no. 30: extremely specific summer reading recommendations

consider it speed dating for your library holds list.

Due to a recent malware attack on the Seattle Public Library (no, seriously), I lost access to my elaborate to-be-read system. Composed of an obsessively researched combination of physical books, digital books and audiobooks with wait times varied enough to ensure I would have at least two types of books *at all times* all summer, the list was honestly a masterpiece.

Upon learning that none of the books I had reserved *specifically* for my summer trip to the lake last week would be available, I did what any normal person who read 45 books last year would do: I built it back bigger and better than before. It’s packed with new releases and books that have been accumulating in my “heard great things about that one” list. 

So, presented with very little preamble, I am simply delighted to share with you an *extremely* specific summer reading list. Consider this issue a speed dating round for your next book: Much like my holiday gift guides with ideas and selections for literally anything — we are going for books that suit extremely specific moods, situations and vibes, with a TLDR description to keep things simple and streamlined. (I will warn you: my taste in books is fairly specific. Complex female characters and speculative fiction or bust, y’all! ).

I absolutely loved researching this one (quite literally falls under “things I was going to do anyway”). There is no joy like a *perfectly* curated book recommendation, and I hope you find something here that you love!

okay that’s it, love you!

One quick note before we begin: in last month's round up digest, I mentioned that I had purchased the Vacation SPF (specifically the chardonnay SPF oil) for a recent summer trip and would report back. I hate to tell you but I had a pretty gnarly photoallergy reaction to it, resulting in tingly itching, stinging and burning sensations and red welts when areas of my skin where I had used the SPF were exposed to the sun. 

I’ve had a number of bad sunburns in my day, and this definitely wasn’t that, and the Vacation SPF was the only thing I had never used before. I wouldn’t assume this would happen to everyone, but I certainly can’t recommend it to you either. 

Notes: links included in this issue are from Bookshop, a site that supports local book stores. All proceeds from Bookshop affiliate links in 2023-2024 will be donated to Reach out And Read, a Washington state nonprofit focused on providing education about reading at pediatric checkups to drive early literacy and language development. 

if you’re new here: this category is a constant. Feels like the natural next step for the girls that moved on from true crime but still enjoy planned, contained discomfort and the perspective it provides.

The Nix by Nathan Hill. A man is reunited with the mother who abandoned him after she commits an absurd (and highly publicized) crime. He must confront what is true about his mother, and himself. 

Bunny by Mona Awad. The Heathers get a creative writing MFA. A woman is drawn into the bizarre world of her old money classmates, confronting loneliness, belonging, class and creativity in the process.  (I’ve shared this one before - -it’s a perfect end of summer read to get ready for spooky season). 

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield. A marine biologist returns from a submarine expedition shaken and changed. Her wife searches for answers as she searches for reality.  

Animal by Lisa Taddeo. A woman witnesses an unspeakable act of violence, forcing her to confront and unravel the trauma of her past. 

Just by Looking at Him by Ryan O’Connell. A man with a successful career and loving boyfriend is falling apart behind the scenes as he grapples with alcoholism, compulsive cheating, and cerebral palsy.

part of the reason I love substack so much is because I love writing that thoughtfully (and critically) considers the world around us — especially when it comes to wellness, class, social media, and pop culture. I find these books enjoyable, and also that they broaden my perspective as I try to figure out how to operate in a complicated world.

Honey by Isabel Banta. In 1997, a teenage girl escapes her small town to become a pop icon of the 90’s and 2000s navigating the gauntlet of intense fame, exploitation and fickle public opinion. A fresh, multifaceted story that Britney, Lindsey, Amanda, Christina, and so many others deserved. 

The List by Yoko Adegoke - a journalist discovers her fiance is included in a crowdsourced list of allegations circling online and must navigate 

Whoever You Are, Honey by Olivia Gatwood.  Two women from different universes are drawn together in a gripping thriller that explores the relationship between women, and how perfection and desirability is impacted by the intersection of power and technology. 

Under the Influence by Noelle Crooks. A young woman struggling to make it in the publishing world is sucked into a new job working for a self-help influencer guru. The lifestyle is dazzling, until she quickly realizes something dark is behind the facade. (editor’s note: the author is, notably, a former assistant to Rachel Hollis. Hmmmmmm.) 

Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe. Margo has an affair with her English professor, gets pregnant, and drops out of college to have the baby. She decides to start an OnlyFans to make ends meet, and is helped by her estranged father (a former TV wrestler) to make it a success. 

I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue. A woman who’s coworkers have terrible boundaries copes by venting her grievances at the end of emails and changing the color to white so they are sent unseen. When her messages are inevitably exposed the shakeup uncovers secrets and lies pushes her out of her comfort zone to connect with others. 

Real Americans by Rachel Khong. A 15 year old sets out to find his biological father after years of feeling like he doesn’t belong on the isolated island where he lives with his single mother. 

I saw a tiktok this week that said this summer is for affairs and for angst, and I can honestly co-sign. to immerse yourself in other people’s mess (without creating your own) these books are all about complex interpersonal relationships. We’re grieving, we’re lying, we’re cheating, we’re fighting, we’re figuring out who we are and how we relate to each other.

Liars by Sarah Manguso. When a writer and a filmmaker marry, she finds her passions and ambitions subsumed by her husbands.  But when her career begins to take off, the marriage begins to burn to the ground. 

Family Meal by Bryan Washington. Two former best friends are reunited and must find their way back to each other after loss and heartbreak. 

Same as it Ever Was, by Claire Lombardo. A chance encounter with an old friend prompts a mostly happily married mother of two to reexamine her checkered past and chaotic present to understand what it means to build and keep a family. (editor’s note: Claire Lombardo also wrote The Most Fun We Ever Had, one of my favorite reads of 2021. Highly recommend!). 

Intermezzo by Sally Rooney. Following the death of their father, two brothers with seemingly nothing in common must navigate a turbulent period of despair, desire and possibility. Their struggle impacts each other, and those in their orbit, as they try to find meaning. (*publishes late September, but add to your library reserve list today!) 

Blue Sisters by Coco Mellor. Following the death of their sister, three estranged siblings return home reckoning with their childhood, the loss of their sister and the secrets they are keeping from each other - and themselves. 

I have become a huge fan of speculative fiction over the past few years, a genre that explores possibilities and impossibilities of the world around us. These books often incorporate elements of science fiction or futurism, alternate history, horror and social commentary. I simply love them.

Moonbound by Robin Sloan. 11,000 years from now, a young boy is launched into an authoritarian quest to save his home from a malevolent wizard and the dragons that control the universe. 

The Future Future by Adam Thirlwell. From the French Revolution to a lunar commune in the year 2251, a young woman must use what is available to her to exercise agency - against her much older husband, against those making up graphic fictions about her, and against the society that withholds any power at all. 

Julia by Sandra Newman. A retelling of George Orwell’s 1984 from the perspective of Winston Smith’s lover Julia Worthing. 

This is How You Lose the Time War, by Max Gladstone. Agents from warring empires travel back and forth through time, altering the history of universes along the way. Their initial messages to each other are taunting, but soon develop into a flirtation, and perhaps love. 

State of Paradise by Laura Van Den Berg. A famous writer returns to the Florida town where she grew up, and finds her sister spending an increasing amount of time using a virtual reality device. When her sister disappears only to return speaking of another dimension, the writer launches an investigation into the tech company behind the VR, the town, and her own past. 

You’re Safe Here, by

Leslie Stephens

.  When a wellness tech company rolls out floating sea pods for weeks of dedicated restoration, a young artist is the first to sign up as a way to get space from her partner – a coder at the company. But when the coder discovers dangerous cover ups and faulty technology, it’s a race against oncoming storms. (editor’s note: fun fact: Leslie is a friend from college – we were lab partners back in the day! So excited for her on her debut novel, which releases June 25th.) 

Listen, if summer isn’t for affairs and angst, than it is certainly for going on adventures. I love books that can mentally transport you to another location through vivid descriptions of time and place that are central to the writing and the plot. These stories are perfect for a mental get away, even if you’re not jetting off anywhere this summer!

Death Valley by Melissa Broder. A woman seeking respite from her life enters a portal to a new world while exploring the desert of Death Valley. The surreal experiences that follow bring her face to face with loved ones, her own grief, and herself. 

Bear by Julia Phillips. Two sisters struggling to get by on a small island in the Pacific Northwest are torn apart by a mysterious bear that enters into their lives. Reality is interwoven with myth, examining the relationship between sisters and  between humans and nature. 

All Fours by Miranda July.  A middle aged, semi-famous artist finds herself staring down perimenopause as she explores how to reconcile her desires with her circumstances. 

Instructions for Traveling West by Joy Sullivan. One of the only non-novels on this list, Instructions for Traveling West is instead a collection of poems that tell the story of a woman who, mid-pandemic, left the man she planned to marry, quit her corporate job, sold her house, and drove west.  

This Time Tomorrow, by Emma Straub. On the eve of her fortieth birthday, a woman wakes up in 1996, reliving her sixteenth birthday. Armed with knowledge of the future, the events of the past take on a fresh perspective. 

The Lady Waiting, by Magdalena Zyzak. “The White Lotus” meets “The Talented Mr. Ripley”. A young Polish immigrant is swept into an international art heist involving a stolen Vermeer and a multi-million dollar reward. 

Same, same, but different. Speaking of being transported to a different world — I love immersive historical fiction - from Ireland in the 90s to the Pacific Islands in the 1920s to a summer camp in the 70s, these novels are a journey not only to another place, but also another time entirely.

The Coast Road by Alan Murrin. Two women in Ireland in the 1990s navigate troubled marriages in a country where divorce is illegal. A stirring reminder of the limits placed on women only a few years ago, and the consequences fighting for independence. 

Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers. When a woman in 1950’s Britain claims her daughter is the result of a virgin birth, a local features writer's search for the truth intertwines their lives inescapably.  

The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng. A famous author (and his clandestine lover) spend two weeks with an old friend and his wife in the Federated Malay States in 1921. The writer sniffs out scandal and secrets from the unhappy wife, creating chaos that is stranger than fiction. 

Fire Rush by Jacqueline Crooks. A young woman living in London’s Jamaican community in the early 1980s navigates love, loss and police violence while finding her role in the world. 

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore.  When a teenager vanishes from the summer camp her family owns in 1975 a panicked search begins, eerily reminiscent of when her older brother also vanished without a trace fourteen years ago. The resulting search unfolds layered secrets and decades of mystery. 

that’s all for now. I’m (clearly) all set on the library reservations for at least the next few months, but would love to hear what you’re reading this summer!