Books
7 Beautiful New Books To Read This Summer
When it comes to creating your perfect summer reading list, a lot of thought goes into it. There are a ton of new books that have come out, or are coming out this summer that deserve to be near the top of your list. There's also the classics that you've probably been meaning to get to. While you sort through the books you want to dive into during warm sunny days at the beach or during a late night summer thunderstorm, make sure to add some beautifully written books that'll melt your heart because they're so gorgeous.
I have a few favorite genres I like to stick with, but when it comes to beautiful writing, it doesn't matter if it's horror, sci-fi, literary, or YA. I love it all. Writing that can whisk you away from reality with a single sentence, paint you a picture with intriguing dialogue, and make you hug the book as if it were your closest friend — that's what I look for in a book. And now the weather is perking up, it means you're probably also in search for some new additions to your TBR pile this summer. Don't worry, I've got a few newbies on the block that you're going to fall hardcore for.
Some are debuts, others are from notable authors you already adore. Here are seven new books that are written with some of the most beautiful writing you'll ever read:
1. Swarm Theory by Christine Rice
Welcome to New Canaan, a fictional town located in mid-Michigan, a place where real life contradictions swarm, where hippies and heroine roam. This collection of interlocking stories follows Astrid and Caroline, two best friends trying to hold their families and lives together, Will, a soldier recently discharged from the Marines, and Father Maurice Silver, a priest who cares for a young man with AIDS. Rice has an incredible talent when it comes to creating distinct voices, characters, and weaving individual stories together to create something truly memorable. Did I mention the prose is gorgeous? Multiple sections will make you pause and reread a line or two or three just for the sake of soaking it all in.
2. The Way Back to You by Michelle Andreani
If you're in need of a gorgeously written summer fling, this is your book. Ashlyn Montiel, Kyle's girlfriend and Cloudy's best friend, dies in a sudden bike accident and sends them both into a tunnel of grief. They deal with the loss in different ways, and both find it difficult to lean on each other after a misunderstanding. But when Cloudy finds out Ashyln's organs are being donated to help others around the country, she make a sudden and crazy decision. Cloudy and Kyle set out for a road trip to visit the people who are alive because of Ashlyn, and it's a road trip you'll never forget.
3. Modern Lovers by Emma Straub
Author of the the bestseller, The Vacationers, Straub is back with another beautiful novel, Modern Lovers. Focused on best friends and former band members, Elizabeth, Andrew, and Zoe, who are all grown up with families of their own now, Modern Lovers stirs up an interesting story. Nearing their fifties and all living within shouting distance of each other, they pass their torches off to their offspring. But once their kids start getting close — some even sleeping together — the three friends begin to reveal more about themselves, their past, and secrets never brought up before. If you want to fill your summer with a novel as similarly mind-blowing as Jennifer Egan's A Visit From the Goon Squad, make sure to pick up Straub's new book as soon as it hits shelves.
4. LaRose by Louise Erdrich
Taking place in North Dakota, 1999, LaRose is a story filled with grief and hope. As Landreaux Iron is out hunting a deer, he pulls the trigger with confidence, only to notice afterwards that the deer leapt away. Behind the deer was his neighbor's five-year-old son, Dusty Ravich. Horrified by the incident, Landreaux seeks out the sweat lodge for guidance and decides to give the Ravich family his young son, LaRose. As years pass, the families both experience more troubles in this complex, but absolutely stunning novel.
5. The Bridge Ladies by Betsy Lerner
This breathtaking memoir is the story of Betsy's complicated relationship with her mother. When Betsy is grown with a family of her own, she returns to her childhood home to help her mother heal after a recent surgery. That's when things begin to change. Betsy soon becomes a regular participant in Monday Bridge Club, something her mother has participated in since childhood. The two are finally able to face the misunderstandings of their past, and a heartfelt relationship forms. Make sure you order an extra copy for the mom or motherly figure in your life.
6. Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler
Yes, this is a story about a girl who moves from a nowhere town and into the heart of New York City, and yes, you will fall completely head of heels for it. Twenty-two-year-old Tess stumbles into a job at a Union Square restaurant, falls for a coworker, and attaches herself to a motherly role model. If you've ever dreamed of moving far, far away or if you happen to work in the restaurant industry, you'll quickly become absorbed in this stunner of a novel.
7. Join by Steve Toutonghi
Want to live more than just one life this summer? Join in on this mind-blowing sci-fi novel, and you'll do just that. In the near future, a revolutionary technology allows small groups of minds to unite, and ultimately gives them the option of immortality. This book is about human evolution, the human experience, and in the end, what makes you, you.
Images: Rafael Leão/Unsplash
