Skip to main contentSkip to footer

The best summer books of 2017 recommended by Reese Witherspoon and more

celebrity books summer
Chloe Best
Lifestyle Features Editor
Share this:
1 Reese Witherspoon book© Photo: Instagram

With a recent survey from online travel agency Opodo.co.uk finding that 50% of Brits say they read more on holiday than they do while at home, the time has come to find some fresh reading material for the summer. Luckily inspiration is at hand from a number of celebrity bookworms, who have taken to social media to recommend some of their favourite books ahead of the summer. From Reese Witherspoon's book club suggestions to the novel Emma Roberts "can't wait to talk about" with fans, we've rounded up some of the top celebrity book recommendations for summer…

Reese Witherspoon:

Reese has recommended The Alice Network by Kate Quinn as her latest selection for her Reese Witherspoon Book Club. "I think you'll really enjoy this exciting and fast-paced story about a pregnant American socialite who teams up with a female ex-spy and a hot-tempered young soldier in the aftermath of WWII," Reese wrote. "A story of courage and redemption. Happy reading!" The book will be released in the UK on 13 July, pre-order on Amazon for £8.99.

2 Sarah Jessica Parker© Photo: Instagram

Sarah Jessica Parker:

Sex and the City star Sarah Jessica Parker is also an avid reader, and has partnered with the American Library Association to launch Book Club Central, with book recommendations and resources for readers. The first book she has recommended is Stephanie Powell Watts' No One is coming to Save Us, which is a modern day retelling of The Great Gatsby centred on an African-American family in North Carolina. Available in hardback for £18.52 on Amazon.

3 Emma Roberts book© Photo: Instagram

Emma Roberts:

Emma Roberts launched her online book club, Belletrist, with her friend Karah Preiss in March 2017 and has already got over 94,000 followers. One of her latest recommendations is Touch by Courtney Maum, which she described as: "the story of Sloane Jacobsen, a trend forecaster, and her struggle to figure out the important difference between human instinct and technology." Explaining why she loved the book, Emma added: "I think we can all relate to this one. I can't wait to talk about it with all you amazing #belletristbabes." Order in hardback for £17.05 on Amazon.

4 Emma Watson book© Photo: Instagram

Emma Watson:

Emma Watson launched her own feminist online book club, Our Shared Shelf, in 2016, and most recently recommended Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, which has recently been adapted into a TV drama.

RELATED: 3 feminist books Emma Watson thinks everyone should read

"It is set in a dystopian future where a society (which was once clearly the USA) is ruled by a fundamentalist religion that controls women's bodies," Emma explained of the story. "Margaret Atwood wrote The Handmaid's Tale over thirty years ago now, but it is a book that has never stopped fascinating readers because it articulates so vividly what it feels like for a woman to lose power over her own body." Order your copy on Waterstones for £7.49.

5 Brie Larson book© Photo: Instagram

Brie Larson:

Oscar-winning actress Brie Larson often shares photos of her reading material on Instagram, including Maggie Nelson's The Argonauts, which she said "draws me towards the people inside it and the person inside me". The story focuses on the author's relationship with the artist Harry Dodge, who is fluidly gendered, as well as her journey to starting a family with her partner, while exploring themes of sexuality, gender and the institutions of marriage and child-rearing. Order your copy for £9.99 at Foyles.

6 Tavi Gevinson book© Photo: Instagram

Tavi Gevinson:

Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine is another famous book club founder, and recently asked Tavi Gevinson to recommend a book for her club Between Two Books. The 21-year-old, who found fame when she launched her blog The Style Rookie aged 12, suggested Too Much and Not the Mood by Durga Chew-Bose. "This book is so beautifully descriptive that you feel you're not just getting an author's worldview, but the worldview of every one of her senses. Then she extracts meaning from these seemingly minor interactions with the aesthetic like she's both a magician and a scientist," Tavi explained.

"Even though the book consists of non-fiction essays, they are as transporting as a novel, while grounded in wisdom and insight that I've passed along to so many friends. That is why I'm sharing it again with you all now. Available in paperback for £11.

More Travel

See more