I took a summer break from this newsletter but I am back with a vengeance, because the days are hot but the books are hotter! Sorry for that line.
Here is a tasty array of books for you to read next to your window unit, on your balcony sweating during a 4pm monsoon, or if you are still in Italy like everyone else, while sipping an Aperol spritz on the beaches of Positano or Lake Como. I’ll be dropping ice cubes in my wine next to a large, loud fan while reading, thanks.
The book of the summer:
Patricia Wants to Cuddle by Samantha Allen
A Bachelor-like show heads to a remote PNW island to shoot the final two episodes, but there might be a 9-foot tall, hairy reason why the island is so empty. It’s campy and hilarious!
The thought-provoking essay collection:
The Crane Wife by CJ Hauser
You may have read the titular essay in the Paris Review a few years ago, and this collection is a funny and insightful look at a life that didn’t quite turn out as expected.
The Glass Castle-esque memoir:
Normal Family by Chrysta Bilton
I got to read early drafts of this memoir at my old job and it is spectacular!! A woman is raised by a larger-than-life single, lesbian mom in 1980s LA, then she finds out in her 20s that she has 35 siblings through her father, and off-again on-again presence throughout her childhood who was a prolific sperm donor.
The juicy romance:
Honey & Spice by Bolu Babalola
A smart and juicy summer romance that plays with all the best rom-com tropes. It’s Reese’s pick for this month and we all trust Reese!
The Southern Gothic thriller:
The Kingdoms of Savannah by George Dawes Green
Read this one sipping a glass of sun tea during a late-afternoon thunderstorm. Who doesn’t love a socialite-turned-detective uncovering the secrets of the Savannah underworld?
The too-real cli-fi thriller:
The Displacements by Bruce Holsinger
About the aftermath of the first Category 6 hurricane, this novel gets pretty real about what we’re in for and so we should probably all read it. From the author of our fave, The Gifted School!
The excellent story collection:
Self-Portrait with Ghost by Meng Jin
Excellent short stories about living in our world of hyper self-consciousness and little actual power.
The immersive fantasy adventure:
The Dawnhounds by Sascha Stronach
All SFF lovers check this one out!! A new voice in the genre and the world she builds is fantastic.
As always, all the links are affiliate links :-)