As discerning literary women ourselves, we at So Textual believe your summer reading stack can be as intellectually enriching as it is indulgent—dismissing the notion that the “beach read” must be light, throwaway, or emotionally shallow.

The Official So Textual Summer Reading List blends the literary with the leisurely—think Mediterranean villas, blue skies, glittering water, and long afternoons spent with a book in hand.

These are the books that smart, sophisticated, well-read women are slipping into their carry-ons for this year’s summer vacation. Some are sun-soaked and romantic; others are contemplative and quietly devastating. All have been chosen for the thinking woman’s summer.