There's no reason for you to spend your free time deciding what books to read this summer, we have already read STACKS of books and humbly present to you here: 20 of the best books worth reading this SUMMER! Enjoy!
This flawlessly written and lovingly told story weaves the immediate toll AIDS took on the Chicago gay community in the 80's with the longterm impact on survivors and their families. Makkai threads it all compellingly together with art world intrigue and institutional drama. I don't want to diminish it in any way with comparisons, but The Great Believers brought to my mind several of my favorite contemporary novels: A Little Life, Three Junes, and The Goldfinch. Rebecca Makkai has launched herself into a whole new category of literary achievement with this, her third novel.
Circe, as readers of The Odyssey will know, is the sorceress (goddess) who was exiled to the island Aeaea by her father, Helios, the god of the sun. Circe was renowned for her vast knowledge of potions and herbs. When rogue bands of sailors came on shore, she turned them into pigs, and that is what she did to the men who came with Odysseus, but he forced her to reverse the spell. A mythical cast of characters—Hermes, Helios, Perse, her brother Aeetes, the keeper of the Golden Fleece, Scylla, Penelope and Telemachus, her sister Pasiphae, wife of King Minos and mother of the Minotaur, and Daedalus —all feature prominently in the story, each torn between mortals and gods. Circe herself is complicated, passionate, unnerving, vulnerable, selfish, hotheaded—all traits to love in a fictional, mythical character. I devoured The Song of Achilles when it came out a few years ago and have been waiting, not so patiently, for the incredibly talented author Madeline Miller to publish again! Circe is smart, fresh, and authentic; a beautiful literary Greek mythology tale. I loved every word. Miller's depth of knowledge makes it possible for her to spin a rich and believable tale that readers will love.
Wow. That is all you really need to know. These short stories each have their own Floridian resonance and each touch on heartrending truths of life, family and humanity. Lauren Groff doesn't pull punches but also be prepared to hang on every word because she will surprise you with joy as well as hardship.
Quite different from the original by Barrie, this is not so much a retelling of the old ghost story as it is a re-framing of it. A modernized and more actualized Mary Rose stars in this story and the haunting is both internal and external. I would not classify this as horror, but it is a ghost story, so be prepared. Fans of movies like The Woman in Black should love it.
Sittenfeld, the author of bestselling contemporary novels such as Prep and Eligible, brings her prodigious talents of observation, plotting, and satirical wit to stories such as “Plausible Deniability,” in which a married man conducts a secret email correspondence about classical music with his brother and morning running partner’s wife; and “The Prairie Wife,” in which a gay woman obsesses over a former lover’s new and unlikely fame as the social media darling of conservative homemakers.
This meta-murder mystery is so clever! When the author, also the actual author, Anthony Horowitz, is saddled with the unpleasant task of writing about a true investigation, he also finds himself embroiled in murder most foul.
Sophisticated plotting and intricate storytelling in this redux of Rumpelstiltzkin shed some much needed light on dusty preconceptions. The voices that tell the story are distinct and powerful, unforgettably unique. At once a tale of values, value and self worth, Novik also reminds us of our responsibility to our choices and reflects on the roles of honor and truth. Along with these big topics and heavy-hitting truths, Novik tells an artfully enthralling story.
