Is there anything better than lounging in the sun engrossed in a great book? If you’ve got some serious summer plans and need a good read to keep you company on the plane, on the beach, or in your house with the A/C on full blast, make sure to pack of few of these in your bag. Whether you prefer women’s fiction or a twisted psychological thriller, these highly anticipated novels will keep you busy all summer long.
1. How Hard Can It Be? By Allison Pearson ($28): How Hard Can it Be? picks up 15 years after the end of the New York Times bestseller, I Don’t Know How She Does It. Kate Reddy’s kids are now teenagers and she’s dealing with aging parents and a husband she no longer connects with. If that weren’t enough, she’s about to turn 50. Forced back into the workforce, she’s back to juggling appointments and commitments and discovering who she is and who she wants to be. This hilarious yet insightful read is sure to become a quick favorite.
2. Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture by Roxane Gay ($17): Of all the new summer reads, this one will leave a major impact. Not That Bad is a collection of tragic, raw, and painful accounts of women who have been violated in the worst ways possible. In the wake of the #MeToo movement, these kinds of stories are an incredible way to give women their voices back. You’ll find personal accounts from women across the world, and of different socioeconomic backgrounds and races, baring their souls and wounds on the pages before you. If you enjoyed Difficult Women and Bad Feminist, this nonfiction collection from Roxane Gay will hold a proud place on your bookshelf.
3. Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage ($27): New mom Suzette had plans of how close her and her baby girl Hanna would be… but dreams and realities don’t always match up, and things will take a major turn for the worse. Baby Teeth is a riveting thriller where a seemingly happy family begins to crumble behind closed doors. Strained relationships and some straight-up creepy happenings will keep you reading and thinking about this twisted story, reminiscent of The Omen. Baby Teeth is the perfect summer read for psychological thriller fans everywhere.
4.Risk!: True Stories People Never Thought They’d Dare to Share by Kevin Allison ($17): If you love hearing about real life stories that range from embarrassing to heartwarming to sometimes shocking, you’re going to love Risk!. Kevin Allison, the creator of the popular podcast the book is named after, has created a space in which people feel comfortable to share their deepest held secrets. The book contains some standout stories from the podcast as well as some stories written just for the book by familiar Hollywood stars. It won’t take long to be completely immersed in these stories and all of their sentimental details.
5. The Completionist by Siobhan Adcock ($26): If you couldn’t stop binging The Handmaid’s Tale, you’re going to want to jump right into The Completionist. The country has run out of water and the manufactured water that’s been created to replace it has caused the rapid spread of infertility. This dystopian tale follows a family as they search for their missing sister in a volatile and oftentimes dangerous world. The search will lead the family to the realization of dark truths they’re not ready to face.
6. When Katie Met Cassidyby Camille Perri ($25): After Katie Daniels’ fiancé announces that he’s leaving her for one of her friends, the dream she had built her life around comes crashing down all around her. A random night out for drinks introduces Katie to Cassidy, a fellow lawyer with a colorful past. What results is a connection that cannot be denied, but will Katie’s traditional values and Cassidy’s womanizing ways get in the way? This unconventional love story will keep you believing in love this summer.
7.Her Pretty Face by Robyn Harding ($26): Being a mom is hard work, and friends can help get you through it. Stay-at-home mom Frances is frustrated with her life and her trouble-prone son, and when she finds a new friend in the elegant Kate, things start to look up. But as the two women become closer and closer, dark secrets begin to emerge, and their friendship is pushed to its limits. If you loved Harding’s previous book, The Party, you’ll definitely want Her Pretty Face as your poolside companion this summer.
8. The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang ($15): Stella rocks her job as a statistician — numbers are her everything. She’s created her own success around developing complicated algorithms that predict others’ behavior, which has helped in her quest to tackle her own Asperger’s Syndrome. As comfortable has her equations seem to make life, relationships and romance still give her anxiety. What’s an awkward girl to do? Hire an escort for help, of course. This is not your typical romance novel; it’s tender, sweet, and a little cerebral, and it checks all the boxes of a breezy beach read.
9. She Was the Quiet One by Michele Campbell ($27): Get ready for a twisted tale of over-privileged twin sisters recently enrolled in a posh New England boarding school filled with uninhibited and unchecked children. When one of the female students ends up dead, all eyes are on the teacher that will do just about anything to succeed. You’ll love the dark twists and turns this story takes.
10. Moving On by Anna Jacobs ($13): Molly has been broken down over the years by a controlling ex-husband, unappreciative adult children, and years of making sure that everyone around her is taken care of. She’s being pulled in every direction and an honest mistake creates a break in her relationship with her daughter that has her ready to start over. Can she create her own happy ending? If you’ve ever felt torn between what’s expected of you and striking out on your own, you’ll relate to Moving On.
11. All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin ($28): Life has a curious way of shaking things up just when you think you’re in a good place. Such is the case for Nina Browning in All We Ever Wanted. She’s settled into her high society life with her successful husband and son when suddenly things start to fall apart. When a school scandal erupts over a naked photo of a young girl, the reputation of Nina and her family is instantly ruined and the fallout that ensues will divide the entire community. This complex and layered novel will give you all the feels this summer.
12. My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh ($26): What’s a girl to do when she’s overwhelmed by life, medication, and expectation while everyone is telling her she’s got it all? Go into medical hibernation, obviously. Her adventures are full of ridiculous blackouts that last for days, a doctor more than willing to overmedicate her, and a questionable relationship with her “best” friend. Our unnamed narrator is not the most likable of characters, but the recounting of her world will draw you in from the very first word and keep you hooked until the final page.
Which book are you looking forward to most this summer? Tweet us @BritandCo to share your pick.
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