Top Seven Works of Fiction to Read This Summer
By Faith Walessa
Caught in a reading slump? Re-ignite your love for reading with these tried-and-true classics.
Reading is one of those curious things that most of us–if we were honest–wish we did more of. We all know reading is good for us, and it may even be a formerly dear childhood hobby; yet we put it off, lose focus, or simply re-read that same favorite novel for the sixteenth time.
Maybe there’s just no time. We often lead stressful, distracted lives, and it seems impossible to fit in another task. However, returning to reading does not need to slow us down. This is because even a small start of ten or fifteen pages a day in a jam-packed life yields major benefits. In fact, not only does reading sharpen memory, imagination, and attention, but it helps us build empathy and connections with others and deepen our understanding of the world around us.
Maybe we just don’t know what to read next. In that case, look no further! We’ve compiled a quick list of some of history’s most beloved and unique fiction books as the inspiration you need to get out of that latest reading slump. As a bonus, all the books featured here are written by authors taken directly from CLT’s Author Bank. Passages from books just like these are selected and featured on official CLT exams, which means that any time spent reading them is good for your soul, training for your mind, and valuable test prep, all at the same time!
Take a look with an open mind and see what catches your eye, because maybe this is the summer to give reading another try. Now go find your next favorite book!
"How do you like the new Library?"
"It's a very handsome room, isn't it, madam? But it seems a great shame to keep up this big place just for women to study books in. I can't see what girls want with books. ... I always think of what it says in the Bible, about 'much learning hath made thee mad.'"
I. The Cosmic Trilogy, by C. S. Lewis.
This series of science fiction novels relates the travels of Dr. Elwin Ransom, Lewis’ main character, over three novels: Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength. Ransom’s time in space is filled with discovery and philosophical revelation, concluding with his return for the ultimate battle for earth, all while exploring the nature of the universe, the dangers of unchecked science, and the powers of good and evil.
II. The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde.
The Picture of Dorian Gray is the fascinating story of a boy who strikes a corrupt bargain with reality to remain young and beautiful forever, trapping his evil soul within a painting. The book questions the purpose of art, the value of appearances and reality, friendships and society, and the power of guilt through a man who sacrificed everything for a life that eventually drives him mad.
III. Persuasion, by Jane Austen.
Often in the shadow of Austen’s better known works like Pride and Prejudice or Emma, Persuasion is quietly one of her most gripping plots. It relates the story of Anne Eliot, a lovable heroine forced to bear the consequences of her decision to be persuaded by others, many years ago, to reject the man she truly loved, Captain Wentworth. As is usual for Austen’s novels, this is part of a broader commentary on the problems of social classes and unfair expectations for women. The story soon becomes helplessly entangled by miscommunication and separation, leaving readers cheering for a reunion between Anne and Wentworth that seems almost impossible.
IV. Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, by Mary Shelley.
This novel is the incredible story of Victor Frankenstein, a man who creates life–monstrous life. The majority of the novel is spent dealing with the consequences of this decision, as Frankenstein’s creature attempts to drive him to ruin, furious with his own demented existence, and Frankenstein himself tries to ignore his mistakes, but goes nearly wild with guilt and fear. The beautiful language of the novel spins one of science fiction’s most profound novels about the consequences of unchecked ambition and the responsibility that comes with creation.
V. Gaudy Night, by Dorothy Sayers.
Gaudy Night is one of Dorothy Sayers’ best-loved mysteries. It follows the story of successful writer Harriet Vane, who returns to her alma mater for a celebration, but finds that dark undercurrents rock the college faculty with anonymous acts of hate and crime. Aided by love-interest Peter Wimsey, Harriet confronts her past in an exploration of a mysterious present. If you enjoy this, you may also like Clouds of Witness, another of my favorite Dorothy Sayers’ mysteries.
VI. East of Eden, by John Steinbeck.
Steinbeck called East of Eden “the book”-the one he had been “practicing to write all of [his] life.” The story focuses on the battle of good and evil through the use of two families, the Trasks and the Hamiltons, and their hopelessly entwined destinies. Based in a biblical allegory of the Cain and Abel story, East of Eden struggles with the power of free will and the dangerous complexities within family rivalry.
VII. Metamorphosis, by Franz Kafka.
Good morning–you are now a cockroach. Does your life look any different? Kafka forces his main character, Gregor Samsa, to suffer this unlikely transition in the interest of his novella about isolation, societal expectations, family relationships, and the absurdity of the world. Both terribly engaging and desperately sad, Metamorphosis questions the purpose of a life through its disregard for the rules of reality.
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We hope this post provides the inspiration you need to get back into books. We’ll be back next week with a second part in this series, introducing our top summer non-fiction picks!
Faith Walessa hails from Ontario, Canada, and is currently a sophomore at Hillsdale College. She loves fanciful poetry, theater, reading by flashlight, and mint chocolate chip ice cream.
Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this piece, well, it sounds like you have your work cut out for you! But if you’d like to read some more from the Journal first, we have a range of options, from our topically-indexed series on the great ideas of the Western world to our ongoing history series Texts in Context. In the latter, we’ve just turned the corner from the Late Middle Ages, entering the Early Modern Period and pausing momentarily to glance at the history of the English language from the fourteenth to eighteenth centuries—or, if you could use a break from the present, you can look back with us at the great epics of the Bronze Age, or the mysterious early days of a dozen tribes from a strip of Mediterranean coastline the size of Delaware whose religious theories have transfigured the globe.
Published on 9th July, 2025. Page image of the Californian coastline looking north at Big Sur, a recurring location in Steinbeck’s novels and one nearby the Salinas Valley, in which East of Eden is set. Photo by Wikimedia contributor Veryniceusername, used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license (source).
