For many readers, myself included, one of the great evils of the academic school year is how the time for pleasure reading quickly evaporates. Though I get my fix by being an English and Political Science double major, it isn’t quite what I’d classify as “reading for fun.”

Naturally, when the summer comes around, I use it to make up for lost time. This past summer, I managed to finish eight books, rounding out August by getting one-third of the way through East of Eden by John Steinbeck.

I stumbled upon some of my favorite reads as well as some books that were simply disappointing. Below are reviews of the books that made up my rollercoaster summer of reading.

How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin

I started the summer off with my favorite genre: murder mysteries. I’ve read many murder mysteries over the past few years, and unfortunately, this one falls in with the crowd for me. It was fun and quick, but nothing special.

I was immediately captivated by the book’s title, but the nuanced eponymous concept ended up not working well with the narrative. Following the protagonist as she solves her grandma’s murder, the “solve your own murder” aspect only materializes in the grandma’s personal obsession after a psychic predicted she would be murdered.

While the concept is unique, this book is simply a stereotypical small-town murder mystery that follows a predictable structure. It was fine as a reentry into pleasure reading, but not one I’d highly recommend.

Circe by Madeline Miller

Circe ended up being my favorite read of the summer and ranks high in my top books of all time. Miller’s known for her mythological retellings, most significantly The Song of Achilles, and I had Circe on my to-read list since the beginning of the school year.

I had already read and really enjoyed The Song of Achilles, so my expectations were high, but Circe did not disappoint. Miller’s storytelling abilities are unmatched—her ability to create vivid characters and images made Circe a true delight to read.

While looping in Greek storylines that many people already know—the Minotaur, Medea, Odysseus—Miller also does a fantastic job bringing lesser-recognized myths to life. Her portrayal of Circe as a lonely, outcast woman with the world against her was intricate, giving the Greek myth new life in a modern context.

Everyone On This Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson

This book is a sequel to Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone, which I thoroughly enjoyed for its cheeky humor and layered mystery. I took on the sequel as a light read, with Stevenson’s background as a stand-up comic typically making his murder mysteries full of laugh-out-loud moments.

Everyone On This Train is a Suspect was no different from Stevenson’s first book. It’s not a difficult read at all, and though its plot feels awfully reminiscent of Murder on the Orient Express, Stevenson’s comedy gives it a unique feel.

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

This book is one I’d recommend to anyone who liked The Secret History. Instead of beginning in media res, the reader is immediately projected to the story’s end: The main character is in prison, and the rest of the book will explain why.

Set on a small college campus, the protagonist and his friends are all theatre students studying Shakespeare. I found it interesting at first, but the characters constantly quoting Shakespeare quickly got on my nerves. The plot was intriguing, and the knowledge that something eventually goes wrong kept me reading. 

The characters were all given sufficient depth. I like to say a good book has characters that make me genuinely upset, and this book did. This book is appropriately trendy as dark academia, and psychological thriller novels are all the craze.

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

I was excited to read this book because of its great reviews, but in the end, I didn’t understand the hype. The concept is very original, with a woman tasked to assimilate a time traveler, only to accidentally fall in love with him.

While the love story was rich, simultaneously heartwarming and heartbreaking, the story felt very slow. I was never super excited to pick up the book because it always felt like it was in transition rather than fleshing out intricate scenes. Still, its examination of the ethics of time travel, as well as the use of anachronisms, was great. I’d recommend it to anyone who, unlike myself, doesn’t need a fast-paced mystery to keep their attention span.

So Far Gone by Jess Walter

Following the story of a grandfather who fled to a cabin in the woods after fighting with his conspiracy theorist, Christian nationalist son-in-law, So Far Gone was a hilarious and timely read. 

Released this summer, So Far Gone explores the importance of family within the context of the current American political climate. Walter did a fantastic job addressing issues of political extremism in the United States, asserting that, during a time when you want to escape from the world, it’s best to embrace those closest to you.

I’d highly recommend this book to anyone interested in politics as well as those looking for a heartwarming family story. It’s a quick read but packs a lot in every word.

Assassins Anonymous by Rob Hart

Another blend of murder and comedy, Assassins Anonymous is an action-packed spy thriller. The concept of an action-heavy book is something I wasn’t too sure about going into it, but Hart’s vivid descriptions made every fight scene memorable.

Combine the action with a funny protagonist and even funnier plot, and this book was one of the most entertaining of my summer. The protagonist, an assassin, decides he wants to quit and attends assassins anonymous meetings. When he begins to be hunted, the protagonist must figure out who’s after him—but being recently reformed, he must do so without killing his aggressors.

This book was tremendously fun and perfect for an easy summer read.

Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith

A classic with an equally esteemed movie adaptation, Strangers on a Train was a book I was excited to read. Unfortunately, I ended up a bit disappointed. It was a fine novel, but its dated language and slow plot failed to hook me. 

I always appreciate a classic, especially one that falls into any of my favorite genres, so I can’t knock this book too much. Strangers on a Train is a psychological thriller, and while it was interesting to read a well-regarded author like Highsmith, I just found myself wishing that the story had a bit more action.