📚 Best Books to Read in 2025: The Sunny Shores Summer Reading Challenge

At Sunny Shores Academy, we believe reading is one of the most powerful ways to grow, whether you’re exploring a new language, unraveling a mystery, or immersing yourself in another culture. This summer, we invite high school students, parents, and fellow lifelong learners to join our 2025 reading challenge!

Disclaimer: We haven’t read these books yet, this challenge is a shared journey! We’ll be discovering the stories right alongside you.

We’ve selected a few standout titles that are not only engaging but also educational. We have researched them and are going to read along with you! These books blend history, critical thinking, and diverse perspectives and as we read through them, we’ll be sharing our reflections on our blog and social media. The books we have selected are targeted towards ages 14+, although we will also be sharing our summer reading challenge for elementary and middle schoolers soon. Follow along, or read with us!

‍1. Atmosphere – Taylor Jenkins Reid

Most readers have heard of “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” or “Daisy Jones and the Six” so we thought this would be a fitting first novel to read. Set during NASA’s Space Shuttle era in the 1980s, this novel follows Joan Goodwin, one of the first female astronauts, and her secret relationship with a fellow mission engineer. With themes of ambition, identity, and resilience, Atmosphere blends STEM, romance, and history into a powerful, accessible story.

Why we want to read it:

• Great starter for summer reading, emotional and easy to dive into
• Spotlights women in science and the societal shifts of the 1980s
• A fresh release from a well-known author to help readers ease into the challenge

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2. Five Little Pigs – Agatha Christie

We love the Queen of Mystery! If you have never read her books before, we recommend you start with “Murder on the Orient Express” or “And Then There Were None”, however, we wanted to pick one that we haven’t read yet. In this psychological mystery, Hercule Poirot investigates a case long considered closed: a woman convicted of murdering her husband 16 years earlier. As he interviews five witnesses, Poirot uncovers five very different perspectives, and a deeply layered truth.

Why we want to read it:

• Develops logic and inference skills in a fun, accessible way
• Encourages deeper thinking about memory, perception, and justice
• A lesser-known but clever Agatha Christie novel

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‍3.  Isola – Allegra Goodman

Set in 16th-century New France (now Quebec, Canada), Isola tells the gripping true-inspired story of Marguerite de la Rocque de Roberval, a French noblewoman abandoned on an island in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence as punishment for an affair. Alongside her nurse and lover, she must survive the Canadian wilderness and isolation.

Why we want to read it:

• Rich Canadian historical setting
• Explores resilience, survival, and the strength of women in harsh circumstances
• Offers readers a window into a new culture, language, and a true story from the 1500s
• Reese Witherspoon bookclub choice

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4. The Dream Hotel – Laila Lalami

In a near-future society, Sara Hussein, a museum archivist, is detained based on predictive algorithms analyzing her dreams. As she navigates a retention center, Sara confronts the implications of surveillance, privacy, and the power of technology over personal freedom.

Why we want to read it:

• Explores themes of surveillance and privacy in a technology-driven world
• Raises questions about the ethics of predictive algorithms and data usage
• Offers a compelling narrative that blends dystopian fiction with contemporary issues
  
  

Summer 2025 Reading Bucket List

• Atmosphere – Taylor Jenkins Reid
• Five Little Pigs – Agatha Christie
• Isola – Allegra Goodman
• The Dream Hotel – Laila Lalami
  

How to Join the Challenge:

• Pick up the books from your local bookstore, library, or online
• Follow us on Instagram + Facebook for reading updates, quotes, and reviews
• Comment and share your thoughts, we’d love to hear from students and families!
• Read at your own pace, this isn’t school, it’s a community!

Let’s make this summer one to remember, through great stories, thoughtful conversations, and a shared love of learning.