Reading Around the USA

Written on July 31, 2025

There are still plenty of warm, sunny days ahead to settle into your beach chair and enjoy some summer reading. Grab your favorite refreshing beverage, and let’s tour the United States through a few great reads. The joy of visiting these destinations can be as simple as escaping through a story while being poolside, on a cozy porch swing, or with our toes in the sand.

Here are a few suggestions:

 Massachusetts: Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman 

For two hundred years the Owens sisters have been blamed for everything that has gone wrong in their small Massachusetts town. As children, Gillian and Sally experienced alienation from their classmates, who taunted and teased them for growing up in a musty old house with their eccentric aunts and an abundance of cats. They couldn’t wait to escape, but now, as adults, the sisters’ bond (and perhaps a little magic) brings them back home. With the Practical Magic 2 film announced for release in 2026, it’s the perfect time to catch up with this captivating series.

 South Carolina: the novels of Pat Conroy 

Pat Conroy is known for his sweeping stories told through lyrical prose about love and family set in South Carolina, and perhaps the most notable title is The Prince of Tides. The Prince of Tides, a saga spanning forty years, tells the story of twins, Tom and Savannah, and their struggle to triumph over the tragic history of their extraordinary family. If you fall in love with Conroy’s storytelling, he has several other acclaimed titles to choose from. 

 California: Shanghai Girls (and sequel Dreams of Joy) by Lisa See 

Sisters Pearl and May are living carefree lives in 1937 Shanghai, China until their father reveals to them that he has gambled away the family’s wealth and must sell them to suitors who have traveled from California to purchase wives. They journey to their new homes in Los Angeles, where they try to embrace their new lives while battling discrimination. Follow Shanghai Girls with Dreams of Joy, which follows Pearl’s daughter as she uncovers her mother’s past.  

 Hawaii: Moloka’i (and sequel Daughter of Moloka’i) by Alan Brennert 

Rachel Kalama, a young Hawaiian girl, dreams of exploring the world like her merchant, seaman father. When the signature rose-colored mark of leprosy appears on her body, she is removed from all she knows to be quarantined in the leper settlement of Kalaupapa, Moloka’i. Weaving historical facts with a gripping story, Brennert tells the tale of remarkable people dealing with a horrific and deadly illness, which is part of Hawaii’s history many are not familiar with. The sequel, Daughter of Moloka’i, follows Ruth, the daughter Rachel was forced to give up at birth.  

Alaska: The Great Alone by Kristen Hannah 

When Ernt Allbright returns from the Vietnam War a changed man, he impulsively moves his family to the Alaskan frontier to live off the grid. At first, they find strength in the community of their remote homestead, and this drastic change seems to be what the family needs to heal. However, as winter creeps in and the endless darkness and deep snow pervades their lives, Ernt’s mental state begins to deteriorate, and the family soon realizes they are truly alone. 

 Wisconsin: The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach 

Westish College, a small school near Lake Michigan, provides the backdrop for the story of Henry Skrimshander, a college baseball star. Henry is destined for major league stardom, until a routine throw changes the lives of five characters in the novel. It may be a story about baseball, but the themes of ambition, commitment, and love resonate with any reader. 

Which book are you adding to your reading list first?

Looking for more reading lists? Check out our Reading Road Trip blog series!