Reading the Stars: Books You Should Read This Summer Based on Your Zodiac Sign

We’ll Never Tell

by Wendy Heard

ARIES

Hi Aries, you are some of my besties in the whole world. And you know what I did with my besties every summer? Made really bad horror movies! Playing for the sake of play, as they say. Following four YouTuber best friends, this Hollywood thriller from scream queen Wendy Heard is perfect for summer. Get ready for a wild ride!

“Those who love One of Us Is Lying, will devour this page-turner.” (Buzzfeed) Delve into a murderous, twisty whodunit doused in juicy Hollywood lore. 

No one at Hollywood High knows who’s behind We’ll Never Tell—a viral YouTube channel where the anonymous creators trespass behind the scenes of LA’s most intriguing locales. The team includes CASEY, quiet researcher and trivia champ; JACOB, voice narrator and video editor, who is secretly dating EDDIE, aspiring filmmaker; and ZOE, coder and breaking-and-entering extraordinaire.
 
Now senior year is winding down and with their lives heading in different directions, the YouTubers vow to go out with a bang. Their last episode will be filmed at the infamous Valentini “murder house,” which has been left abandoned, bloodstained, and untouched since a shocking murder/suicide in 1972. When the teens break in, they capture epic footage. But someone trips an alarm, and it’s a mad dash to get out before the police arrive—at which point they realize only three of them escaped instead of four. Jacob is still inside, slain and bleeding out. Is his attack connected to the historic murder, or is one of their crew responsible? A week of suspicions and cover-ups unfolds as Casey and her remaining friends try to stay alive long enough to solve murder mysteries past and present. If they do, their friendship may not survive. If they don’t, the house will claim more victims.

We’ll Never Tell is perfect for fans of:

• Riverdale
• Do Revenge
• They Wish They Were Us and One of Us Is Lying
• Murder mystery books for teens
• Teen thrillers
• Young adult suspense

A Bank Street College Best Book of the Year

Heiress Among Thieves

by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka

TAURUS

Taurus. I’m just gonna leave you with this set of lyrics from the undisputable classic High School Musical 2. You know the scene. Sharpay by the pool. “A dip in the pool, a trip to the spa, Endless days in my chaise, The whole world according to moi…” And I have the perfect poolside read Sharpay would LOVE. And so will you, my luxurious loungers!

Stealing from her rich family was supposed to be a fun winter getaway for teen mastermind Olivia Owens, but when a rival thief, a love triangle, and a murder suspect interfere, she’ll have to decide how far she’s willing to go for the vault full of gold—and for the boy she loves.

When teen heiress and heist leader Olivia Owens receives an invitation for her cold-hearted grandmother’s seventieth birthday at the family’s inherited Swiss castle, only one thing entices her to accept: the vault full of gold waiting in the castle’s frigid dungeons. Assembling her old crew of high school criminals, now including her boyfriend Jackson, Olivia feels more prepared than ever for grand theft.
 
But not everything is what it seems when they arrive. For starters, the reunion turns out to be less of a party and more of a wake. Her grandmother announces that she’s dying … and plans to be buried with her fortune. Suddenly the entire greedy Owens clan turns their eyes toward Olivia’s target. It’s hard enough to steal something everyone’s looking at, but an old backstabber, a new suitor, and an uninvited guest add fuel to the fire until Olivia is desperately trying to hold the pieces of her plan—and her crew—together.
 
As Olivia faces her family’s dark legacy of deceit, grift, and maybe even murder, she’s forced to weigh how deeply she loves Jackson with how her love might destroy him. She didn’t choose her family, but now she has to choose—who she loves, who she trusts, and who she’s willing to risk to get what she wants. In a family of thieves, this might cost her everything.
 
Perfect for fans of…
★ The Inheritance Games
★ Jessica Goodman
★ Knives Out
★ Oceans 11
★ Succession
★ Gossip Girl
 
Don’t miss the revenge heist that started it all: Heiress Takes All.
 
Praise for Heiress Takes All
 
“A perfectly delicious tale of greed, family, vengeance, and revenge.” —Kathleen Glasgow, New York Times bestselling author of Girl in Pieces and The Agathas

“Riveting, swoony, and so much fun.” —Jessica Goodman, New York Times bestselling author of The Legacies and The Counselors

“An edge-of-your-seat thrill ride the whole way through.” —Rachel Griffin, New York Times bestselling author of Bring Me Your Midnight

Sometime in Summer

by Katrina Leno

GEMINI

My gorgeous Geminis, you KNOW how to have a good time, so summer is made for you. But on July 7, Uranus entered Gemini, and the times…they are a-changin’! Luckily, you are a curious and open-minded, and adaptable sign. This summer, you will be… (Kylie Jenner voice) realizing things. Just like Anna in Sometime in Summer, this summer may be different than you expected- but isn’t that what keeps life interesting?

From critically acclaimed author Katrina Leno comes a tender love letter to books and summertime, with a touch of magic.

Anna Lucia Bell believes in luck: bad luck. Bad luck made her best friend stop talking to her. Bad luck caused her parents’ divorce. Bad luck is forcing her mother, Miriam, to sell the family’s beloved bookstore. And it is definitely bad luck that Anna seems to be the only person in the world Miriam is unable to recommend a life-changing book.

When Anna finds out that she and her mom are spending two months in a New England seaside town called Rockport, she expects a summer plagued with bad luck too. But Rockport has surprises in store for Anna, including a comet making its first appearance in over twenty years and two new—but familiar—friends.

In what will prove to be the most important summer of her life so far, Anna learns about love, herself, and the magic that an ordinary summer can bring.

The Edge of Summer

by Erica George

CANCER

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SWEET CANCERS! My most caring and creative little crabs! You deserve a heartwarming summer read perfect for your nurturing nature. And The Edge of Summer delivers- you’ll feel completely swept up in the dreamy Cape Cod setting! Beachy best friend adventures? A swoony lifeguard? Saving the whales? Sign me UP!

Fans of Sarah Dessen and Morgan Matson will be swept away by this big-hearted novel about one girl navigating first loss and first love during a summer on Cape Cod.

Saving the whales has been Coriander Cabot and her best friend Ella’s dream since elementary school. But when tragedy strikes, Cor is left to complete the list of things they wanted to accomplish before college alone, including a marine biology internship on Cape Cod.

Cor’s summer of healing and new beginnings turns complicated when she meets Mannix, a local lifeguard who completely takes her breath away. But she knows whatever she has with Mannix might not last, and that her focus should be on rescuing the humpback whales from entanglement. As the tide changes, Cor finds herself distracted and struggling with her priorities.

Can she follow her heart and keep her promise to the whales and her best friend?

Audre & Bash are Just Friends

by Tia Williams

LEO

AHHHH go Leo, it’s ya birthday! Gonna party like it’s ya birthday! Which IT IS! I wanted to gift you a book that’s dynamic, passionate, and fun, so obviously, you get Audre & Bash. It’s a summer romance that’s as fiery as you are! Sparks are FLYING! Bring your fan, because it’s going to get hot!

An INSTANT New York Times Bestseller!

Scorching-hot summer. Scorching-hot chemistry. Two teens can’t forget they’re just friends in this sweet, funny, electrifying romance from New York Times bestselling author Tia Williams. Perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Nicola Yoon.
 
MEET AUDRE. Junior class president. Debate team captain. Unofficial student therapist. Desperately in need of a good time.
 
MEET BASH. Mysterious new senior. Everybody’s crush. Tall, floppy, great taste in jewelry. King of having a good time.
 
It’s the last day of school at Cheshire Prep, Brooklyn’s elite academy—and Audre Mercy-Moore’s life is a mess. Her dad cancelled her annual summer visit to his Malibu beach house. Now? She’s stuck in a claustrophobic apartment with her mom, stepdad, and one-year-old sister (aka the Goblin Baby).
 
Under these conditions, she’ll never finish writing her self-help book—ie, the key to winning over Stanford’s admissions board.
 
Cut to Bash Henry! Audre hires him to be her “fun consultant.” His job? To help her complete the Experience Challenge—her list of five wild dares designed to give her juicy book material. She’ll get inspo; he’ll get paid. Everybody wins.
 
He isn’t boyfriend material. And she’s not looking for one. Can they stay professional despite their obvious connection?
 
Fun fact: Audre Mercy-Moore first appeared in the New York Times bestseller Seven Days in June and now stars in her own story!

Our Way Back to Always

by Nina Moreno

VIRGO

This is a summer CLASSIC, Virgo babes. That cover! Anyways… Earth signs can be a little introverted and structured. I think you’ll relate to our heroine Lou in Our Way Back to Always– she’s introverted, but a romantic. And in this book, she’s doing one of a Virgo’s favorite things- checking off a list. A summer bucket list, to be exact!!! Let the summer sweetness begin- you’ve earned it after all your hard work this year!

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before meets Since You’ve Been Gone in this effervescent romance about childhood best friends reconnecting, full of sunny days, warm nights, first kisses, and mended hearts.

Lou Patterson and Sam Alvarez were inseparable—the best of friends—until the most embarrassing middle school promposal ever. Now, four years later, Lou is an introverted romantic who’s bearing the weight of her mother’s expectations. Meanwhile, Sam is the golden boy with plenty of friends who’s still mourning the death of his father.

When Lou finds the bucket list she and Sam wrote together as kids, she’s disappointed to see that she hasn’t accomplished a single one of her goals. Go to a party? Nope. Pull the greatest prank of all time? Still no. Learn how to be a really good kisser? Definitely not.

Lou sets out to finish the list, and in a stroke of fate, Sam decides to tag along, stirring up old arguments and some very new feelings. But with the bucket list to guide them, Sam and Lou might just be able to find a way toward the future and each other.

¡Ay Mija!: My Bilingual Summer in Mexico

by Christine Suggs

LIBRA

Dear Libras, I absolutely LOVE this graphic novel. Your aesthetic eye will, too! Just like ¡Ay, Mija!’s Christine, summer 2025 is all about finding comfort in the balance between the different things that make you, YOU. With the sun going into Leo in August, you’ll get a boost of creativity and confidence. This book will spark your summer like a firework!

“An absolutely heartwarming and vibrant story of belonging, family, and the meaning of home. This book is a treasure.” – Julie Murphy, New York Times bestselling author of Dumplin’

In this bilingual, inventive, and heartfelt debut, graphic novel talent Christine Suggs explores a trip they took to Mexico to visit family, embracing and rebelling against their heritage and finding a sense of belonging. Perfect for fans of Mexikid and Brownstone.

Sixteen-year-old Christine takes their first solo trip to Mexico to spend a few weeks with their grandparents and tía. At first, Christine struggles to connect with family they don’t yet share a language with. Seeing the places their mom grew up—the school she went to, the café where she had her first date with their father—Christine becomes more and more aware of the generational differences in their family.

Soon Christine settles into life in Mexico, eating pan dulce, drawing what they see, and growing more comfortable with Spanish. But when Mom joins their trip, Christine’s two worlds collide. They feel homesick for Texas, struggle against traditions, and miss being able to speak to their mom without translating. Eventually, through exploring the impacts of colonialism in both Mexico and themselves, they find their place in their family and start to feel comfortable with their mixed identity.

How to Die Famous

by Benjamin Dean

SCORPIO

The most loyal and mysterious of the zodiac, How to Die Famous is the perfect summer page turner for you, Scorpios! We follow Hollywood ingenue Abel Miller who is the star of a new hit show, but underneath the glitz and glamour, he’s trying to figure out the mystery of his brother’s on-set death. Sizzling secrets, spicy scandal, and spooky scares! #scorpiosummer #summerween #somanyessessssss

For fans of Little White Lies and Two Can Keep a Secret comes an addictive thriller about a budding teen celebrity secretly investigating his brother’s suspicious death while navigating the highs and lows of fame.

Rising star Abel Miller has just landed a role in one of the hottest reboots on the Omni Channel, Sunset High. It looks like he’ll be yet another budding celebrity plucked from obscurity, but he has a secret: his brother, Adam, a mere production associate, died during the filming of the last attempt at Sunset High, and no one knows how or why. Abel is going to find out.
 
But when he meets the other stars of the show—Lucky, Ryan, and Ella, along with creator Lake Carter—he realizes there’s even more darkness beneath the shimmer of fame. They all have their own secrets to hide, and one of them is willing to kill to keep it that way.

The Whisperwood Legacy

by Jo Schulte

SAGITTARIUS

Sag, you already know that you’re the thrill-seekers of the zodiac. At theme parks this summer, I’m assuming you’ll pick the highest roller coaster, the creepiest fun house, and the sugariest soda. It’s not your fault you know how to have fun! I’m gifting you a book that delivers thrills AND chills—The Whisperwood Legacy. It’s set in an abandoned amusement park. Enough said.

“Read this one with the lights on!”—Beth Revis, New York Times bestselling author of The Night of the Witch

Knives Out meets The Hazel Wood in this twisty contemporary fantasy about an amusement park shrouded in dark secrets—and the family desperate to inherit it at any cost. 
 
Welcome to Whisperwood, a sprawling theme park nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, where thrilling rides and picture-perfect scenery bring cult-classic fairy tales to life. Or at least they did until eighteen months ago, when the family matriarch, Virginia Strauss, suddenly shut Whisperwood’s gates and the beloved park was left to wither away along with the family’s dwindling fortune.
  
For seventeen-year-old Frankie Strauss, Whisperwood’s closure has been a blessing in disguise. After seeing three generations of wealth’s corrupting influence, she is more than ready to shed the Strauss-family’s gilded handcuffs.
  
But when Virginia goes missing, Frankie realizes that her family might be guilty of something much worse than mere dysfunction. With the help of the mysterious and handsome groundskeeper, Jem, Frankie sifts through a web of near truths and outright lies, uncovering a reality where nothing is as it seems and fairy tales aren’t just real—they’re deadly. 

96 Words for Love

by Rachel Roy & Ava Dash

CAPRICORN

Yes, all my Bravo TV fans: Ava Dash from Next Gen NYC co-wrote this book with her mother! Though it has less drama than the show, this novel gives all the summer feels. It’s romantic, and Caps, you will recognize yourself in the ambitiousness of our main character Raya. Let yourself get lost in the adventure this summer!

A modern retelling of a classic Indian legend, 96 Words for Love is a touching coming-of-age story that reads like Eat, Pray, Love for teens.

Ever since her acceptance to UCLA, 17-year-old Raya Liston has been quietly freaking out. She feels simultaneously lost and trapped by a future already mapped out for her.

Then her beloved grandmother dies, and Raya jumps at the chance to spend her last free summer at the ashram in India where her grandmother met and fell in love with her grandfather. Raya hopes to find her center and her true path. But she didn’t expect to fall in love… with a country of beautiful contradictions, her fiercely loyal cousin, a local girl with a passion for reading, and a boy who teaches her that in Sanskrit, there are 96 different ways to say the word “love.”

“A beautifully crafted, truly feminist coming-of-age story featuring nuanced characters in a unique setting.” —Kirkus, STARRED Review

The Unlikelies

by Carrie Firestone

AQUARIUS

Aquarius, I know you thrive in eccentricity and innovation. You like to keep things interesting. But this summer, I want you to give yourself a bit of a break and be present to the magic unfolding around you. I promise you, it won’t be boring, just like Sadie’s summer in The Unliklies— TRUST ME! Oh, and this novel will also appeal to your humanitarian nature. Car wash for the cause, anyone?

Five teens embark on a summer of vigilante good samaritanism in a novel that’s part The Breakfast Club, part The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, and utterly captivating.

Rising high school senior Sadie is bracing herself for a long, lonely, and boring summer. But things take an unexpected turn when she steps in to help rescue a baby in distress and a video of her good deed goes viral.

Suddenly internet-famous, Sadie’s summer changes for the better when she’s introduced to other “hometown heroes.” These five very different teens form an unlikely alliance to secretly right local wrongs, but when they try to help a heroin-using friend, they get in over their heads and discover that there might be truth in the saying “no good deed goes unpunished.” Can Sadie and her new friends make it through the summer with their friendships—and anonymity—intact?

This rich and thought-provoking novel takes on timely issues and timeless experiences with a winning combination of romance, humor, and wisdom.

Dead Flip

by Sara Farizan

PISCES

Pisces, you are known to be a bit of an escapist, a bit spiritual and even mystical. And guess what? That’s what summer is PERFECT for. Release your inner child! Dead Flip is the perfect summer read for you- a bit of a nostalgic ode to friendship, but with a supernatural twist that appeals to your dreamy nature. The perfect read for that twilit, in-between time of summer and fall…

In this “terrifyingly fun” (NYT) horror comedy, two friends must solve the mystery of their long-missing former friend’s supernatural reappearance—perfect for fans of Stranger Things.

Growing up, Cori, Maz, and Sam were inseparable best friends, sharing their love for pop culture, Halloween, and arcade games. Now it’s 1992, Sam has been missing for five years, and Cori and Maz aren’t speaking anymore. How could they be, when Cori is sure Sam is dead, and Maz has good reason to believe he was kidnapped by a supernatural pinball machine?
 
These days, all Maz wants to do is party and run away from his past. Meanwhile, Cori hides her abiding love of horror movies and her queer self under the bubblegum veneer of a high school queen bee. But then Sam returns—still twelve years old, while his best friends are now seventeen. What really happened the night he disappeared? And just because he’s back, does that mean he’s safe? To find answers, Cori, Maz, and Sam will need to reveal secrets they never told one another, then and now. And Sam’s is the darkest of all . . .
 
Award-winning author Sara Farizan delivers edge-of-your-seat terror, with her insightful characters, witty narration, and trademark referential humor.

* “Well-crafted homage to narratives like It and Stranger Things . . . A great choice for stalwart horror fans and newcomers to the genre.” —Booklist, starred review