This is a SB Verified post.
Summers are for reading in the sunshine.
The summer holidays are about to start and we’re sure after a term of studying you’re looking to spend this summer relaxing to the max.
If you’ve used all your brain cells and need to cosy up into a world of your own, fiction books are a great way to immerse yourself in something other than the hard grind of uni.
Is there anything better than chilling in the sun with a good book? Yes. Chilling in the sun with a good book that you got for cheaper using a Waterstones student discount.
Not sure what to buy? We headed in-store to see what’s lining the shelves and the featured tables. And we’ve checked what Student Beans’ students are buying with the Waterstones student discount* to give you some recommendations from fellow students.
*Data of books bought using a Waterstones student discount 1st Jan - 29th June 2026
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Trending books
The to-be-read pile never stops growing. These are the trending books you can pick up at Waterstones with a Waterstones student discount for 10% off.
Book | Genre | Description |
Romantic fantasy | The action-packed, dark and romantic sequel to Dire Bound, the second book in the Wolves of Ruin series sees Meryn Cooper vowing deadly revenge to fulfil her destiny — with blood to spill, bonds to break, and fate to be tested. It's a slow-burn romance wrapped in high stakes and morally grey characters, with readers describing it as emotionally devastating and unputdownable. Perfect for fans of Fourth Wing and A Court of Thorns and Roses who love a powerful heroine, wolf shifters, and plenty of spice. | |
Romantic fantasy | The spellbinding conclusion to BookTok sensation Rachel Schneider's Metal Slinger series, told in dual POV with political intrigue, forbidden love, and plenty of spice. Four years into a rebellion, Jovie — now known as the Light Wielder — must use her stolen magic to end a war, even as rumours of a new darkness begin to rise. It's the kind of series that dominates social media for good reason: compelling characters, a richly built world and a romance that feels genuinely earned. Ideal for fans of Sarah J. Maas or Rebecca Yarros looking for their next addiction. | |
Romantic fantasy | The first adult romantasy series from the bestselling author of the Lightlark Saga. Every fifty years, the gates between the mortal realm and the immortal paradise of Starside open, and fifty challengers attempt a deadly quest for magic. Aris enters with one goal: to kill the goddess who murdered her family. It's got a tournament-style plot, a swords-as-magic system, and an enemies-to-lovers tension with the king's guard who once betrayed her. Readers call it action-packed from page one. Great for fantasy fans who want adventure front and centre alongside the romance. | |
Fantasy romance | The powerful second instalment in the Moonfall series — continuing from No.1 Sunday Times bestseller When the Moon Hatched — featuring an immersive world with mysterious creatures, a unique magic system, and a love that blazes through the ages. Raeve's thirst for vengeance continues to burn alongside her love for Kaan Vaegor, as the world faces its most devastating moonfall yet. Described as a masterclass in poetic fantasy, this is stunning world-building with an emotionally shattering story. Read When the Moon Hatched first if you haven't — you'll be obsessed. | |
Contemporary fiction | Set against the backdrop of the 1980s US space shuttle programme, Atmosphere follows astrophysics professor Joan Goodwin as she trains as an astronaut alongside an extraordinary group of candidates — finding a passion and a love she never imagined before everything changes in an instant in December 1984. TJR fans say it's her best yet: sweeping, cinematic, emotionally devastating, and utterly unputdownable. Perfect for anyone who loved Daisy Jones and the Six or The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, or anyone who just wants a big, immersive read that makes them feel something huge. | |
Contemporary romance | The first book in brand-new Western romance series Emerald Lake. Professional bull rider Emmett Bush is not looking for love — he's looking for a paycheck to save his family's farm from bankruptcy. So when he agrees to be the leading man on a new reality dating show called Romance Ranch, he's already decided it's all a performance. Until Julia Silva, the location consultant and little sister of his most bitter rival, walks onto his property. It's a rivals-to-lovers, forbidden romance set on a reality TV show — peak fun. Perfect for fans of Chestnut Springs and anyone who loves a slow burn with banter, cowboy aesthetics, and a genuinely swoony hero. | |
Contemporary/fantasy romance | Ali Hazelwood (The Love Hypothesis, Bride) is back with another smart, funny romance featuring her signature formula: a nerdy, loveable heroine, a grumpy-but-devoted hero, and plenty of delicious tension. Her books are beloved for being genuinely witty, fast-paced, and free of unnecessary drama — just two people who clearly belong together finally figuring it out. Ideal for students who want something that makes them laugh, swoon, and finish in one sitting. A great comfort read between deadlines. | |
Contemporary fiction | Emily Henry (Beach Read, People We Meet on Vacation, Happy Place) continues her evolution as a writer with something more ambitious and emotionally layered than her previous work. Expect her trademark wit and warmth, but with added depth and heart. Henry has a gift for writing characters who feel utterly real and relationships that feel earned rather than convenient. Great for students who've already devoured her backlist, or anyone who wants the perfect crossover between literary fiction and romance. | |
Contemporary fiction | A darkly funny, warmly human novel about a woman who checks into a hotel intending to end her life — and ends up befriending the bride whose wedding is about to take over the entire building. What follows is a surprisingly joyful exploration of grief, reinvention, and what it means to choose to stay. This one surprised a lot of readers who came for the quirky premise and stayed for the depth. It's funny, quietly devastating, and hopeful in the best way. Great for fans of literary fiction with a lot of heart. | |
Dystopian/contemporary fiction | A quiet, eerie Belgian classic finally getting the recognition it deserves. Forty women are imprisoned underground with no memory of how they got there or what the outside world was like — except for the narrator, the youngest, who was born in the cage and has never known anything else. Unsettling, spare, and impossible to shake, it asks profound questions about identity, humanity, and what makes life worth living. A short but devastating read — perfect for students of philosophy, literature, or anyone who loved The Handmaid's Tale and wants something even stranger. | |
Thrillar/literary fiction | A haunting, beautifully written novel set on a remote subantarctic island where a lighthouse keeper lives in isolation with her three children — until a stranger washes ashore. McConaghy (Migrations, Once There Were Wolves) writes nature and wilderness like nobody else, and this is her most intimate and emotionally raw book yet. If you like fiction that makes you feel the cold and the wind and a deep, aching love for the world, this is the one. Ideal for students studying environmental humanities, or just anyone who wants to be moved. | |
Contemporary fiction | Lily King (Writers & Lovers, Euphoria) returns with another acutely observed, emotionally precise novel about desire, creativity, and the complicated terrain of love in midlife. Her writing is razor-sharp and deeply felt — she captures the interior life of her characters with a precision that few writers can match. This is literary fiction at its most alive and readable. For students who love proper grown-up fiction that rewards careful reading. |
What SB students are loving
Students are the trendsetters. Have a look at what our Student Beans’ students are buying from Waterstones with their student discount.
Book | Genre | Description |
Contemporary romance | Hannah strikes a fake-dating deal with hockey player Garrett Graham to make her ex jealous — and naturally, feelings get very complicated very fast. The first book in the wildly popular Off-Campus series, The Deal is the blueprint for college romance: funny, sexy, genuinely sweet, and completely unputdownable. An absolute staple of student reading lists for good reason. | |
Fantasy | The book that launched a thousand romantasy obsessions. Feyre, a mortal huntress, is taken to a magical land of faeries after killing a wolf in the woods — and slowly discovers that the world she's been brought into is far darker and more seductive than she imagined. If you haven't read this yet, you're in for a treat; if you have, you already know why it's still flying off shelves years later. Start here, lose several weeks of your life. Perfect for fans of dark romance and lush fantasy world-building. | |
Fantasy romance | A war college, dragon bonds, and a brutally enemies-to-lovers romance — Fourth Wing took over BookTok and never looked back. Violet Sorrengail was meant to enter the Scribes Quadrant, but her mother forces her into the deadliest division of all: the dragon riders. The man most likely to kill her? Also the most compelling person she's ever met. Propulsive, spicy, and wildly addictive. Essential reading if you're new to romantasy. | |
Fantasy romance | The sequel to Fourth Wing, picking up immediately after its jaw-dropping ending. The stakes are higher, the twists are bigger, and the romance is even more emotionally charged. Yarros doesn't let up for a single page — this is the kind of book you'll stay up far too late to finish. Read Fourth Wing first, obviously, then clear your schedule. | |
Fantasy romance | The third book in the Empyrean series, and the most epic yet in terms of scope and scale. Violet and Xaden face threats that go far beyond what either of them expected, and the mythology of the series expands in genuinely surprising ways. Fans have called it devastating and unmissable. If you're already in the series, you don't need convincing. If you're not, go back to Fourth Wing immediately. | |
Contemporary romance | The second Off-Campus book follows Logan, Garrett's teammate, who can't stop thinking about the girl who got away. Another irresistible mix of banter, slow burn, and swoony moments. Kennedy has a real gift for making you root hard for her characters, and this one delivers just as satisfyingly as the first. Perfect for anyone who tore through The Deal and needed more immediately. | |
Psychological thriller | Millie takes a job as a live-in housemaid for a wealthy family, and something is very, very wrong. McFadden is the queen of the domestic thriller twist — this book has one of the most satisfying endings in recent memory, and it moves at a pace that makes it almost impossible to put down. If you like Gone Girl energy with even more unpredictability, start here. Then immediately read the sequel. | |
Science fiction | Ryland Grace wakes up alone on a spaceship with no memory of who he is or why he's there. As he pieces it together, he realises he's humanity's last hope — and then he makes the most unexpected friend in the universe. Weir (The Martian) writes science that's genuinely fascinating but never dry, wrapped around a story that is funny, tense, and deeply moving. Readers who aren't even into sci-fi consistently call this one of the best books they've ever read. An absolute must. | |
Contemporary romance | The third Off-Campus instalment, centring on Dean Di Laurentis — the charming player of the group — and Allie, who has absolutely no interest in his reputation. Possibly the funniest of the three, with sharper banter and a hero who has to work harder than he's used to. Great on its own but even better if you've read the others. | |
Fantasy romance | Evangeline Fox makes a deal with the Prince of Hearts — a notorious immortal — to stop a wedding that will destroy her. But deals with dangerous gods always come at a cost. Garber (Caraval) writes sumptuous, gothic-tinged fantasy romance with real flair, and this is her most intoxicating series yet. Great for readers who love morally grey love interests, lush prose, and a world that feels genuinely enchanted. | |
Contemporary romance | NHL rivals Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov have hated each other on the ice for years. Off it, they've been secretly falling for each other. A genuinely brilliant enemies-to-lovers sports romance with real emotional depth, an achingly slow burn, and two characters you'll care about long after you've finished. One of the best LGBTQ+ romances around, and a perfect pick for anyone who loves sports romance or just wants something with serious heart. |
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