SUMMER READING GUIDE 2024 PDF Free Download
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summer reading guidesummer reading guidesummer reading guidesummer reading guide
summer reading guide
what maddie read
2024
to the 2024 summer reading guide
let the summer reading begin!
Maddi
what’s inside?what’s inside?what’s inside?what’s inside?
what’s inside?
welcomewelcomewelcomewelcome
welcome what i’m reading this summer
june releases
rich people problems
romances galore
july releases
thrills and chills
magical realism
reality show recs
history of summer
august releases
celeb book pairings
venn diagrams
4
6
10
14
22
26
30
32
36
38
42
44
new in paperback
nonfic picks
literary fiction
books for every beach
48
52
54
58
Here we are, back again for the fourth annual Summer Reading Guide! When I made Here we are, back again for the fourth annual Summer Reading Guide! When I made
my first guide in 2021, I had NO idea I’d still be here on Instagram talking about my first guide in 2021, I had NO idea I’d still be here on Instagram talking about
books, but DAMN, am I glad I’m still kicking on this platform.books, but DAMN, am I glad I’m still kicking on this platform.
I’m a summer baby (born just shy of the Fourth of July), and as such, firmly believe I’m a summer baby (born just shy of the Fourth of July), and as such, firmly believe
it’s the best season for reading. I prefer to read by a body of water, whether it be a it’s the best season for reading. I prefer to read by a body of water, whether it be a
pool, an ocean, a lake...I’m not picky. I read a little bit of everything in the summer, pool, an ocean, a lake...I’m not picky. I read a little bit of everything in the summer,
from heady lit fic during a storm to light and breezy romance en route to the shore. from heady lit fic during a storm to light and breezy romance en route to the shore.
Because of this, I wanted to make a guide that encompassed every and any literary Because of this, I wanted to make a guide that encompassed every and any literary
mood. Hope I did it justice!mood. Hope I did it justice!
This year’s Summer Reading Guide is packed with 60 pages of book recs for This year’s Summer Reading Guide is packed with 60 pages of book recs for
everything from romances to thrillers, books to pair with your favorite reality TV everything from romances to thrillers, books to pair with your favorite reality TV
shows to titles to toss on stage at the Olivia Rodrigo concert. I’ve taken a lot of the shows to titles to toss on stage at the Olivia Rodrigo concert. I’ve taken a lot of the
concepts I’ve done before (venn diagrams, we meet again) and put a fresh spin on concepts I’ve done before (venn diagrams, we meet again) and put a fresh spin on
‘em. I’ve also broken down 100+ Summer 2024 releases for you, nbd.‘em. I’ve also broken down 100+ Summer 2024 releases for you, nbd.
And before I sign o, none of this would be possible without every single person And before I sign o, none of this would be possible without every single person
reading this letter right now. I love making content on this platform and my reading this letter right now. I love making content on this platform and my
Instagram account has given me so much more than I could have imagined. I would Instagram account has given me so much more than I could have imagined. I would
definitely still be nerding out over books if it wasn’t for y’all (but I’m not sure if I’d be definitely still be nerding out over books if it wasn’t for y’all (but I’m not sure if I’d be
furiously typing this letter while finishing the Summer Reading Guide while listening furiously typing this letter while finishing the Summer Reading Guide while listening
to the to the ChallengersChallengers score) but it’s been the true joy of my life to talk all things literary score) but it’s been the true joy of my life to talk all things literary
with fellow book lovers. I talk a lot, but I don’t have the words to say how truly with fellow book lovers. I talk a lot, but I don’t have the words to say how truly
grateful I am for each and every one of you.grateful I am for each and every one of you.
if you liked this guide, don’t forget to follow along on ig!
@whatmaddierea
to the 2024 summer reading guide
let the summer reading begin!
Maddi
what’s inside?what’s inside?what’s inside?what’s inside?
what’s inside?
welcomewelcomewelcomewelcome
welcome what i’m reading this summer
june releases
rich people problems
romances galore
july releases
thrills and chills
magical realism
reality show recs
history of summer
august releases
celeb book pairings
venn diagrams
4
6
10
14
22
26
30
32
36
38
42
44
new in paperback
nonfic picks
literary fiction
books for every beach
48
52
54
58
Here we are, back again for the fourth annual Summer Reading Guide! When I made Here we are, back again for the fourth annual Summer Reading Guide! When I made
my first guide in 2021, I had NO idea I’d still be here on Instagram talking about my first guide in 2021, I had NO idea I’d still be here on Instagram talking about
books, but DAMN, am I glad I’m still kicking on this platform.books, but DAMN, am I glad I’m still kicking on this platform.
I’m a summer baby (born just shy of the Fourth of July), and as such, firmly believe I’m a summer baby (born just shy of the Fourth of July), and as such, firmly believe
it’s the best season for reading. I prefer to read by a body of water, whether it be a it’s the best season for reading. I prefer to read by a body of water, whether it be a
pool, an ocean, a lake...I’m not picky. I read a little bit of everything in the summer, pool, an ocean, a lake...I’m not picky. I read a little bit of everything in the summer,
from heady lit fic during a storm to light and breezy romance en route to the shore. from heady lit fic during a storm to light and breezy romance en route to the shore.
Because of this, I wanted to make a guide that encompassed every and any literary Because of this, I wanted to make a guide that encompassed every and any literary
mood. Hope I did it justice!mood. Hope I did it justice!
This year’s Summer Reading Guide is packed with 60 pages of book recs for This year’s Summer Reading Guide is packed with 60 pages of book recs for
everything from romances to thrillers, books to pair with your favorite reality TV everything from romances to thrillers, books to pair with your favorite reality TV
shows to titles to toss on stage at the Olivia Rodrigo concert. I’ve taken a lot of the shows to titles to toss on stage at the Olivia Rodrigo concert. I’ve taken a lot of the
concepts I’ve done before (venn diagrams, we meet again) and put a fresh spin on concepts I’ve done before (venn diagrams, we meet again) and put a fresh spin on
‘em. I’ve also broken down 100+ Summer 2024 releases for you, nbd.‘em. I’ve also broken down 100+ Summer 2024 releases for you, nbd.
And before I sign o, none of this would be possible without every single person And before I sign o, none of this would be possible without every single person
reading this letter right now. I love making content on this platform and my reading this letter right now. I love making content on this platform and my
Instagram account has given me so much more than I could have imagined. I would Instagram account has given me so much more than I could have imagined. I would
definitely still be nerding out over books if it wasn’t for y’all (but I’m not sure if I’d be definitely still be nerding out over books if it wasn’t for y’all (but I’m not sure if I’d be
furiously typing this letter while finishing the Summer Reading Guide while listening furiously typing this letter while finishing the Summer Reading Guide while listening
to the to the ChallengersChallengers score) but it’s been the true joy of my life to talk all things literary score) but it’s been the true joy of my life to talk all things literary
with fellow book lovers. I talk a lot, but I don’t have the words to say how truly with fellow book lovers. I talk a lot, but I don’t have the words to say how truly
grateful I am for each and every one of you.grateful I am for each and every one of you.
if you liked this guide, don’t forget to follow along on ig!
@whatmaddierea
@whatmaddieread 54 summer reading guide 2024
honey
by Victor Lodato
The glam
daughter of a
notorious New
Jersey mobster
returns home
at last after her
grandnephew is
caught up in a
crime.
1818 books on my summer reading list books on my summer reading list1818 books on my summer reading list books on my summer reading list
18 books on my summer reading list
in my time-honored tradition, i pulled 18 (!!) backlist titles and early 2024 releases that i solemnly swear to read this summer (pinky
promise!). this year’s list includes a heap of memoirs, books adapted for tv, and tales of eighty-somethings reflecting on their pasts.
family meal
by Bryan Washington
I sometimes let
my lit fic reading
lapse in the
steamier months.
Determined
to not let that
happen this year
with FAMILY
MEAL on my list.
french braid
by Anne Tyler
Follows one
Baltimore family
from the 1950s
to the present.
I’ll save this one
to read on a trip
home to Maryland
this summer for
the full eect.
unscripted
by James B. Stewart & Rachel Abrams
This has been
billed as a real-
world Succession,
as it follows the
battle for control
of Paramount
Global by the
dysfunctional
Redstone family.
saints for all occasions
by J. Courtney Sullivan
exit interview
by Kristi Coulter
their vicious games
by Joelle Wellington
Once I heard this
blurbed as Squid
Games meets Ace
of Spades (with
a sprinkling of
The Bachelor), I
hit add to cart as
fast as humanly
possible.
my name is barbra
by Barbra Streisand
I’m thinking that
summer might
be the perfect
time to dive into
Barbra’s 900+
page memoir.
After all, I’ll get
ripped just from
holding it.
the golden season
by Madeline Kay Sneed
This novel about a
Texas high school
football coach
grappling with
his daughter’s
sexuality has
strong Friday
Night Lights vibes
(my fave show!).
lillian boxfish takes a walk
by Kathleen Rooney
I’d love to catch
up on my 24 in 24
list this summer.
On deck? This
novel about a
woman’s life and
career in New
York, told during
one long walk.
fangirl down
by Tessa Bailey
Tessa Bailey’s
rom-coms are
always fun,
mindless reads
that never skimp
on the spice.
Looking forward
to her foray into
sports romance!
remarkably bright creatures
by Shelby Van Pelt
Y’all are shocked
that I haven’t
read the octopus
book yet. In my
defense, there
were 1,972 people
ahead of me at
the library— not
exaggerating!
once upon a time
by Elizabeth Beller
mr. and mrs. american pie
by Juliet McDaniel
perfume and pain
by Anna Dorn
the villa
by Rachel Hawkins
I thought I had
given up on
Rachel Hawkins’
work until THE
HEIRESS sucked
me in. And how
could anyone
resist this citrus-y
cover?
wolf hustle
by Cin Fabré
Remember
my thing for
workplace
memoirs? I’ve
long had my eye
on this tell-all
about working as
a Black woman on
Wall Street.
annie bot
by Sierra Greer
As a writer, I hate
everything about
AI (please don’t
come for my job,
thx!), yet I remain
intrigued by this
novel about an AI
robot with a mind
of her own.
This is the final J.
Courtney Sullivan
book I have left
to read before
her new release in
July. I adore the
way she writes
about complex
family dynamics.
I’ve been drawn to
career memoirs
lately, and EXIT
INTERVIEW,
which chronicles
the burnout of a
former Amazon
exec, is top of
the list.
This year marks
25 years since
the death of JFK
Jr. and Carolyn
Bessette, so I’d
like to read at
least one or two
books about their
lives this summer.
Although I’ve
heard Palm
Royale is merely a
loose adaptation
of this novel,
I’m intrigued
nonetheless.
Another absolute
cover slay.
I can never resist
a novel about
writers, and this
one, follows
a struggling
novelist’s
attempts to
revive her flagging
career.
@whatmaddieread 54 summer reading guide 2024
honey
by Victor Lodato
The glam
daughter of a
notorious New
Jersey mobster
returns home
at last after her
grandnephew is
caught up in a
crime.
1818 books on my summer reading list books on my summer reading list1818 books on my summer reading list books on my summer reading list
18 books on my summer reading list
in my time-honored tradition, i pulled 18 (!!) backlist titles and early 2024 releases that i solemnly swear to read this summer (pinky
promise!). this year’s list includes a heap of memoirs, books adapted for tv, and tales of eighty-somethings reflecting on their pasts.
family meal
by Bryan Washington
I sometimes let
my lit fic reading
lapse in the
steamier months.
Determined
to not let that
happen this year
with FAMILY
MEAL on my list.
french braid
by Anne Tyler
Follows one
Baltimore family
from the 1950s
to the present.
I’ll save this one
to read on a trip
home to Maryland
this summer for
the full eect.
unscripted
by James B. Stewart & Rachel Abrams
This has been
billed as a real-
world Succession,
as it follows the
battle for control
of Paramount
Global by the
dysfunctional
Redstone family.
saints for all occasions
by J. Courtney Sullivan
exit interview
by Kristi Coulter
their vicious games
by Joelle Wellington
Once I heard this
blurbed as Squid
Games meets Ace
of Spades (with
a sprinkling of
The Bachelor), I
hit add to cart as
fast as humanly
possible.
my name is barbra
by Barbra Streisand
I’m thinking that
summer might
be the perfect
time to dive into
Barbra’s 900+
page memoir.
After all, I’ll get
ripped just from
holding it.
the golden season
by Madeline Kay Sneed
This novel about a
Texas high school
football coach
grappling with
his daughter’s
sexuality has
strong Friday
Night Lights vibes
(my fave show!).
lillian boxfish takes a walk
by Kathleen Rooney
I’d love to catch
up on my 24 in 24
list this summer.
On deck? This
novel about a
woman’s life and
career in New
York, told during
one long walk.
fangirl down
by Tessa Bailey
Tessa Bailey’s
rom-coms are
always fun,
mindless reads
that never skimp
on the spice.
Looking forward
to her foray into
sports romance!
remarkably bright creatures
by Shelby Van Pelt
Y’all are shocked
that I haven’t
read the octopus
book yet. In my
defense, there
were 1,972 people
ahead of me at
the library— not
exaggerating!
once upon a time
by Elizabeth Beller
mr. and mrs. american pie
by Juliet McDaniel
perfume and pain
by Anna Dorn
the villa
by Rachel Hawkins
I thought I had
given up on
Rachel Hawkins’
work until THE
HEIRESS sucked
me in. And how
could anyone
resist this citrus-y
cover?
wolf hustle
by Cin Fabré
Remember
my thing for
workplace
memoirs? I’ve
long had my eye
on this tell-all
about working as
a Black woman on
Wall Street.
annie bot
by Sierra Greer
As a writer, I hate
everything about
AI (please don’t
come for my job,
thx!), yet I remain
intrigued by this
novel about an AI
robot with a mind
of her own.
This is the final J.
Courtney Sullivan
book I have left
to read before
her new release in
July. I adore the
way she writes
about complex
family dynamics.
I’ve been drawn to
career memoirs
lately, and EXIT
INTERVIEW,
which chronicles
the burnout of a
former Amazon
exec, is top of
the list.
This year marks
25 years since
the death of JFK
Jr. and Carolyn
Bessette, so I’d
like to read at
least one or two
books about their
lives this summer.
Although I’ve
heard Palm
Royale is merely a
loose adaptation
of this novel,
I’m intrigued
nonetheless.
Another absolute
cover slay.
I can never resist
a novel about
writers, and this
one, follows
a struggling
novelist’s
attempts to
revive her flagging
career.
although summer doesn’t officially
start until june 20, we’re kicking
off the best reading season with
an absolute bang.
@whatmaddieread 7
all the summers in between
by Brooke Lea Foster
A unlikely friendship is rocked by a
tragedy in this dual timeline novel set in
the Hamptons | June 4
but how are you, really
by Ella Dawson
A burned out bisexual confronts old
demons when she attends her five-year
college reunion | June 4
just some stupid love story
by Katelyn Doyle
A screenwriter and a divorce attorney are
forced together at a reunion fifteen years
after their breakup | | June 4
seven summer weekends
by Jane L. Rosen
A woman inherits a beach house and
weekend guests while butting heads with
the man next door | June 4
pink whales
by Sara Shukla
A mom tries to keep up appearances
with the cool moms in her preppy New
England town | June 4
anna bright is hiding something
by Susie Ornan Schnall
A tech entrepreneur is secretly
committing fraud and a young journalist
is set to break the story | June 4
not here to make friends
by Jodi McAllister
A woman competing on a reality dating
show shocks everyone when she falls for
the showrunner | June 4
such a bad influence
by Olivia Muenter
A woman sets out to find her missing
sister, who was one of the first child social
media stars | June 4
by Kate Young
After a break-up, a newly-out lesbian
decides to embark on the exploring she
missed in her 20s | June 4
serendipity
by Becky Chalsen
A woman goes to the Hamptons for a
three-week summer share that changes
her life | June 4
the future was color
by Patrick Nathan
An immigrant working at a film studio
must navigate the McCarthy era movie
system | June 4
the unwedding
by Ally Condie
A woman visits a resort without her
husband and finds the body of a soon-to-
be groom | June 4
triumph of the yuppies
by Tom McGrath
The first-ever book-length history of the
yuppie phenomenon, tracing its roots
from 1980-1987 | June 4
youthjuice
by E.K. Sathue
A copywriter realizes that beauty is
possible at a terrible and disturbing cost
in this It Girl satire | June 4
jackpot summer
by Elyssa Friedland
A group of siblings win a life-changing
fortune in the lottery that they expect
will change their lives | June 11
a talent for murder
by Peter Swanson
A newlywed librarian begins to suspect
that her new husband might be a
murderer | June 11
triple sec
by TJ Alexander
A jaded bartender is wooed by a
charmingly quirky couple at a high end
NYC cocktail bar | June 4
a love like the sun
by Riss M. Neilson
Lifelong best friends spend a fateful
summer discovering what might happen if
they fell in love | June 11
looking for a sign
by Susie Dumond
A woman moves to New Orleans and
goes on a date with someone from every
zodiac sign | June 11
by Julie Satow
A glittering portrait of the golden age
of American department stores and the
women that ran them | June 4
everyone i kissed since you got famous
by Mae Marvel
An actress home for the holidays makes
a bet with her former best friend-turned-
online sensation | June 11
when women ran fifth avenue
swift river
by Essie Chambers
A lonely teen meets unknown members
from her family after she gets a
mysterious letter | June 4
summer romance
by Annabel Monaghan
A professional organizer’s personal life
is a mess, and someone from her past
unexpectedly comes to help | June 4
ambition monster
by Jennifer Romolini
A media employee seems to have it all
together but below the surface is falling
apart | June 4
experienced
6 summer reading guide 2024
new in june new in june 20242024new in june new in june 20242024
new in june 2024
although summer doesn’t officially
start until june 20, we’re kicking
off the best reading season with
an absolute bang.
@whatmaddieread 7
all the summers in between
by Brooke Lea Foster
A unlikely friendship is rocked by a
tragedy in this dual timeline novel set in
the Hamptons | June 4
but how are you, really
by Ella Dawson
A burned out bisexual confronts old
demons when she attends her five-year
college reunion | June 4
just some stupid love story
by Katelyn Doyle
A screenwriter and a divorce attorney are
forced together at a reunion fifteen years
after their breakup | | June 4
seven summer weekends
by Jane L. Rosen
A woman inherits a beach house and
weekend guests while butting heads with
the man next door | June 4
pink whales
by Sara Shukla
A mom tries to keep up appearances
with the cool moms in her preppy New
England town | June 4
anna bright is hiding something
by Susie Ornan Schnall
A tech entrepreneur is secretly
committing fraud and a young journalist
is set to break the story | June 4
not here to make friends
by Jodi McAllister
A woman competing on a reality dating
show shocks everyone when she falls for
the showrunner | June 4
such a bad influence
by Olivia Muenter
A woman sets out to find her missing
sister, who was one of the first child social
media stars | June 4
by Kate Young
After a break-up, a newly-out lesbian
decides to embark on the exploring she
missed in her 20s | June 4
serendipity
by Becky Chalsen
A woman goes to the Hamptons for a
three-week summer share that changes
her life | June 4
the future was color
by Patrick Nathan
An immigrant working at a film studio
must navigate the McCarthy era movie
system | June 4
the unwedding
by Ally Condie
A woman visits a resort without her
husband and finds the body of a soon-to-
be groom | June 4
triumph of the yuppies
by Tom McGrath
The first-ever book-length history of the
yuppie phenomenon, tracing its roots
from 1980-1987 | June 4
youthjuice
by E.K. Sathue
A copywriter realizes that beauty is
possible at a terrible and disturbing cost
in this It Girl satire | June 4
jackpot summer
by Elyssa Friedland
A group of siblings win a life-changing
fortune in the lottery that they expect
will change their lives | June 11
a talent for murder
by Peter Swanson
A newlywed librarian begins to suspect
that her new husband might be a
murderer | June 11
triple sec
by TJ Alexander
A jaded bartender is wooed by a
charmingly quirky couple at a high end
NYC cocktail bar | June 4
a love like the sun
by Riss M. Neilson
Lifelong best friends spend a fateful
summer discovering what might happen if
they fell in love | June 11
looking for a sign
by Susie Dumond
A woman moves to New Orleans and
goes on a date with someone from every
zodiac sign | June 11
by Julie Satow
A glittering portrait of the golden age
of American department stores and the
women that ran them | June 4
everyone i kissed since you got famous
by Mae Marvel
An actress home for the holidays makes
a bet with her former best friend-turned-
online sensation | June 11
when women ran fifth avenue
swift river
by Essie Chambers
A lonely teen meets unknown members
from her family after she gets a
mysterious letter | June 4
summer romance
by Annabel Monaghan
A professional organizer’s personal life
is a mess, and someone from her past
unexpectedly comes to help | June 4
ambition monster
by Jennifer Romolini
A media employee seems to have it all
together but below the surface is falling
apart | June 4
experienced
6 summer reading guide 2024
new in june new in june 20242024new in june new in june 20242024
new in june 2024
margo’s got money troubles
by Rufi Thorpe
A young single mom decides to start an
OnlyFans in order get cash to support
her growing family | June 11
one last summer
by Kate Spencer
A woman returns to her childhood
summer camp and reunites with her
camp nemesis | June 11
swan song
by Elin Hilderbrand
The arrival of a mysterious new couple
on Nantucket causes the police chief to
postpone his retirement | June 11
jackie
by Dawn Tripp
A fictional exploration of Jackie
Kennedy’s lives before, during, and after
her marriage to JFK | June 18
the rom-commers
by Katherine Center
An aspiring screenwriter gets the chance
to work on a script from her favorite
writer and falls for him | June 11
lula dean’s little library of banned books
by Kirsten Miller
A group of rebels fill a little free library
with banned books that start a small-
town revolution | June 18
not in love
by Ali Hazelwood
A scientist has a forbidden, secret aair
with a businessman determined to take
down her company | June 11
the final act of juliette wiloughby
by Ellery Lloyd
A lost painting is suspected to be the key
to putting together the mystery behind
three deaths | June 11
little rot
by Akwaeke Emezi
Five friends attempt to outrun and
outmatch a powerful underground world
in a Nigerian city | June 18
by Nicola Yoon
A Black family moves to a community
that promises to be a utopia and discovers
a shocking secret | June 11
four squares
by Bobby Finger
After an accident, a man reflects on the
community he built in 1990s NYC as a
queer writer | June 18
middle of the night
by Riley Sager
A man must contend with the long-ago
disappearance of his childhood friend in
their perfect neighborhood | June 18
one star romance
by Laura Hankin
A struggling writer is forced to walk down
the aisle with the man who gave her book
a very public one-star rating | June 18
same as it ever was
by Claire Lombardo
An enduring, hard-won aection of a
long marriage faces derailment from
events both past and present | June 18
one of our kind
@whatmaddieread 9
by Catherine Newman
A chain of events sends a woman down
a spiral during her family’s annual beach
vacation | June 18
the memo
by Rachel Dodes & Lauren Mechling
MechlingA woman is given a second
chance when she recieves her “memo,” a
blueprint to success in life | June 18
a novel love story
by Ashley Poston
A literature professor finds herself living
inside one of her favorite books, then falls
for a bookseller | June 25
hot summer
by Elle Everhart
A woman falls for a fellow contestant on a
Love Island-esque show, going against her
winning strategy | June 25
hey, zoey
by Sarah Crossan
A woman is horrified when she finds her
husband’s AI sex doll, only to later bond
with it | June 25
love letters to a serial killer
by Tasha Coryell
A woman falls for a serial killer and lives
with him upon his release to secretly
investigate him | June 25
by Alicia Thompson
A professional baseball player and his
heckler prove that true love is worth
going to bat for | June 18
cue the sun!
by Emily Nussbaum
A exploration of the invention of reality
television from Nussbaum, a Pulitzer
Prize winning TV writer | June 25
husbands and lovers
by Beatriz Williams
Two women united by a mysterious family
heirloom discover second chances at love
in dual timelines | June 25
by Lucy Foley
36 hours after the opening of a
members-only club located near a dark
forest, a body is found | June 18
honey
by Isabel Banta
Follows Amber Young as she navigates
the world of pop stardom in the late
1990s/early 2000s | June 25
pearce oysters
by Joselyn Takacs
A third-generation oyster farmer’s
business is on the line after the BP oil
spill in Louisiana | June 25
under your spell
by Laura Wood
The daughter of an aging rockstar gets a
job with an up-and-coming singer, only to
fall for him | June 25
you’re safe here
by Leslie Stephans
Three women are trapped in wellness
pods in the sea during a violent storm in
this thriller set in 2060 | June 25
the midnight feast
sandwich the art of catching feelings
8 summer reading guide 2024
margo’s got money troubles
by Rufi Thorpe
A young single mom decides to start an
OnlyFans in order get cash to support
her growing family | June 11
one last summer
by Kate Spencer
A woman returns to her childhood
summer camp and reunites with her
camp nemesis | June 11
swan song
by Elin Hilderbrand
The arrival of a mysterious new couple
on Nantucket causes the police chief to
postpone his retirement | June 11
jackie
by Dawn Tripp
A fictional exploration of Jackie
Kennedy’s lives before, during, and after
her marriage to JFK | June 18
the rom-commers
by Katherine Center
An aspiring screenwriter gets the chance
to work on a script from her favorite
writer and falls for him | June 11
lula dean’s little library of banned books
by Kirsten Miller
A group of rebels fill a little free library
with banned books that start a small-
town revolution | June 18
not in love
by Ali Hazelwood
A scientist has a forbidden, secret aair
with a businessman determined to take
down her company | June 11
the final act of juliette wiloughby
by Ellery Lloyd
A lost painting is suspected to be the key
to putting together the mystery behind
three deaths | June 11
little rot
by Akwaeke Emezi
Five friends attempt to outrun and
outmatch a powerful underground world
in a Nigerian city | June 18
by Nicola Yoon
A Black family moves to a community
that promises to be a utopia and discovers
a shocking secret | June 11
four squares
by Bobby Finger
After an accident, a man reflects on the
community he built in 1990s NYC as a
queer writer | June 18
middle of the night
by Riley Sager
A man must contend with the long-ago
disappearance of his childhood friend in
their perfect neighborhood | June 18
one star romance
by Laura Hankin
A struggling writer is forced to walk down
the aisle with the man who gave her book
a very public one-star rating | June 18
same as it ever was
by Claire Lombardo
An enduring, hard-won aection of a
long marriage faces derailment from
events both past and present | June 18
one of our kind
@whatmaddieread 9
by Catherine Newman
A chain of events sends a woman down
a spiral during her family’s annual beach
vacation | June 18
the memo
by Rachel Dodes & Lauren Mechling
MechlingA woman is given a second
chance when she recieves her “memo,” a
blueprint to success in life | June 18
a novel love story
by Ashley Poston
A literature professor finds herself living
inside one of her favorite books, then falls
for a bookseller | June 25
hot summer
by Elle Everhart
A woman falls for a fellow contestant on a
Love Island-esque show, going against her
winning strategy | June 25
hey, zoey
by Sarah Crossan
A woman is horrified when she finds her
husband’s AI sex doll, only to later bond
with it | June 25
love letters to a serial killer
by Tasha Coryell
A woman falls for a serial killer and lives
with him upon his release to secretly
investigate him | June 25
by Alicia Thompson
A professional baseball player and his
heckler prove that true love is worth
going to bat for | June 18
cue the sun!
by Emily Nussbaum
A exploration of the invention of reality
television from Nussbaum, a Pulitzer
Prize winning TV writer | June 25
husbands and lovers
by Beatriz Williams
Two women united by a mysterious family
heirloom discover second chances at love
in dual timelines | June 25
by Lucy Foley
36 hours after the opening of a
members-only club located near a dark
forest, a body is found | June 18
honey
by Isabel Banta
Follows Amber Young as she navigates
the world of pop stardom in the late
1990s/early 2000s | June 25
pearce oysters
by Joselyn Takacs
A third-generation oyster farmer’s
business is on the line after the BP oil
spill in Louisiana | June 25
under your spell
by Laura Wood
The daughter of an aging rockstar gets a
job with an up-and-coming singer, only to
fall for him | June 25
you’re safe here
by Leslie Stephans
Three women are trapped in wellness
pods in the sea during a violent storm in
this thriller set in 2060 | June 25
the midnight feast
sandwich the art of catching feelings
8 summer reading guide 2024
all these beautiful strangers all these beautiful strangers by elizabeth klehfothby elizabeth klehfoth
When Charlie was young, her mother Grace vanished without a trace
from their luxe lakefront home. A decade later, Charlie is still struggling
with her family’s dark past and decides the best way to put it all behind
her is to throw herself into life at her prestigious New England prep
school, where she’s been tapped to join a secret society. As she plays
along with the hazing, she learns a terrible truth about her family.
anna kanna k by jenny lee by jenny lee
This is Russian lit meets Gossip Girl, and damn, it’s good. At 17, Anna K is
on top of Manhattan high school society: she has a lovely (albeit boring)
boyfriend, great friends and a loving family. As her friends grapple with
(very rich) teen life, she meets Count Vronsky, a notorious playboy who
she can’t get out of her head. And the feeling’s more than mutual.
bittersweetbittersweet by miranda beverly-whittemore by miranda beverly-whittemore
A modern spin on a gothic novel, following a wealthy New England
family with a sinister twist. Geneva invite her college roommate Mabel
to spend the summer at Bittersweet, her family’s Vermont compound.
While there, Mabel uncovers a dark secrets about Geneva’s family and
grapples with the decision to reveal the truth or remain a player in their
opulent lives.
let’s not do that againlet’s not do that again by grant ginder by grant ginder
While there are plenty of good books about regular old rich families,
there’s something especially delicious about this book, which hilariously
follows a rich political family that brings a whole new level of mess to the
equation with Veep-esque humor. Nancy Harriman is worried that her
daughter’s radical activism is going to ruin her Senate run, and tasks her
son with traveling to Paris to put a stop to the shenanigans.
it’s not about the moneyit’s not about the moneyit’s not about the moneyit’s not about the moneyit’s not about the money
because when it comes to books about rich people problems, it totally is. there’s nothing i love more than lounging poolside with a book
chronicling the exploits and trivial problems of the rich to take my mind off of *gestures at everything going on in the world/my life.*
@whatmaddieread 1110 summer reading guide 2024
all these beautiful strangers all these beautiful strangers by elizabeth klehfothby elizabeth klehfoth
When Charlie was young, her mother Grace vanished without a trace
from their luxe lakefront home. A decade later, Charlie is still struggling
with her family’s dark past and decides the best way to put it all behind
her is to throw herself into life at her prestigious New England prep
school, where she’s been tapped to join a secret society. As she plays
along with the hazing, she learns a terrible truth about her family.
anna kanna k by jenny lee by jenny lee
This is Russian lit meets Gossip Girl, and damn, it’s good. At 17, Anna K is
on top of Manhattan high school society: she has a lovely (albeit boring)
boyfriend, great friends and a loving family. As her friends grapple with
(very rich) teen life, she meets Count Vronsky, a notorious playboy who
she can’t get out of her head. And the feeling’s more than mutual.
bittersweetbittersweet by miranda beverly-whittemore by miranda beverly-whittemore
A modern spin on a gothic novel, following a wealthy New England
family with a sinister twist. Geneva invite her college roommate Mabel
to spend the summer at Bittersweet, her family’s Vermont compound.
While there, Mabel uncovers a dark secrets about Geneva’s family and
grapples with the decision to reveal the truth or remain a player in their
opulent lives.
let’s not do that againlet’s not do that again by grant ginder by grant ginder
While there are plenty of good books about regular old rich families,
there’s something especially delicious about this book, which hilariously
follows a rich political family that brings a whole new level of mess to the
equation with Veep-esque humor. Nancy Harriman is worried that her
daughter’s radical activism is going to ruin her Senate run, and tasks her
son with traveling to Paris to put a stop to the shenanigans.
it’s not about the moneyit’s not about the moneyit’s not about the moneyit’s not about the moneyit’s not about the money
because when it comes to books about rich people problems, it totally is. there’s nothing i love more than lounging poolside with a book
chronicling the exploits and trivial problems of the rich to take my mind off of *gestures at everything going on in the world/my life.*
@whatmaddieread 1110 summer reading guide 2024
lies and weddingslies and weddings by kevin kwan by kevin kwan
Kevin Kwan might be one of the best in the business when it comes to
infusing his work with both pitch-perfect details (right out of Vogue
every time, it’s a marvel) and hilariously over-the-top twists. In his latest,
a once-wealthy family’s financial struggle is about to come to light unless
a meddling mother can marry his son into royalty. The issue? He’s in love
with the girl next door, and always has been.
meet the benedettosmeet the benedettos by katie cotugno by katie cotugno
When you hear the quick blurb of this one, you might roll your eyes: a
Jane Austen retelling set in a Kardashian-esque family. Charlie Bingley,
an A-list movie star, moves next door to the Benedettos, a once-famous
family who is now in financial shambles after their reality show ended.
What Lilly Benedetto—who hates her family’s reputation—does not
expect is to fall in love with Charlie’s brooding best friend Will Darcy.
palm beachpalm beach by mary adkins by mary adkins
Mickey and Rebecca are new parents who decide to leave New York so
Mickey can accept a job working as the house manager for billionaires in
Palm Beach. Although Rebecca is initially wary about their new lifestyle,
she gains favor by working as their ghostwriter, a tenuous relationship
that’s strained when they become dependent on the family’s wealth to
help recover from a medical emergency.
pineapple streetpineapple street by jenny jackson by jenny jackson
Rich people problems, meet dysfunctional familes! On Brooklyn’s storied
fruit streets sits the Stockon family, one of the city’s most powerful
names. In this multi-POV story, we follow three of the women in the
family as matters of inheritance and family obligation muddy the waters:
a daughter who declined her inheritance is in financial straits, the baby of
the family is having a secret aair, and the outsider can’t seem to fit in.
the cave dwellersthe cave dwellers by christina mcdowell by christina mcdowell
Many of my favorite novels of the genre take place in New York, so
reading one set in Washington, D.C. felt like a true breath of fresh air.
The stories of various members of the capital’s elite class, dubbed “The
Cave Dwellers,” converge when a Cave Dweller family is found brutally
murdered. As the case presses on, the other wealthy families re-examine
their own wealth and power.
the force of such beautythe force of such beauty by barbara bourland by barbara bourland
We now enter a whole new realm of rich people problems: royal family
drama. This novel, which has a delightfully satirical tone, peels back the
curtain to show the dark side of royalty as Caroline, a former Olympian,
marries Finn, the prince of a small European nation. As she learns more
about royal life, she learns that it comes at a steep cost, and vows to
escape so she can live as a free citizen.
the social climberthe social climber by amanda pellegrino by amanda pellegrino
Eliza is just days away from her wedding to Graham, a member of a
storied New York family. As she prepares for the impending nuptials,
we learn about her past at an Evangelical college through a series of
flashbacks that heighten as her trepidation ahead of the wedding grows.
A slow burn with a payo that’s well-worth it. Would recommend this
one if you liked LUCKIEST GIRL ALIVE.
very nicevery nice by marcy dermansky by marcy dermansky
Why is it that rich people drama just seems so much more delicious than
the problems of everyday people? Maybe it’s that their tales are always
threaded with incredible details: luxe homes, world-class meals, runway
fashion. In this take on the classic love triangle: a college student invites
her professor—who she’s in love with—to stay at her family’s mansion for
the summer, where he proceeds to fall in love with her mother.
@whatmaddieread 13
12 summer reading guide 2024
lies and weddingslies and weddings by kevin kwan by kevin kwan
Kevin Kwan might be one of the best in the business when it comes to
infusing his work with both pitch-perfect details (right out of Vogue
every time, it’s a marvel) and hilariously over-the-top twists. In his latest,
a once-wealthy family’s financial struggle is about to come to light unless
a meddling mother can marry his son into royalty. The issue? He’s in love
with the girl next door, and always has been.
meet the benedettosmeet the benedettos by katie cotugno by katie cotugno
When you hear the quick blurb of this one, you might roll your eyes: a
Jane Austen retelling set in a Kardashian-esque family. Charlie Bingley,
an A-list movie star, moves next door to the Benedettos, a once-famous
family who is now in financial shambles after their reality show ended.
What Lilly Benedetto—who hates her family’s reputation—does not
expect is to fall in love with Charlie’s brooding best friend Will Darcy.
palm beachpalm beach by mary adkins by mary adkins
Mickey and Rebecca are new parents who decide to leave New York so
Mickey can accept a job working as the house manager for billionaires in
Palm Beach. Although Rebecca is initially wary about their new lifestyle,
she gains favor by working as their ghostwriter, a tenuous relationship
that’s strained when they become dependent on the family’s wealth to
help recover from a medical emergency.
pineapple streetpineapple street by jenny jackson by jenny jackson
Rich people problems, meet dysfunctional familes! On Brooklyn’s storied
fruit streets sits the Stockon family, one of the city’s most powerful
names. In this multi-POV story, we follow three of the women in the
family as matters of inheritance and family obligation muddy the waters:
a daughter who declined her inheritance is in financial straits, the baby of
the family is having a secret aair, and the outsider can’t seem to fit in.
the cave dwellersthe cave dwellers by christina mcdowell by christina mcdowell
Many of my favorite novels of the genre take place in New York, so
reading one set in Washington, D.C. felt like a true breath of fresh air.
The stories of various members of the capital’s elite class, dubbed “The
Cave Dwellers,” converge when a Cave Dweller family is found brutally
murdered. As the case presses on, the other wealthy families re-examine
their own wealth and power.
the force of such beautythe force of such beauty by barbara bourland by barbara bourland
We now enter a whole new realm of rich people problems: royal family
drama. This novel, which has a delightfully satirical tone, peels back the
curtain to show the dark side of royalty as Caroline, a former Olympian,
marries Finn, the prince of a small European nation. As she learns more
about royal life, she learns that it comes at a steep cost, and vows to
escape so she can live as a free citizen.
the social climberthe social climber by amanda pellegrino by amanda pellegrino
Eliza is just days away from her wedding to Graham, a member of a
storied New York family. As she prepares for the impending nuptials,
we learn about her past at an Evangelical college through a series of
flashbacks that heighten as her trepidation ahead of the wedding grows.
A slow burn with a payo that’s well-worth it. Would recommend this
one if you liked LUCKIEST GIRL ALIVE.
very nicevery nice by marcy dermansky by marcy dermansky
Why is it that rich people drama just seems so much more delicious than
the problems of everyday people? Maybe it’s that their tales are always
threaded with incredible details: luxe homes, world-class meals, runway
fashion. In this take on the classic love triangle: a college student invites
her professor—who she’s in love with—to stay at her family’s mansion for
the summer, where he proceeds to fall in love with her mother.
@whatmaddieread 13
12 summer reading guide 2024
FRIENDSFRIENDS
TO TO
LOVERSLOVERS
SLOW SLOW
BURNBURN
ONLY ONLY
ONE BEDONE BED
FAKE FAKE
DATINGDATING
ENEMIES ENEMIES
TO TO
LOVERSLOVERS
SECOND SECOND
CHANCE CHANCE
ROMANCEROMANCE
MARRIAGE OF MARRIAGE OF
CONVENIENCECONVENIENCE
LOVELOVE
TRIANGLETRIANGLE
GRUMPY/GRUMPY/
SUNSHINESUNSHINE
summer lovin’summer lovin’summer lovin’summer lovin’
summer lovin’
i read 15 of 2024’s buzziest romances (hard work, but someone’s
gotta do it) to give you the scoop on which ones to pick up asap.
summer reading guide 53
a novela novel
love story love story
Eileen prefers to live
life buried in a book—
fictional men don’t
break your heart. When
her car breaks down
while she’s en route to
her book club retreat,
she pulls over in a small
town, which turns out
to be the setting of
her favorite fictional
series, trapped in the
final unfinished book.
When she meets a (very
handsome) character
she can’t place, he tries
in vain to prevent her
from finishing the book.
by Ashley Poston
funny storyfunny story
It’s Emily Henry—I was
bound to love it. When
Daphne’s fiancé calls
things o, she moves
in with Miles, her ex-
fiancé’s ex-girlfriend.
And when they’re both
invited to the wedding,
it’s only natural that
they’re together,
right? This fake-dating,
forced proximity
romance is a love letter
to Michigan and is
packed with absolutely
delicious banter and
two extremely likable
romantic leads.
by Emily Henry
happy mediumhappy medium
Gretchen is a fake
medium who has built
her business on helping
D.C.’s wealthiest
people. When her top
client tasks her with
going to a rural farm to
exorcise an alleged ghost
haunting the property,
she agrees, only to find
that the farm’s owner
wants nothing to do
with her. She convinces
him to give her a month
to prove that she can
save the farm, and
encounters a real ghost
while falling in love with
the owner.
by Sarah Adler
THE VERDICT? Might
be EmHen’s most trope-
heavy book, but it’s also
her funniest yet.
THE VERDICT? A
lovely setting and
premise, but the couple
lacked chemistry.
THE VERDICT? A
unique (and very quirky)
premise, but I wanted
more emotional impact.
@whatmaddieread 15
FRIENDSFRIENDS
TO TO
LOVERSLOVERS
SLOW SLOW
BURNBURN
ONLY ONLY
ONE BEDONE BED
FAKE FAKE
DATINGDATING
ENEMIES ENEMIES
TO TO
LOVERSLOVERS
SECOND SECOND
CHANCE CHANCE
ROMANCEROMANCE
MARRIAGE OF MARRIAGE OF
CONVENIENCECONVENIENCE
LOVELOVE
TRIANGLETRIANGLE
GRUMPY/GRUMPY/
SUNSHINESUNSHINE
summer lovin’summer lovin’summer lovin’summer lovin’
summer lovin’
i read 15 of 2024’s buzziest romances (hard work, but someone’s
gotta do it) to give you the scoop on which ones to pick up asap.
summer reading guide 53
a novela novel
love story love story
Eileen prefers to live
life buried in a book—
fictional men don’t
break your heart. When
her car breaks down
while she’s en route to
her book club retreat,
she pulls over in a small
town, which turns out
to be the setting of
her favorite fictional
series, trapped in the
final unfinished book.
When she meets a (very
handsome) character
she can’t place, he tries
in vain to prevent her
from finishing the book.
by Ashley Poston
funny storyfunny story
It’s Emily Henry—I was
bound to love it. When
Daphne’s fiancé calls
things o, she moves
in with Miles, her ex-
fiancé’s ex-girlfriend.
And when they’re both
invited to the wedding,
it’s only natural that
they’re together,
right? This fake-dating,
forced proximity
romance is a love letter
to Michigan and is
packed with absolutely
delicious banter and
two extremely likable
romantic leads.
by Emily Henry
happy mediumhappy medium
Gretchen is a fake
medium who has built
her business on helping
D.C.’s wealthiest
people. When her top
client tasks her with
going to a rural farm to
exorcise an alleged ghost
haunting the property,
she agrees, only to find
that the farm’s owner
wants nothing to do
with her. She convinces
him to give her a month
to prove that she can
save the farm, and
encounters a real ghost
while falling in love with
the owner.
by Sarah Adler
THE VERDICT? Might
be EmHen’s most trope-
heavy book, but it’s also
her funniest yet.
THE VERDICT? A
lovely setting and
premise, but the couple
lacked chemistry.
THE VERDICT? A
unique (and very quirky)
premise, but I wanted
more emotional impact.
@whatmaddieread 15
summer reading guide 53 summer reading guide 53
here we here we
go againgo again
by Alison Cochrun
how to end a how to end a
love storylove story
by Yulin Kuang
mistakes we mistakes we
never madenever made
by Hannah Brown
not in lovenot in love
by Ali Hazelwood
one last one last
summersummer
by Kate Spencer
one star one star
romanceromance
by Laura Hankin
Logan and Rosemary
are best friends turned
enemies turned co-
workers. As the school
year draws to a close,
they’re both summoned
by Joe, their beloved
former teacher who has
been battling cancer
with a plea: he wants the
two of them to team
up to drive him across
the country to Maine
to live out his final days.
On the trip, Logan and
Rosemary reignite their
connection.
THE VERDICT?
Obsessed with the road
trip but wanted a bit
more from the romance.
Helen has earned a spot
in the writer’s room
adapting her bestselling
YA book series. Upon
her arrival, she learns
that she will be working
with Grant, with whom
she shares a tragic
secret: he accidentally
killed her younger sister
in a car crash. As they
work together, they find
that each other might
be exactly what they
needed, as long as they
keep feelings out of it,
which proves dicult.
THE VERDICT? My
favorite romance of the
year! Smart, angsty and
surprisingly steamy!
Emma is horrified
to run into Finn, her
former crush, at her
best friend’s wedding.
while trying to focus on
maid of honor duties.
When the bride runs
away, she’s tasked with
heading on a road trip
with Finn to find her
before the big day. As
they travel around the
country, Emma and Finn
begin to reminisce on
all of the mistakes they
almost made in their
pasts.
THE VERDICT?
Cute! Frothy, fun, and
mindless but had a few
plot holes.
Clara is horribly burnt
out after gunning for
a promotion at work.
Instead of getting the
gig, her boss forces
her to take a mini
sabbatical, which aligns
with her summer camp
reunion. When she
arrives, she reunites
with some of her oldest
friends, including Mack,
her old nemesis and
eternal crush. The pair
reconnect, leading Clara
to wonder if she and
Mack are meant to be.
THE VERDICT? The
camp setting was lots
of fun, but the romance
wasn’t my fave.
Natalie and Rob have
nothing in common.
Minutes they’re forced
to walk down the aisle
together at their mutual
best friends’ wedding,
Natalie learns that Rob
left a one-star review
on her newly published
novel. As the two are
continually forced
together over the
years for their friends’
milestones, they grapple
with the ups and downs
of life, until one big one
brings them together.
THE VERDICT? This
was SO good. I already
want to reread this
emotional masterpiece.
Rue has finally gained
stability after years
of financial insecurity
and now has a job she
loves as a food scientist.
When she meets Eli, a
man whose company is
positioned to take over
her own, she’s shocked.
After all, they nearly
hooked up the night
before after meeting
on an app. As Rue and
Eli navigate working
together, they find it
dicult to resist each
other and strike up a
secret aair.
THE VERDICT? Not a
rom-com, but a deeply
emotional (and very
spicy) romance.
@whatmaddieread 17
16 summer reading guide 2024
summer reading guide 53 summer reading guide 53
here we here we
go againgo again
by Alison Cochrun
how to end a how to end a
love storylove story
by Yulin Kuang
mistakes we mistakes we
never madenever made
by Hannah Brown
not in lovenot in love
by Ali Hazelwood
one last one last
summersummer
by Kate Spencer
one star one star
romanceromance
by Laura Hankin
Logan and Rosemary
are best friends turned
enemies turned co-
workers. As the school
year draws to a close,
they’re both summoned
by Joe, their beloved
former teacher who has
been battling cancer
with a plea: he wants the
two of them to team
up to drive him across
the country to Maine
to live out his final days.
On the trip, Logan and
Rosemary reignite their
connection.
THE VERDICT?
Obsessed with the road
trip but wanted a bit
more from the romance.
Helen has earned a spot
in the writer’s room
adapting her bestselling
YA book series. Upon
her arrival, she learns
that she will be working
with Grant, with whom
she shares a tragic
secret: he accidentally
killed her younger sister
in a car crash. As they
work together, they find
that each other might
be exactly what they
needed, as long as they
keep feelings out of it,
which proves dicult.
THE VERDICT? My
favorite romance of the
year! Smart, angsty and
surprisingly steamy!
Emma is horrified
to run into Finn, her
former crush, at her
best friend’s wedding.
while trying to focus on
maid of honor duties.
When the bride runs
away, she’s tasked with
heading on a road trip
with Finn to find her
before the big day. As
they travel around the
country, Emma and Finn
begin to reminisce on
all of the mistakes they
almost made in their
pasts.
THE VERDICT?
Cute! Frothy, fun, and
mindless but had a few
plot holes.
Clara is horribly burnt
out after gunning for
a promotion at work.
Instead of getting the
gig, her boss forces
her to take a mini
sabbatical, which aligns
with her summer camp
reunion. When she
arrives, she reunites
with some of her oldest
friends, including Mack,
her old nemesis and
eternal crush. The pair
reconnect, leading Clara
to wonder if she and
Mack are meant to be.
THE VERDICT? The
camp setting was lots
of fun, but the romance
wasn’t my fave.
Natalie and Rob have
nothing in common.
Minutes they’re forced
to walk down the aisle
together at their mutual
best friends’ wedding,
Natalie learns that Rob
left a one-star review
on her newly published
novel. As the two are
continually forced
together over the
years for their friends’
milestones, they grapple
with the ups and downs
of life, until one big one
brings them together.
THE VERDICT? This
was SO good. I already
want to reread this
emotional masterpiece.
Rue has finally gained
stability after years
of financial insecurity
and now has a job she
loves as a food scientist.
When she meets Eli, a
man whose company is
positioned to take over
her own, she’s shocked.
After all, they nearly
hooked up the night
before after meeting
on an app. As Rue and
Eli navigate working
together, they find it
dicult to resist each
other and strike up a
secret aair.
THE VERDICT? Not a
rom-com, but a deeply
emotional (and very
spicy) romance.
@whatmaddieread 17
16 summer reading guide 2024
summer reading guide 53 summer reading guide 53
summertime summertime
punchlinepunchline
by Betty Corrello
the art of the art of
catching feelingscatching feelings
by Alicia Thompson
the pairingthe pairing
by Casey McQuiston
the paradise the paradise
problemproblem
by Christina Lauren
this summer will this summer will
be differentbe different
by Carley Fortune
the ex-vowsthe ex-vows
by Jessica Joyce
After a break-up in
which she finds her
roommate hooking up
with her boyfriend,
Del finds herself back
in Evergreen, the New
Jersey beach town
where she grew up.
She needs to reboot
her stand-up routine
in preparation for
the biggest gig of her
comedy career. As she
hits peak writers’ block,
she reconnects with
Eddie, her high school
enemy.
THE VERDICT? A
hilarious Saturn return
romance with a perfect
beachfront setting.
After going viral for
harassing a baseball
star at a home game,
Daphne decides to reach
out via DM to apologize.
What follows is a texting
relationship with Chris
that she doesn’t see
coming. When the team
taps her to fill in as a
sideline reporter, they
physically connect, even
though Chris has no idea
Daphne is the woman
he’s been falling for over
text.
THE VERDICT? A very
sweet and surprisingly
emotional baseball-
themed romance.
Five years ago, Anna
and Liam wed in college
out of convenience.
Although she thought
she had divorced him
once she graduated,
they’re still married on
paper— after all, Liam
needs to be married
for five years in order
to gain access to his
inheritance. His world is
rocked when his parents
demand that he bring
Anna to his sister’s luxe
wedding on a remote
island.
THE VERDICT?
Maybe my fave CLo
yet? Ridiculous, slightly
cheesy, but SO fun!
Five years ago, Lucy
arrives on Prince Edward
Island for a girls trip with
her best friend Bridget
in her hometown, where
she unknowingly meets
(and hooks up with!)
her brother Felix. When
both Felix and Lucy
are called to PEI weeks
for Bridget’s wedding,
they’re confronted
with years of unspoken
history while trying to
keep their connection
under wraps from an
emotional Bridget.
THE VERDICT? Equal
parts a romantic and
friendship love story
with lovely food writing.
Georgia lives by her lists,
including one with dos
and don’ts related to her
ex, Eli. She’s terrified to
see Eli at their mutual
best friend Adam’s
wedding, but refuses to
let it harm their friend
group. The item not on
her list? Eli’s newfound
“let’s break the rules”
attitude and a disastrous
wedding weekend. As
they miraculously help
pull o a revamped
wedding, Georgia begins
to see the Eli she fell in
love with years before.
THE VERDICT? Jessica
Joyce always slays it.
This was a top-tier
second chance romance.
Theo and Kit have been
everything: best friends,
crushes, lovers, and now,
exes after a devastating
break-up on a
transatlantic flight. Years
later, they both happen
use the voucher from
their canceled European
vacation on the same
week and are trapped
together on a food and
wine tour taking them
through France, Spain
and Italy. To make things
interesting, they make
a bet: who can hook up
with the most people?
THE VERDICT? Loved
the food writing and the
dual POVs, but was not
obsessed with the leads.
@whatmaddieread 19
18 summer reading guide 2024
summer reading guide 53 summer reading guide 53
summertime summertime
punchlinepunchline
by Betty Corrello
the art of the art of
catching feelingscatching feelings
by Alicia Thompson
the pairingthe pairing
by Casey McQuiston
the paradise the paradise
problemproblem
by Christina Lauren
this summer will this summer will
be differentbe different
by Carley Fortune
the ex-vowsthe ex-vows
by Jessica Joyce
After a break-up in
which she finds her
roommate hooking up
with her boyfriend,
Del finds herself back
in Evergreen, the New
Jersey beach town
where she grew up.
She needs to reboot
her stand-up routine
in preparation for
the biggest gig of her
comedy career. As she
hits peak writers’ block,
she reconnects with
Eddie, her high school
enemy.
THE VERDICT? A
hilarious Saturn return
romance with a perfect
beachfront setting.
After going viral for
harassing a baseball
star at a home game,
Daphne decides to reach
out via DM to apologize.
What follows is a texting
relationship with Chris
that she doesn’t see
coming. When the team
taps her to fill in as a
sideline reporter, they
physically connect, even
though Chris has no idea
Daphne is the woman
he’s been falling for over
text.
THE VERDICT? A very
sweet and surprisingly
emotional baseball-
themed romance.
Five years ago, Anna
and Liam wed in college
out of convenience.
Although she thought
she had divorced him
once she graduated,
they’re still married on
paper— after all, Liam
needs to be married
for five years in order
to gain access to his
inheritance. His world is
rocked when his parents
demand that he bring
Anna to his sister’s luxe
wedding on a remote
island.
THE VERDICT?
Maybe my fave CLo
yet? Ridiculous, slightly
cheesy, but SO fun!
Five years ago, Lucy
arrives on Prince Edward
Island for a girls trip with
her best friend Bridget
in her hometown, where
she unknowingly meets
(and hooks up with!)
her brother Felix. When
both Felix and Lucy
are called to PEI weeks
for Bridget’s wedding,
they’re confronted
with years of unspoken
history while trying to
keep their connection
under wraps from an
emotional Bridget.
THE VERDICT? Equal
parts a romantic and
friendship love story
with lovely food writing.
Georgia lives by her lists,
including one with dos
and don’ts related to her
ex, Eli. She’s terrified to
see Eli at their mutual
best friend Adam’s
wedding, but refuses to
let it harm their friend
group. The item not on
her list? Eli’s newfound
“let’s break the rules”
attitude and a disastrous
wedding weekend. As
they miraculously help
pull o a revamped
wedding, Georgia begins
to see the Eli she fell in
love with years before.
THE VERDICT? Jessica
Joyce always slays it.
This was a top-tier
second chance romance.
Theo and Kit have been
everything: best friends,
crushes, lovers, and now,
exes after a devastating
break-up on a
transatlantic flight. Years
later, they both happen
use the voucher from
their canceled European
vacation on the same
week and are trapped
together on a food and
wine tour taking them
through France, Spain
and Italy. To make things
interesting, they make
a bet: who can hook up
with the most people?
THE VERDICT? Loved
the food writing and the
dual POVs, but was not
obsessed with the leads.
@whatmaddieread 19
18 summer reading guide 2024
@whatmaddieread 2120 summer reading guide 2024
love, theoretically
by Ali Hazelwood
An professor
works as a fake
girlfriend on the
side and meets
the family of one
of her clients,
whose brother is
reponsible for her
next promotion.
what the world needs now is lovewhat the world needs now is lovewhat the world needs now is lovewhat the world needs now is love
what the world needs now is love
but wait, there’s more! i wasn’t only gonna give you brand new recs—those library holds take a looooong time. here are 18
romances from 2023 that i wholeheartedly (get it?) love. dj’s got us fallin’ in love with backlist romance again.
mrs. nash’s ashes
by Sarah Adler
A woman goes
on a journey
to reunite her
beloved neighbor’s
ashes with her old
lover, but in order
to get there, she
must road trip
with her enemy.
same time next summer
by Annabel Monaghan
An engaged
woman comes
face to face with
her first love
who she hasn’t
seen in fourteen
years, calling
into question her
relationship.
done and dusted
by Lyla Sage
A former rodeo
star moves back
to her family’s
ranch to recover
from an accident
and falls for the
bad boy who is
close friends with
her brothers.
emma of d street
by Audrey Bellezza & Emily Harding
love interest
by Clare Gilmore
business or pleasure
by Rachel Lynn Solomon
A ghostwriter is
tapped to write
the memoir of a
former teen TV
star and ends up
giving him lessons
in the bedroom
after a failed
hookup.
charm city rocks
by Matthew Norman
A Baltimore love
story in which a
single dad falls
in love with his
celebrity crush—
the drummer of
a once-famous
band—after his
son reaches out.
do i know you?
by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegmund-Broka
When a couple
starts to feel like
they’re married
to a stranger, a
flirtatious game of
pretend becomes
the spark they
need to reignite
their relationship.
with love, from cold world
by Alicia Thompson
A bookkeeper
at a failing
amusement park
unexpectedly falls
for her fun-loving
co-worker as they
work together to
propose a way to
save the business.
you, again
by Kate Goldbeck
A commitment-
phobe and a
hopeless romantic
clash until
heartbreak and
chemistry brings
them together in
this When Harry
Met Sally retelling.
you, with a view
by Jessica Joyce
A woman goes on
a roadtrip with her
beloved grandma’s
first love, only
to learn that his
grandson, who is
along for the ride,
is her high school
enemy.
the true love experiment
by Christina Lauren
we could be so good
by Cat Sebastian
will they or won’t they
by Ava Wilder
sweeten the deal
by Katie Shepard
An MBA student
comes into
money, which
she uses to hire
an older man
to teach her
how to navigate
a romantic
relationship.
the blonde identity
by Ally Carter
A woman with
amnesia who
discovers she’s
the identical twin
sister of a rogue
spy and must
team up with a
grumpy operative
to stay alive.
the boyfriend candidate
by Ashley Winstead
A school
librarian agrees
to fake date a
gubernatorial
candidate to save
his campaign after
they’re caught in
a compromising
position.
A retelling of
Emma set in
Manhattan in
which Emma is
a rich art history
student and
George is her
surly next door
neighbor.
Co-workers
gunning for the
same promotion
are forced to work
together on a
project and end
up going from
enemies to friends
to lovers.
A romance
novelist and a
filmmaker join
forces to create a
hit reality dating
show, only to have
sparks fly between
them o camera
instead.
A scrappy
reporter and
a newspaper
mogul’s son
become friends,
then fall in love at
in the newspaper
oce in 1950s
New York.
Two co-stars
with a complex
history—enemies
with chemistry—
reunite to film
the final season
of their beloved
paranormal
drama.
@whatmaddieread 2120 summer reading guide 2024
love, theoretically
by Ali Hazelwood
An professor
works as a fake
girlfriend on the
side and meets
the family of one
of her clients,
whose brother is
reponsible for her
next promotion.
what the world needs now is lovewhat the world needs now is lovewhat the world needs now is lovewhat the world needs now is love
what the world needs now is love
but wait, there’s more! i wasn’t only gonna give you brand new recs—those library holds take a looooong time. here are 18
romances from 2023 that i wholeheartedly (get it?) love. dj’s got us fallin’ in love with backlist romance again.
mrs. nash’s ashes
by Sarah Adler
A woman goes
on a journey
to reunite her
beloved neighbor’s
ashes with her old
lover, but in order
to get there, she
must road trip
with her enemy.
same time next summer
by Annabel Monaghan
An engaged
woman comes
face to face with
her first love
who she hasn’t
seen in fourteen
years, calling
into question her
relationship.
done and dusted
by Lyla Sage
A former rodeo
star moves back
to her family’s
ranch to recover
from an accident
and falls for the
bad boy who is
close friends with
her brothers.
emma of d street
by Audrey Bellezza & Emily Harding
love interest
by Clare Gilmore
business or pleasure
by Rachel Lynn Solomon
A ghostwriter is
tapped to write
the memoir of a
former teen TV
star and ends up
giving him lessons
in the bedroom
after a failed
hookup.
charm city rocks
by Matthew Norman
A Baltimore love
story in which a
single dad falls
in love with his
celebrity crush—
the drummer of
a once-famous
band—after his
son reaches out.
do i know you?
by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegmund-Broka
When a couple
starts to feel like
they’re married
to a stranger, a
flirtatious game of
pretend becomes
the spark they
need to reignite
their relationship.
with love, from cold world
by Alicia Thompson
A bookkeeper
at a failing
amusement park
unexpectedly falls
for her fun-loving
co-worker as they
work together to
propose a way to
save the business.
you, again
by Kate Goldbeck
A commitment-
phobe and a
hopeless romantic
clash until
heartbreak and
chemistry brings
them together in
this When Harry
Met Sally retelling.
you, with a view
by Jessica Joyce
A woman goes on
a roadtrip with her
beloved grandma’s
first love, only
to learn that his
grandson, who is
along for the ride,
is her high school
enemy.
the true love experiment
by Christina Lauren
we could be so good
by Cat Sebastian
will they or won’t they
by Ava Wilder
sweeten the deal
by Katie Shepard
An MBA student
comes into
money, which
she uses to hire
an older man
to teach her
how to navigate
a romantic
relationship.
the blonde identity
by Ally Carter
A woman with
amnesia who
discovers she’s
the identical twin
sister of a rogue
spy and must
team up with a
grumpy operative
to stay alive.
the boyfriend candidate
by Ashley Winstead
A school
librarian agrees
to fake date a
gubernatorial
candidate to save
his campaign after
they’re caught in
a compromising
position.
A retelling of
Emma set in
Manhattan in
which Emma is
a rich art history
student and
George is her
surly next door
neighbor.
Co-workers
gunning for the
same promotion
are forced to work
together on a
project and end
up going from
enemies to friends
to lovers.
A romance
novelist and a
filmmaker join
forces to create a
hit reality dating
show, only to have
sparks fly between
them o camera
instead.
A scrappy
reporter and
a newspaper
mogul’s son
become friends,
then fall in love at
in the newspaper
oce in 1950s
New York.
Two co-stars
with a complex
history—enemies
with chemistry—
reunite to film
the final season
of their beloved
paranormal
drama.
i might be biased, but july is the best
month (after all, it’s my birthday!).
as such, we’ve got some of the
year’s best books landing.
@whatmaddieread 23
big in sweden
by Sally Franson
An American woman competes on a
Swedish reality show in an attempt to
discover her roots | July 2
the cliffs
by J. Courtney Sullivan
A woman returns to her beloved beach
cottage to find that it’s likely haunted
after a full renovation | July 2
the love of my afterlife
by Katelyn Doyle
A recently deceased woman meets “The
One” in the afterlife waiting room and
gets a second chance at life | July 2
grown women
by Sarai Johnson
Four generations of Black women
contend with motherhood and
daughterhood | July 9
the world after alice
by Lauren Aliza Green
Two families come together to celebrate
an unexpected marriage, twelve years
after a devastating tragedy | July 2
teddy
by Emily Dunlay
The free-spirited wife of an American
diplomat in Rome tries to conceal a
scandal of her own making | July 2
the villain edit
by Laurie Devore
A cynical romance novelist goes on a
reality show to revive her flagging creer
and becomes the villain | July 2
humor me
by Cat Shook
A jaded assistant at a late night talk show
is given a new chance at life and love with
a high-powered connection | July 9
by Liz Moore
The disappearance of a child rocks a
wealthy summer estate, a nearby camp,
and a blue collar town | July 2
anyone’s ghost
by August Thompson
Two teenage boys fall in love during a
rural New England summer, which haunts
the rest of their lives | July 9
let the games begin
by Rufaro Faith Mazarura
Sparks fly between an Olympics
employee and a British soccer star during
the 2024 Games | July 9
like mother, like daughter
by Kimberly McCreight
A college student returns to her
childhood home and finds her mother
dead | July 9
lo fi
by Liz Riggs
An aspiring songwriter in Nashville
attempts to build her career and find love
without losing herself | July 9
the confidence games
by Tess Amy
Two female con artists must pull o the
ultimate heist in order to save their own
lives | July 9
the unforgettable loretta darling
by Katherine Blake
An aspiring makeup artist gathers a band
of women who vow to get revenge on
Hollywood’s evil men | July 9
the hollywood assistant
by May Cobb
An insecure woman accepts a PA job for
a famous Hollywood couple and is at the
center of a murder investigation | July 9
long island compromise
by Tay Brodesser-Akner
Explores four generations of a family’s
complex history, hinging on a tragic
disaster in the 1980s | July 9
the game changer
by Lana Ferguson
A hockey player strikes up a PR
relationship with his teammate’s little
sister | July 9
the unraveling
by Vi Keeland
A psychiatrist reeling from a loss crosses
a dangerous ethical boundary with a
patient | July 9
by Lauren Kuhl
A woman is drawn into a wealthy family
when she starts secretly dating the
golden boy oldest brother | July 9
the summer pact
by Emily Gin
A group of friends make a pact that
causes them to reunite a decade later for
a life-changing adventure | July 9
the art of pretend
ladykiller
by Katherine Wood
When a woman goes missing, her friend
uses an unpublished manuscript to find
her | July 9
it’s elementary
by Elise Bryant
A school principal goes MIA after a rough
PTA meeting and a group of parents are
on the case | July 9
made for you
by Jenna Satterthwaite
A synthetic woman wins a reality dating
show, only to become the prime suspect
when her husband is killed | July 2
the god of the woods
22 summer reading guide 2024
new in july new in july 20242024new in july new in july 20242024
new in july 2024
i might be biased, but july is the best
month (after all, it’s my birthday!).
as such, we’ve got some of the
year’s best books landing.
@whatmaddieread 23
big in sweden
by Sally Franson
An American woman competes on a
Swedish reality show in an attempt to
discover her roots | July 2
the cliffs
by J. Courtney Sullivan
A woman returns to her beloved beach
cottage to find that it’s likely haunted
after a full renovation | July 2
the love of my afterlife
by Katelyn Doyle
A recently deceased woman meets “The
One” in the afterlife waiting room and
gets a second chance at life | July 2
grown women
by Sarai Johnson
Four generations of Black women
contend with motherhood and
daughterhood | July 9
the world after alice
by Lauren Aliza Green
Two families come together to celebrate
an unexpected marriage, twelve years
after a devastating tragedy | July 2
teddy
by Emily Dunlay
The free-spirited wife of an American
diplomat in Rome tries to conceal a
scandal of her own making | July 2
the villain edit
by Laurie Devore
A cynical romance novelist goes on a
reality show to revive her flagging creer
and becomes the villain | July 2
humor me
by Cat Shook
A jaded assistant at a late night talk show
is given a new chance at life and love with
a high-powered connection | July 9
by Liz Moore
The disappearance of a child rocks a
wealthy summer estate, a nearby camp,
and a blue collar town | July 2
anyone’s ghost
by August Thompson
Two teenage boys fall in love during a
rural New England summer, which haunts
the rest of their lives | July 9
let the games begin
by Rufaro Faith Mazarura
Sparks fly between an Olympics
employee and a British soccer star during
the 2024 Games | July 9
like mother, like daughter
by Kimberly McCreight
A college student returns to her
childhood home and finds her mother
dead | July 9
lo fi
by Liz Riggs
An aspiring songwriter in Nashville
attempts to build her career and find love
without losing herself | July 9
the confidence games
by Tess Amy
Two female con artists must pull o the
ultimate heist in order to save their own
lives | July 9
the unforgettable loretta darling
by Katherine Blake
An aspiring makeup artist gathers a band
of women who vow to get revenge on
Hollywood’s evil men | July 9
the hollywood assistant
by May Cobb
An insecure woman accepts a PA job for
a famous Hollywood couple and is at the
center of a murder investigation | July 9
long island compromise
by Tay Brodesser-Akner
Explores four generations of a family’s
complex history, hinging on a tragic
disaster in the 1980s | July 9
the game changer
by Lana Ferguson
A hockey player strikes up a PR
relationship with his teammate’s little
sister | July 9
the unraveling
by Vi Keeland
A psychiatrist reeling from a loss crosses
a dangerous ethical boundary with a
patient | July 9
by Lauren Kuhl
A woman is drawn into a wealthy family
when she starts secretly dating the
golden boy oldest brother | July 9
the summer pact
by Emily Gin
A group of friends make a pact that
causes them to reunite a decade later for
a life-changing adventure | July 9
the art of pretend
ladykiller
by Katherine Wood
When a woman goes missing, her friend
uses an unpublished manuscript to find
her | July 9
it’s elementary
by Elise Bryant
A school principal goes MIA after a rough
PTA meeting and a group of parents are
on the case | July 9
made for you
by Jenna Satterthwaite
A synthetic woman wins a reality dating
show, only to become the prime suspect
when her husband is killed | July 2
the god of the woods
22 summer reading guide 2024
new in july new in july 20242024new in july new in july 20242024
new in july 2024
this great hemisphere
by Mateo Askaripour
A young woman sets o to find her
brother, who is now the prime suspect in
a political murder | July 9
a novel summer
by Jamie Brenner
A bestselling author returns home to a
beach town full of the people she wrote
about | July 16
it had to be you
by Eliza Jane Brazier
Two contract killers, each tasked with
taking out the other, must fight their
growing attraction | July 16
the design of us
by Sajni Patel
One impulsive lie leads to a weeklong
adventure of fake dating for two bickering
coworkers | July 16
not another love song
by Julie Soto
Two string players fight their attraction
for each other as they compete for
center stage | July 16
the genius of judy
by Rachelle Bergstein
A look at Judy Blume’s life and career,
told through the lens of her most
controversial YA novels | July 16
until next summer
by Ali Brady
Two former best friends each find love
when they reunite at an adults-only
summer camp | July 9
just one taste
by Lizzy Dent
A woman must spend a month in Italy
with a man she hates to fufill her father’s
dying wish | July 16
the ex vows
by Jessica Joyce
Estranged exes must stick close together
to save their best friend’s wedding after a
string of disasters | July 16
by B.K. Borison
Two polar opposites agree to spend one
night together to get it out of their
system | July 16
the au pair affair
by Tessa Bailey
A hockey playing single father falls for his
new live-in nanny, who knows she must
walk away | July 16
the wilds
by Sarah Pearse
A detective on vacation discovers the
final map of a missing woman running
from a crime-fueled life | July 16
where are you, echo blue?
by Hayley Krischer
A journalist sets o on a journey to learn
what happened to a Hollywood starlet
who disappeared | July 16
catalina
by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio
Follows a student who comes from an
undocumented family through a year at
an elite college | July 23
business casual
@whatmaddieread 25
by John Fram
After marrying into a family of
televangelists, a man and his son move
into a haunted house | July 23
the summer club
by Hannah McKinnon
A group of outsiders threaten the status
quo at an exclusive New England beach
club | July 23
look in the mirror
by Catherine Steadman
A woman inherits a family island vacation
home full of dangerous secrets from her
father | July 30
such charming liars
by Karen M. McManus
When a set of mother-daughter grifters
set out on their final job, the heist gets
deadly and personal | July 30
people will talk
by Kieran Scott
Three women are implicated in a murder
at an impromptu beachside wedding that
goes horribly wrong | July 30
the wedding people
by Alison Espach
A woman arrives at a hotel full of wedding
guests and becomes entangled with the
wedding party | July 30
by Rainbow Rowell
Two high school friends who were in love
but never dated reunite at a wedding 14
years later | July 23
name your price
by Holly James
A pair of broke exes get locked in a house
together on a reality show to win a million
dollars | July 30
the fiancé dilemma
by Elena Armas
A woman with a history of failed
engagement embarks on a fake
engagement to save face | July 30
by Jennifer Mathieu
A fictional peek into the lives of teachers
outside of the classroom throughout one
school year | July 23
pink glass houses
by Asha Elias
Follows a group of wealthy moms
involved in the PTA at their children’s
elite Miami school | July 30
they dream in gold
by Mai Sennaar
A couple fall head over heels in 1960s
New York, only to be rocked when one of
them is lost overseas | July 30
what have you done?
by Shari Lapena
A girl is found dead in a field in a sleepy
suburban town and no one knows who the
culprit is | July 30
your dark secrets
by Elle Marr
A PR exec and her detective ex uncover
a dangerous conspiracy led by the world’s
most powerful people | July 30
the faculty lounge
no road home slow dance
24 summer reading guide 2024
this great hemisphere
by Mateo Askaripour
A young woman sets o to find her
brother, who is now the prime suspect in
a political murder | July 9
a novel summer
by Jamie Brenner
A bestselling author returns home to a
beach town full of the people she wrote
about | July 16
it had to be you
by Eliza Jane Brazier
Two contract killers, each tasked with
taking out the other, must fight their
growing attraction | July 16
the design of us
by Sajni Patel
One impulsive lie leads to a weeklong
adventure of fake dating for two bickering
coworkers | July 16
not another love song
by Julie Soto
Two string players fight their attraction
for each other as they compete for
center stage | July 16
the genius of judy
by Rachelle Bergstein
A look at Judy Blume’s life and career,
told through the lens of her most
controversial YA novels | July 16
until next summer
by Ali Brady
Two former best friends each find love
when they reunite at an adults-only
summer camp | July 9
just one taste
by Lizzy Dent
A woman must spend a month in Italy
with a man she hates to fufill her father’s
dying wish | July 16
the ex vows
by Jessica Joyce
Estranged exes must stick close together
to save their best friend’s wedding after a
string of disasters | July 16
by B.K. Borison
Two polar opposites agree to spend one
night together to get it out of their
system | July 16
the au pair affair
by Tessa Bailey
A hockey playing single father falls for his
new live-in nanny, who knows she must
walk away | July 16
the wilds
by Sarah Pearse
A detective on vacation discovers the
final map of a missing woman running
from a crime-fueled life | July 16
where are you, echo blue?
by Hayley Krischer
A journalist sets o on a journey to learn
what happened to a Hollywood starlet
who disappeared | July 16
catalina
by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio
Follows a student who comes from an
undocumented family through a year at
an elite college | July 23
business casual
@whatmaddieread 25
by John Fram
After marrying into a family of
televangelists, a man and his son move
into a haunted house | July 23
the summer club
by Hannah McKinnon
A group of outsiders threaten the status
quo at an exclusive New England beach
club | July 23
look in the mirror
by Catherine Steadman
A woman inherits a family island vacation
home full of dangerous secrets from her
father | July 30
such charming liars
by Karen M. McManus
When a set of mother-daughter grifters
set out on their final job, the heist gets
deadly and personal | July 30
people will talk
by Kieran Scott
Three women are implicated in a murder
at an impromptu beachside wedding that
goes horribly wrong | July 30
the wedding people
by Alison Espach
A woman arrives at a hotel full of wedding
guests and becomes entangled with the
wedding party | July 30
by Rainbow Rowell
Two high school friends who were in love
but never dated reunite at a wedding 14
years later | July 23
name your price
by Holly James
A pair of broke exes get locked in a house
together on a reality show to win a million
dollars | July 30
the fiancé dilemma
by Elena Armas
A woman with a history of failed
engagement embarks on a fake
engagement to save face | July 30
by Jennifer Mathieu
A fictional peek into the lives of teachers
outside of the classroom throughout one
school year | July 23
pink glass houses
by Asha Elias
Follows a group of wealthy moms
involved in the PTA at their children’s
elite Miami school | July 30
they dream in gold
by Mai Sennaar
A couple fall head over heels in 1960s
New York, only to be rocked when one of
them is lost overseas | July 30
what have you done?
by Shari Lapena
A girl is found dead in a field in a sleepy
suburban town and no one knows who the
culprit is | July 30
your dark secrets
by Elle Marr
A PR exec and her detective ex uncover
a dangerous conspiracy led by the world’s
most powerful people | July 30
the faculty lounge
no road home slow dance
24 summer reading guide 2024
darling, i’m thrilleddarling, i’m thrilleddarling, i’m thrilleddarling, i’m thrilled
darling, i’m thrilled why, you ask? because i’ve
found not one, but two
thrillers to suit every mood.
u al nigh
o toda’ episod
1-800-sca-m
souther char
iend feve?
ad lil...spic
stay stay
awakeawake
by Megan Goldin
all the all the
dangerous thingsdangerous things
by Stacy Willingham
A woman’s memory
is wiped every time
she falls asleep—bad
when you’re accused
of murder.
A mom suers from
intense insomnia
and memory loss
after her young son
is kidnapped.
none of this none of this
is trueis true
by Lisa Jewell
A podcaster meets a
seemingly innocent
woman who
infiltrates her home
and ruins her life.
the last the last
housewifehousewife
by Ashley Winstead
A podcaster vows
to take down a
powerful cult that
cost the lives of
countless women.
the the
heiressheiress
by Rachel Hawkins
midnight is the midnight is the
darkest hourdarkest hour
by Ashley Winstead
A rich North
Carolina family
battles over their
matriarch’s estate.
A dangerous cult
reigns supreme in
small town Louisana,
until a duo tries to
put an end to it.
the spare the spare
roomroom
by Andrea Bartz
my summer my summer
darlingsdarlings
by May Cobb
A woman becomes
romantically
involved with a
dangerous couple
during quarantine.
Several friends fall
for the new man
in their small Texas
town, but only one
can have him.
necessarynecessary
peoplepeople
by Anna Pitoniak
Best friends
from dierent
backgrounds battle
it out for the top
job.
you can you can
trust metrust me
by Wendy Heard
A woman pulls o
a massive con to
save her friend, who
might not want to
be saved.
first liefirst lie
winswins
by Ashley Elston
stone cold stone cold
foxfox
by Rachel Koller Croft
A scammer is
shocked to find that
someone in her new
town has discovered
her identity.
A lifelong scammer
must pull o her
final con before
marrying into
wealth.
books in which no one ever sleeps
add it to your podcast queue
stories where you root for the scammers
fried green...secrets?
how far would you go for a friend?
is it hot in here, or is that just this thriller?
@whatmaddieread 27
26 summer reading guide 2024
darling, i’m thrilleddarling, i’m thrilleddarling, i’m thrilleddarling, i’m thrilled
darling, i’m thrilled why, you ask? because i’ve
found not one, but two
thrillers to suit every mood.
u al nigh
o toda’ episod
1-800-sca-m
souther char
iend feve?
ad lil...spic
stay stay
awakeawake
by Megan Goldin
all the all the
dangerous thingsdangerous things
by Stacy Willingham
A woman’s memory
is wiped every time
she falls asleep—bad
when you’re accused
of murder.
A mom suers from
intense insomnia
and memory loss
after her young son
is kidnapped.
none of this none of this
is trueis true
by Lisa Jewell
A podcaster meets a
seemingly innocent
woman who
infiltrates her home
and ruins her life.
the last the last
housewifehousewife
by Ashley Winstead
A podcaster vows
to take down a
powerful cult that
cost the lives of
countless women.
the the
heiressheiress
by Rachel Hawkins
midnight is the midnight is the
darkest hourdarkest hour
by Ashley Winstead
A rich North
Carolina family
battles over their
matriarch’s estate.
A dangerous cult
reigns supreme in
small town Louisana,
until a duo tries to
put an end to it.
the spare the spare
roomroom
by Andrea Bartz
my summer my summer
darlingsdarlings
by May Cobb
A woman becomes
romantically
involved with a
dangerous couple
during quarantine.
Several friends fall
for the new man
in their small Texas
town, but only one
can have him.
necessarynecessary
peoplepeople
by Anna Pitoniak
Best friends
from dierent
backgrounds battle
it out for the top
job.
you can you can
trust metrust me
by Wendy Heard
A woman pulls o
a massive con to
save her friend, who
might not want to
be saved.
first liefirst lie
winswins
by Ashley Elston
stone cold stone cold
foxfox
by Rachel Koller Croft
A scammer is
shocked to find that
someone in her new
town has discovered
her identity.
A lifelong scammer
must pull o her
final con before
marrying into
wealth.
books in which no one ever sleeps
add it to your podcast queue
stories where you root for the scammers
fried green...secrets?
how far would you go for a friend?
is it hot in here, or is that just this thriller?
@whatmaddieread 27
26 summer reading guide 2024
hel! m jo i killin m!
summe shoul b fu! murde? no fu.
tel m abou tha
hist o deat
ippe o th headline
mint es fma
the only the only
one leftone left
by Riley Sager
A nurse might be
the only person
who can uncover
the truth behind a
decades-old murder.
the east the east
endend
by Jason Allen
A wealthy man
turns up dead in the
Hamptons, and his
estate employees
are the suspects.
the lion’s the lion’s
denden
by Katherine St. John
A woman is invited
on a luxe yacht by
her best friend, only
to be treated like a
prisoner.
the other the other
typisttypist
by Suzanne Rindell
A police typist in the
1920s falls under
the spell of her new
colleague, which
turns dangerous.
cover cover
storystory
by Susan Rigetti
truetrue
storystory
by Kate Reed Petty
Anna Delvey,
step aside! Told
in emails, journal
entries and FBI
correspondence.
A tale of assault
and revenge, told
through scripts,
college essays, and
interviews.
darling darling
rose goldrose gold
by Stephanie Wrobel
Inspired by Gypsy
Rose Blanchard’s
case, in which a girl
seeks revenge on
her mom.
all good all good
people herepeople here
by Ashley Flowers
Follows a decades-
old small town
murder, inspired
by the JonBenet
Ramsey case.
never saw never saw
me comingme coming
by Vera Kurian
the golden the golden
couplecouple
by Greer Hendricks
& Sarah Pekkanen
A psychopath in
a clinical study
conspires to kill
an old friend who
wronged her.
A couple turns
to a notoriously
unconventional
therapist.
tales of occupational hazards
beachfront crimes
novels where therapy reigns supreme
a long, long time ago...
stories that break the status quo
thrillers based on true crime
just one just one
looklook
by Lindsay Cameron
A woman becomes
obsessed with a man
at her job, which
turns dangerously
disastrous.
lady in lady in
the lakethe lake
A housewife-
turned-reporter
vows to learn the
truth about a young
woman’s death.
2024
@whatmaddieread 29
28 summer reading guide 2024
by Laura Lippman
hel! m jo i killin m!
summe shoul b fu! murde? no fu.
tel m abou tha
hist o deat
ippe o th headline
mint es fma
the only the only
one leftone left
by Riley Sager
A nurse might be
the only person
who can uncover
the truth behind a
decades-old murder.
the east the east
endend
by Jason Allen
A wealthy man
turns up dead in the
Hamptons, and his
estate employees
are the suspects.
the lion’s the lion’s
denden
by Katherine St. John
A woman is invited
on a luxe yacht by
her best friend, only
to be treated like a
prisoner.
the other the other
typisttypist
by Suzanne Rindell
A police typist in the
1920s falls under
the spell of her new
colleague, which
turns dangerous.
cover cover
storystory
by Susan Rigetti
truetrue
storystory
by Kate Reed Petty
Anna Delvey,
step aside! Told
in emails, journal
entries and FBI
correspondence.
A tale of assault
and revenge, told
through scripts,
college essays, and
interviews.
darling darling
rose goldrose gold
by Stephanie Wrobel
Inspired by Gypsy
Rose Blanchard’s
case, in which a girl
seeks revenge on
her mom.
all good all good
people herepeople here
by Ashley Flowers
Follows a decades-
old small town
murder, inspired
by the JonBenet
Ramsey case.
never saw never saw
me comingme coming
by Vera Kurian
the golden the golden
couplecouple
by Greer Hendricks
& Sarah Pekkanen
A psychopath in
a clinical study
conspires to kill
an old friend who
wronged her.
A couple turns
to a notoriously
unconventional
therapist.
tales of occupational hazards
beachfront crimes
novels where therapy reigns supreme
a long, long time ago...
stories that break the status quo
thrillers based on true crime
just one just one
looklook
by Lindsay Cameron
A woman becomes
obsessed with a man
at her job, which
turns dangerously
disastrous.
lady in lady in
the lakethe lake
A housewife-
turned-reporter
vows to learn the
truth about a young
woman’s death.
2024
@whatmaddieread 29
28 summer reading guide 2024
by Laura Lippman
@whatmaddieread 31
30 summer reading guide 2024
a love song for ricki wildea love song for ricki wilde by tia williams by tia williams
I didn’t see a magical romance in the cards for Tia Williams (whose
work I ADORE), but I’m so glad she went for it. Ricki Wilde decides to
follow her dream of owning a flower shop and moves to Harlem to make
it happen. What she doesn’t anticipate is the handsome stranger who
might be right out 1920. Such a genre-bender! Between the music, the
flowers, the spice, the Harlem details, the magic—I’m in love.
the seven year slipthe seven year slip by ashley poston by ashley poston
If you’re looking to get into magical realism via romance, Ashley
Poston’s oeuvre is a great place to start. In THE SEVEN YEAR SLIP,
an overworked book publicist falls in love with her temporary roommate,
who she learns is living seven years in the past. An adorable time travel
romance that also explores grief, the publishing world, New York City
and restaurant culture.
this spells lovethis spells love by kate robb by kate robb
After a rough break-up, Gemma seals a hypothetical love spell with a
kiss from her platonic best friend, Dax. What she doesn’t expect is that
the spell is legit and she has now woken up in an alternate universe where
Dax has no idea who she is. Not only is this a sweet romance, but it
brings on the depth by pondering fate and the dierent paths our lives
can take, via a spell conducted after one too many margaritas.
this time tomorrowthis time tomorrow by emma straub by emma straub
It’s Alice’s 40th birthday and while everything (except her father’s
health) feels right, she can’t help but wonder if something’s missing.
When she wakes up the next morning, it’s 1996 and she’s reliving her
16th birthday as a teen in New York City, where she builds an improved
relationship with her father. Between the vintage NYC nods and the
father-daughter relationship, this made my heart grow three sizes.
expiration datesexpiration dates by rebecca serle by rebecca serle
Rebecca Serle is probably one of the most notable authors in the genre:
she pens contemporary fiction that hinges on one big magical element.
In her latest, a woman knows exactly how long her relationships will last
thanks to mysterious notes that get delivered to her, until one day, she
meets a man and doesn’t get a note. A quick read that toes the fantasy/
romance line (although I didn’t love one of the big twists at the end).
throwbackthrowback by maurene goo by maurene goo
Samantha and her mother, Priscialla, have never agreed. As a first
generation Asian-American immiagrant, Priscilla just wanted to fit in,
while Sam is hellbent on breaking the status quo. After a massive fight,
Sam gets sent back to the 90s, where she must help her mother (who’s
in high school!) win homecoming queen. This YA pick is packed with
nostalgia and fun time travel that never gets too in the weeds.
d yo believ i
magicmagic??magicmagic??
magic?
you know what that crystal ball over
there didn’t see coming? the fact that i
now dabble in fantasy and magical realism.
while i’m far from an expert, these are my
picks to help get you started in the genre.
@whatmaddieread 31
30 summer reading guide 2024
a love song for ricki wildea love song for ricki wilde by tia williams by tia williams
I didn’t see a magical romance in the cards for Tia Williams (whose
work I ADORE), but I’m so glad she went for it. Ricki Wilde decides to
follow her dream of owning a flower shop and moves to Harlem to make
it happen. What she doesn’t anticipate is the handsome stranger who
might be right out 1920. Such a genre-bender! Between the music, the
flowers, the spice, the Harlem details, the magic—I’m in love.
the seven year slipthe seven year slip by ashley poston by ashley poston
If you’re looking to get into magical realism via romance, Ashley
Poston’s oeuvre is a great place to start. In THE SEVEN YEAR SLIP,
an overworked book publicist falls in love with her temporary roommate,
who she learns is living seven years in the past. An adorable time travel
romance that also explores grief, the publishing world, New York City
and restaurant culture.
this spells lovethis spells love by kate robb by kate robb
After a rough break-up, Gemma seals a hypothetical love spell with a
kiss from her platonic best friend, Dax. What she doesn’t expect is that
the spell is legit and she has now woken up in an alternate universe where
Dax has no idea who she is. Not only is this a sweet romance, but it
brings on the depth by pondering fate and the dierent paths our lives
can take, via a spell conducted after one too many margaritas.
this time tomorrowthis time tomorrow by emma straub by emma straub
It’s Alice’s 40th birthday and while everything (except her father’s
health) feels right, she can’t help but wonder if something’s missing.
When she wakes up the next morning, it’s 1996 and she’s reliving her
16th birthday as a teen in New York City, where she builds an improved
relationship with her father. Between the vintage NYC nods and the
father-daughter relationship, this made my heart grow three sizes.
expiration datesexpiration dates by rebecca serle by rebecca serle
Rebecca Serle is probably one of the most notable authors in the genre:
she pens contemporary fiction that hinges on one big magical element.
In her latest, a woman knows exactly how long her relationships will last
thanks to mysterious notes that get delivered to her, until one day, she
meets a man and doesn’t get a note. A quick read that toes the fantasy/
romance line (although I didn’t love one of the big twists at the end).
throwbackthrowback by maurene goo by maurene goo
Samantha and her mother, Priscialla, have never agreed. As a first
generation Asian-American immiagrant, Priscilla just wanted to fit in,
while Sam is hellbent on breaking the status quo. After a massive fight,
Sam gets sent back to the 90s, where she must help her mother (who’s
in high school!) win homecoming queen. This YA pick is packed with
nostalgia and fun time travel that never gets too in the weeds.
d yo believ i
magicmagic??magicmagic??
magic?
you know what that crystal ball over
there didn’t see coming? the fact that i
now dabble in fantasy and magical realism.
while i’m far from an expert, these are my
picks to help get you started in the genre.
@whatmaddieread 33
reality tv,reality tv,
don’t worry, my brain is fried from all of the
bravo i consume (i say with love). if you’re also
a reality tv girlie of the highest order, you’re in
luck: i paired our favorite shows with some top-tier
titles, from romances to memoirs.
i yo ca’ sto watchini yo ca’ sto watchin
ther’ boo f tha!ther’ boo f tha!
summe hous
vanderpum ule
souther char
tell me tell me
lieslies
by Carola Lovering
A long-running
toxic relationship
that I feel like would
ultimately end just
like Scandoval.
out out
easteast
by John Glynn
serendipityserendipity
by Becky Chalsen
A memoir about a
man who grapples
with his sexuality
during a Hamptons
summer.
Friends reconnect
over weekends at
their share house,
just like the Summer
House gang.
the wife the wife
upstairsupstairs
by Rachel Hawkins
midnight in the garden midnight in the garden
of good and evilof good and evil
by John Berendt
This Jane Eyre
retelling captures
the lives of present-
day wealthy
Southerners.
Shots ring out at
one of Savannah’s
most prominent
mansions in this true
crime pick.
sweetbittersweetbitter
by Stephanie Danler
A book set in the
restaurant world
that harkens back to
the old days of life
working at SUR.
@whatmaddieread 33
reality tv,reality tv,
don’t worry, my brain is fried from all of the
bravo i consume (i say with love). if you’re also
a reality tv girlie of the highest order, you’re in
luck: i paired our favorite shows with some top-tier
titles, from romances to memoirs.
i yo ca’ sto watchini yo ca’ sto watchin
ther’ boo f tha!ther’ boo f tha!
summe hous
vanderpum ule
souther char
tell me tell me
lieslies
by Carola Lovering
A long-running
toxic relationship
that I feel like would
ultimately end just
like Scandoval.
out out
easteast
by John Glynn
serendipityserendipity
by Becky Chalsen
A memoir about a
man who grapples
with his sexuality
during a Hamptons
summer.
Friends reconnect
over weekends at
their share house,
just like the Summer
House gang.
the wife the wife
upstairsupstairs
by Rachel Hawkins
midnight in the garden midnight in the garden
of good and evilof good and evil
by John Berendt
This Jane Eyre
retelling captures
the lives of present-
day wealthy
Southerners.
Shots ring out at
one of Savannah’s
most prominent
mansions in this true
crime pick.
sweetbittersweetbitter
by Stephanie Danler
A book set in the
restaurant world
that harkens back to
the old days of life
working at SUR.
ea housewive
th bachel
lov i blin
tl famil sho
th trait
danc mom
not all diamonds not all diamonds
and roséand rosé
by Dave Quinn
An Andy Cohen-
approved oral
history of the
Real Housewives
franchise.
the favorite the favorite
sistersister
by Jessica Knoll
A jealous and
competitive sister
manipulates her
way onto her sister’s
reality show.
hot hot
summersummer
by Elle Everhart
A woman on a Love
Island-esque show
is in it for fame, not
love, but falls for
one of her co-stars.
the the
arcarc
by Tory Henwood Hoen
Two people are
brought together via
an unconventional
matchmaking
service.
here for the here for the
wrong reasonswrong reasons
by Annabel Paulsen &
Lydia Wang
Two women
competing on a
dating show fall for
each other instead.
how to win how to win
the bachelorthe bachelor
by Chad Kultgen &
Lizzy Pace
A how-to manual on
the strategies to use
to take home the
final rose.
the hunting the hunting
partyparty
by Lucy Foley
A group of friends
are snowed in at
a hunting lodge
where murder and
mayhem ensues.
the book the book
of essieof essie
by Meghan Maclean Weir
The teen daughter
of a evangelical
preacher with a
reality show gets
pregnant.
girls and girls and
their horsestheir horses
by Eliza Jane Brazier by Gracie Gold
Moms and
daughters battle
it out as their
equestrian team
goes for glory.
A memoir from an
Olympic ice skater
who dives into the
hard parts of the
profession
counting counting
the costthe cost
by Jill Duggar
A tell-all memoir
about growing up
with the Duggar
family’s strict
rules.
the inheritance the inheritance
gamesgames
by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
A teen vies to win
a life-changing
fortune by figuring
out a series of tough
clues and puzzles.
outofshape-outofshape-
worthlessloserworthlessloser
@whatmaddieread 35
34 summer reading guide 2024
ea housewive
th bachel
lov i blin
tl famil sho
th trait
danc mom
not all diamonds not all diamonds
and roséand rosé
by Dave Quinn
An Andy Cohen-
approved oral
history of the
Real Housewives
franchise.
the favorite the favorite
sistersister
by Jessica Knoll
A jealous and
competitive sister
manipulates her
way onto her sister’s
reality show.
hot hot
summersummer
by Elle Everhart
A woman on a Love
Island-esque show
is in it for fame, not
love, but falls for
one of her co-stars.
the the
arcarc
by Tory Henwood Hoen
Two people are
brought together via
an unconventional
matchmaking
service.
here for the here for the
wrong reasonswrong reasons
by Annabel Paulsen &
Lydia Wang
Two women
competing on a
dating show fall for
each other instead.
how to win how to win
the bachelorthe bachelor
by Chad Kultgen &
Lizzy Pace
A how-to manual on
the strategies to use
to take home the
final rose.
the hunting the hunting
partyparty
by Lucy Foley
A group of friends
are snowed in at
a hunting lodge
where murder and
mayhem ensues.
the book the book
of essieof essie
by Meghan Maclean Weir
The teen daughter
of a evangelical
preacher with a
reality show gets
pregnant.
girls and girls and
their horsestheir horses
by Eliza Jane Brazier by Gracie Gold
Moms and
daughters battle
it out as their
equestrian team
goes for glory.
A memoir from an
Olympic ice skater
who dives into the
hard parts of the
profession
counting counting
the costthe cost
by Jill Duggar
A tell-all memoir
about growing up
with the Duggar
family’s strict
rules.
the inheritance the inheritance
gamesgames
by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
A teen vies to win
a life-changing
fortune by figuring
out a series of tough
clues and puzzles.
outofshape-outofshape-
worthlessloserworthlessloser
@whatmaddieread 35
34 summer reading guide 2024
@whatmaddieread 37
36 summer reading guide 2024
the history of summerthe history of summerthe history of summerthe history of summer
the history of summer
each of these summer-y reads takes place in the (rather) recent past. if you wish you were on the beach in the ‘80s, this one’s for you!
sag harbor
by Colson Whitehead
While you might know Whitehead
from heavier fare, this coming of
age book, in which Benji and his
family spend the summer of 1985
with other Black families in Sag
Harbor, might be my favorite of
his. Literary but light and funny!
1985
the last book party
by Karen Dukess
In this novel that jumps from New
York to Cape Cod, an aspiring
novelist catches the eye of a New
Yorker writer who asks her to be
his new research assistant. On
the night of their famed “Book
Party,” she discovers dark secrets.
1987
summer fridays
by Suzanne Rindell
A publishing employee is prepared
to spend her summer alone after
her fiancé gets assigned to a big
case. As she suspects he’s having
an aair with his co-worker, she
spends her Summer Fridays with
Nick, the co-worker’s boyfriend.
1999
summer of ‘
by Elin Hilderbrand
The Levin family arrives in
Nantucket for a tumultuous
summer admist political unrest,
the Vietnam War and the race to
the moon. Peppered with ‘60s
pop culture and there are two
novella-length sequels!
1969 1977 1983
summer sisters
by Judy Blume
Caitlin’s life is forever changed
when her friend Vix invites her to
spend the summer on Martha’s
Vineyard. After years of the
tradition, they drift apart until
Caitlin begs Vix to come back to
the house and be in her wedding.
malibu rising
by Taylor Jenkins Reid
In 1983 Malibu, the four surfing
Riva children throw a massive
bash that brings together
Hollywood’s best and brightest
for one debaucherous night that
changes the fabric of the family—
and Malibu—forever.
@whatmaddieread 37
36 summer reading guide 2024
the history of summerthe history of summerthe history of summerthe history of summer
the history of summer
each of these summer-y reads takes place in the (rather) recent past. if you wish you were on the beach in the ‘80s, this one’s for you!
sag harbor
by Colson Whitehead
While you might know Whitehead
from heavier fare, this coming of
age book, in which Benji and his
family spend the summer of 1985
with other Black families in Sag
Harbor, might be my favorite of
his. Literary but light and funny!
1985
the last book party
by Karen Dukess
In this novel that jumps from New
York to Cape Cod, an aspiring
novelist catches the eye of a New
Yorker writer who asks her to be
his new research assistant. On
the night of their famed “Book
Party,” she discovers dark secrets.
1987
summer fridays
by Suzanne Rindell
A publishing employee is prepared
to spend her summer alone after
her fiancé gets assigned to a big
case. As she suspects he’s having
an aair with his co-worker, she
spends her Summer Fridays with
Nick, the co-worker’s boyfriend.
1999
summer of ‘
by Elin Hilderbrand
The Levin family arrives in
Nantucket for a tumultuous
summer admist political unrest,
the Vietnam War and the race to
the moon. Peppered with ‘60s
pop culture and there are two
novella-length sequels!
1969 1977 1983
summer sisters
by Judy Blume
Caitlin’s life is forever changed
when her friend Vix invites her to
spend the summer on Martha’s
Vineyard. After years of the
tradition, they drift apart until
Caitlin begs Vix to come back to
the house and be in her wedding.
malibu rising
by Taylor Jenkins Reid
In 1983 Malibu, the four surfing
Riva children throw a massive
bash that brings together
Hollywood’s best and brightest
for one debaucherous night that
changes the fabric of the family—
and Malibu—forever.
before we bid summer farewell (i’m
already emotional about it), pick up a
book (or 2, or 20, or 50) from the sea-
son’s final batch of beach reads.
@whatmaddieread 39
and so i roar
by Abi Daré
Adunni is once again forced to use her
“louding voice” when up against a terrible
secret in this follow-up | August 6
hot earl summer
by Erica Ridley
A dueling lady heads to the earl’s house,
only to get locked inside with a handsome
rogue | August 6
plays well with others
by Sophie Brickman
A reporter at the end of her rope
struggles to get her son into a prestigious
NYC kindergarten | August 6
the pairing
by Casey McQuiston
Bisexual exes on the same European food
and wine tour challenge each other to a
hookup competition | August 6
the in crowd
by Charlotte Vassell
Follows two connected cold cases—the
disappearance of a 14-year-old girl and a
multi-million dollar pension | August 6
four weekends and a funeral
by Ellie Palmer
After her ex’s death, a woman is tasked
with packing his house alongside his surly
best friend | August 6
the divorce
by Moa Herngren
A decades-long, seemingly rock-solid
marriage suddenly falls apart during one
hot Stockholm summer | August 6
the rich people have gone away
by Regina Porter
A diverse group of New Yorkers are
brought together by the search for a
missing woman | August 6
by Sarah Pekkanen
A young girl is the only witness to her
nanny’s death and an attorney must get
her to speak | August 6
the mysterious mrs. nixon
by Heath Hardage Lee
A look into the life of Pat Nixon, whose
public persona dierent greatly from her
private life | August 6
this is not a dead girl story
by Kate Sweeney
A teen girl must do whatever it takes to
find her missing cousin—who everyone
else thinks is dead | August 6
wanted: toddler’s personal assistant
by Stephanie Kiser
A memoir from a writer who once worked
as a nanny for some of New York’s
wealthiest families | August 6
burn
by Peter Heller
Two lifelong friends emerge from the
woods in rural Maine to find a world
wracked by violence | August 13
glass houses
by Madeline Ashby
Employees of a start-up head to an
island for a company retreat and begin
disappearing one by one | August 13
peggy
by Rebecca Godfrey
A fictional look into the life of Peggy
Guggenheim, from her sheltered family
to her independent era | August 13
i need you to read this
by Jessa Maxwell
An advice columnist searches for answers
about her predecessor’s murder after she
gets strange letters | August 13
an honest woman
by Charlotte Shane
A memoir from a woman who quit her
graduate program to become a sex
worker | August 13
haunted ever after
by Jen DeLuca
A woman in a seaside town known for
haunted attractions gets close to a
grumpy coee shop owner | August 13
rip tide
by Colleen McKeegan
Two sisters return to their childhood
beach house, where they find a body
washed up on shore | August 13
by Holly Baxter
A disgraced, newly divorced journalist
gets demoted to a “clickbait” job at a
Manhattan tabloid | August 13
lady macbeth
by Ava Reid
A reimagining of the life of Lady
Macbeth, in which her magic is greater
than that of her husband | August 13
clickbait
there’s nothing wrong with her
by Kate Weinberg
A woman seems to have it, yet she can’t
bring herself to leave her home, citing an
undiagnosable illness | August 6
the singer sisters
by Sarah Seltzer
In the 1990s, an alt-rokcer wonders why
her folk legend mother is against her
music career | August 6
elizabeth of east hampton
by Aubrey Bellezza & Emily Harding
A retelling of Pride and Prejudice set
during a summer in the Hamptons as a
hurricane dawns | August 6
house of glass
38 summer reading guide 2024
new in august new in august 20242024new in august new in august 20242024
new in august 2024
before we bid summer farewell (i’m
already emotional about it), pick up a
book (or 2, or 20, or 50) from the sea-
son’s final batch of beach reads.
@whatmaddieread 39
and so i roar
by Abi Daré
Adunni is once again forced to use her
“louding voice” when up against a terrible
secret in this follow-up | August 6
hot earl summer
by Erica Ridley
A dueling lady heads to the earl’s house,
only to get locked inside with a handsome
rogue | August 6
plays well with others
by Sophie Brickman
A reporter at the end of her rope
struggles to get her son into a prestigious
NYC kindergarten | August 6
the pairing
by Casey McQuiston
Bisexual exes on the same European food
and wine tour challenge each other to a
hookup competition | August 6
the in crowd
by Charlotte Vassell
Follows two connected cold cases—the
disappearance of a 14-year-old girl and a
multi-million dollar pension | August 6
four weekends and a funeral
by Ellie Palmer
After her ex’s death, a woman is tasked
with packing his house alongside his surly
best friend | August 6
the divorce
by Moa Herngren
A decades-long, seemingly rock-solid
marriage suddenly falls apart during one
hot Stockholm summer | August 6
the rich people have gone away
by Regina Porter
A diverse group of New Yorkers are
brought together by the search for a
missing woman | August 6
by Sarah Pekkanen
A young girl is the only witness to her
nanny’s death and an attorney must get
her to speak | August 6
the mysterious mrs. nixon
by Heath Hardage Lee
A look into the life of Pat Nixon, whose
public persona dierent greatly from her
private life | August 6
this is not a dead girl story
by Kate Sweeney
A teen girl must do whatever it takes to
find her missing cousin—who everyone
else thinks is dead | August 6
wanted: toddler’s personal assistant
by Stephanie Kiser
A memoir from a writer who once worked
as a nanny for some of New York’s
wealthiest families | August 6
burn
by Peter Heller
Two lifelong friends emerge from the
woods in rural Maine to find a world
wracked by violence | August 13
glass houses
by Madeline Ashby
Employees of a start-up head to an
island for a company retreat and begin
disappearing one by one | August 13
peggy
by Rebecca Godfrey
A fictional look into the life of Peggy
Guggenheim, from her sheltered family
to her independent era | August 13
i need you to read this
by Jessa Maxwell
An advice columnist searches for answers
about her predecessor’s murder after she
gets strange letters | August 13
an honest woman
by Charlotte Shane
A memoir from a woman who quit her
graduate program to become a sex
worker | August 13
haunted ever after
by Jen DeLuca
A woman in a seaside town known for
haunted attractions gets close to a
grumpy coee shop owner | August 13
rip tide
by Colleen McKeegan
Two sisters return to their childhood
beach house, where they find a body
washed up on shore | August 13
by Holly Baxter
A disgraced, newly divorced journalist
gets demoted to a “clickbait” job at a
Manhattan tabloid | August 13
lady macbeth
by Ava Reid
A reimagining of the life of Lady
Macbeth, in which her magic is greater
than that of her husband | August 13
clickbait
there’s nothing wrong with her
by Kate Weinberg
A woman seems to have it, yet she can’t
bring herself to leave her home, citing an
undiagnosable illness | August 6
the singer sisters
by Sarah Seltzer
In the 1990s, an alt-rokcer wonders why
her folk legend mother is against her
music career | August 6
elizabeth of east hampton
by Aubrey Bellezza & Emily Harding
A retelling of Pride and Prejudice set
during a summer in the Hamptons as a
hurricane dawns | August 6
house of glass
38 summer reading guide 2024
new in august new in august 20242024new in august new in august 20242024
new in august 2024
scandalous women
by Gill Paul
Follows the relationship between
novelists Jackie Collins and Jacqueline
Susann in the 1960s | August 13
the break up pact
by Emma Lord
Best friends who haven’t spoken in ten
years pretend to date after both of their
break-ups go viral | August 13
the queen city detective agency
by Snowden Wright
A jaded female private investigator
becomes enmeshed in a conspiracy in
1980s Mississippi | August 13
worst case scenario
by T.J. Newman
A plane crashes in a nuclear power plant
in a small Minnesota town, creating a
global crisis | August 13
till death do us part
by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn
A Brooklyn wine bar owner is shocked to
find the husband she thought dead alive
at a winery in Napa Valley | August 13
heavy hitter
by Katie Contugno
A international pop star begins dating a
major league baseball player who is past
his playing prime | August 20
society of lies
by Lauren Ling Brown
A young woman searches for answers
after her sister is found dead on her
college campus | August 13
the snap
by Elizabeth Staple
A female NFL exec relies on a group of
women in sports which comes to light
when a coach is found dead | August 13
by any other name
by Jodi Picoult
Two women, centuries apart, are forced
to hide their playwriting talents behind a
man’s name | August 20
by Will Dean
Six experienced saturation divers are
locked in a hyperbaric chamber, where
one is found dead | August 13
what’s next
by Melissa Fitzgerald & Mary McCormack
A behind the scenes look at the creation
and legacy of The West Wing, written by
two of its stars | August 13
love and other conspiracies
by Mallory Marlowe
A paranormal conspiracy theorist and a
web producer find love while working on a
new series | August 20
my salty mary
by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton & Jodi Meadows
Marries the legend of the Little Mermaid
with the life and times of infamous lady
pirate Mary Read | August 20
obitchuary
by Spencer Henry & Madison Reyes
A smart, funny look at the American
culture of death and how we’re
remembered | August 20
the chamber
@whatmaddieread 41
by Morgan Richter
A failed actress is confused for the wife
of a director she once worked with after
he’s found murdered | August 20
‘til heist do us part
by Sara Desai
A team of jewel thiefs must reunite to
return the stolen jewels to their rightful
owner | August 20
wild failure
by Zoe Whittall
A short story collection that contends
with the meaning of desire for both
intimacy and danger | August 20
hers for the weekend
by Helena Greer
A no-nonsense lawyer fakes a relationship
with her barista to avoid going solo to her
ex-girlfriend’s wedding | August 27
empresses of seventh avenue
by Nancy MacDonnell
Chronicles the untold story of how the
Nazi invasion of France gave rise to the
American fashion industry | August 27
magical meet cute
by Jean Meltzer
A lonely potter falls for a mysterious
stranger who she accidentally hit with her
bike | August 27
by Elif Shafak
Three characters live along two rivers, all
under the shadow of one of the greatest
epic poems of all time | August 20
you will never be me
by Jesse Q. Sutano
Cracks start forming in an influencer’s
life after her former friend steals an iPad
that controls her life | August 20
i’ll have what he’s having
by Adib Khorram
A heartbroken man has the night of
his life when a restaurant’s sommelier
mistakes him for a food critic | August 27
by Rachel Koller Croft
Two vampires careen toward catastrophe
amidst London’s glittering 1970s disco
scene | August 13
given our history
by Kristyn J. Miller
A professor up for tenure is thrown for
a loop when someone from her past
reappears at her college | August 27
the champions
by Kara Thomas
A town’s deadly history threatens repeats
itself when a star football player is
poisoned | August 27
then things went dark
by Bea Fitzgerald
Six people land on a desert island to make
a reality show, but only five of them will
survive | August 27
you’re the problem, it’s you
by Emma R. Alban
A clashing lord and second son find
themselves forced together by their
meddling cousins | August 27
we love the nightlife
the divide there are rivers in the sky
40 summer reading guide 2024
scandalous women
by Gill Paul
Follows the relationship between
novelists Jackie Collins and Jacqueline
Susann in the 1960s | August 13
the break up pact
by Emma Lord
Best friends who haven’t spoken in ten
years pretend to date after both of their
break-ups go viral | August 13
the queen city detective agency
by Snowden Wright
A jaded female private investigator
becomes enmeshed in a conspiracy in
1980s Mississippi | August 13
worst case scenario
by T.J. Newman
A plane crashes in a nuclear power plant
in a small Minnesota town, creating a
global crisis | August 13
till death do us part
by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn
A Brooklyn wine bar owner is shocked to
find the husband she thought dead alive
at a winery in Napa Valley | August 13
heavy hitter
by Katie Contugno
A international pop star begins dating a
major league baseball player who is past
his playing prime | August 20
society of lies
by Lauren Ling Brown
A young woman searches for answers
after her sister is found dead on her
college campus | August 13
the snap
by Elizabeth Staple
A female NFL exec relies on a group of
women in sports which comes to light
when a coach is found dead | August 13
by any other name
by Jodi Picoult
Two women, centuries apart, are forced
to hide their playwriting talents behind a
man’s name | August 20
by Will Dean
Six experienced saturation divers are
locked in a hyperbaric chamber, where
one is found dead | August 13
what’s next
by Melissa Fitzgerald & Mary McCormack
A behind the scenes look at the creation
and legacy of The West Wing, written by
two of its stars | August 13
love and other conspiracies
by Mallory Marlowe
A paranormal conspiracy theorist and a
web producer find love while working on a
new series | August 20
my salty mary
by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton & Jodi Meadows
Marries the legend of the Little Mermaid
with the life and times of infamous lady
pirate Mary Read | August 20
obitchuary
by Spencer Henry & Madison Reyes
A smart, funny look at the American
culture of death and how we’re
remembered | August 20
the chamber
@whatmaddieread 41
by Morgan Richter
A failed actress is confused for the wife
of a director she once worked with after
he’s found murdered | August 20
‘til heist do us part
by Sara Desai
A team of jewel thiefs must reunite to
return the stolen jewels to their rightful
owner | August 20
wild failure
by Zoe Whittall
A short story collection that contends
with the meaning of desire for both
intimacy and danger | August 20
hers for the weekend
by Helena Greer
A no-nonsense lawyer fakes a relationship
with her barista to avoid going solo to her
ex-girlfriend’s wedding | August 27
empresses of seventh avenue
by Nancy MacDonnell
Chronicles the untold story of how the
Nazi invasion of France gave rise to the
American fashion industry | August 27
magical meet cute
by Jean Meltzer
A lonely potter falls for a mysterious
stranger who she accidentally hit with her
bike | August 27
by Elif Shafak
Three characters live along two rivers, all
under the shadow of one of the greatest
epic poems of all time | August 20
you will never be me
by Jesse Q. Sutano
Cracks start forming in an influencer’s
life after her former friend steals an iPad
that controls her life | August 20
i’ll have what he’s having
by Adib Khorram
A heartbroken man has the night of
his life when a restaurant’s sommelier
mistakes him for a food critic | August 27
by Rachel Koller Croft
Two vampires careen toward catastrophe
amidst London’s glittering 1970s disco
scene | August 13
given our history
by Kristyn J. Miller
A professor up for tenure is thrown for
a loop when someone from her past
reappears at her college | August 27
the champions
by Kara Thomas
A town’s deadly history threatens repeats
itself when a star football player is
poisoned | August 27
then things went dark
by Bea Fitzgerald
Six people land on a desert island to make
a reality show, but only five of them will
survive | August 27
you’re the problem, it’s you
by Emma R. Alban
A clashing lord and second son find
themselves forced together by their
meddling cousins | August 27
we love the nightlife
the divide there are rivers in the sky
40 summer reading guide 2024
ever read a book and think to yourself, “wow,
harry styles would love this one?” just me? i
picked six celebs and paired them with the
perfect book. have your people call my people.
what your faves should what your faves should
be reading this summerbe reading this summer
what your faves should
be reading this summer
olivia rodrigo should read olivia rodrigo should read one day.one day.
We know Olivia loves a British boy
(even though he tells her that she’s
“so american”), so I feel like it’s a no-
brainer that she’d love ONE DAY,
which one of my personal favorite
British love stories. Its unique structure
suits her love for musical wordplay.
gwenyth paltrow should read gwenyth paltrow should read self care.self care.
But hope she doesn’t get oended! SELF
CARE is one of my favorite send-ups of
influencer/wellness culture, following a
Goop-esque wellness start-up staed by
friends who struggle with digital detoxes,
reality TV show scandals, and life beyond
the filters (and the candles that smell
like...various body parts).
Of course Bruce would love this Jersey-set
novel with scenes set at the Stone Pony.
After a devastating break-up, Caroline moves
home to New Jersey to take her injured
father’s place on his beloved softball team.
Once Bruce finishes it, I’d love for him to
pass it along to Kacey Musgraves, because it’s
a perfect Saturn Return book.
zendaya should read zendaya should read carrie soto is back.carrie soto is back.
I know for a FACT that I’m not the only
person who is obsessed with Challengers
(I mean, that SCORE!). Zendaya’s
character is ultra-competitive and will
stop at nothing to dominate on the tennis
court. Carrie Soto’s thrilling comeback
story is the one I wish her character could
have.
stanley tucci should read stanley tucci should read save me the plums.save me the plums.
Stanley is a man who loves good food
and good food writing. I’d pair him with
Ruth Reichl, one of my favorite food
writers. SAVE ME THE PLUMS is
the perfect intersection of food and
media as Ruth chronicles her time
at the helm of Gourmet magazine.
(Obligatory The Devil Wears Prada
mention).
@whatmaddieread 43
bruce springsteen should read bruce springsteen should read
welcome home, caroline kline.welcome home, caroline kline.
42 summer reading guide 2024
miley cyrus should read miley cyrus should read honey.honey.
This new release dives deep into late
1990s/early 2000s nostalgia, following
a pop singer who beats the odds and
makes it through the Hollywood
machine. Miley feels like the real-life
equivalent, moving through her Disney
days and some scandalous moments
(hey, she was just being Miley).
ever read a book and think to yourself, “wow,
harry styles would love this one?” just me? i
picked six celebs and paired them with the
perfect book. have your people call my people.
what your faves should what your faves should
be reading this summerbe reading this summer
what your faves should
be reading this summer
olivia rodrigo should read olivia rodrigo should read one day.one day.
We know Olivia loves a British boy
(even though he tells her that she’s
“so american”), so I feel like it’s a no-
brainer that she’d love ONE DAY,
which one of my personal favorite
British love stories. Its unique structure
suits her love for musical wordplay.
gwenyth paltrow should read gwenyth paltrow should read self care.self care.
But hope she doesn’t get oended! SELF
CARE is one of my favorite send-ups of
influencer/wellness culture, following a
Goop-esque wellness start-up staed by
friends who struggle with digital detoxes,
reality TV show scandals, and life beyond
the filters (and the candles that smell
like...various body parts).
Of course Bruce would love this Jersey-set
novel with scenes set at the Stone Pony.
After a devastating break-up, Caroline moves
home to New Jersey to take her injured
father’s place on his beloved softball team.
Once Bruce finishes it, I’d love for him to
pass it along to Kacey Musgraves, because it’s
a perfect Saturn Return book.
zendaya should read zendaya should read carrie soto is back.carrie soto is back.
I know for a FACT that I’m not the only
person who is obsessed with Challengers
(I mean, that SCORE!). Zendaya’s
character is ultra-competitive and will
stop at nothing to dominate on the tennis
court. Carrie Soto’s thrilling comeback
story is the one I wish her character could
have.
stanley tucci should read stanley tucci should read save me the plums.save me the plums.
Stanley is a man who loves good food
and good food writing. I’d pair him with
Ruth Reichl, one of my favorite food
writers. SAVE ME THE PLUMS is
the perfect intersection of food and
media as Ruth chronicles her time
at the helm of Gourmet magazine.
(Obligatory The Devil Wears Prada
mention).
@whatmaddieread 43
bruce springsteen should read bruce springsteen should read
welcome home, caroline kline.welcome home, caroline kline.
42 summer reading guide 2024
miley cyrus should read miley cyrus should read honey.honey.
This new release dives deep into late
1990s/early 2000s nostalgia, following
a pop singer who beats the odds and
makes it through the Hollywood
machine. Miley feels like the real-life
equivalent, moving through her Disney
days and some scandalous moments
(hey, she was just being Miley).
44 summer reading guide 2024 @whatmaddieread 45
have you ever read a book that feels like it’s the perfect companion to other books, shows, or movies? i rounded up some venns for ya!
a little bit of this, a little bit of thata little bit of this, a little bit of thata little bit of this, a little bit of that
If you loved the
quirky irreverence
of POOR THINGS
and the historical
period piece
antics of ENOLA
HOLMES,
ANATOMY is a
must.
If you’re a fan
of Harry Styles’
“Carolina,” (“met
her once and wrote a
song about her”) and
Anthony Bourdain’s
restaurant world
expertise in KITCHEN
CONFIDENTIAL,
you’ll be obsessed with
TILL THERE WAS
YOU.
If you’re into young
adult romances
(BETTER THAN
THE MOVIES is
one of my faves) and
the chess intrigue
of THE QUEEN’S
GAMBIT, read
CHECK AND
MATE.
The battle of the
literary scammers!
Take the voice of
YELLOWFACE
and the premise
of AMERICAN
FICTION (or the
book ERASURE),
you’ll love VICTIM.
44 summer reading guide 2024 @whatmaddieread 45
have you ever read a book that feels like it’s the perfect companion to other books, shows, or movies? i rounded up some venns for ya!
a little bit of this, a little bit of thata little bit of this, a little bit of thata little bit of this, a little bit of that
If you loved the
quirky irreverence
of POOR THINGS
and the historical
period piece
antics of ENOLA
HOLMES,
ANATOMY is a
must.
If you’re a fan
of Harry Styles’
“Carolina,” (“met
her once and wrote a
song about her”) and
Anthony Bourdain’s
restaurant world
expertise in KITCHEN
CONFIDENTIAL,
you’ll be obsessed with
TILL THERE WAS
YOU.
If you’re into young
adult romances
(BETTER THAN
THE MOVIES is
one of my faves) and
the chess intrigue
of THE QUEEN’S
GAMBIT, read
CHECK AND
MATE.
The battle of the
literary scammers!
Take the voice of
YELLOWFACE
and the premise
of AMERICAN
FICTION (or the
book ERASURE),
you’ll love VICTIM.
If you loved the
exploration of a
Hollywood legend’s love
life in THE SEVEN
HUSBANDS OF
EVELYN HUGO and the
music of DAISY JONES
AND THE SIX, pick
up EVERY TIME YOU
HEAR THAT SONG,
with a YA road trip spin.
If you’ve always wished
you skipped school
like Ferris in FERRIS
BUELLER’S DAY
OFF and love the
“this day again?” vibes
of GROUNDHOG
DAY, you need THE
DO-OVER in your
reading life.
If you like spy
movies (JASON
BOURNE,
anyone?) and can’t
resist a home for
the holidays/meet
the parents scenario
(aka THE FAMILY
STONE), read THE
TAKEDOWN.
SCHITT’S CREEK’s
fish out of water
charm meets the
small town romance
of SWEET HOME
ALABAMA with
a spicy twist in IT
HAPPENED ONE
SUMMER.
46 summer reading guide 2024 @whatmaddieread 47
If you loved the
exploration of a
Hollywood legend’s love
life in THE SEVEN
HUSBANDS OF
EVELYN HUGO and the
music of DAISY JONES
AND THE SIX, pick
up EVERY TIME YOU
HEAR THAT SONG,
with a YA road trip spin.
If you’ve always wished
you skipped school
like Ferris in FERRIS
BUELLER’S DAY
OFF and love the
“this day again?” vibes
of GROUNDHOG
DAY, you need THE
DO-OVER in your
reading life.
If you like spy
movies (JASON
BOURNE,
anyone?) and can’t
resist a home for
the holidays/meet
the parents scenario
(aka THE FAMILY
STONE), read THE
TAKEDOWN.
SCHITT’S CREEK’s
fish out of water
charm meets the
small town romance
of SWEET HOME
ALABAMA with
a spicy twist in IT
HAPPENED ONE
SUMMER.
46 summer reading guide 2024 @whatmaddieread 47
paperback slay?paperback slay?paperback slay?paperback slay?
paperback slay?
48 summer reading guide 2024 @whatmaddieread 49
i’ve always been a paperback is better girlie. the thing is, when you want to stay on top of the newest releases, preferring paperback
is tricky. here are 20 titles that are now (or soon to be!) in paperback, in case you missed their hardcover debuts last year.
a likely story
by Leigh McMullan Abramson
I love family sagas
and books about
writers, so it’s only
fitting that I adored
this novel about
a literary family
dynasty rocked by a
publishing secret.
Available now.
adelaide
by Genevieve Wheeler
The best book of
2023 got a new
cover! You’ll root
for Adelaide as she
navigates a toxic
relationship and
resolves to rebuild
her life.
Out on July 30.
bright young women
by Jessica Knoll
little monsters
by Nash Jenkins
The connected
stories of two
women whose lives
were aected by Ted
Bundy. A true crime
tale with a power
move—Bundy is
never named.
Out on August 6.
A very literary
campus novel
packed with
nostaglic references
and rich kids
behaving (very,
very) badly. My girl
Curtis blurbed it!
Out on May 28.
foster dade explores the cosmos
by Julia Langbein
A novelist gets the
opportunity to work
on the adaptation
of her book, only
to find that her
fictional mermaid
has come to life to
change the script.
Available now.
bad summer people
by Emma Rosenblum
On Fire Island,
everyone is a
suspect after a
body is discovered
near the boardwalk,
forcing long-held
dark secrets to
come to light.
Available now.
american mermaid
by Adrienne Brodeur
The lives of family
members living
on Cape Cod are
explored over a
pivotal summer, as
secrets force a new
power dynamic to
emerge.
Available now.
old enough
by Haley Jakobson
As Savannah enters
her sophomore year,
she grapples with
her sexuality amidst
the news that her
best friend is getting
married, forcing up
old trauma.
Out on June 11.
di somebod sa
paperback slay?paperback slay?paperback slay?paperback slay?
paperback slay?
48 summer reading guide 2024 @whatmaddieread 49
i’ve always been a paperback is better girlie. the thing is, when you want to stay on top of the newest releases, preferring paperback
is tricky. here are 20 titles that are now (or soon to be!) in paperback, in case you missed their hardcover debuts last year.
a likely story
by Leigh McMullan Abramson
I love family sagas
and books about
writers, so it’s only
fitting that I adored
this novel about
a literary family
dynasty rocked by a
publishing secret.
Available now.
adelaide
by Genevieve Wheeler
The best book of
2023 got a new
cover! You’ll root
for Adelaide as she
navigates a toxic
relationship and
resolves to rebuild
her life.
Out on July 30.
bright young women
by Jessica Knoll
little monsters
by Nash Jenkins
The connected
stories of two
women whose lives
were aected by Ted
Bundy. A true crime
tale with a power
move—Bundy is
never named.
Out on August 6.
A very literary
campus novel
packed with
nostaglic references
and rich kids
behaving (very,
very) badly. My girl
Curtis blurbed it!
Out on May 28.
foster dade explores the cosmos
by Julia Langbein
A novelist gets the
opportunity to work
on the adaptation
of her book, only
to find that her
fictional mermaid
has come to life to
change the script.
Available now.
bad summer people
by Emma Rosenblum
On Fire Island,
everyone is a
suspect after a
body is discovered
near the boardwalk,
forcing long-held
dark secrets to
come to light.
Available now.
american mermaid
by Adrienne Brodeur
The lives of family
members living
on Cape Cod are
explored over a
pivotal summer, as
secrets force a new
power dynamic to
emerge.
Available now.
old enough
by Haley Jakobson
As Savannah enters
her sophomore year,
she grapples with
her sexuality amidst
the news that her
best friend is getting
married, forcing up
old trauma.
Out on June 11.
di somebod sa
50 summer reading guide 2024 @whatmaddieread 51
prom mom
by Laura Lippman
A woman moves
back to Baltimore
years after she
became notorious
for her dark past,
and reconnects with
the prom date who
ruined her life.
Out on July 2.
the celebrants
by Steven Rowley
A friend group
holds living funerals
for each other to
remind themselves
that life is worth
living—until one of
them gathers the
group with sad news.
Available now.
shark heart
by Emily Habeck
Please give this a
shot: a newlywed
couple is devastated
to learn that the
husband is turning
into a Great White
Shark and only has
months to live.
Out on June 4.
the farewell tour
by Stephanie Cliord
A country singer
embarks on a
farewell tour before
she calls the music
business quits, and
reflect on her career
in this dual timeline
historical novel.
Available now.
the daydreams
by Laura Hankin
Years after a beloved
teen TV show ended
after a disastrous
live finale, the cast
reunites and is
forced to confront
what went wrong
years ago.
Available now.
romantic comedy
by Curtis Sittenfeld
A writer for a
comedy show
has a surprising
connection with
one of the music
guests, flipping
her previously held
assumptions.
Available now.
the guest
by Emma Cline
A woman heads
to the Hamptons
and hits it o with
an older man, only
to resort back
to her nefarious
ways to disastrous
consequence.
Available now.
social engagement
by Avery Carpenter Forrey
On the night of
her wedding, the
bride uses social
media to reflect on
everything from the
past year that led
up to her disastrous
marriage.
Available now.
symphony of secrets
by Brendan Slocumb
A music professor
makes a shocking
discovery: the
music of a beloved
composer might
have been stolen
from a Black Jazz
Age prodigy.
Available now.
the breakaway
by Jennifer Weiner
A woman decides
to lead a bike trip
through upstate
New York, where
she reconnects with
the man she never
could stop thinking
about.
Available now.
the rachel incident
by Caroline O’Donoghue
A college student
becomes involved
with two men whose
lives unexpectedly
intertwine: a
platonic best friend
and a decidely non-
platonic professor.
Out on May 28.
the whispers
by Ashley Audrain
The cracks in the
lives of a well-to-do
family are revealed
when the whole
neighborhood hears
a mother yelling at
her son, who ends
up in the hospital.
Available now.
50 summer reading guide 2024 @whatmaddieread 51
prom mom
by Laura Lippman
A woman moves
back to Baltimore
years after she
became notorious
for her dark past,
and reconnects with
the prom date who
ruined her life.
Out on July 2.
the celebrants
by Steven Rowley
A friend group
holds living funerals
for each other to
remind themselves
that life is worth
living—until one of
them gathers the
group with sad news.
Available now.
shark heart
by Emily Habeck
Please give this a
shot: a newlywed
couple is devastated
to learn that the
husband is turning
into a Great White
Shark and only has
months to live.
Out on June 4.
the farewell tour
by Stephanie Cliord
A country singer
embarks on a
farewell tour before
she calls the music
business quits, and
reflect on her career
in this dual timeline
historical novel.
Available now.
the daydreams
by Laura Hankin
Years after a beloved
teen TV show ended
after a disastrous
live finale, the cast
reunites and is
forced to confront
what went wrong
years ago.
Available now.
romantic comedy
by Curtis Sittenfeld
A writer for a
comedy show
has a surprising
connection with
one of the music
guests, flipping
her previously held
assumptions.
Available now.
the guest
by Emma Cline
A woman heads
to the Hamptons
and hits it o with
an older man, only
to resort back
to her nefarious
ways to disastrous
consequence.
Available now.
social engagement
by Avery Carpenter Forrey
On the night of
her wedding, the
bride uses social
media to reflect on
everything from the
past year that led
up to her disastrous
marriage.
Available now.
symphony of secrets
by Brendan Slocumb
A music professor
makes a shocking
discovery: the
music of a beloved
composer might
have been stolen
from a Black Jazz
Age prodigy.
Available now.
the breakaway
by Jennifer Weiner
A woman decides
to lead a bike trip
through upstate
New York, where
she reconnects with
the man she never
could stop thinking
about.
Available now.
the rachel incident
by Caroline O’Donoghue
A college student
becomes involved
with two men whose
lives unexpectedly
intertwine: a
platonic best friend
and a decidely non-
platonic professor.
Out on May 28.
the whispers
by Ashley Audrain
The cracks in the
lives of a well-to-do
family are revealed
when the whole
neighborhood hears
a mother yelling at
her son, who ends
up in the hospital.
Available now.
among the brosamong the bros
by Max Marshall
A young journalist traces a multi-
million dollar drug ring turned deadly
through colleges in the South.
capote’s womencapote’s women
by Laurence Leamer
Explores Truman Capote’s fragile
relationship with the high-society
swans he surrounded himself with.
glossyglossy
by Marisa Meltzer
An deep dive into the history of
Glossier as it goes from a beauty blog
to a worldwide brand.
not your china dollnot your china doll
by Katie Gee Salisbury
A impeccably researched biography
of Anna May Wong, the world’s first
Asian-American movie star.
one in a millennialone in a millennial
by Kate Kennedy
A hilarious and sharp essay collection
about pop culture, the millennial
zeitgeist and nostalgic life lessons.
private equityprivate equity
by Carrie Sun
A woman works as a personal assistant
at one of the world’s biggest hedge
funds and finds herself burnt out.
the editorthe editor
by Sara B. Franklin
A biography of book editor Judith
Jones that also analyzes her impact on
publishing history.
when women ran fifth avenuewhen women ran fifth avenue
by Julie Satow
Chronicles the Golden Age of
department stores, centering on the
work of three influential women.
school’s (not) in sessionschool’s (not) in sessionschool’s (not) in sessionschool’s (not) in sessionschool’s (not) in session
even though i’m a huge nonfiction fan, i can admit that there are some titles that feel a little too intense for breezy summer days. as
such, i rounded up some of my favorite nonfic picks (memoirs, true crime, biographies, oh my!) that are fit for diving into poolside.
@whatmaddieread 53
52 summer reading guide 2024
among the brosamong the bros
by Max Marshall
A young journalist traces a multi-
million dollar drug ring turned deadly
through colleges in the South.
capote’s womencapote’s women
by Laurence Leamer
Explores Truman Capote’s fragile
relationship with the high-society
swans he surrounded himself with.
glossyglossy
by Marisa Meltzer
An deep dive into the history of
Glossier as it goes from a beauty blog
to a worldwide brand.
not your china dollnot your china doll
by Katie Gee Salisbury
A impeccably researched biography
of Anna May Wong, the world’s first
Asian-American movie star.
one in a millennialone in a millennial
by Kate Kennedy
A hilarious and sharp essay collection
about pop culture, the millennial
zeitgeist and nostalgic life lessons.
private equityprivate equity
by Carrie Sun
A woman works as a personal assistant
at one of the world’s biggest hedge
funds and finds herself burnt out.
the editorthe editor
by Sara B. Franklin
A biography of book editor Judith
Jones that also analyzes her impact on
publishing history.
when women ran fifth avenuewhen women ran fifth avenue
by Julie Satow
Chronicles the Golden Age of
department stores, centering on the
work of three influential women.
school’s (not) in sessionschool’s (not) in sessionschool’s (not) in sessionschool’s (not) in sessionschool’s (not) in session
even though i’m a huge nonfiction fan, i can admit that there are some titles that feel a little too intense for breezy summer days. as
such, i rounded up some of my favorite nonfic picks (memoirs, true crime, biographies, oh my!) that are fit for diving into poolside.
@whatmaddieread 53
52 summer reading guide 2024
big swissbig swiss by jen beagin by jen beagin
Greta lives in a crumbling historic home in Hudson, New York, where she
works as a transcriptionist for Om, a local sex therapist. She becomes
infatuated with Om’s newest client, whom she aectionally dubs Big
Swiss, a woman from Switzerland who feels sexually repressed in her
marriage. When Greta meets Big Swiss at the dog park, they begin
having an aair, but Big Swiss has no clue that Greta knows her secrets.
cleopatra and frankensteincleopatra and frankenstein by coco mellors by coco mellors
On New Year’s Eve in New York City, Cleo, a 24-year-old British artist
and Frank, a 40-something ad exec meet while leaving a party. The next
time we catch up with the couple, it’s their wedding day a few months
later. While their union is the fodder for gossip (did Cleo marry him for
money or a visa?), they’re determined to prove everyone wrong admist
addiction, depression, and a group of meddling friends.
come and get itcome and get it by kiley reid by kiley reid
A truly biting and compulsively readable character-driven romp set at
the University of Arkansas. Millie, a senior working as a resident assistant
at a dorm devoted to scholarship students and transfers, agrees to help
Agatha Paul, a successful writer looking for the topic of her next book,
by letting her interview the dorm’s residents. This is not a campus novel,
but an interior dorm life book and it’s so gossipy and GOOD.
detransition, babydetransition, baby by torrey peters by torrey peters
DETRANSITION, BABY follows three trans and cis women who are all
connected: Reese, a trans woman who longs for a child; Ames, Reese’s
ex who has recently detransitioned and is living as a man, and Katrina,
Ames’ boss who reveals that she is pregnant with his baby. Ames devises
an unconventional plan: maybe Reese, Ames and Katrina can all raise the
baby together.
the one wherethe one wherethe one wherethe one wherethe one where
we read lit ficwe read lit ficwe read lit ficwe read lit ficwe read lit fic
because any read is a beach
read if you put your mind to it.
@whatmaddieread 55
big swissbig swiss by jen beagin by jen beagin
Greta lives in a crumbling historic home in Hudson, New York, where she
works as a transcriptionist for Om, a local sex therapist. She becomes
infatuated with Om’s newest client, whom she aectionally dubs Big
Swiss, a woman from Switzerland who feels sexually repressed in her
marriage. When Greta meets Big Swiss at the dog park, they begin
having an aair, but Big Swiss has no clue that Greta knows her secrets.
cleopatra and frankensteincleopatra and frankenstein by coco mellors by coco mellors
On New Year’s Eve in New York City, Cleo, a 24-year-old British artist
and Frank, a 40-something ad exec meet while leaving a party. The next
time we catch up with the couple, it’s their wedding day a few months
later. While their union is the fodder for gossip (did Cleo marry him for
money or a visa?), they’re determined to prove everyone wrong admist
addiction, depression, and a group of meddling friends.
come and get itcome and get it by kiley reid by kiley reid
A truly biting and compulsively readable character-driven romp set at
the University of Arkansas. Millie, a senior working as a resident assistant
at a dorm devoted to scholarship students and transfers, agrees to help
Agatha Paul, a successful writer looking for the topic of her next book,
by letting her interview the dorm’s residents. This is not a campus novel,
but an interior dorm life book and it’s so gossipy and GOOD.
detransition, babydetransition, baby by torrey peters by torrey peters
DETRANSITION, BABY follows three trans and cis women who are all
connected: Reese, a trans woman who longs for a child; Ames, Reese’s
ex who has recently detransitioned and is living as a man, and Katrina,
Ames’ boss who reveals that she is pregnant with his baby. Ames devises
an unconventional plan: maybe Reese, Ames and Katrina can all raise the
baby together.
the one wherethe one wherethe one wherethe one wherethe one where
we read lit ficwe read lit ficwe read lit ficwe read lit ficwe read lit fic
because any read is a beach
read if you put your mind to it.
@whatmaddieread 55
good materialgood material by dolly alderton by dolly alderton
Dolly Alderton has a voice like no other. Her work is sharp and smart—
hilarious on one line and then heartbreaking (and astute) by the next.
In GOOD MATERIAL, she tries her hand at writing from the male
POV, as Andy, a middling comedian in his 30s, attempts to heal from a
crushing break-up. As with most men, the process takes months and is
not without many (many) setbacks.
real americansreal americans by rachel khong by rachel khong
An absolutely stunning genre-bender. It’s a family saga told in three
parts, following a young woman falling in love, a college-aged boy longing
to find his biological father, and a Chinese-American woman wracked
with guilt. It’s not only a family saga, but a coming of age story, a
romance, a campus novel, historical fiction, magical realism and sci-fi. A
true marvel that will leave you thinking.
talking at nighttalking at night by claire daverley by claire daverley
Will and Rosie meet as teenagers, when they’re polar opposites. Rosie
is quiet and overthinks everything, while Will, who is her twin brother’s
best friend, is free-spirited and unpredictale. Their relationship grows
over secret walks home. Just as they consider truly going for it, a tragic
accident threatens their future togther. As the years roll on, their paths
continue to cross, but timing throws a wrench in their plans.
the lemonthe lemon by s.e. boyd by s.e. boyd
Loosely inspired by the death of Anthony Bourdain, this is a satirical
send-up of food and media culture. After celebrity foodie John Doe is
found dead in his hotel room, the news spreads like wildfire. We drop in
on people in his orbit: his friends, his agent, a struggling journalist who
fabricates a story about an interaction with him to save her job, and the
hotel worker who found Doe and is using it to propel himself to fame.
the shardsthe shards by bret easton ellis by bret easton ellis
THE SHARDS is written as a fictionalized memoir of Bret Easton Ellis’
teen years as he enters his senior year at an elite LA prep school. When
a new student arrives, Ellis is instantly intrigued by him, even though
it’s clear he’s keeping a secret from the group. Ellis is also growing
increasingly obsessed with The Trawler, a serial killer who is targeting
teenagers across Los Angeles. Weird, dark, long, graphic, but fabulous.
they’re going to love youthey’re going to love you by meg howry by meg howry
Carlisle dreamed of making a name for herself as a ballerina. Following
her parents divorce, she visits New York, where her father lives with his
new husband, James. These become sacred to Carlisle as they connect
on their love for ballet. Years later, we find that Carlisle and her father
have been split apart by a shocking betrayal. After almost two decades of
avoiding each other, she finds herself drawn back into their lives.
tom laketom lake by ann patchett by ann patchett
After starring in Our Town, Lara builds an acting career, then jumps at the
chance to reprise the role at Tom Lake, a theater company in Northern
Michigan. There, she falls for Peter Duke, her co-star. Years later, Lara
lives on a cherry orchard that she and her husband own. In the nascent
days of the pandemic, her three adult daughters return home beg Lara to
tell the story of her relationship with Duke, who is now famous.
yerba buenayerba buena by nina lacour by nina lacour
The paths of Sara—who ran away from home at 16—and Emilie—who
is floundering when it comes to finishing college as she processes her
sister’s struggle with addiction—converge, then blossom into love. Sara
gets a job bartending at Yerba Buena, one of LA’s fanciest restaurants,
while Emilie nabs a gig flower arranging for the restaurant. When they
meet, the pain from their troubled pasts threaten their future together.
@whatmaddieread 57
56 summer reading guide 2024
good materialgood material by dolly alderton by dolly alderton
Dolly Alderton has a voice like no other. Her work is sharp and smart—
hilarious on one line and then heartbreaking (and astute) by the next.
In GOOD MATERIAL, she tries her hand at writing from the male
POV, as Andy, a middling comedian in his 30s, attempts to heal from a
crushing break-up. As with most men, the process takes months and is
not without many (many) setbacks.
real americansreal americans by rachel khong by rachel khong
An absolutely stunning genre-bender. It’s a family saga told in three
parts, following a young woman falling in love, a college-aged boy longing
to find his biological father, and a Chinese-American woman wracked
with guilt. It’s not only a family saga, but a coming of age story, a
romance, a campus novel, historical fiction, magical realism and sci-fi. A
true marvel that will leave you thinking.
talking at nighttalking at night by claire daverley by claire daverley
Will and Rosie meet as teenagers, when they’re polar opposites. Rosie
is quiet and overthinks everything, while Will, who is her twin brother’s
best friend, is free-spirited and unpredictale. Their relationship grows
over secret walks home. Just as they consider truly going for it, a tragic
accident threatens their future togther. As the years roll on, their paths
continue to cross, but timing throws a wrench in their plans.
the lemonthe lemon by s.e. boyd by s.e. boyd
Loosely inspired by the death of Anthony Bourdain, this is a satirical
send-up of food and media culture. After celebrity foodie John Doe is
found dead in his hotel room, the news spreads like wildfire. We drop in
on people in his orbit: his friends, his agent, a struggling journalist who
fabricates a story about an interaction with him to save her job, and the
hotel worker who found Doe and is using it to propel himself to fame.
the shardsthe shards by bret easton ellis by bret easton ellis
THE SHARDS is written as a fictionalized memoir of Bret Easton Ellis’
teen years as he enters his senior year at an elite LA prep school. When
a new student arrives, Ellis is instantly intrigued by him, even though
it’s clear he’s keeping a secret from the group. Ellis is also growing
increasingly obsessed with The Trawler, a serial killer who is targeting
teenagers across Los Angeles. Weird, dark, long, graphic, but fabulous.
they’re going to love youthey’re going to love you by meg howry by meg howry
Carlisle dreamed of making a name for herself as a ballerina. Following
her parents divorce, she visits New York, where her father lives with his
new husband, James. These become sacred to Carlisle as they connect
on their love for ballet. Years later, we find that Carlisle and her father
have been split apart by a shocking betrayal. After almost two decades of
avoiding each other, she finds herself drawn back into their lives.
tom laketom lake by ann patchett by ann patchett
After starring in Our Town, Lara builds an acting career, then jumps at the
chance to reprise the role at Tom Lake, a theater company in Northern
Michigan. There, she falls for Peter Duke, her co-star. Years later, Lara
lives on a cherry orchard that she and her husband own. In the nascent
days of the pandemic, her three adult daughters return home beg Lara to
tell the story of her relationship with Duke, who is now famous.
yerba buenayerba buena by nina lacour by nina lacour
The paths of Sara—who ran away from home at 16—and Emilie—who
is floundering when it comes to finishing college as she processes her
sister’s struggle with addiction—converge, then blossom into love. Sara
gets a job bartending at Yerba Buena, one of LA’s fanciest restaurants,
while Emilie nabs a gig flower arranging for the restaurant. When they
meet, the pain from their troubled pasts threaten their future together.
@whatmaddieread 57
56 summer reading guide 2024
a book for every beacha book for every beacha book for every beacha book for every beacha book for every beach
whether you prefer hilarious second coming of age romps through jersey beaches or cape cod-set
nonfiction about a mother’s secret affair, there’s a book no matter your beach mood.
chances are...chances are...
by Richard Russo
Three men meet on Martha’s
Vineyard, and can’t stop thinking
about a mystery from decades before.
kismetkismet
by Becky Chalsen
It’s a wedding weekend on Fire Island,
and for a set of twins, one’s marriage
might not survive the other’s nuptials
mainemaine
by J. Courtney Sullivan
Three generations of an Irish-Catholic
family gather at their family’s
beachfront cottage in Maine.
rock the boatrock the boat
by Beck Dorey-Stein
A woman returns home to the sleepy
New Jersey beach town where she
grew up after a break-up.
summer on the bluffssummer on the bluffs
by Sunny Hostin
The lives of three women change
forever at Oak Blus, a Black enclave
of Martha’s Vineyard.
the blue bistrothe blue bistro
by Elin Hilderbrand
A nomad accepts a job at a lauded
Nantucket restaurant during its last
summer of operation.
the paper palacethe paper palace
by Miranda Cowley-Heller
A woman cheats on her husband with
her childhood love, and has 24 hours
to make a decision about her future.
wild gamewild game
by Adrienne Brodeur
A young girl is woken in the night
on Cape Cod, where her mother
confesses a devastating aair.
@whatmaddieread 59
58 summer reading guide 2024
a book for every beacha book for every beacha book for every beacha book for every beacha book for every beach
whether you prefer hilarious second coming of age romps through jersey beaches or cape cod-set
nonfiction about a mother’s secret affair, there’s a book no matter your beach mood.
chances are...chances are...
by Richard Russo
Three men meet on Martha’s
Vineyard, and can’t stop thinking
about a mystery from decades before.
kismetkismet
by Becky Chalsen
It’s a wedding weekend on Fire Island,
and for a set of twins, one’s marriage
might not survive the other’s nuptials
mainemaine
by J. Courtney Sullivan
Three generations of an Irish-Catholic
family gather at their family’s
beachfront cottage in Maine.
rock the boatrock the boat
by Beck Dorey-Stein
A woman returns home to the sleepy
New Jersey beach town where she
grew up after a break-up.
summer on the bluffssummer on the bluffs
by Sunny Hostin
The lives of three women change
forever at Oak Blus, a Black enclave
of Martha’s Vineyard.
the blue bistrothe blue bistro
by Elin Hilderbrand
A nomad accepts a job at a lauded
Nantucket restaurant during its last
summer of operation.
the paper palacethe paper palace
by Miranda Cowley-Heller
A woman cheats on her husband with
her childhood love, and has 24 hours
to make a decision about her future.
wild gamewild game
by Adrienne Brodeur
A young girl is woken in the night
on Cape Cod, where her mother
confesses a devastating aair.
@whatmaddieread 59
58 summer reading guide 2024
@whatmaddieread
