Summer is a great time for catching up on books (unless you have kids, that is. Then you’re just busy all the time). But whether at the park or beach, on a road trip, or in the comfort of your own living room, nothing beats relaxing with a good book. We took to that activity this summer and came away with some great reads. Here are a few of our faves, in no particular order:

Homegoingby Yaa Gyasi– Gyasi’s debut novel tells a powerful tale of love, loss, fear, strength, courage, despair, and every emotion in between. It traces the story of two half-sisters from the Gold Coast of Africa – one who is sold into slavery and the other who remains in Africa.

Floridaby Lauren Groff– We’re fans of short stories and we’re fans of Florida, so naturally we had to be fans of this new collection of stories. Dark and moody, yet captivating all the same – worth a read.

Born a Crimeby Trevor Noah– We’re a little late to the game on this one, but if you haven’t read it yet, definitely do. Not only is this book a wonderful tribute to his mother, it offers an important, first-hand lesson in history as well. Noah details what it was like growing up in South Africa during apartheid and demonstrates how being born to a white Swiss father and black Xhosa mother shaped his life during a period of extreme tyranny.

There Thereby Tommy Orange– Another powerful novel about identity, isolation, belonging, pain and devastation. Orange questions what it means to be Native American in America today. To say it’s complex would be an understatement.

What good books have you read lately? Let us know!