5 Summer Books You Need To Read Right Now
I’m calling this "part one" because there's a new Taylor Jenkins Reid coming out at the end of August...
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One afternoon last weekend, while my youngest napped and my oldest set up elaborate train tracks in my childhood living room, I put on my bathing suit—surprise, surprise, it’s J.Crew—plopped down into the absolutely insane rainforest-themed inflatable pool that lives at my parents’ house, which I do not regret buying for a second, and lost myself in a book. For a total of one hour and forty-three minutes, I felt a level of peace and relaxation I tend to associate with my pre-kids life. In other words: A wildly rare treat.
The book, as I mentioned last week, is called Lessons in Chemistry and it’s honestly a crowd pleaser on a number of levels. (Set in the 1960s at a scientific research institute, starring Elizabeth Zott, a brilliant, tough, funny force of nature with a pencil in her hair, it seems like a rom-com based on the marketing, but it’s not. It’s so much more.) For me, it would be the book of the summer, but it came out in April, so not sure if we’re counting it?
No worries either way though, because there are plenty of other gems out there, and I decided to gather them up for your reading pleasure.
I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston ($16)
I adored McQuiston’s first novel—the queer rom-com Red, White & Royal Blue, which is just a delight–and liked the follow up, One Last Stop, so buying their latest book (and first foray into YA) was a no brainer. Shara Wheeler is made for the small screen; I could literally see the TV show in my head as I was reading it. It’s just so perfect for that world, it smacked me in the face.
But back to the book: It’s a gentle mystery that starts out with the disappearance of a small Southern town’s queen bee right after prom night, but it’s much richer than I just made it sound. The real star of the book though is the brilliant, rebellious protagonist Chloe, who is stuck in this very conservative Christian town, and determined to solve the mystery of the queen bee’s disappearance. It’s heartwarming and kind, and a gem to read on a lazy afternoon.
The Lies I Tell by Julie Clark ($22)
While I do not care for a gruesome book, nor a scary book, nor a gory book, I do love a suspenseful twisty book. (Hence my love of The Last Thing He Told Me, which was one of my favorites of 2021.) So when I saw author Jessica Knoll—her book Luckiest Girl Alive is a dark, gripping, excellent ride—blurbed Julie Clark’s newest book, The Lies I Tell, I immediately bought it. Apparently a lot of you had that same feeling, seeing as Lies became an instant New York Times bestseller.
Without giving the whole thing away, it’s about two women—one is a serial con artist, the other seeking revenge—and the entire thing is a rollercoaster. If you are the sort of person who likes a Gone Girl, The Paris Apartment, The Girl on the Train moment, this is definitely an excellent option. (TW: SA)
This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub ($22)
Do you need a charming release from the hellscape that is the world right now? Do you love an ode to New York City? Adore a plot with time travel because it allows you to play out a few Sliding Doors moments in your own mind? Feel nostalgic about being a teen as you’re crossing into middle age? Have fond thoughts about the ‘90s? Like a dad-daughter story?
If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, well this one’s for you. And if you love none of these things, I still think you’ll like it because it’s self aware (we're talking A Wrinkle In Time references and even a Peggy Sue Got Married wink).
Buy it now. Trust me.
Anna: The Biography by Amy Odell ($24)
She’s the most powerful woman in fashion, and the most inscrutable. Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of Vogue for the last 34 years (now technically the worldwide chief content officer and global editorial director of Vogue) has long been the fashion media world’s most discussed executive, but it’s rare to ever get a peek behind those oversized Chanel sunglasses.
The brilliant journalist and writer Amy Odell does a masterful job at turning Wintour into a real human, thanks in part to her exhaustive research, which included over 250 interviews with the legendary editor’s nearest and dearest. It’s so well done, and truly a biography worth having in your collection. And if you want more, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Amy to discuss the book for the Who What Wear Podcast, so be sure to listen to our conversation for more behind-the-scenes stories.
The Candy House by Jennifer Egan ($16)
Full confession: I bought this book not realizing that it was the follow up to Egan’s Pulitzer-winning book, A Visit From the Goon Squad, which I have not read. After discussing this with some people, I now can say that it would probably be wise to read Goon Squad first, but honestly if you can handle a little weirdness, just jump right into book two and you’ll be fine.
The Candy House is over the top in the way Baz Luhrmann films just explode off the screen, but with a darker underlay that gives me hints of early-to-mid-career Bret Easton Ellis. This book is about the intersection of technology and memories, but riffs on authenticity, rejecting the digital world, love and loss, family dynamics, affinity, algorithms, anthropology, and more. It kept nudging me to think about Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, though they share no plot points at all. The overall vibe made me feel like I was on mushrooms—or so I hear—with the edges of complete understanding floating just outside my reach. So yeah, it’s a trip. I loved it.