As the police surround the building, the hostages and their bumbling captor begin to connect in the most unexpected ways. A poignant comedy about the enduring human capacity for compassion.

5

The Night Circus

by Erin Morgenstern

4/5

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped tents awaits an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. Behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway between two young magicians trained since childhood to duel.

6

The Song of Achilles

by Madeline Miller

5/5

A tale of gods, kings, immortal fame, and the human heart, The Song of Achilles is a profoundly moving retelling of Homer's Iliad. Exiled prince Patroclus befriends golden Achilles, and their bond deepens as they grow into young men and are called to fight in the Trojan War.

7

Good Omens

by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman

4/5

The Apocalypse is coming, and an angel and a demon who've grown rather fond of humanity team up to prevent it. The only problem? The Antichrist has been misplaced. A wickedly funny tale of Armageddon, friendship, and the power of a nice cup of tea.

8

Station Eleven

by Emily St. John Mandel

4/5

An audacious, darkly glittering novel about art, fame, and ambition set in the eerie days of a civilization's collapse. A Hollywood star, a struggling actor, a paparazzo, and a nomadic band of Shakespearean actors traverse a post-pandemic landscape, connected by a mysterious comic book called Station Eleven.