Move over, fall decor at the grocery store, summer isn’t technically over until September 23. There are still quite a few weeks left of good poolside weather, and there’s nothing better to do beside a pool than read.
Here are some of the summer’s best releases across several genres. Happy reading!
Fiction
The Fraud by Zadie Smith is a much-anticipated new release from the acclaimed author of Swing Time. The Fraud is a work of historical fiction set in Victorian England. It tells a fictionalized account of a true event in which a butcher claimed to be the heir of a wealthy family.
The Last Ranger by Peter Heller is an environmental thriller that centers around a Yellowstone Park ranger who has to protect the park’s wolves from poachers. The Last Ranger is set against fabulous wilderness scenes and deals with themes of conservation, anger, and unresolved trauma.
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett is another much-anticipated release from an established author. Like some of Patchett’s other novels, Tom Lake weaves a dual timeline, one in 1984, and one in present-day. The story involves a mother recounting a long-ago romance with a movie star to her daughters.
Romance
Romance novels are the highest-grossing genre of fiction, pulling in almost $1 billion annually. The genre’s popularity only seems to be growing. It seems that people enjoy a fun, sexy story! The good news is that there are some very smart and well-written romance books on the market.
Business or Pleasure? By Rachel Lynn Solomon tells the smart and romantic story of a ghostwriter whose new client is none other than an old flame from years before. The two pair up to write his memoir, and… you get the drift.
Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas falls under the sub-genre of paranormal romance. Vampires of El Norte is “90% love story and 10% mild-to-severe supernatural interruptions of said love story.” Sounds fun as long as you’re the reader and not the characters!
The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter is a spin on The Bourne Identity. From the review: “To truly enjoy it, readers will need to suspend disbelief and a few of the laws of physics, but who cares when the characters are so charming, the antics so entertaining and the plot so cinematic?” When better to suspend your disbelief than in the last few days of waning summer?
YA Fiction
“YA” stands for “Young Adult,” but even if you aren’t exactly young per se, you may still enjoy this genre! YA is for everyone, but the themes tend to revolve around an adolescent protagonist. YA books deal with similar themes as adult fiction, but are often more easily digestible. If you tend to leave a book sitting unread on your bedside table for months, YA might be a great way to jumpstart your reading.
Consider trying one of these YA titles:
The Infinity Particle by Wendy Xu. This graphic novel (told through a combination of drawings and text) is set in the future on colonized Mars.
The Narrow by Kate Alice Marshall is a ghost story set at a boarding school. This book doesn’t shy away from heavy themes. From the review: “Marshall deliberately positions clues to construct a swiftly darkening narrative that touches on addiction, abuse, privilege and parental neglect […] Those who enjoy puzzling mysteries and supernatural suspense will devour this haunting tale.”
Everyone Wants to Know by Kelly Loy Gilbert explores the themes of consumerist culture and celebrity obsession through a family who used to have a reality show. Can the parents continue to deliver the type of content their audience expects after they end their marriage? You’ll have to pick up a copy to find out!
Nonfiction
Sure, I’ll Join Your Cult by Maria Bamford is a new memoir by comedian Maria Bamford. From the linked review: “The author is a winsome and unapologetic tour guide through her life thus far, musing on her ‘splintered, discomfiting need to reveal all my thoughts and flaws—which is either radical honesty or narcissistic showboating’ and sharing her hope that ‘if I can be grandstandingly open about something taboo, maybe someone else might feel a little less isolated by knowing my own sad story (and have a few laughs)?’”
Find More Birds by Heather Wolf teaches the reader how to, well, find more birds! This is not your everyday birding book that focuses solely on the types of birds one might see. Instead, Find More Birds focuses on how to see more birds, offering accessible tips to help the reader observe the birds around them in almost any circumstance.
The Six by Lauren Grush tells the true story of the U.S.’s first female astronauts. From the review: “The women had to deal with the male-dominated media of their day, fielding questions from Tom Brokaw like, ‘Did you ever wish you were a boy?’” The Six takes a deep dive into their stories, successes, and (in the case of Judy Resnik, who was killed in the Challenger explosion), their tragedies.
Go to the Library!
A friendly reminder that reading doesn’t need to be an expensive habit. In fact, it can be a free habit! Your local library is there to supply you with a constant stream of books. You may even find that your local library offers more than just books. Many libraries have media sections with rentable DVDs and CDs. Some libraries even offer tool rental. Pretty cool!
You can also rent free audiobooks through Libby. All you need is a library card.