Top Summer Reads for Seniors: Print and Digital

Top Summer Reads for Seniors: Print and Digital

Summer is the time to delve into a new hobby or interest. If you’re looking for something that can sharpen your mind, offer relaxation, and bring joy, consider diving into the world of reading! This blog will jumpstart your summer reading list by recommending books suited to your preferences and reading style, helping you uncover your next read!

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Large Print Books for Summer

If you enjoy reading but want to reduce eye strain, large print books might be the choice for you. These books have larger text than regular print, making reading more comfortable for longer durations.

How to buy large print summer reads

You can find various large print books at libraries in a special section dedicated to them. Bookstores like Amazon and Barnes & Noble also offer a range of print options. When looking for these books, check the text size in the description or browse through the pages if you’re shopping in person. For instance, on Amazon, click “see all formats and editions” and choose the ‘large print’ version when making your purchase.

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Reading Digital This Summer 

Types of E-readers

Are you searching for a way to pick and savor your summer reads without leaving home? Consider using e-readers like the Amazon Kindle or Barnes & Noble Nook. These well-liked gadgets can store books, let you customize text sizes, and have built-in lighting options.

You can turn your smartphone or tablet into an e-reader by installing Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play Books apps. These apps function like e-readers. Download the app, open it, and choose a book to read. 

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Benefits of Digital Books

E-books are handy since you can download them anywhere, saving the trip to the library or bookstore. They also help reduce clutter since you don’t have to keep all your books on a shelf. Instead, they’re all tucked away on your device. If you like reading with larger text or at nighttime, e-readers offer helpful features like adjustable text sizes and text-to-speech.

Downloading Digital Books this Summer

You can get free books from your library using apps like Libby if you have an active library card. Download the Libby app, pick a book from the search bar, and start reading! Similar to a library, some books might have a waiting list to download.

If you own an Amazon Kindle, some services, like Amazon Unlimited, provide a monthly subscription for downloading e-books from their “Amazon Unlimited” library. For book lovers, this subscription can be a budget way to enjoy books each month without purchasing them separately.

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A woman sitting by the pool enjoying summer reading on an e-reader.

Summer Reading: Audiobooks

Additionally, audiobooks are another format available to make your summer reading dreams a reality if you love to listen to stories, have difficulty reading printed text, or like to multitask and read while doing other activities. 

Start using audiobooks this summer

Furthermore, audiobooks can be accessed on smartphones and tablets, allowing you to dive into your summer reads instantly. Just as you download e-books on your devices, there’s a selection of audiobooks offered by platforms such as Audible, Libby, LibrivoxGoogle Audiobooks, and Hoopla. Moreover, numerous libraries provide borrowing services that grant access to audiobooks.

Audiobook quick guide

  • If you want to buy audiobooks on Amazon, click the “see all formats and editions” button and choose the audiobook format for purchase. 
  • With an Audible subscription, you can pay a fixed fee for one audiobook every month. You can sign up on audible.com
  • To enjoy audiobooks from your library, download the Libby app, log in with your library card details, search for your desired audiobook title, and begin listening!

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An older man exercising outside while listening to an audiobook in ear buds.

Top 5 Current Summer Reads for Seniors

If you’re looking for your next exciting summer read, keep reading for some of our recommended books and audiobooks!

Large Print Summer Reads

A great option for summer reading!

First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston 

  • Summary: First Lies Wins is a 2024 psychological thriller by Ashley Elston. The novel follows Evie Porter, a con artist hired by a mysterious employer to infiltrate the life of a handsome businessman. Evie sinks deeper into this false life, and the job slowly spirals out of her control.
  • Why It’s Great: This book is gripping, entertaining, and easy to follow. It will surely hook your attention and keep you on the edge of your seat with plot twists and likable characters!

 

The Sicilian Inheritance: A Novel by Jo Piazza

  • Summary: Rosie believes Sara’s great-grandmother Serafina, the family matriarch, was left behind. At the same time, her husband worked in America and didn’t die of illness, and family lore has it she was murdered. Thus begins a twist-filled adventure that takes Sara all over the picturesque Italian countryside as she races to solve a mystery and learn the story of Serafina—a feisty and headstrong young woman in the early 1900s thrust into motherhood in her teens who fought for a better life not just for herself but for all the women of her small village. 
  • Why It’s Great: This is your next captivating beach read that is said to have “an appealing mix of romantic escapism, whodunit intrigue, and feminist introspection” by critics. The theme of this book is compelling, heartwarming, and a perfect summer read. 

 

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store: A Novel by James McBride 

  • Summary: In 1972, when workers in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, were digging the foundations for a new development, the last thing they expected to find was a skeleton at the bottom of a well. Who the skeleton was and how it got there were two long-held secrets the residents of Chicken Hill kept. In this dilapidated neighborhood, immigrant Jews and African Americans lived side by side and shared ambitions and sorrows.
  • Why It’s Great: This beautiful and thought-provoking book is filled with hope, humor, tragedy, and heartbreak that will stay with you long after you put it down. James McBride is a bestselling author; his storytelling will leave you wanting more. 

E-book Options for Summer Reading

A summer reading must for history lovers!A Gentleman and a Thief: The Daring Jewel Heists of a Jazz Age Rogue by Dean Jobb 

  • Summary: In this Jazz Age true crime about “the greatest jewel thief who ever lived,” Arthur Barry charmed celebrities and millionaires while simultaneously planning and executing the most audacious and lucrative heists of the 1920s.
  • Why It’s Great: This book is based on the real story of Arthur Barry and offers a blend of history, suspense, and social commentary. You will enjoy a peek into the lives of the rich and famous people Barry targeted and his elaborate schemes. 

Your Next Summer Audiobook

A summer reading audiobook included on the New York Times Bestseller list.

The Love of My Life by Rosie Walsh

  • Summary: Emma loves her husband Leo and their young daughter Ruby; she’d do anything for them. But almost everything she’s told them about herself is a lie. When the darkest moments of Emma’s past finally emerge, she must prove to Leo that she is the woman he always thought she was. But first, she must tell him about the otherlove of her life.
  • Why It’s Great: This book is a New York Times bestseller and a Good Morning America Book Club pick with an excellent plot filled with unexpected twists. A love story and mystery you are sure to remember!

Dive into Summer Reading

Finally, there are advantages to reading for seniors, and this summer, your choices for reading have never been more convenient with a wide range of formats available. Discover a new reading experience this season by experimenting with types of books that suit your tastes and requirements. 

Are you heading on a road trip but find it hard to read in the car? Give audiobooks a try! Don’t want to risk damaging a book at the beach? Opt for an e-reader instead! 

You have plenty of options to enjoy your summer reading adventures! What books are on your summer reading list? Leave your recommendations in the comments!

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