The Summer Solstice is upon us! And with it comes plenty of new books and lots of warm weather and natural light to read them in.

Below are some titles that I am personally looking forward to checking out this Summer, most of which land in the science fiction, fantasy, horror, roleplaying, historical fiction, and non-fiction categories and their respective subgenres. The first list of books is presented in order of release date from May 2026 through August 2026. After this main list, I’ve included some older titles to read before their new movie/TV adaptations come out. Finally, you’ll find a bonus section featuring themed Cookbooks, Craftbooks, Guides, Coloring Books, Sourcebooks, Card Sets/Games, Journals, and Accessories that are perfect companions for your Summer reading adventures, and also make great gifts. This guide contains links to each item; for books, I’ve included print, ebook, and audiobook editions.

Continue on to check out my list of Summer 2026 Book Recommendations & Gifts…

The Odyssey
The Classic Tale By Homer (Young Readers Edition)
Hardcover
By Homer; Adapted by Geraldine McCaughrean
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Release Date: May 26, 2026

This summer, director Christopher Nolan, who’s wowed audiences with the Batman: The Dark Knight trilogy as well as 2023’s Academy Award-winning Oppenheimer, will bring Homer’s ancient poem The Odyssey to movie theaters and IMAX. Early buzz for the film calls it “breathtaking” and “jaw-dropping,” promising another Nolan box office blockbuster. The film features a star-studded cast led by Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Zendaya, and others portraying a mix of Greek gods and the mere mortals they meddle with.

With the upcoming release of the film, now is a great time to read the source material, because it truly is an extraordinary epic adventure. But not everyone is so inclined to delve into the over 12,000 lines of verse in the book. For those people, there’s a solution: The Odyssey: The Classic Tale By Homer, a new hardcover adaptation by Geraldine McCaughrean for readers age 10 and up from Viking Books for Young Readers.

Dungeons & Dragons: Player’s Workbook of Epic Adventures
An Official Companion to the Player’s Handbook
D&D Accessory; Wizards of the Coast
Hardcover
By Andrew Wheeler; Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed
Publisher: Clarkson Potter
Release Date: May 5, 2026

The best part of playing a role-playing game is always getting to create a new character for the campaign. This is where we get to impose our interests and creativity onto a player character that we will then take on a (hopefully) multitude of adventures and watch the PC get more and more powerful as we progress. In decades past, I always tracked everything on a player character sheet in pencil, as you never know what might happen to make you alter some information on there. With the Dungeons & Dragons: Player’s Workbook of Epic Adventures, this has been given a boost. In fact, it is akin to a steroid-enhanced explosion of character building. Please allow me to expand upon this statement.

Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Master’s Workbook of Worldbuilding
An Official Companion to the Dungeon Master’s Guide
D&D Accessory; Wizards of the Coast
Hardcover
By Andrew Wheeler; Official Dungeons & Dragons Licensed
Publisher: Clarkson Potter
Release Date: May 5, 2026

Alright, alright, alright. Hello, my lovelies. I hope you are all doing well, even with these exorbitant gas prices we are being subjected to these days. I am here to bring a little light to your lives with a new offering from Andrew Wheeler for the discerning DM: the Dungeon Master’s Workbook of Worldbuilding. This tome is so fancy, they even stitched a ribbon into the binding so you are never without a bookmark. Of course, there is far more to the book than that, if you would allow me to guide you.

Strixhaven: Omens Of Chaos
Magic: The Gathering
Hardcover | Kindle | Audiobook
By Seanan McGuire
Publisher: Random House Worlds
Release Date: April 7, 2026

I am late to the party, folks; for that I must apologize. No excuses, but life definitely got in the way of my obligations. That said, I am here to rectify that with a review of Strixhaven: Omens Of Chaos, the newest offering in the Magic: The Gathering books and from author Seanan McGuire. I will confess that I am not an MtG player or fan. I hold no hatred for the game or franchise; it is just not one of my many obsessions (of which there are plenty). No, it is the overlap of Strixhaven into the world of Dungeons & Dragons that piqued my curiosity and led me to commit to reading this novel. So I will try to give you a rundown of my take on it. Let us venture forth, dear readers.