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Need a book recommendation? Here's what Team Popverse is reading this summer

From magic to Marvel and murder to Miyazaki, here's what's on our shelves this Summer of '24.

Features by Ashley V. Robinson, Popverse video producer

Additional contributions by Grant DeArmitt

Published on Wed Aug 07 2024

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We're at just about the halfway point of summer as of this writing, but with our schedules being busier than ever, many of us still have yet to choose our summer reads. If that sounds like you, then Team Popverse is here to help.

Gathered by Popverse video producer Ashley Victoria Robinson, here are all the books that your Popverse pals are reading over these bright, long days of 2024, submitted to you in hopes that they may inspire your own reading journey this year.

Ashley Victoria Robinson - Spring Harvest

First on this list is Spring Harvest by Rektok Ross, a supernatural thriller that puts a biological spin on the classic tale of small-town vs. vampires. It's a little bit romantic, a lotta bit bloody, and it'll make you appreciate access to Italian food like never before.

Grant DeArmitt - The Indian Lake Trilogy

Speaking of spooky stories, may we recommend The Indian Lake Trilogy, by Stephen Graham Jones? It's a slasher saga centered on final girl and general badass Jade Daniels, and consists of the books My Heart is a Chainsaw, Don't Fear the Reaper, and The Angel of Indian Lake. Perfect if you hate camping, but don't mind watch a killer stalk through a camp on TV.

Chris Arrant - Turning Point

Popverse's Editor-in-Chief Chris Arrant is a die-hard Studio Ghibli fan, so it should come as no surprise that he's reading the personal memoirs of Hayao Miyazaki to get through this summer. Turning Point is the second volume of those memoirs, covering the big life of an even bigger personality.

Graeme McMillan - ROMnibus

Long before Thanos was snapping his fingers on the big screen, Marvel had already cemented itself as a home for adventures of cosmic proportions. Case in point: the original run of ROM the Spaceknight, which worked a character built to sell toys into a deadly galactic odyssey by writer Bill Mantlo and artist Sal Buscema. If hefty comic book collections are your jam, take this one to the beach.

Maybe use a sturdy bag, though.

Veronica Valencia - Not in Love

Summer is the season of romance; why shouldn't your reading list reflect that? Ali Hazlewood's most recent steamy affair takes place in a bioengineering lab, where characters Rue Siebert and Eli Killgore make a connection that's explosive as any chemical compound. Even if the science in this book goes over your head, it'll work its way into your heart.

Trent Cannon - Going Postal

And last but not even remotely least is some Terry Pratchett representation on this list. Suggested by writer Trent Cannon, Going Postal is one of Pratchett's most famous Discworld novels, featuring a heiist, magic, and the humor that the author was so famous for. For light reading that sacrifices none of its quality, the book is a perfect choice.

Want to know what's coming up next in pop culture? Check out Popverse's guides to:

And if you're looking for specific franchises or genres, we've also got lists for the:

Finally, if you're a fan of superheroes and not specific to just Marvel or DC, we have overall guides to:

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Ashley V. Robinson: Ashley Victoria Robinson is a Canadian hobbit now living in the United States. She is a Popverse Video Producer. You may know her as the host of the Geek History Lesson podcast (alongside Jason Inman), and was even the face of Twitter marketing for podcasters.