Recommended Reads
Summer offers up some seriously satisfying reading material, and perfect reading conditions to match. Whether you’re elbow deep in sand with sunscreen slathered on your back, happy hanging in a hammock, cozy on the couch in the cool AC or riveted by an audiobook as you ride down the highway, there’s magic in summer that makes the chapters fly by. As most of us up north wave goodbye to those hot days and firefly-lit nights, we can still sit back, relax and enjoy some of the best reads that were published over the summer.
Whatever you read, you’ll find something in this list that fits your mold—or helps you break out of it. We hope you’re in the mood for a psychological thriller, a reason to stay out of the kitchen, a new-age teen love story, timely essays, a futuristic mystery, a fascinating exploration of life’s only certainty and much more. Challenge yourself to read one (or all!) of the 10 titles by the pool, on the airplane, on your road trip or even in the comfort of your own living room, as the leaves turn and nature performs her final act.
Here are 10 librarian-recommended titles to add to your TBR list:
 | The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill This sharply thrilling adventure examines the complicated nature of friendship and shows us that words can be the most treacherous weapons of all. |
 | The “I Don’t Want to Cook” Book by Alyssa Brantley Who wants to cook during the summer? Keep time in a hot kitchen to a minimum this summer with these 100 quick and easy recipes that require minimal prep, little-to-no planning and zero extra trips to the grocery store. This book boasts no more than 15 minutes of meal prep to keep your time in the kitchen at an all-time low. |
 | Fake It Till You Bake It by Jamie Wesley Speaking of food, this sweet confection of a novel satisfies any romance craving. A reality star and a cupcake-baking football player pretend to be a couple in order to save his bakery. Faking a relationship should be simple, but sometimes love is the most unexpected ingredient. |
 | You, Me, and Our Heartstrings by Melissa See For teens, this heartwarming romance stars a girl with cerebral palsy and a boy with severe anxiety, both talented musicians hoping to land a Julliard audition. Their performance goes viral, but everyone seems to be paying more attention to their disabilities than their talent. What’s it like to fall in love with the whole world watching? |
 | Do I Feel Better Yet? by Madeleine Trebenski In this series of essays, Trebenski explores more than 45 so-called solutions suggested to her in the name of self-care. This playful and sardonic collection will make you feel less alone, and maybe make your feel better—even if for just a little while. |
 | Counterfeit by Kirstin Chen Two Asian American women band together to grow a counterfeit handbag scheme into a global enterprise—an incisive and glittering blend of fashion, crime and friendship. |
 | The Sleepless by Victor Manibo A minority of the population has lost the need for sleep. A journalist fights to uncover the truth behind his boss’ murder on the eve of a sinister corporate takeover—while his own sleeplessness spirals out of control. |
 | One of the Girls by Lucy Clarke The latest twisty psychological thriller from internationally bestselling author Lucy Clarke is the delicious story of a bachelorette trip on a stunning Greek island... that ends in murder. |
 | All the Living and the Dead by Hayley Campbell Death is all around us. Campbell brings a deeply compelling exploration of the death industry and the people—morticians, detectives, crime scene cleaners, embalmers, executioners—who work in it and what led them there. |
 | A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons by Kate Khavari Saffron Everleigh is in a race against time to free her wrongly accused professor before he goes behind bars forever. This STEMinist adventure from a promising debut author is a fast-paced historical mystery that deftly entwines the struggles of a woman in a male-dominated field in 1923 London. |
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