We’re five days into summer, generally a time for endless road trips, vacation plans, beach bumming, and lots of other outdoor adventures. It’s also a perfect occasion for catching up on some good reads as you settle into your flight, between dips in the water, while sitting under the shade of giant tree, or just when lounging at home with your favorite beverage. The season is also rife with fabulous new releases and we’ve listed several you might enjoy burying your nose into while the heat is on.
FICTION
1. City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Eat, Pray, Love returns with this bold tale of love and self-discovery as 95-year old Vivian Morris finally tells the story of her life in 1940s New York. City of Girls takes us along as Vivian revisits her youth thrust in the colorful world of her aunt’s theater, rubbing elbows with charismatic, unconventional characters, and the mistake that alters the course of her life and but leads to her true love. An Amazon Best Book of this month, City of Girls is nostalgic, sultry, and delicious. Read about Vivian’s journey and learn why by getting it here.
“Gilbert’s new novel… is a pitch-perfect evocation of the era’s tawdry glamour and a coming-of-age story whose fizzy surface conceals unexpected gradations of feeling.” – New York Times Book Review (Editor’s Choice)
2. The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo
Hailed a most anticipated book of the summer by O Magazine, People, Chicago Tribune, NY Post, InStyle, Daily Beast, PopSugar, and LitHub, Claire Lombardo’s debut dazzles as if she’s been writing for centuries. This multigenerational novel across nearly half a century juxtaposes the idyllic life of Marilyn and David, still madly in love after 40 years, with those of their four radically different grown daughters, each struggling with their own demons. Set against the backdrop of Chicago’s prospering suburbs, Lombardo reveals the complicated dynamics of love and resentment within the tapestry of family relations and the long-buried secret that threatens the lives they’ve built. Find out what by grabbing a copy on Amazon.
“The big family saga of the summer, unfurling the fallout of a long-buried secret and persisting rivalries between four sisters across 50 transformative years.”— EW
SCIENCE FICTION
3. Recursion by Blake Crouch
The line between fiction and reality, memory and make-believe is blurring as a strange disease is driving people mad with vivid memories of moments than never really occurred and lives they never lived. This is the mystery New York City cop Barry Sutton is trying to solve with the help of neuroscientist Helena Smith, who has dedicated her life to developing a technology that will allow us to preserve the most precious moments of our pasts. Together, they must face a terrifying opponent that threatens to unmake the world as we know it before reality is lost forever. Find out what happens in this sci-fi thriller you can get on Amazon.
“From the bestselling author of Dark Matter and the Wayward Pines trilogy comes a relentless thriller about time, identity, and memory — his most ambitious, mind-boggling, irresistible work to date, and the inspiration for Shondaland’s upcoming Netflix film.” – New York Times Bestseller
“Cutting-edge science drives this intelligent, mind-bending thriller. . . . Crouch effortlessly integrates sophisticated philosophical concepts — such as the relationship of human perceptions of what is real to actual reality — into a complex and engrossing plot. Michael Crichton’s fans won’t want to miss this one.”— Publishers Weekly (starred review)
HISTORICAL FICTION
4. The Golden Hour by Beatriz Williams
Set in the Caribbean paradise of the Bahamas in 1941, this new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Summer Wives follows newly-widowed Lulu Randolph as she sets out to fill the society pages with news on the governor, his wife, and the infamous Duke and Duchess of Windsor. But us she makes her way into their social circle, Lulu find herself deep in a world teeming with treachery and spies, a high-profile murder, its resulting cover-up, the sudden disappearance of her newfound love, and the ensuing search she embarks on. An fascinating epic of sacrifice, espionage, courage, and love, The Golden Hour comes out July 9th and is available for preorder on Amazon.
“Bestselling author Beatriz Williams skillfully sets a story of love and sacrifice against the backdrop of war in her fascinating new novel… Readers will be spellbound by Williams’ elegant prose, fascinating characters and unforgettable settings while fully engrossed by the novel’s dual plots.” – Bookpage
MYSTERY & THRILLER
5. I’ll Never Tell by Catherine McKenzie
After their parents’ sudden death, the five MacAllister siblings reunite to read the will and decide the fate of their estate. One needs to sell, one is undecided, one wants to keep the status quo, and two have opposing views. But before any of them can do anything, they must first abide by one stipulation – unravel the truth behind the 20-year mystery of what really happened to Amanda Holmes, who was found bludgeoned in a rowboat at the camp that sits on their property. Get your copy of this riveting suspense thriller from Amazon.
“Riveting…Twists and turns and plenty of red herrings keep the reader guessing. McKenzie once again delivers the thriller goods.” — Publishers Weekly
6. Lock Every Door by Riley Sager
From the international bestselling author of Final Girls and The Last Time I Lied comes this gripping tale of horror. Broke and recently heartbroken, Jules Larsen thinks her luck’s about to change when she lands a job as apartment sitter at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan’s most high-profile buildings. Taken in by the splendor of her surroundings, she begins to settle into her new life while getting to know the other residents and staff of the Bartholomew and befriending her fellow sitter, Ingrid. Suddenly, Ingrid disappears and in her search, Jules finds herself deep into the building’s dark past and the secrets long hidden within its walls. Listed among Parade.com’s “Most Anticipated Books of Summer 2019” and “Best Beach Reads of Summer 2019,” as well as Good Housekeeping’s “Best New Books for Summer 2019,” Lock Every Door is due out July second. Preorder your copy now on Amazon.
“Sager’s third reinterpretation of iconic horror themes (following The Last Time I Lied, 2018) is an utterly riveting thriller that melds Rosemary’s Baby with Sager’s masterful storytelling.” – Booklist
FANTASY
7. Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey
Ivy Gamble has a pretty normal life as a private investigator. A far cry from her estranged sister, Tabitha, who was born magical. When she’s hired to solve a gruesome murder at a sorcery school, she is forced to team up with her gifted sister Tabitha who teaches there, while hiding the fact that she doesn’t share the same powers. Will she uncover the truth in time before she loses herself trying? Grab a copy of Sarah Gailey’s fantasy debut here to find out.
“There’s something for almost all readers here….Gailey shows us that humans are humans, even when they are magic, and they are still flawed, damaged, and oh-so-interesting” ― Booklist (starred review)
8. Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Casiopea Tun dreams of a life far from her dusty town in southern Mexico. A life she can call her own. A life seemingly beyond her reach, until the day she finds a curious wooden box in her wealthy grandfather’s room. As she opens it, she accidentally frees the spirit of the Mayan god of death, sending her on a life-changing adventure, from the Yucatan jungles to the bright lights of Mexico City, with her own life and the realization of her dreams hanging in the balance. Due out August 6th, preorder a copy of this one-of-a-kind fairytale from Amazon.
“Simultaneously heartbreaking and heart-mending, Gods of Jade and Shadow is a wondrous and magical tale about choosing our own path. I felt weepy and happy and hopeful when I finished—everything you want to feel at the end of a great story.”— Kevin Hearne, New York Times bestselling author of The Iron Druid Chronicles and A Plague of Giants
NONFICTION
9. Underland: A Deep Time Journey by Robert Macfarlane
From the bestselling and award-winning author of Landmarks and The Old Ways comes this haunting voyage into our planet’s past and future. Hailed by Wall Street Journal as “the great nature writer of this generation,” Robert Macfarlane moves from exploring the relationship between landscapes and human experiences in The Old Ways, venturing deeper in this highly anticipated sequel on an expedition into the world that lies beneath our feet. Haunting and thought-provoking, it takes us on a journey of wonder, fear, loss, and hope while confronting us with the question of whether the future would be better off with or without us. Take a trip through deep time with Underland, available on Amazon.
“A devastating act of witness [and] a clear, cogent, lyrical examination of the darknesses invisible beneath our feet. – Lauren Groff
10. Naturally Tan by Tan France
In this touching, funny, and heartfelt memoir, one of the stars of Netflix’s Emmy Award-winning runaway hit, “Queer Eye,” reveals what is was like growing up gay in a traditional Muslim family and one of the few people of color in South Yorkshire, England. With his trademark wit and humor, Tan France shares his journey of coming out to his family, finding himself, his voice, and the love of his life.
In his own words, “The book is meant to spread joy, personal acceptance, and most of all understanding. Each of us is living our own private journey, and the more we know about each other, the healthier and happier the world will be.”
A USA Today “Hottest Book of the Summer for 2019,” and a “Best Nonfiction Book for 2019” in Women’s Day, Naturally Tan is available on Amazon.
“Feisty and affecting. France’s charming anecdotes and candid opinions exhibit no shortage of humor, and fans of the TV personality will revel in the peek into his colorful history.”– Publishers Weekly
The season is packed with amazing books from bestselling authors of various genres. Don’t forget to grab a few you can take along for your perfect summer reads as you head to the beach, the pool, or your next trip.
Just a disclaimer – We have partnered with these companies because we use their products and/or proudly trust and endorse them – so we do receive a commission if you make a purchase or sign up for services. Often, we are able to negotiate special discounts and/or bonuses, which we will pass on to you via our links. We often get short notice on sale items available for 24-48 hours as we will pass these savings onto you.
For more ideas on awesome reads, you can check out our other recommendations by revisiting these posts:
https://theteelieblog.com/2019/03/20/world-storytelling-day-the-best-books-for-kids-on-amazon-right-now/
https://theteelieblog.com/2019/01/22/valentines-day-gift-guide-for-readers-and-writers/
https://theteelieblog.com/2018/11/19/10-awesome-books-to-read-this-thanksgiving-break/
https://theteelieblog.com/2018/09/21/feed-your-soul-top-inspirational-books-you-should-read-right-now/
https://theteelieblog.com/2017/09/15/best-books-read-fall/
