Mapped: Every State’s Most-Searched Summer Reads

Whether you’re flipping pages by the pool or hunkered down in the air conditioning, summer reading is in full swing. That means that bookworms across the country are searching for a good read—and you might be surprised by which novels are coming out on top in each state. 

1. What Each State Is Reading This Summer, Mapped

Over the past month, the Google Trends Team gathered user search data to find which titles are trending this summer. The search terms with the highest volume in each state were considered the most popular in that region. 

What Each State Is Reading This Summer, Mapped

According to the data, Seven Days in June and Summer Island: A Novel were the top picks in 12 states each. The former book is the perfect choice for hopeless romantics. It follows the lives of Eva Mercy, a popular erotica writer and single mother, and Shane Hall, a renowned novelist, who hit it off when they bump into each other at a literary event in New York. The two meet again 20 years after their first love affair and spend part of the summer reconnecting and rediscovering the meaning of love. (Seven Days in June also made it to our favorite summer reads of 2022.)

If romance isn't your thing, consider Kristin Hannah’s Summer Island: A Novel, which focuses more on family troubles between Ruby, a cynical comedian, and her mother Nora, a talk-show host. Though their relationship is strained, the two return to their previous home on the titular Summer Island, hoping the familiar shores will help them rekindle their relationship. The novel is about forgiveness, understanding, and forming family bonds—it’s a story that’s sure to warm your heart.

The People We Keep, preferred in 11 states across the U.S., is a coming-of-age novel that many readers might be able to identify with. Young songwriter April Sawicki navigates life’s struggles as she works at the local diner to make ends meet while struggling in school during the early ’90s in Little River, New York. After a major fight with her father, she leaves the nest to travel. April’s brave choice shows what it’s like to take control of your life and discover a sense of home in the people you meet and the things you love.

Summer is also the time for beach reads, but where did the trend come from? Find out in this piece.

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