What Maddie Read Summer Reading Guide 2021 by whatmaddiewrote

WHAT’S INSIDE 4 6 8 11 12

My Must-Read Picks What’s On My Summer Reading List Summer Love: Romances Retellings Your Guide to June Releases

15 Long Reads 16 22 24 26 28 31 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 58 59

So! Many! Thrillers! Hellooooo Hollywood! Your Guide To July Releases Books About Books Back In Time: Historical Fiction Insta-worthy Reads Under The Influence While You’re Waiting For This, Try... Let’s Travel To... Your Guide to Elin Hilderbrand Memoirs Liked This? This? Try This! Rich People Problems Fiction + Nonfiction Pairings YA + YA Thrillers Your Guide To August Releases Beach Read To Book Club Can’t Get Enough Real People In Fiction Classic Novels

WELCOME!

This summer reading guide is 100% the most ambitious project I’ve ever set out to do. I’ve been making guides on Instagram for about a year now and one day had the idea to combine my two loves of books and journalism to create a digital magazine bringing you my favorite summer reads, divided up by genre, category and mood! When creating the categories, I thought about what I personally like to read in the summer. I tend to go for books that I can really sink into, the types of reads that you can get through in just a sitting or two because you’re so dang engrossed. As a result, there are lots of thrillers and quick reads in here, but there are also memoirs and books that have a home both in your beach bag and in your book club. I had to include some of my favorites, so you’ll see some of my go-tos like “Rich People Problems” and books about influencers, social media and Hollywood in here. No campus novels for the summer though! We’ll see if they make an appearance in the fall. There’s also a wide mix of backlist and newer titles in here. Backlist books are so easy to snag used or from the library and as an added bonus, they don’t have those crazy long wait times that most buzzy new reads do!

Me in my natural beach reading habitat. Good book, by the way!

I hope you enjoy this guide and save it to refer back to! It was a massive labor of love and I’m so excited to finally set it free into the world!

MY MUST-REA MUST-RE The Boys’ Club Erica Katz

ATTENTION: If you’ve been considering reading THE BOYS’ CLUB, drop everything you’re doing and pick it up immediately. Alex, a recent Harvard Law grad, lands a plum job at Klasko & Fitch, a Manhattan Big Law firm. She’s adamant about maintaining a good work-life balance, until she begins to fall for the lifestyle of the Mergers & Acquisitions group comprised of the firm’s most powerful people. As Alex falls deeper into the world of M&A, she begins to uncover some darker secrets about the firm. I love any kind of novel that follows a girl trying to make it big in her career in Manhattan and THE BOYS’ CLUB might take the cake as my new favorite.

From The Corner of the Oval Beck Dorey-Stein

This memoir chronicling Dorey-Stein’s years spent working as a White House stenographer, is funny, wellwritten and compulsively readable. She details EVERYTHING about her years working in the White House: plane rides on Air Force One, trips with her co-workers, her love life, her dreams of being a writer. I don’t want to give too much away, but one thing I adored about this memoir is that nothing seemed to be held back. Beck (I feel like we’re BFFs now after reading her book) shares everything, no matter how heartbreaking or embarrassing.

Friends and Strangers

J. Courtney Sullivan Elisabeth, a writer and first time mom, is struggling to adjust to small-town life after twenty years in New York. When she hires Sam, a student at the local college to babysit, she and Sam grow close, revealing some stark differences in their lifestyles. This book is slower-paced and character-driven, but I found it compulsively readable if you like character studies. It’s full of compelling subplots, from Elisabeth’s influencer sister and the promise of a major sponsorship deal shilling diet pills to George and The Hollow Tree (if you know, you know). If you’re into books about motherhood or like SUCH A FUN AGE, Curtis Sittenfeld and Meg Wolitzer, then this will be your jam.

EADS ADS The Lager Queen of Minnesota J. Ryan Stradal

This book blew me away! It follows three women: Edith, a grandmother and local baking celebrity; Helen, Edith’s sister who rejuvenated the Blotz beer company in the 1970s; and Diana, Edith’s granddaughter who has a promising future but instead decides to become a brewmaster. Edith and Helen have been at odds their entire life, and the narrative, told in chapters with alternating POVs unravels their complex relationship. This book is absolutely stunning. The writing is beautiful and the family dynamics portrayed in here will break your heart on one page and make you laugh and smile by the next. Pairs perfectly with a weekend trip to a brewery!

If you asked me to pack you my perfect beach bag of books, this is what I would give ya! Smart, page-turning fiction, thought-provoking reads and I’ll throw in my fave memoir for good measure!

American Wife Curtis Sittenfeld

AMERICAN WIFE is a fictionalized version of Laura Bush’s life, from childhood to becoming First Lady. We follow Alice Blackwell from a tragic event from her teen years to her chance meeting with Charlie Blackwell, a charismatic son of a leading Republican family, where she learns to handle life in the spotlight. It’s so beautifully written, smart, and wellresearched. A lot of this book is straight from Laura Bush’s real life (with a few minor changes of course! It’s fiction, after all), but no matter your political affiliation, you’ll be sucked into this story filled with details that take you behind the scenes of one of the world’s most high-profile marriages.

Nothing To See Here Kevin Wilson

Tbh, I could cry just thinking about this book. It’s funny and sweet and heartwarming and heartbreaking all at the same time. Lillian and Madison were roommates at a posh boarding school where Madison was the rich department store heiress, while Lillian was the weird scholarship kid. When a scandal forces Lillian to leave school, the unlikely duo become pen pals, keeping in touch as Madison marries a U.S. senator. One day, Madison writes with an odd request: could Lillian move to their estate and live in the guesthouse with Jasper’s twins from a previous marriage? Sounds great until she hears the twist. The twins curiously catch on fire at any given moment.

In case you’re curious about what picks are at the top of my summer reading agenda, I’ve rounded up 12 musts. We’ve got true crime, lit fic, thrillers, romances and more. What can I say? I’m ~well-rounded~.

Olympus, Texas

Stacey Swann A messy family saga with a twist — it’s based on Greek mythology!

The Siren

Katherine St. John A twisty + frothy look at the dark side of fame by one of my new fave authors!

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It

Elle Cosimano A writer + mom is mistaken for a contract killer. AMAZING!

The Last Thing He Told Me

Laura Dave Gotta read this domestic thriller before it turns into a TV series!

Sag Harbor

Colson Whitehead A coming of age story about 1980s summers in the Black community of Sag Harbor.

That Summer

Jennifer Weiner Weiner’s latest covers the #MeToo movement with a mysterious twist.

HAT I’M READING this summer

Project Hail Mary

Andy Weir An astronaut wakes up to find that his entire crew is dead and that he must save Earth.

It Had To Be You

Georgia Clark This one looks like LOVE, ACTUALLY in book form, connecting several love stories.

House of Gucci

Sara Gay Forden This is a 100% MUST before the movie comes out! Lady Gaga! Adam Driver! Gucci!

The Soulmate Equation

Christina Lauren I’ve been seeing some RAVE reviews for CLo’s latest, which has a science-y twist.

Last Summer at the Golden Hotel

Elyssa Friedland This one gives me Dirty Dancing vibes and I’m here for it.

Eliza Starts A Rumor

Jane L. Rosen There’s something about feuding social media moms that I just can’t resist.

SUMMER LO The

Unhoneymooners Christina Lauren

Do you ever just want to read a cute, fun, light-hearted book, one that’s the equivalent of a Netflix teen rom-com? Well, this book is exactly that, except with a lot of heart and a lot less cheese. It follows Ethan and Olive, sworn enemies and soon-to-be inlaws. When the entire wedding party besides Ethan and Olive get food poisoning at the reception, they’re forced to go on the all-expenses paid honeymoon together. It sounds cheesy and super improbable, but it turned out to be such a sweet book that I read in one sitting. It’s funny and romantic and it’s honestly one of my all-time favorite romances and one that I recommend to everybody.

People We Meet On Vacation Emily Henry

I want Emily Henry to turn my entire life into one of her rom-coms. Poppy, a travel journalist, lives in New York City while Alex is working as a teacher in his Ohio hometown, but they make it a priority to have one unforgettable summer trip every year. That is of course, until Croatia, when everything went wrong. Two years have passed without them speaking. Feeling unfulfilled, Poppy finally decides to reach out and the two plan one more trip to Palm Springs that proves to be make or break for their relationship. I loved how this one felt like an homage to When Harry Met Sally (tbh, the banter + heart in Henry’s novels feel like a modern day Nora Ephron). Truly a flawless rom-com in my eyes.

The Ex-Talk

Rachel Lynn Solomon Shay is a producer at Pacific Public Radio, a Seattle NPR affiliate, with big dreams of getting behind the mic with her own show. Dominic, a PPR newcomer who is fresh out of grad school, is cocky and thinks he’s the star of the station after breaking a huge story. The struggling station needs a fresh new concept to boost listeners and Shay thinks she’s come up with a slam dunk: a show hosted by exes, talking about relationship advice and diving into why they broke up. The boss loves it, but with one caveat: Shay and Dominic have to host the show, despite the fact that they’re not exes. What could go wrong?

OVE

Rom-coms and summer go together like sun and sand, wine and cheese, peanut butter and jelly. Hopefully you get the point because there is no better pairing than the summer months and a love story.

The Proposal Jasmine Guillory

All of Guillory’s books are great, but this baseball themed title is perfect for the dog days of summer. When Nicole goes to a Dodgers game with her boyfriend who she’s just not all that into, she’s shocked when he pops the question in front of everyone (and the Jumbotron!) at the game. She’s saved by Carlos and his sister, who help her through the aftermath of the failed proposal, which has her social media blowing up (and not in a good way). The two start a friends with benefits situation, which obviously is going to turn into a full-blown love connection.

Written In The Stars

Bringing Down The Duke

Elle, a social media astrologer has inked a deal with OTP, a dating app, to include astrology in their matchmaking technology. Brendon, the app’s founder, sets Elle up on a date with his sister Darcy, a buttoned-up workaholic who’s not looking for love. After a disastrous first date, Elle and Darcy think they’ll never have to see the other again. But when Darcy lies about how successful the date was to get Brendon off of her back, the two agree to fake date.

Annabelle, the daughter of a vicar, has earned a spot at Oxford University, where her attendance hinges on recruiting men to support women’s suffrage. Her target is Sebastian, the Duke of Montgomery, even though he opposes everything she stands for. Once the pair meet, it’s hard to deny their connection, despite the fact that Annabelle’s views aren’t those that a future duchess should have. The romance in this one is really sweet and satisfying and also super steamy. If you’re into this one, you’re in luck! It’s a series, so you’ll have more historical romance to dive into!

Alexandra Bellefleur

There’s A Sequel! Get to know more about Brendon as he falls for Annie in HANG THE MOON, a companion novel released in May!

Evie Dunmore

The Idea of You

Well Met

Solène, a newly single mom and art gallery owner, reluctantly takes her 13-year-old daughter to an August Moon (think One Direction) concert, where they meet Hayes Campbell (aka HARRY) backstage. Hayes and Solène have an instant connection and they start a secret relationship that takes them all over the world for Hayes’ concerts and Soléne’s art obligations. When the press gets wind of their relationship and Solène and her daughter become the target of crazy August Moon fans, Solène must decide if being in love with Hayes is truly worth it. The ending will 100% make you immediately Google “Idea of You sequel” (I wish!!).

I went to a Renaissance Faire on a field trip in seventh grade and that’s the extent of my Ren Faire experience. That being said, I was a little wary of this one, as I’m not into tavern wenches and turkey legs, but it was actually super cute! Emily moves to a small town in Maryland to care for her sister after she’s injured in a car accident and ends up getting roped into working at the local Renaissance Faire, where she can’t help but feel a spark for uptight festival runner and English teacher-turnedpirate Simon. It’s great on the romance front, but also hits all of the right emotional notes if you’re looking for something a bit deeper.

Robinne Lee

Jen DeLuca

UPCOMING PICKS Love Scenes Bridget Morrissey

A workplace romance set on a movie set where dueling co-stars fall for each other.

June 1

The Intimacy Experiment Rosie Danan

This is a follow-up to THE ROOMMATE, Danan’s debut romance, but I thought this one was 100 times better. Naomi is at the helm of her sex-positive start-up when she meets Ethan, a rabbi who is trying to attract more millennials to the synagogue. They team up to create a series of lectures on “modern intimacy” and end up falling for each other, despite the fact that Naomi’s porn star past is sure to displease the synagogue’s higher-ups. The romance in this one was so believable and well-developed. The discussion of religion and relationships was really thought-provoking, which you don’t usually get from a romance!

Fall in love a few more times this summer with these new romances! Too Good To Be Real Melonie Johnson

A writer heads to a resort dedicated to making your wildest rom-com dreams come true.

July 6

It Happened One Summer Tessa Bailey

An A-lister spends the summer in a fishing town in this Schitt’s Creek-esque story.

July 13

RETELLINGS Anna K

There’s something about a retelling that’s so creative and smart!

ANNA K is basically Gossip Girl meets Crazy Rich Asians meets classic Russian lit, and I was here for the entire thing. A spin on ANNA KARENINA, ANNA K follows a cast of Upper East Side high schoolers who are way too wealthy for their own good. We have perfect Anna who falls for Vronsky, despite the fact that she has a popular, well-to-do boyfriend. Suddenly, the trajectory of their lives change as they realize what it’s like to fall in love. Meanwhile, Anna’s brother Stephen and his girlfriend Lolly are weathering a scandal of their own, Lolly’s sister Kimmie is recovering from an ice dancing injury and Steven’s friend Dustin is harboring a massive crush on Kimmie. So dramatic and delicious!

Jenny Lee

Jo & Laurie

This YA Little Women retelling was really cute! It takes place in between Jo writing her first and second novels and imagines what it would have been like had Jo ended up with Laurie. Tbh, I understand both Jo and Laurie and Amy and Laurie ending up together, so I really enjoyed reading this alternate ending. The writing style mirrored the original in a fun way and I liked the way the storyline honored the original plot while still adding its own unique flair. Would definitely recommend to anyone who loves historical fiction or books about writers and I think it would be perfect for any LITTLE WOMEN fan, whether you were all about Jo and Laurie or you just want an excuse to revisit their world.

Melissa de la Cruz and Margaret Stohl

Eligible

ELIGIBLE follows the Bennet family and their five adult daughters. Liz and Jane, the oldest two have lived in Manhattan for years, but are called home to help care for their father after a health scare. While home in Cincinnati at their crumbling Tudor mansion, Mrs. Bennet is desperate to set one of her five single daughters up. Jane instantly falls for Chip Bingley, fresh off of a stint as star of a Bachelor-inspired dating show, while Liz gets off on the wrong foot with Darcy, Chip’s best friend. This book is funny, it’s smart, it’s romantic, it’s wellwritten and the entire thing is just so clever. I’m woefully unfamiliar with all the P&P nitty gritty and I honestly don’t think you need to know about all things P&P to love this novel (hello, I’m the prime example!).

Curtis Sittenfeld

The Wife Upstairs

Rachel Hawkins

A Jane Eyre retelling set in the South? SIGN ME UP. THE WIFE UPSTAIRS takes the Jane Eyre tale from Britain to Birmingham, Alabama. Jane is a twenty-something dog walker in an exclusive town. She’s nothing like the polished and pristine women of Thornfield Estates, the gated community where she walks the dogs of Alabama’s elite. When she meets Eddie Rochester, her life begins to change. Eddie’s wife Bea, along with her best friend Blanche, mysteriously died in a boat accident the summer before and before she knows it, Jane and the grieving Eddie are falling for each other. As their relationship gets increasingly serious, Jane can’t get what happened to Bea out of her head. Even though this was billed as a Jane Eyre retelling, it felt like its own twisty mystery that borrowed from the Jane narrative, complete with modern-day Southern belles.

your guide to

JUNE RELEASES An Emotion of Great Delight

Anne of Manhattan Brina Starler June 1

Sarah Flannery Murphy June 1

Elin Hilderbrand June 1

How The Word Is Passed

Lizzie and Dante

Long Division

Malibu Rising

One Last Stop

Our Woman In Moscow

Seven Days In June

Somebody’s Daughter

Tahereh Mafi June 1

Clint Smith June 1

Casey McQuiston June 1

Mary Bly June 1

Beatriz Williams June 1

Girl One

Kiese Laymon June 1

Tia Williams June 1

Golden Girl

Taylor Jenkins Reid June 1

Ashley C. Ford June 1

Dnt text, my June 2021 reading lineup is FULLY BOOKED. I tried to limit this (for real, I actually tried!) to a reasonable number of new releases and I simply couldn’t. We’ve got 36 FABULOUS new releases hitting shelves in June and I for one, need them in my life ASAP.

The Chosen and The Beautiful

With Teeth

Nghi Vo June 1

The Other Black Girl

Zakiya Dalila Harris June 1

Haven Point

Heartbreakers and Fakers

The Disappearing Act

Bath Haus

The Maidens

Virgina Hume June 8

All Together Now Matthew Norman June 15

Cameron Lund June 8

P.J. Vernon June 15

Kristin Arnett June 1

Catherine Steadman June 8

Alex Michaelides June 15

Animal

Lisa Taddeo June 8

The Ugly Cry

Danielle Henderson June 8

Widespread Panic James Ellroy June 15

Blackout Anthology June 22

Blush

Jamie Brenner June 22

Dream Girl

Filthy Animals

Hostage

Count The Ways

Hell of A Book

Lady Sunshine

Rock The Boat

Survive The Night

The Personal Librarian

Clare Mackintosh June 22

Beck Dorey-Stein June 29

Joyce Maynard June 29

Riley Sager June 29

Laura Lippman June 22

Jason Mott June 29

Marie Benedict June 29

Brandon Taylor June 22

Amy Mason Doan June 29

The Vixen

Francine Prose June 29

LONG READS

Need something long but readable and fun to sink into for a beach day? These picks will keep ya engrossed + entertained from sunrise to sunset and are all 500+ pages!

Free Food For Millionaires Min Jin Lee

Casey Han, a Princeton grad and daughter of Korean immigrants, is struggling post-grad, jobless and in debt from trying to keep up with Manhattan’s glittering society. She’s determined to live the life she feels she’s entitled to and works to become an investment banker, but she soon finds that her dream lifestyle comes at a cost. Through 550 (!!) pages, Lee covers complex familial relationships as well as issues of wealth and class. This one is super character-driven, but has just the perfect punch of plot to keep things moving along. It feels like an elevated beach read because you’ll tear through the story while marveling at the writing.

The Most Fun We Ever Had Claire Lombardo

THE MOST FUN WE EVER HAD follows the Sorenson family from the 1970s to present in Chicago. We become deeply entwined in the lives and histories of David, Marilyn and their four daughters: Wendy, a widow still processing her grief with wine and men; Violet, a stay at home mom harboring a deep secret; Liza, a professor whose personal life is in shambles when she finds out she’s pregnant by a man she’s no longer in love with; and Grace, who is living an elaborate lie across the country in Oregon. Their lives are further thrown for a loop when Jonah Bendt, a child given up by one of the daughters fifteen years ago resurfaces.

11/22/63 Stephen King

I would literally go to war for this book. It’s not just historical fiction, but it’s sci-fi and romance and just a plain old amazing book. Jake is sent back to the 1960s to prevent John F. Kennedy from being assassinated. While in the 60s, he falls in love and runs into some issues, as he realizes the things he does in preparation to stop the killing will have profound effects on not only the people he’s come to love in his new life in the past, but the history of the world as he once knew it. This book is long, but it’s so amazing. It’s smart and funny and while parts of the middle are a little slow, the entire thing is so engrossing and unputdownable.

your guide to

THRILLERS

I love a thriller in the summer! Something about a devious crime, a ton of clues to unravel and a fast-paced plotline make for the perfect summer read. I rounded up 15 of my faves, broken down by category (yup, there’s even stuff in here for you scaredy-cats!)

psychological thrillers Prefer thrillers that play with your head instead of relying on scares? I gotcha. These all will freak you out (major mind games in these!) but won’t keep you up at night, unless of course, you’re so into the story that you can’t put the book down!

The Push

Ashley Audrain In a reading slump? Pick this book up. I guarantee you’ll be so simultaneously horrified and engrossed that you won’t be able to put it down. Blythe is convinced that there is something wrong with her daughter Violet. She’s cold and detached and they never formed that mother-daughter bond, while Violet and Blythe’s husband Fox are close. When Blythe has her second child, a son named Sam, she’s relieved as the two of them develop a deep connection. When a tragic event that alters their lives occurs, Blythe is forced to confront the truth about the relationship with her daughter. I could. not. put. this. book. down.

We Came Here To Forget Andrea Dunlop

Katie Cleary seems to have it all: she’s an Olympic skier who has tons of sponsors and gets to travel the world, a skier best friend turned boyfriend and a loving family. So why does she throw it all away to become Liz Sullivan living in Buenos Aires? In dual narratives, the tragedy that forever alters Katie’s life is revealed, as she further enmeshes herself in her new life, focusing on tango and her new beau Giancarlo. The plot line was so engaging and I loved the back and forth timeline. So unexpected, fascinating and original!

Too Good To Be True Carola Lovering

Skye has romantically struggled in part due to her OCD. When she meets Burke, an older man, the pair are head over heels in love and quickly marry. The catch? Burke is still married to his childhood sweetheart Heather, and is using Skye (and her trust fund) in a twisted scheme to save his marriage and bring his family back from financial ruin. This book pretty much checks all of my boxes. Rich people problems? Yup. New York City? Of course! Love triangle? Got it! Adored the entire thing and wish I could go back and read it all over again!

beach read thrillers Is there any better feeling than sitting by the pool with a marg and a completely unputdownable beachy thriller? No, there’s not. These are gossipy and fun but with an edge.

The Lion’s Den Katherine St. John

Do you like beachy books about rich people who have creepy killer tendencies? Belle and her group of friends who spend the week on a luxurious yacht in the Mediterranean courtesy of her best friend Summer and her much older and very wealthy new boyfriend. As the week goes on, things aren’t quite as they seem, as the guests are treated like prisoners, only there to make John look good for his business deals, seen and not heard. The tension comes to a head as Belle witnesses Summer doing something incredibly terrifying, turning a dream vacation into a life or death situation.

The Hunting Wives May Cobb

This book is basically Real Housewives with a deadly twist. Sophie is a Texas transplant having left her high-powered city job for small town life. Bored at home, she becomes enamored with some of her small town’s most prominent socialites. She’s delighted when she’s invited to join some of them in their secret Friday night skeet shooting club. Sophie is especially drawn to Margot, the ringleader of the group. When their Friday night shooting parties turn deadly, Sophie is shocked, especially when all of the crimes seem to point back to her. Have her new friends framed her?

All These Beautiful Strangers

Elizabeth Klehfoth

Years ago, Grace Fairchild disappeared, leaving her real estate mogul husband and young daughter Charlie behind. Years later, Charlie is still struggling with her mother’s disappearance. In an attempt to fit in, she embraces her tony boarding school’s “it” crowd after she’s tapped to join their secret society. She’s forced to play the “Game,” a mysterious semester-long series of tasks to prove she’s worthy and learns some terrible truths in the process. This was an ideal summer thriller! It’s juicy and gossipy and easy to tear through poolside, but it’s also smart and well-written. Loved it!

read ‘em in a day thrillers A stormy day + a thriller that you can power through in a single sitting is just what you need this summer. You will be physically unable to put these down, I promise.

The Last Flight

Necessary People Anna Pitoniak

Krysten Ritter

Claire Cook is desperate to escape her life, which to an outsider, seems perfect. She’s the wife of a Senate hopeful from a Kennedy-esque family, but behind closed doors, he’s manipulative and abusive. Claire has spent months staging a plan to escape but a chance meeting at an airport bar derails the entire plot, as she meets Eva, another woman desperate to escape her own life. They make a last-minute ticket switch, with Claire taking Eva’s flight to Oakland and Eva heading to Puerto Rico. When the flight to Puerto Rico crashes, leaving no survivors, Claire decides to assume Eva’s old life in Oakland, learning a slew of dangerous secrets about the life Eva left behind. Read this in a sitting and LOVED!

If you like GOSSIP GIRL (which how could you not?) I highly highly suggest picking this novel up. It follows Stella and Violet who have been best friends since college. Stella is beautiful and used to getting everything she wants, while Violet has to work hard for everything she achieves. After graduation, Violet moves to New York and gets a job working for a cable news network, finally freeing herself from Stella’s shadow, until Stella’s jealousy catches up to her. She uses her wealthy parents’ connections to score a on-camera anchor job at the same network, causing tension and a dangerous act between the friends turned foes.

This one is by the actress Krysten Ritter and I had no idea she could write like this. I mean, when your book is blurbed by Gillian Flynn, you must be doing something right. Abby Williams works as an environmental lawyer in Chicago, leaving her dark past and hometown behind. When a case takes her back to her Indiana small town, she starts investigating a high-profile company headquartered there and finds they have some dark connections to the disappearance of a local girl a decade earlier. This novel honestly blew me away! It’s twisty and suspenseful and really well-written.

Julie Clark

Bonfire

i’ll see you in court A courtroom drama is like music to my ears. Throw in some politics, a rogue jury member or two, maybe a lil romance and a twisty murder or two and I’m yours.

The Holdout Graham Moore

The jury from a high-profile murder case involving a young white teen who is the daughter of one of Los Angeles’ richest developers and Bobby Nock, her African-American teacher is reassembled to film a docuseries about the trial. Ten years before, they shocked the world by delivering a not guilty verdict. Rick, a juror who struggled with the not guilty verdict, is determined to show everyone new evidence that proves that they were wrong and that Nock is truly guilty. As he prepares to tell all, he is found murdered in his hotel room and Maya, a juror turned criminal defense lawyer is accused of the killing.

While Justice Sleeps Stacey Abrams

Avery Keene is trying to keep it all together. She’s juggling a clerkship for Supreme Court Justice Howard Wynn and her addict mother. When Justice Wynn slips into a coma, Avery’s life changes as she’s named his legal guardian and power of attorney, bypassing his family and setting off a media firestorm. As Avery dives into his files, she finds that Justice Wynn has been researching a dangerous conspiracy and that the Justice has left behind a series of clues for Avery, creating an IRL chess game. Loved every second of this one, from the DC conspiracy angle to the way Avery absolutely NAILS those clues.

Miracle Creek Angie Kim

In Virginia, an immigrant family owns and runs a hyperbaric chamber for those who could benefit from the therapies those machines provide. When it mysteriously explodes during a session, killing a mother and a young child, there’s not an immediate culprit. Through multiple POVs, we meet the immigrant owners who are blamed for the explosion, their daughter, one of the men involved in the accident and the mother whose son was killed in the blast, as we follow the case and unravel what truly happened on the chamber’s last dive.

literary thrillers I get it, sometimes thrillers can feel a bit low-brow. If you’re in the market for something on the suspenseful side that has a little bit of literary heft, try these three which fit that bill perfectly.

Long Bright River Liz Moore

I could wax poetic on the sheer genius of this book for hours. I loved it so much! At its core, LONG BRIGHT RIVER is a novel about family and addiction, with a breathless mystery that will keep you turning the pages. Mickey and Kacey are sisters on opposite sides of the opioid epidemic in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia. Kacey has long struggled with addiction, while Mickey is a police officer helping to combat the crisis. When Kacey disappears at the same time a series of murders begins, Mickey is convinced that Kacey is in danger and becomes consumed with finding both Kacey and the culprit.

Before The Fall

Sunburn

Noah Hawley

Laura Lippman

On a foggy summer night, a private plane takes off from Martha’s Vineyard. On board are ten rich, privileged people and a down-on-his-luck painter. The plane crashes and the painter and a young boy, who is now the heir of a massive media fortune, are the only survivors. The crash seems like a tragic accident at first, but questions begin to emerge about what really brought the plane down. Was it really an accident or was it an attempt to take down some of Manhattan’s most influential people? Suddenly, Scott, the painter, is thrust into the public eye as he is accused of something more sinister. Felt so cinematic!

Laura Lippman is the queen of the crime/modern-noiresque thriller! Polly and Adam meet in a local tavern in Delaware. Both claim to be just be passing through, but as time passes, it’s evident that they’re both have some long-term plans to stay in the small coastal town. Over the course of the summer, the pair fall into a steamy affair, even though they both share doubts about the other’s intentions. As they start to plan for the future, a mysterious murder throws a wrench in their plans. Both are so ensnared in each other’s lives that the murder might destroy them.

HELLO HOLLYW The Final Revival of Opal and Nev

Dawnie Walton

Elton John

A Black singer and a British songwriter join musical forces in 1970s New York. On the cusp of stardom, an incident involving a Confederate flag and a rival band throw the band’s future into question. Decades later, a music journalist with some interesting ties to the story decides to write a book about the band, setting the stage for a really meta novel told in an oral history format!

Queue up your fave Elton playlist, because that’s all you’ll be listening to after devouring this one! THIS is exactly how a celebrity memoir should read. Elton is raw and honest, sharing a lot about his struggles with addiction and his sexuality. But he’s also funny and candid and drops tons of names about people he’s worked with and is friends with, from John Lennon to Lady Gaga!

The Housewives Brian Moylan

I adore all things Bravo and Real Housewives. In fact, if you meet me and I don’t mention Bravo within the first five minutes of the conversation, check my pulse. In this history of the Housewives, Moylan (who covered the ‘wives for Vulture + New York mag!) mentions it all, from how much money cast members really make to the behind the scenes details of the franchise’s most infamous throwdowns.

Live From New York

James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales If you like Saturday Night Live and/or oral history, then this pick is a must. I love SNL, both for the on-camera antics and the off-camera drama. This book covers the entire SNL experience from building the cast to the most iconic sketches. I loved how the authors talked to so many key players to build an incredibly comprehensive history of such an iconic show.

WOOD! A Touch of Stardust

Whether it’s a juicy tell-all about my favorite show or a novel set behind the scenes on the set of a blockbuster, I can’t get enough of books that have a Hollywood or pop culture angle.

Brat

Kate Alcott

Andrew McCarthy

Julie, trying to make it in Hollywood, is given a major opportunity to work in the publicity office for David O. Selznick who is directing Gone With The Wind. Once on the set, Julie is enmeshed with Carole Lombard and Clark Gable as they try to hide their secret relationship. This one is juicy if you love old Hollywood because it namedrops some real-life legends.

I have been waiting for this book for my entire life and I’m not even being dramatic when I say that. I adore all things Brat Pack and John Hughes-related and was THRILLED when I saw Andrew McCarthy (aka Blaine from Pretty In Pink!) was releasing a memoir about his career in the 1980s, starring in some of our most iconic teen movies. Bonus: McCarthy is a fantastic writer!

The Comeback

Wild and Crazy Guys

Ella Berman

Grace, a Hollywood starlet on the cusp of award show success, has mysteriously disappeared from Hollywood. A year later, she re-emerges to reclaim her life and story after months of speculation. When she’s asked to present an award to Able, the director who controlled her for her entire career, she knows what she must do in order to feel whole again. This is a heavier read that skillfully covers the darker side of fame.

Nick de Semlyen

The 1980s were marked by a group of funnymen who changed the landscape of comedy as we know it. Chevy Chase, John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Steve Martin, Bill Murray, John Candy, Eddie Murphy, and Rick Moranis were the faces starring in and the brains behind some of America’s most beloved films. This book chronicles their stories from Saturday Night Live to their first tastes of success to forays into more dramatic films.

your guide to

JULY RELEASES Dear Miss Metropolitan

Everyone In This Room Will Someday Be Dead Emily R. Austin July 6

Falling

T.J. Newman July 6

Island Queen

Kill All Your Darlings

Razorblade Tears

Rise To The Sun

Shoulder Season

The Stranger In The Mirror

The View Was Exhausting

A Touch of Jen

Such A Quiet Place

Carolyn Ferrell July 6

David Bell July 6

Liv Constantine July 6

S.A. Cosby July 6

Beatriz Williams July 6

Leah Johnson July 6

Beth Morgan July 13

Vanessa Riley July 6

Christina Clancy July 6

Megan Miranda July 13

24 new releases in July? Good thing it’s my birthday month, because I know what I’m spending alllllll of my money on! We’ve got it all in here, from romances to historical fiction to thrillers and YA. We love variety, y’all!

The Final Girl Support Group

The Startup Wife

We Were Never Here

While We Were Dating

A Woman of Intelligence

Nightbitch

Karin Tanabe July 20

For Your Own Good

Samantha Downing July 20

The Book of Accidents

Fierce Little Thing

Just One Look

Not A Happy Family

Grady Hendrix July 13

Miranda Beverly Whittemore July 27

Tahmima Anam July 13

Lindsay Cameron July 27

Andrea Bartz July 13

Rachel Yoder July 20

Shari Lapena July 27

Jasmine Guillory July 13

Chuck Wendig July 20

They’ll Never Catch Us Jessica Goodman July 27

BOOKS ABOUT B The Plot

Jean Hanff Korelitz I mean, a psychological thriller set in the publishing world involving a stolen plot? Right up my alley! I really liked this one and tore through it in a day. It’s smart and wellwritten and all of the nods to the publishing industry were perfect! I had a suspicion about the big twist about halfway through, but I still really liked seeing how it all came together! I don’t think I would necessarily call this one a thriller though — it’s suspenseful and there’s an air of mystery throughout the whole thing, but it’s more of a mystery that takes on a psychological bent if anything.

Three Martini Lunch Suzanne Rindell

This one is basically Mad Men with a publishing twist. In 1950s Manhattan, three twenty-somethings attempt to make their mark: Cliff, the son of a prominent editor, who longs to publish a novel; Eden, a transplant from smalltown Indiana who dreams of being an editor in the male-dominated publishing world and Miles, an AfricanAmerican Columbia grad, who is on a quest to uncover his late father’s wartime journal, a goldmine of literary inspiration. Each of their stories intertwine and connect as they try and make it in publishing and come of age in post-war Manhattan.

Beach Read Emily Henry

January and Gus are polar opposites: she writes romance novels and he pens serious literary fiction. The only commonality between the pair is the fact that they just so happen to be living in neighboring houses on Lake Michigan, both broke and suffering from serious cases of writers’ block. When they cross paths one night, they decide to make a bet that will pull them out of their creative ruts and back into literary stardom. January will write a book with no happy endings, while Augustus will pen a happy and hopeful novel. They’ll guide each other through the process and they just might fall in love. So much depth and heart in this one!

BOOKS So We Read On Maureen Corrigan

If I could pick any classic novel to read and reread over and over, it’s The Great Gastby. Orginal, no? I get something new out of it every time I reread it, so I was thrilled to stumble upon Corrigan’s So We Read On, a nonfiction pick that dissects the classic and picks out why it remains one of the most long-enduring American classics. It feels like a memoir at times and never feels too academic, making it perfect for summer reading.

A bit self-explanatory, no? Whether it’s a work place story diving deep into the publishing process or a thriller trying to track a plagiarist, I can’t get enough of the books about books phenomenon?

Who Is Maud Dixon? Alexandra Andrews

Florence scores a new job as the assistant to Maud Dixon, aka Helen, a novelist who writes under a pseudonym. Helen takes the pair to Morocco for a research trip for her newest novel, during which Helen disappears. Unsure of what to do, Florence decides to assume Helen’s identity, which turns out to be more complicated than she thought.

UPCOMING PICKS The Other Black Girl Zakiya Dalila Harris

SO excited for this workplace novel that examines race at a NYC publishing company.

June 1

A Ladder to the Sky John Boyne

Maurice Swift dreams of becoming a writer. He has a way with words but lacks the finesse to come up with smart plots. After befriending an old German novelist, Maurice learns his WWII secret and uses it as his first plot, setting him up on a path of stolen stories, deceit and even murder. Maurice is horrible, but you won’t be able to stop turning the pages to see how he’ll manipulate next.

Looks like the publishing world is all in on books about books too! Hell of a Book Jason Mott

A Black author on tour finds his latest book making waves across the country.

June 29

Kill All Your Darlings David Bell

A little ironic how this one has the same er... plot as THE PLOT. Will be investigating.

July 6

BACK IN TI Lady In The Lake

Maddie Schwartz is a 1960s Baltimore housewife who feels stuck. She wants to live a more interesting, passionate life, so she leaves her husband and moves out of their home to become a newspaper reporter after helping the police find a murdered young girl. When Maddie hears about the body of a young black woman found in a fountain in a city park, she begins searching for answers and soon finds that she’s obsessed with the case and will stop at nothing to find the truth, even if the dead doesn’t want her secrets to be told. This is perfect if you’re in the mood for a book that keeps you guessing and on your toes while still having those period details that make historical fiction shine.

Laura Lippman

This novel follows the Forsters through several generations, blending historical fiction and a family saga into a super readable pick! The Forster family invented Panola Cola, which is the world’s first-ever soft drink company. This decades-spanning novel tracks the Forsters from their life before the invention of the drink to the company’s hey day to the decline of the brand and the loss of the family fortune. This novel wizzes through history and places, spanning a century and jumping from Mississippi to New York to Paris and back again. AMERICAN POP is an interesting take on history, prominent families, what it’s like to run an internationally-known business and the way success can destroy people.

American Pop Snowden Wright

Visible Empire

I love a novel based on true events, so this was right up my alley! A 1960s plane crash in France kills over a hundred of Atlanta’s wealthiest residents, who were all heading home from a cultural tour of Europe and have now left behind children, spouses, friends and entire lives. This all happens as Atlanta is on the cusp of immense social change as the Civil Rights Movement is gaining traction in the city. This novel follows those left behind and gives the perspectives of how the crash has changed the lives of a lot of seemingly different people. The focus on this isn’t so much the crash, which is just used as a plot device to set this story of love, wealth, race, and the South in motion.

Hannah Pittard

When Obama puts a book on his summer reading list, then you know it’s gotta be good. It’s 1986 and America is deep in the throes of the Cold War. Marie Mitchell, an intelligence officer with the FBI is brilliant and more than capable, but she’s a young Black officer in a male-dominated profession. She’s discouraged by the lack of upward mobility and is often passed over for high profile assignments, stuck in the office doing paperwork and admin tasks. When she’s given the chance to join a task force to take down Thomas Sankara, the charasmatic Communist president of Burkina Faso, she says yes, even though she admires what Sankara is doing for his country. After all, it’s the only way to break away from her office duties! Over the next year, Marie is tasked with observing Thomas and ends up seducing him and staging a coup to take him down, sacrificing what she believes in in the process.

American Spy Lauren Wilkinson

IME The Travelers

Historical fiction and I have a complicated relationship. While I love history and nonfiction, I think HF can often get bogged down in the details. These 12 picks are in that sweet spot of having the perfect amount of detail and a page-turning plot.

Hands down one of the most unique books I’ve ever read! This novel follows two sides of a family, one black and one white, through six decades in America. We travel through Irish American family life to the South, where a beautiful Black woman survives a tragedy and makes her way to the Bronx to the air craft carriers of Vietnam. Each chapter is a story told by a different family member, and you see how their stories all intertwine and intersect. It almost feels like a series of short stories and can be read that way, but has maximum payoff when every piece of the story comes together. This is one of those books that requires a close read and a family tree in hand, but isn’t that all part of the fun?

Regina Porter

THE SECRETS WE KEPT follows three women in America and the Soviet Union throughout the Cold War. Olga is the mistress of Boris Pasternak. She refuses to betray him to Soviet officials, and as a result, he writes the legendary novel Doctor Zhivago, with the heroine inspired by Olga. Irina is the daughter of a Soviet seamstress living in 1950s Washington, D.C. She applies for a job in a typing pool, but is soon pulled into becoming a carrier for the CIA. Sally is a glamourous spy, who is tasked with helping to train Irina. Their mission? To smuggle the manuscript of Doctor Zhivago out of the USSR so it can be published around the world to turn people against communism.

The Secrets We Kept Lara Prescott

Growing up in 1950s Detroit, Jo and Bethie seem to have the perfect all-American family. Jo’s the tomboy of the family who always has her nose in a book and is dedicated to making the world a better place, while Bethie is known for her beauty and star power. As they go through tragedies and traumas, their lives seem to pan out differently than they originally planned: Bethie becomes a wild child who won’t settle down, while Jo goes down the traditonal route, starting a family in Connecticut. They each realize that they’re unfullfilled in life and wonder if it’s too late to finally live the lives they’ve always dreamed of.

Mrs. Everything Jennifer Weiner

If you like New York City, magazines and the 1960s, you’ve gotta pick this one up! Alice is an aspiring photographer who takes a leap and moves from her small Ohio town to 1960s Manhattan. Using a connection forged by her late mother, she lands a job as the secretary for the new editor of Cosmopolitan, who is none other than Helen Gurley Brown (an IRL icon!). Brown is determined to change the magazine into one for modern women, much to the chagrin of Hearst. Alice is charged with supporting Helen as she defies orders and redefines Cosmopolitan forever. Along the way, Alice is drawn to and later propositioned by a man who wants her to serve as a spy, sabotaging Helen and reverting Cosmopolitan back to its old ways. Felt like a combo of Mad Men and The Devil Wears Prada and was impossible to put down!

Park Avenue Summer Renée Rosen

Libertie

Set in Reconstruction-era Brooklyn and then Haiti, LIBERTIE tells the unique story of Libertie, a girl whose mother is a practicing physician. While her mother expects her to follow in her footsteps, Libertie is more inclined to become a musician. To make matters worse, Libertie is constantly aware that she’s not light enough to pass like her mother can. When she receives a proposal from a Haitian man, she decides to accept and move overseas, where she realizes that she’s still not equal in her marriage, even in a place where she appears to physically fit in. The writing is beautiful, the plot is unique and interesting and I loved getting to follow Libertie’s story from childhood through her adult years.

Kaitlyn Greenidge

Rose Baker is a typist for the NYPD. She takes down confessions from criminals, but once she leaves the office, she leads a refined and simple life. That is, until Odalie joins the force. Rose is soon drawn into a world of glamour, jazz and speakeasies, a far cry from the quiet life she once lived. And as Rose becomes closer and closer to Odalie, she soon becomes obsessed, changing her world forever. This is a good mix between noir, historical fiction and thriller so it’s bound to be a crowd-pleaser! The period details are on point and the mystery woven throughout is engrossing. You’re gonna want to pair this one with a martini and some jazz!

The Other Typist Suzanne Rindell

Valentine

Elizabeth Wetmore

Gloria, a teenage girl who has been brutally raped and attacked, shows up on Mary Rose Whitehead’s porch in the early hours of the morning the day after Valentine’s Day. This event changes the lives of the women of 1970s Odessa, Texas, a city on the verge of an oil boom. Gloria is Mexican and the man who attacked her is white, adding another layer to the already controversial case, as many in Odessa are prepared to fiercely protect Gloria’s attacker.⁣ VALENTINE is a contemplative novel, told from the perspectives of women from the town, ranging from Gloria and Mary Rose to Debra Ann, a ten-year-old girl who is spending her summer secretly helping a homeless veteran and Corrine, a recent widow who finds herself sucked into the case.

Anna fondly remembers going with her father to visit Dexter Styles, one of his business associates, when she was young. She never knew what occured during these meetings, but she holds these memories close to her heart. Years later, Anna’s father has disappeared and America is at war. She nabs a job at Brooklyn’s Naval Yard, where women are allowed to do the jobs men left behind while at war. She becomes the first female diver and loves her work, helping repair ships that have been destroyed on the warfront. When she meets Dexter Styles at a club one night, she begins to understand some secrets about her father that have plagued her for years. I loved this look into New York City at wartime, with the contrasting details about everything from gangsters and glamorous clubs to soldiers, sailors and divers.

Manhattan Beach Jennifer Egan

INSTA-WORTHY

COVERS I get it, I get it, you want your book to look good for the ‘gram! We’ve all been there. I guarantee you’ll be racking up the likes with these stunning covers! Bonus: these are all fab reads so this is a win-win situation.

The Female Persuasion

Such A Fun Age

Family Trust

Tell Me Lies

Last Tang Standing

The Vanishing Half

Meg Wolitzer

Carola Lovering

Kiley Reid

Lauren Ho

Kathy Wang

Brit Bennett

There’s been a sudden influx of books about influencers and not gonna lie, I’m so here for it! Perfect for when you need a distraction from Instagram Stories or your Twitter feed.

UNDER

Self Care

Big Summer Jennifer Weiner

Kathleen Barber

LOVED the way this poked fun at #girlboss culture. Maren and Devin are the duo who has created Richual, a social media platform devoted to self-care for women —think yoga, women with perfect dewy skin, pretty much a Glossier ad come to life. After a controversial tweet about the first daughter (totally Ivanka) goes viral for all the wrong reasons, the company is in turmoil and its CEO must go on a digital detox. This book is biting and satirical and smart and sharp. The characters are pretty much all awful and the references in here KILLED ME. It’s painful to read at times because of how cringy but spot-on Stein was with the millennial pink, grl pwr details.

Weiner just knows how to churn out fabulous beach read after fabulous beach read and Big Summer is no exception! She combines your typical beach read with a thriller and it makes for an absolute page-turner. Daphne is a plus-sized influencer who is surprised when she’s invited to her former best friend Drue’s society wedding. At the beachfront nuptials, something sinister goes wrong and Daphne is determined to find out what happened. As per usual, this one is the best blend of beach read with the perfect dollop of substance. Lots of commentary on body positivity and social media in here!

Audrey, an influencer with more than a million Instagram followers, moves to DC for her dream job of working as a social media manager for a museum. Life seems great until she realizes she’s being stalked by a mysterious person thanks to her constant social media posting. You’ll be on edge the entire time as you read about how easily Audrey’s stalker is able to break into her computer and put together all of the little pieces of her life. This one is both an unputdownable thriller and a cautionary tale about how much of our lives we put online.

Leigh Stein

Follow Me

R THE INFLUENCE Pretty Things

Siri, Who Am I?

Love at First Like

If there’s one thing that I love more than influencer culture, it’s scammers and grifters, so naturally I loved Pretty Things because it’s a total combo of both! Nina has followed in her mother’s footsteps, running scams to make ends meet. When her mother needs life-saving treatment, Nina turns back to her Lake Tahoe roots, where she attempts to pull off her biggest scheme yet: robbing an heiress and Instagram star of millions.

Siri, Who Am I? is the perfect blend of satire, romance and coming of age tale. Mia wakes up in a hospital with a cracked phone and a blood-soaked Prada dress and no memory of who she is or how she got there. Using her phone and her Instagram feed, she picks up the pieces and uncovers the truth about her life. This one is so funny and would be the perfect pick to pack in your beach bag!

LOVE AT FIRST LIKE follows Eliza, who runs an up-and-coming Brooklyn jewelry store. When she accidentally posts a photo of her wearing an engagement ring to her feed, she finds that it majorly boosts the store’s cred and could be the ticket to success for her company. The only issue? Now she must find a groom. The nods to influencer culture (can you say #sponsoredwedding?) were perfect in here!

Janelle Brown

Sam Tschida

HOW IT’S MADE

Hannah Orenstein

Wondering how your favorite social media apps came to be? Look no further than these deep dives.

Hatching Twitter Nick Bilton

No Filter Sarah Frier

The behind the scenes on how Twitter went from a failed podcasting venture to having over 200 million active users.

This take on how Instagram became everyone’s go-to app is at the top of my summer reading list.

Facebook: The Inside Story Stephen Levy A former Facebook insider spills all about one of the world’s most controversial social networks.

WAITING FOR T If You Love A Showmance...

While We Were Dating Jasmine Guillory July 13

YOU HAD ME AT HOLA by Alexis Daria reminded me a lot of Jasmine Guillory’s books! It’s light and fun and romantic, and Daria adds the perfect amount of angst and drama to keep you invested in the story. If you’re not familiar with the plot, it features Jasmine, a soap opera star poised to hit it big with her new show for a Netflix-like streaming service. Her co-star Ashton is big in the telenovela world and is hoping for a career resurgence with this new show. When the pair has trouble with creating believable onscreen chemistry, they decide to begin rehearsing together in private, which naturally leads to sparks. Perfect if you want another show biz romance before WHILE WE WERE DATING comes out!

If You Love A Book Club Moment...

Blush

Jamie Brenner June 22

M.J. Stark, a New York-based journalist seems to have it all: a promising career, a gorgeous Manhattan apartment and a loving doctor boyfriend. But deep down, M.J. still grappling with the untimely death of her parents and sister in a car accident and said doctor boyfriend is begging her to move coasts and settle down with him in a sleepy California beach town. When things begin to go awry at work, M.J. decides to take the plunge and move, she’s left to fend for herself in her new home. A chance meeting with Gloria, her elderly neighbor, leads to an invitation to join The Dirty Book Club, a secret book club where members read a different erotic novel each month. If you love the book club aspect of this one, then I think you’ll be super into BLUSH, which revolves around a family who finds that their love for “dirty” books might just save their winery.

THIS? TRY THIS! If You Want A Book That Analyzes Race With A Twist...

The Other Black Girl

Zakiya Dalila Harris June 1

Looking for a fast-paced, read-it-in-one-day thriller that satisfies your inner conspiracy theorist? Sydney Green notices a lot of unwelcome changes to her mostly Black Brooklyn neighborhood and decides to channel her frustration by creating a walking tour to showcase the neighborhood’s history. As she begins her research, she begins to find some sinister secrets behind the push to revitalize their community. In a landscape of thrillers that all feel so similar, I loved the take on gentrification that this one provided. It was well-researched and thought-provoking in terms of racism, gentrification and redlining. I think that the lengths Cole goes to in this story feel pretty necessary in getting her point across. This got lots of GET OUT comparisons and so has THE OTHER BLACK GIRL!

If You Love A Rich Family And Their Drama...

We Are The Brennans Tracey Lange August 3

The Plumb family’s four adult children have all spent their entire life waiting for “The Nest,” the once modest trust fund their father set up for them that has since turned into major money. Each of the siblings could benefit from it: Melody is on the cusp of paying college tuition for her twins, Jack, who owns an antique store, has borrowed against the summer home he and his husband share to save his shop and Beatrice is under immense career stress as she struggles to finish her novel and finally break free from her humdrum literary magazine career. At the center of it all is Leo, a former media executive whose addiction issues led to a devastating accident. The Nest is being used to pay off the nineteen-year-old waitress found in the car with Leo and each of the siblings is desperate to get their money back.

LET’S TRAVEL T The Air You Breathe

Crazy Rich Asians

Dores, a nine-year-old orphan works on a sugar plantation in Brazil. Her life is changed when Graça moves to the plantation. Graça is wealthy and the polar opposite of Dores, but the pair bond over music, forming a deep connection. The duo leave the plantation in hopes of finding fame, with Dores writing the music behind the scenes while Graça becomes an instant celebrity. Newfound fame causes obvious rifts in their friendship throughout the novel, which moves from rural Brazil to Rio de Janeiro to Los Angeles and back again. This is a beautiful novel about friendship and fame and the details about samba and music are gorgeously written.

Let’s just chat about the entire series because it’s impossible to just read one of these! In case you’ve been living under a rock, this series follows Rachel who is in love with Nick, as she discovers he’s from one of Shanghai’s wealthiest and most prominent families. You’ll start with CRAZY RICH ASIANS because it’s adorable and well-written and funny, stay for CHINA RICH GIRLFRIEND because it’s the best book in the series and finish it up with RICH PEOPLE PROBLEMS because it’s such a satisfying end. I want to be best friends with Astrid and I want to wear all of their clothes and live in their gorgeous houses and EAT ALL OF THEIR FOOD. I loved all of these books so much.

Frances de Pontes Peebles

Kevin Kwan

The East End Kate Reed Petty

I clearly love the novels about wealthy people and so this thriller that takes place in the Hamptons was perfect for me! Corey is bored of living in the Hamptons, in the shadows of the massive estates owned by wealthy people who seldom spend time in their huge homes. He’s made a habit of breaking into homes with the intention of pulling an innocent prank to mark his territory. When he breaks into the home of Leo Sheffield, his mother’s boss, he comes across a tragic accident that will change the dynamics between Corey’s working class family and Leo’s life of wealth and privilege forever. This book takes place over a single Memorial Day weekend, which made for a lot of nice plot points like a fireworks show. Read if you love stories about wealth and class divides!

TO... The Guest List Emma Straub

At a fancy wedding on an Irish island, everything seems perfect on paper: the dress is designer, the party favors are magazine worthy and the food is gourmet. Everything should go off without a hitch, but something is amiss. Everyone in the wedding party is harboring their own secrets, worsened by childish drinking games, a ruined bridesmaid dress and a toast that hits a little too close to home. This missteps culminate in a body being found during the reception. The Irish island setting of this one was really atmospheric and creepy and made the perfect backdrop for the plot. The multiple POVs will keep you guessing and flipping pages until the thrilling end!

In this weird transition time away from COVID-19, we’re still probably not traveling too too far from home. Good thing reading can take ya places!

Next Year In Havana Chanel Cleeton

When Marisol’s grandmother Elisa dies, her final wish is for Marisol to scatter her ashes in her native Cuba. In Cuba, Marisol begins to learn more about her family’s history, while falling for a man with some secrets of his own. Told in dual narratives, we get to see what Marisol is up to in modern-day Cuba while also unraveling the truth about Elisa’s family during Cuba’s turbulent history! I loved all of the details in this one. I’m a sucker for a good setting + tons of imagery and Cleeton delivered! It certainly helps that I’ve always been fascinated by Cuba and its history, but I loved how Cleeton was able to weave so much history and research into the narrative.

The Simple Wild K.A. Tucker

Head to Alaska in this romance with a surprising level of depth! Calla is a twentysomething who hasn’t spoken to Wren, her father, in over a decade. When she gets a call that Wren has cancer, she decides to visit him in Alaska, where he runs a plane charter company. While there, Calla meets Jonah, a pilot who she begins to form a close bond with. I loved all of the atmospheric details about Alaska in this one! I also liked all of the romance aspects between Calla and Jonah, but my favorite part had to have been the way the relationship between Calla and Wren evolved. It felt really realistic and meaningful and I thought that it helped set the novel apart from your typical romance. Bonus: if you like this one, there are two followup novels!

your guide to

ELIN HILDERBRAN HILDERBRA The Latest

The Classic

Barefoot

I mean, all of Elin’s novels have her classic elements: drama, romance, family and allll of the Nantucket and food details, but you can’t go wrong with BAREFOOT, during which three women arrive on Nantucket for a relaxing summer to avoid their tumultuous personal lives, only to find their lives intertwined with that of a 22-year-old boy.

Thriller What could spice up a Nantucket wedding story more than a body washing up on shore? In THE PERFECT COUPLE, Hilderbrand deftly combines her signature detail-oriented writing style with an absolutely page-turning plot, with twists that would shock even the most seasoned of thriller readers.

GOLDEN GIRL (out June 1) seems like Elin’s most personal & inventive novel yet. Inspired by her own life and career, a Nantucket novelist known for her beach reads is killed in a hit and run, where she enters a purgatory and is given the chance to alter three outcomes on Earth.

Golden Girl

Historical Fiction

The Perfect Couple

Summer of ‘69

Bryan Adams sang that the SUMMER OF ‘69 “was the best days of my life” and I think Elin would agree. Written as a fiftieth birthday present to her twin brother, she kicks it old-school in this novel that includes events like the moon landing and Chappaquiddick. Bonus: each chapter is a song title, making for the perfect reading playlist!

AND ND

You’d be hard pressed to journey to any beach or pool this summer and not see at least one person reading Elin. After all, she’s the Queen of the Beach Read (hey, even the New York Times agrees!). I rounded up some faves so you can go full send on all things Elin this summer.

Ripped From The Headlines

Silver Girl

We’ve got rich people problems galore in SILVER GIRL, which tells the story of Meredith, a wife and mother whose Wall Street husband has just been arrested for being involved in a major Ponzi scheme. Bernie Madoff anyone? This one has just enough detail that resembles the Madoff scandal to hook you, but is polished with Elin’s signature spin.

Foodie Fave THE BLUE BISTRO is one of Elin’s cult faves and for good reason. The food details in here are absolute perfection and all of the restaurant life was exactly what I look for in a foodie book. Throw in some trademark Elin romance and you’ll be hooked. I’m gonna need a reservation to THE BLUE BISTRO stat!

YA Adjacent This novel isn’t YA, but it focuses a lot on teens and was one of my favorite books in high school! In SUMMERLAND, Penny is killed and her twin brother is left in a coma after a tragic car crash leaving a Nantucket High bonfire. As questions arise about what happened before the crash, shocking truths are revealed about their students and their parents.

Summerland

Love Story

The Blue Bistro

28 Summers

This one spans 28 summers (shocker), during which Mallory and Jake meet up for one perfect weekend each summer even though Jake is married to Ursula, the current presidential front runner. Each chapter takes place during one of their 28 summers and the cultural details that kick each section off are perfect.

You know what they say, sometimes the truth can be stranger than fiction. I couldn’t put these 6 memoirs down and I don’t think you’ll be able to either!

Everything I Know About Love Dolly Alderton

A blurb on the back describes this one as “Nora Ephron for the Tinder generation” and after reading this, I think that’s a spot on description. It’s essentially a coming of age memoir about life, love and growing up in Britain. Everything about this one was super honest and heartfelt and I thought you really got into Alderton’s head throughout. While some of the humor in this one was pretty British, which isn’t always my cup of tea (get it? Because British people love tea?), I thought it was really funny and wellwritten. Definitely would recommend, especially if you want a book that really encapsulates what it’s like to grow up, fall in love and find yourself.

Heavy

Kiese Laymon HEAVY follows Laymon through a turbulent coming of age in Jackson, Mississippi, where he revisits his complicated relationship with his single mother and his struggles with eating disorders and body image, and explores what it’s like to grow up Black in the south.⁣ I’m not one to annotate books as I read, but if I were an annotater, this one would be completely marked up — the language is that gorgeous and stirring. I found myself taking photos of certain quotes, which is something I’ve never done before.⁣ Like most good memoirs, it’s hard to write a review because it’s so deeply personal for Laymon, as the book is written directly to his mother. Each sentence is expertly crafted and Laymon is so unabashedly honest throughout.

TELL ME

More Than Enough Elaine Welteroth

Throughout her entire life, Welteroth has been making space for herself as a biracial woman, whether its on the playground as a child or in the boardroom. A childhood interest in journalism propels her to the forefront of the media world, where she becomes the youngest editor in chief of Teen Vogue. At the helm of the magazine, Welteroth makes key changes and national news. This was the perfect dose of behind the scenes media nittygritty (which I LOVED!) + motivation + inspiration. It’ll 100% be one of those books that I look back on often. Elaine also writes a lot about being her experiences being Black in the media world. I really enjoyed reading this perspective and would highly recommend if you’re looking for a media memoir that takes on being Black in the industry.

ABOUT IT: MEMOIR

Kitchen Confidential Anthony Bourdain

This book charts Bourdain’s rise to kitchen glory. He doesn’t leave anything out: he writes about life working in a kitchen, developing recipes and working with chefs. He also writes a lot about how restaurant kitchens work (some of it is SO gross!). Bourdain was honestly a genius. He’s so funny and dry. He drops some kitchen gems in here, but he also shares some of the darker underbelly of life working in busy kitchens.

A Very Punchable Face Colin Jost

Tbh, I knew I was going to love this because I think Colin Jost might just be my dream man: smart, funny, hot and a little d-baggy (I am who I am). Scarlett Johansson better STEP ASIDE. This book is laugh-until-you-cry, pee-your-pants funny. I know some people love to hate on SNL but I love it, so naturally I was super into those chapters. And the chapter about his mom? TEARS! Jost is a fabulous writer and he’s so dang funny and charismatic.

Wild Game

Adrienne Brodeur Adrienne is 14 years old when Malabar, her mother comes in her room and drops a bombshell on her: “Ben Souther just kissed me.” This revelation, that her step-father’s best friend is embarking on an affair with her mother becomes an all-consuming secret for Adrienne, as she is tasked with keeping their affair under wraps from her stepfather and Ben’s wife Lilly. Brodeur is a really talented writer and the details in this one were SO vivid and intense.

OTHER MEMOIR MOMENTS YOU NEED Cork Dork Bianca Bosker

Pretty much the KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL of the wine world!

Small Fry Lisa Brennan-Jobs

A poignant look back on childhood by Steve Jobs’ daughter

Unbelievable Katy Tur

Follow Tur on the Trump campaign trail as she reported on his unlikely rise

like this? this?

YOU MIGHT LIKE

If you liked the witchiness and kooky characters in BUNNY...

If you were into the workspace angle of THE HERD...

If you liked the law firm landscape in THE BOYS’ CLUB...

If you appreciated the raw honesty and candor in HOW TO MURDER YOUR LIFE...

THIS!

Ever read something and think to yourself, “Wow, that was the perfect blend of this and that?” Just me? I dug deep and thought about some of my fave books, movies and shows that combine to make some of this summer’s best reads!

If you couldn’t look away from GET OUT...

If you were into the debauchery of THE WOLF OF WALL STREET...

If you loved the Greek mythology in CIRCE...

If you love KEEPING UP WITH THE KARDASHIANS...

My favorite genre miiight just be rich people problems. I mean, pretty much every book is about someone’s woes, but I prefer those woes to be designer.

Sex & Vanity

Very Nice

Kevin Kwan

Marcy Dermansky

At a posh society wedding in Capri, Lucie Churchill, the daughter of an Americanborn Chinese mother and a blue-blood New York father, unexpectedly falls for George Zao. Five years later and Lucie is about to be married to Cecil, one of the world’s most eligible bachelors. When George resurfaces, so do Lucie’s feelings for him. Kevin Kwan does it again. S&V has Kwan’s trademark descriptions, this time of the glamorous lives of Manhattan’s elite. If you loved reading about the clothes, food and parties in CRAZY RICH ASIANS, you’ll love this one too. And if you liked the commentary on wealth and social class from CRA, it’s spot-on in this novel too, poking just the right amount of fun at the ridiculousness of these characters.

Looking for a crisp, wellwritten novel that hits that sweet spot of gossipy and intelligent? Marcy Dermansky’s VERY NICE is 100% for you. Rachel Klein, a college student, is heading to her Connecticut home for the summer. Before she goes, she kisses Zahid Azzam, her creative writing professor. Suddenly, she finds herself inviting him to stay as a summer guest in her palatial home, expecting them to have a romantic summer. Once Zahid meets Rachel’s mom Becca, all bets are off as the pair kick off a summer affair that will have devastating consequences. I’m sold based on the love triangle alone, but we’ve also got crisp details about food and fancy Connecticut mansions and social commentary on life for those one-percenters.

RICH PE

Happy & You Know It Laura Hankin

Claire is down-and-out after being kicked out of her band right as they find success on the charts. She’s living in Manhattan and drowning her sorrows in alcohol when her friend Thea sends her a job opening for a children’s playgroup musician. Claire hesitantly accepts the gig and soon is the playgroup singer on the Upper East Side, among moms whose wealth Claire can’t even comprehend. There are blossoming Instagram stars on the mommy blog circuit, moms struggling with their new stay-at-home roles and self-righteous moms ready to dole out advice. As Claire becomes closer with the moms, she starts to learn some dark secrets about the costs of motherhood in Manhattan and uncovers the truth behind a shocking betrayal.

EOPLE PROBLEM$

Bittersweet Miranda BeverlyWhittemore

Mabel is an outsider, a scholarship student at a prestigious college. She’s surprised at how quickly she befriends her roommate Genevra, who is the embodiment of the wealthy world Mabel lurks on the fringes of. When Genevra invites Mabel to summer at her family’s Vermont estate, Mabel uncovers a dark secret and is suddenly faced with choosing between keeping her new found privilege or exposing the secrets she’s tormented by.

She Regrets Nothing Andrea Dunlop

Laila, newly engaged, finds her world rocked at her mother’s funeral where she meets her wealthy cousins who came from New York to pay their respects. There’s a stunning model-turned-literary agent and twins who are more interested in parties than employment. Fast forward two years and Laila is newly divorced and ready to move to New York, where she’ll stop at nothing to climb the social ladder.

Limelight Amy Poeppel

LIMELIGHT follows Allison and her family as they move from suburban Dallas to Manhattan. City life is a definite change of pace and when Allison’s teaching job doesn’t pan out, she finds herself becoming the personal assistant to Carter Reid, an 18-year-old singer known for his debauchery, as he is set to star in his first Broadway musical. This book reads as a love letter to Manhattan and has so much heart and a really sweet ending.

WHAT ARE RICH PEOPLE PROBLEMS? My yacht’s out of gas.

My card got declined at Saks.

I’m having an affair with my brother’s best friend who is married to my second cousin.

FICTION/NONF FICTION/NON

Ever read a novel and realize you need a nonfiction pick that spills the true story? Or ever pic

If you can’t get enough Bachelor in your life...

Bachelor Nation

This reads as both a history of the franchise and an analysis of its place in pop culture. From reading about the audition process to the mind games producers play on contestants to make for more drama, I couldn’t put this one down!

One To Watch

A plus-size fashion blogger is approached to be the new lead of Main Squeeze (aka The Bachelorette). She accepts the role in order to subvert the beauty standards set by previous seasons of the show and ends up falling head over heels.

If you’re thrilled that airplane travel is BACK baby!...

Great Circle

A loooong pick (almost 600 pages!) that’s well worth it! GREAT CIRCLE is two halves of the same story: a female aviator who disappeared and the actress who is set to play her 100 years later.

Come Fly The World

Curious about what it was like to be a Pan-Am stewardess in the days when travel was booming? Pick this one up! It goes deep on what it was like to be a stewardess and includes a lot of history about Operation Baby Lift.

FICTION PAIRS NFICTION

cked up a memoir and wanted a fun story loosely based on those same events? You’re in luck.

If you’ve got a thing for Jackie O...

Reading Jackie

A nonfiction pick covering Jackie’s second life: her career as an editor at Viking and Doubleday, where she worked on books by big names like Michael Jackson and edited over 200 titles.

The Editor

This novel is about Jackie as editor, but has a twist: a debut novel she’s editing proves to be an emotional task, as she helps the author through some of the family issues he writes about in his book.

If you’re obsessed with White House life...

Campaign Widows

This book needs to become a reality show, STAT! It follows a group of women who are left in D.C. while their partners are off on the campaign trail. It has tastes of D.C. society, politics and life on the Hill, romance, career and family.

First Women

The president is fascinating to me, but I honestly would rather learn about first ladies instead! This book dives deep into the role of the modern First Lady and even wonders what the role of the First Husband might look like.

FOREVER YOUNG Repeat after me: YA IS NOT JUST FOR TEENS. Got it? Got it.

With The Fire On High

The Best Laid Plans

Emoni is a teen mom who is struggling with juggling her mom duties and spending time with her daughter with being a high school student. On top of that, she’s harboring big dreams of becoming a chef, something that seems even more possible once she enrolls in her school’s cooking elective that culminates in an overseas trip to Italy. This book has it all, from romance to travel to food writing to commentary on race, family, and coming of age. Acevedo’s writing is beautiful and her characters are ones you’ll instantly root for. They feel like real teens, which is a big must for me when I read YA books. One more shoutout for all of the food details because I’m a huge sucker for those!

I was absolutely shook by how much I loved this one. Like YALL, this is the way you do YA fiction. It’s smart and funny and sweet and romantic. It’s Keely’s senior year and she feels like she’s the last girl in her small school to lose her virginity. She wants to get over it already, but she also wants it to be sweet and meaningful and special. The issue? She already knows all of the guys from her high school and she’s not interested in any of them. Unless, she can talk her lifelong best friend Andrew into helping her out. It should work, as long as none of them catch feelings, right? Right? LOVED THIS. I would shout from the rooftops about how much I loved this. It was sweet and romantic and had the perfect amount of cheesiness.

Elizabeth Acevedo

Cameron Lund

Parachutes Kelly Yang

The premise of this is super original: it follows Claire, a “parachute,” a term used for the children from wealthy Asian families who are sent to America for high school, and Dani, Claire’s host sister. Claire is acclimating to school in America, where she rises to the top of the parachute pyramid by dating Jay, the son of a wealthy Chinese developer. Dani is working tirelessly to secure a debate scholarship to Yale, but private lessons with her debate coach have unexpected consequences. Yang explores trauma, racism and class in a really important and meaningful way (make sure to read her author’s note!). Without spoiling any plot points, this one discusses rape, sexual harassment and racism.

young adult thrillers My one true love.

One Of Us Is Lying

They Wish They Were Us

The Inheritance Games

I first picked this up because I’ve heard all of The Breakfast Club meets Riverdale comparisons (The Breakfast Club is one of my all-time favorite movies!) but this was BETTER than I could have imagined. Five students are sent to detention where one of them mysteriously dies. Suddenly the other four: an athlete, a brain, a criminal, and a princess (My 80s movie-loving heart melted at this) are suspects in the murder. I flew through it in a few hours because it’s that good! This thriller manages to pack in some more serious conversations about sexuality, controlling relationships and the pressure to be perfect. It was so fast-paced and I was getting so into the twists and the relationship between Bronwyn and Nate. Maybe one of my favorite YA books in recent memory!

Jill Newman is a senior at Gold Coast Prep, a tony private school on Long Island. Jill and her core friend group appear to have it all — they’re members of the Players, an exclusive but not-so-secret society on campus where they’re given the answer keys to every test, the invites to the best parties and the unwavering admiration of every student in school. But everything is not what it seems. Three years before, Jill’s best friend Shaila was murdered by her boyfriend Graham during their initiation to the Players. But when Jill starts receiving texts proclaiming Graham is innocent, she vows to find out the truth.⁣ The murder mystery aspect will suck you in, but what Goodman really nails with this one is just how dangerous too much privilege can be.

THE INHERITANCE GAMES follows Avery, a high schooler whose entire world is rocked when she finds out she’s the sole inheritor of a 40 billion dollar fortune, given to her by Tobias Hawthorne, a man she’s never met. She’s flown down to his Texas estate to meet the family who Tobias left behind, including four grandsons who all want to know exactly why she’s was given the entire fortune. It was twisty and reminded me a lot of Knives Out, with a lot of the drama taking place inside the house and having a cast of characters where anyone could have been the culprit. The premise felt cinematic and super unique compared to a lot of the current YA thriller landscape. There’s a sequel on the way, so don’t worry about that cliffhanger ending!

Karen M. McManus

Jessica Goodman

Jennifer Lynne Barnes

your guide to

AUGUST RELEASES All’s Well

Dangerous Play Emma Kress August 3

If The Shoe Fits

Mona Awad August 3

Julie Murphy August 3

The People We Keep Allison Larkin August 3

Fresh

How We Fall Apart

In My Dreams I Hold A Knife

Palm Beach

The Husbands

The Woods Are Always Watching

We Are The Brennans

Where The Truth Lies

Ashley Winstead August 3

Stephanie Perkins August 3

Margot Wood August 3

Mary Adkins August 3

Tracey Lange August 3

Katie Zhao August 3

Chandler Baker August 3

Anna Bailey August 3

You miiiiiight think that August means the end of the summer and the end of beach read season. Sorry to say, but you’re dead wrong. 24 more fantastic releases in August. Let’s all go in on the Mega Millions so we can snag copies of them all, ok?

Mrs. March

Wait For It Jenn McKinlay August 10

Catherine Ryan Howard August 17

56 Days

The Dating Playbook

The Family Plot

The Guilt Trip

The Heart Principle

Velvet Was The Night

Virginia Feito August 10

Megan Collins August 17

Eyes of The Forest April Henry August 24

Sandie Jones August 17

A Slow Fire Burning Paula Hawkins August 31

Helen Hoang August 17

My Heart Is A Chainsaw

Stephen Graham Jones August 31

Farrah Rochon August 17

Silvia Moreno-Garcia August 17

The Royals Next Door Karina Halle August 31

I love a frothy book as much as anyone, but sometimes, you need something with a little bit more heft. These books feel at home both on the beach and in your book club.

Detransition, Baby

Interior Chinatown

We follow three women in DETRANSITION, BABY: Reese, a trans woman who longs for a child; Ames, Reese’s ex who has recently detransitioned and is living as a man and Katrina, Ames’ boss who reveals that she is pregnant with his baby. Ames devises an unconventional plan: maybe Reese, Ames and Katrina can all raise the baby together. I really enjoyed this one! It’s super characterdriven but has the perfect punch of plot: what is this unconventional family going to look like? I’m a biiiig fan of a character-driven novel and I really liked getting to learn so much about the backstories of these characters through the flashback format. The characters are often messy and chaotic and flawed, which is just how I like them!

Written in a screenplay format, INTERIOR CHINATOWN follows Willis Wu, an Asian man who lives and works on the set of Black and White, a cop procedural show set at The Golden Palace, a restaurant in Chinatown. Willis sees himself as Generic Asian Man. He’s not a protagonist in both the show and his own life. The screenplay format was so inventive and smart. The writing is sharp and smart and sarcastic and perfect for the tone. The commentary on family, immigration and race was really fascinating and I loved seeing how Willis’s position as a bit player on the show translated to the way he perceives himself in life as an Asian-American.

Torrey Peters

Charles Yu

BEACH True Story

Kate Reed Petty In late 1990s Baltimore, a successful high school lacrosse team is plagued by a rumor of a sexual assault that took place after one of the team’s legendary parties. Over a decade later, Alice Lovett, a reclusive ghostwriter, continues to be haunted by what she can’t remember from that night. Petty did a really incredible job writing about not only the lingering effects of sexual assault, but rumors, misunderstandings and the lines between our memories and the truth. TRUE STORY plays with format in one of the most original ways I’ve seen in a long time. This novel is told in college essays, emails, memoir, audio transcripts, screenplays, a dual narrative that switches between first and second-person— basically this one has it all. It might seem overwhelming at first, but it works SO well.

H TO BOOK CLUB All Adults Here

The Kindest Lie

Good Neighbors

Astrid Strick, a widowed mother of three adult children, witnesses a bus crash that causes her to reexamine her own life. She’s been harboring a pretty major secret from her children and she decides it’s prime time to tell them. Elliot, her oldest, is struggling with his twin boys, his construction business, and a long-time grudge against his parents. Porter is pregnant but can’t seem to give up seeing her high school ex-boyfriend. And Nicky, who lives in Brooklyn, sends his teenage daughter Cecelia to live with Astrid after an incident at school. Straub writes families so well. Everything in here felt so realistic and plausible, from grudges quietly held for decades to the urge to blurt out your huge secret even though you know it has the potential to fracture your family.

In 2008 Chicago, Ruth and her husband Xavier, a successful Black couple, are on the cusp of making their next big step: having children. Xavier is overjoyed, but Ruth is harboring a huge secret. Back home in the Indiana factory town where she grew up, Ruth gave up a baby born during her senior year of high school. She knows that in order to start a family with Xavier, she must make peace with what happened in her past. As she returns home, she befriends Midnight, a young white boy with a fractured family. As the friendship between Ruth and Midnight deepens, Ruth comes closer to uncovering the truth about what happened to her child, until a devastating incident reveals the severity of the racial tensions in town.

What an absolutely bizarre book! Don’t get me wrong, I liked it but I thought it was SO weird. Billed as a book in a similar vein to LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE (which I loooooved), it follows a neighborhood spat turned deadly. When a sinkhole opens up in a Long Island neighborhood, it ignites a firestorm of controversy as two feuding families are put at odds when a teen girl falls into the hole. We see their entire neighborhood take sides and then go so far as to protect one family, even though it will fracture the lives of their neighbors. This book takes place in the distant future (2027) with articles + mixed media from the 2040s-2050s, which was pretty trippy, not gonna lie!

Emma Straub

Nancy Johnson

Sarah Langan

CAN’T GET ENO the Olympics/sports

The Second Season Emily Adrian

Ruth was destined to be a basketball star. At Georgetown, she was dominating, until a knee injury sidelined her. Instead of making it to the NBA, she marries her coach and starts a lucrative career calling basketball games. Twenty years later, she’s now divorced and she and her ex-husband are some of the biggest names in sports. She’s poised to take over his gig calling NBA games until a shocking locker room discovery changes her life forever.

Head Over Heels Hannah Orenstein

Avery, a former Olympic gymnastics hopeful suffered a career-ending injury at Trials. A break-up with her NFL quarterback boyfriend is the push she needs to leave LA and head for home, where she accepts a coaching position for a gymnast with her own Olympic dreams. What I loved most about this one was the level of detail Orenstein infused. As a former gymnast herself, it’s evident how much she loves the sport and all of the behind the scenes info felt very insider-y, which I loved.

The Girls

Abigail Pesta For three decades, Larry Nassar was one of the faces of U.S Gymnastics, a prominent team doctor who every athlete wanted the chance to work with. In 2016, a bombshell report accusing Nassar of sexually abusing dozens of minors, most young gymnasts in his care changed the gymnastics world forever. In this book, some of these stories are revealed, detailing how young girls had their trust and innocence stolen from them, often right under their parents’ noses. A hard but important read.

The Singles Game Lauren Weisberger

After an injury threatens Charlotte Silver’s middling tennis career, she decides to hire a notoriously tough coach who can take her game to the next level. As she moves up in the rankings and finds a new home in the tabloids with a famous athlete boyfriend and endorsement deals, Charlotte must decide if it’s all worth it. I loved all of the behind the scenes tennis details in this one, from the Wimbledon shoe gaffe to Charlotte’s training schedule. A gossipy + fun take on the tennis world!

OUGH

Ever get so into something that you can’t stop reading up on it? If you’re into the college admissions scandal, cable news, the royal fam or the Olympics, here’s your reading list! You’re welcome.

TV news

Top of The Morning Dawnie Walton

This insider look at the cutthroat world of morning TV is so good and scandal-filled! We go behind the scenes at the Today show as they’re scrambling to find a new host and head over to Good Morning America as they launch a plan to dethrone Today as America’s favorite morning show. This one is the source material for THE MORNING SHOW on Apple TV!

The Hellfire Club Jake Tapper

Jake Tapper is one of TikTok’s fave CNN anchors, so naturally I had to choose his book! Charlie is appointed Congressman after his predecessor mysteriously dies and is working double-time to catch up on the 1950s Washington political scene. After he’s involved in a mysterious car accident, Charlie is soon enmeshed into a world of secret backroom deals, secret societies, and a dangerous plot that could forever change history.

Amanda Wakes Up Alisyn Camerota

After her coverage of a hostage situation goes viral, Amanda is offered a job at FAIR News, a new channel dedicated to showing all sides of a story. Amanda becomes the anchor of the morning show, working with Rob, who is charming but incredibly conceited. When Amanda starts covering Victor Fluke, a businessman turned Republican presidential candidate, she begins to see the darker side of politics and how people try to manipulate the news.

Hoax

Brian Stelter I looooove when journalism intersects with politics? This book, by CNN media journalism Brian Stelter details former President Donald Trump’s disturbing allegiance and history with FOX News. I loved the way this book wove in the background and history of Trump and FOX News, including some of the network’s biggest players. There’s a lot in here about how FOX News was quickly turned into Trump’s mouthpiece. Fascinating!

the royals

The Royal We

HRH

Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan

Elizabeth Holmes

This is basically Will and Kate fan-fiction! This novel is essentially how characters VERY SIMILAR to Will and Kate (Nick and Bex) met, fell in love, and proceeded to marriage. Add in that Bex is American (a Meghan Markle-esque twist), a possible fling with a Prince Harry character, and a twin sister who is in love with said Prince Harry character and you have a funny, well-written, and shockingly tender and sweet novel. There’s also a sequel!

Elizabeth Holmes posts the coolest ever Insta Stories called “So Many Thoughts” where she discusses royal fashion. This book is basically one big huge beautiful SMT and I’m OBSESSED. It’s broken down by person (ahem, I mean, icon!), with long and super detailed chapters on Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Diana, Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle. Each chapter contains a sartorial history of each woman, tracking their most iconic looks from the timeless to the trendy.

Playing The Palace

American Royals

After being cheated on, Carter, an American event planner thinks he’ll never find love again. He’s always harbored a love for Edgar, the Crown Prince of England, but he thinks that’s more of a pipe dream. Or is it? A chance meeting between the pair proves that they have extreme chemistry, setting off a romance that causes a media firestorm on both sides of the Atlantic. This new release looks perfect for fans of RED, WHITE & ROYAL BLUE, which is one of my all-time fave romances and also involves an American and a British prince!

This series basically imagines that instead of a president, America has a royal family. It follows Beatrice, who is poised to become America’s first female ruler and who happens to be in love with Connor, her bodyguard; Sam, her younger sister who is falling for one of the men the royals have picked for Beatrice to marry; Nina, a college student and Sam’s best friend; and Daphne, who used to date Jefferson (Sam’s twin brother) and who will stop at nothing to win him back. The world-building is so fun and the drama is very Gossip Girl-esque. Adored this one!

Paul Rudnick

Katherine McGee

college admissions scandal

Girls With Bright Futures

Unacceptable

Tracy Dobmier and Wendy Katzman

Melissa Korn and Jennifer Levitz

Three moms and daughters from very different backgrounds are all at odds over a prime spot at Stanford, who has informed their exclusive Seattle private school that they’ll only be accepting one of their students this year. I thought the “one spot available at Stanford” twist was a really fun play on the competitive college admissions idea. Lots of commentary on privilege and motherhood in here!

This is THE book on the college admissions scandal! Korn and Levitz unravel the scandal from the very beginning when Rick Singer starts developing his first college admissions company to the bitter end when dozens of wealthy parents were caught lying, cheating and scamming their way into some of the country’s most elite schools through the FBI’s Operation Varsity Blues.

Admission

Where The Grass Is Green and The Girls Are Pretty

Chloe, the daughter of a former sitcom star (aka Aunt Becky/Lori Loughlin), has her dreams set on attending SCC (aka USC). The issue? Her grades and SATs aren’t quite where they need to be for the exclusive university, so her parents turn to a college admissions counselor who guarantees Chloe’s admission to SCC in a way that might not be all that legal. The novel switches between a then and now format, the then taking place throughout Chloe’s senior year and the now after the scandal has gone public.

I love everything Lauren Weisberger writes (hello, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA is my Bible!) and so I was so jazzed to see she was writing her own take on the college admissions scandal. A TV anchor with a Princeton bound daughter seems to have it all until it’s revealed that someone has bribed the Ivy League school into admitting her daughter, a crime that comes with guaranteed jail time. I really liked how this one is told from both adult and teen perspectives to get both sides of the story.

Julie Buxbaum

Lauren Weisberger

REAL PEOPLE IN FICTION

Novels featuring some characters you may have heard of IRL!

The Swans of Fifth Avenue

The Hours Count

This novel focuses on two icons: Babe Paley, a Manhattan socialite and Truman Capote, the famed writer. In 1950s New York, Babe and Truman have formed a clique. Truman is the leader and Babe and her friends are his “swans.” Throughout the novel, we see the dependency these two have on each other and watch their relationship begin to fracture after scandals rock their group. This is fizzy and fun but also has a lot of depth and emotion, which is the sign of a good beach read. This is also one of those books that’ll have you Googling like crazy after finishing so you can see all of their outfits and parties!

Ethel and Julian Rosenberg were sentenced to death for conspiring to commit espionage in 1953. A few years earlier, fictional Millie Stein moves into a Lower East Side apartment with her son and husband, where the Rosenbergs are her neighbors. Struggling with her marriage and her son’s developmental disabilities, Millie turns to Ethel and the pair develop a close bond, even as the FBI begin to close in around Ethel. This one is so creative in imagining how the Rosenbergs might have interacted with others and carried out their day to day lives. Cantor combines a more personal story with a spy thriller and the result is hard to put down!

Melanie Benjamin

Jillian Cantor

Rodham

Curtis Sittenfeld This novel reimagines Hillary Clinton’s life, exploring what her life and career may have looked like if she had never married Bill, following her from law school to presentday. All of the characters are real-life people and this novel explores the “what-ifs” of their lives. I thought that it was fascinating to read about the way such a prominent figure might have lived in an alternate universe. I loved how Sittenfeld made Hillary so human in this novel. She’s not perfect and this novel doesn’t depict a complete utopia in which Hillary reigns supreme, but one where she struggles with bad decisions and understanding her privilege. Imaginative and thoughtprovoking!

CLASSICS Just because school’s out doesn’t mean you can’t choose a classic! Tbh, we’d all probably like required reading a bit more if it looked more like these three picks!

Valley of the Dolls

Melanie Benjamin Published in 1966, VALLEY OF THE DOLLS is often referred to as one of the first gossipy “beach reads” geared towards women. The novel follows three women in 1940s-1960s trying to find success in show business in Los Angeles and New York City, navigating business deals, affairs and fractured friendships, as they slowly become addicted to drugs, known as “dolls.”⁣ I loved every second of this one. It’s gossipy and crazy in parts, but it also provides thoughtful commentary on fame and the lives women are supposed to want. I can totally see why this book is so enduring. Filled with superfluous detail and drama that verges on the edge of cheesy and over the top!

The Best of Everything Jillian Cantor

This felt very MAD MEN meets SEX AND THE CITY! THE BEST OF EVERYTHING chronicles the lives of a group of women who work at a Manhattan publishing company. We meet Caroline, who has big dreams of making it as an editor even though she’s still stuck in the typing pool, April, a country girl who transforms herself into the “It Girl” that every man wants and Gregg, a free-spirited actress who secretly wants to settle down. What I loved most about this one was that while the novel was written in the 1950s, topics like sex and workplace harassment weren’t sanitized. If you’re looking for a classic that’s super easy to read, I’d definitely recommend this!

Passing

Nella Larsen Set in 1920s Harlem, PASSING follows two biracial women: Irene who lives as a Black woman and Clare, an old friend of Irene’s who now passes as white and is married to Jack, a racist white man. As Irene and Clare reconnect, it becomes apparent that they’re each jealous and intrigued about what the other has: Clare of Irene’s ability to live her true identity and Irene of Clare’s charisma and ease of fitting in. For being such a short novel (150 pages) this one packed a major punch! It not only deals with race, but has themes revolving around class, jealousy and female friendships that I found fascinating. It’s quick and thrilling and you’ll read it in a day.

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What Maddie Read Summer Reading Guide 2021

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