My friend told me to read Book Lovers by Emily Henry and now I’ve ordered the rest of her books – it is exactly the funny/horny summer fluff I needed this year

The Book of Mothers: How Literature Can Help Us Reinvent Modern Motherhood by Carrie Mullins. If you want a subversive, thought-provoking, unexpectedly funny book of essays (because I like to dip into chapters by the pool, and I don’t mind getting riled up with my rose) try this book. It traces the outdated set of expectations today’s mothers must face, starting with books but bringing in so much else- pop culture, history, and public policy– that it was a fast-paced read.

If you want a book you simply can’t put down it’s ‘What happened to Nina’- not one person I’ve recommended it too hasn’t absolutely loved it!!!
Secondly- I couldn’t work out where to post this re sun safety- but forget the sun tent, which are both too hot to sit in and impossible to take down- the cool cabana is revolutionary easy and effective and cheap. It has taken Australia by storm (skin cancer capital due to the proximity of the whole in the ozone layer!)

Just read “The Hunter” by Tana French, not realizing it was a sequel. I loved it and just picked up “The Searcher.” I’m reading Amor Towels’ latest collection of short stories. All very good and I highly recommend. It’s called “Table for Two”

Just finished “The Boys in the Boat” for my bookclub and really liked it. It’s about the 1932 US Olympic rowing team at the Berlin Olympics (so some dark background). Makes me wish I had done rowing in college. Lots of Washington state history if people are from there.

I flew through Emily C Bloom’s I Cannot Control Everything Forever a few weeks ago at the end of my second maternity leave. A beautiful memoir about motherhood, art and science. Couldn’t put it down!

I have Slaughter House 5 and the Human Stain on my nightstand. I really got into Philip Roth’s American Pastoral and have been looking for an equally cerebral funny book.

Just finished Carrie Soto is Back and recommend it!

I don’t know if it’s my summer read, but I am enjoying Jonathan Eig’s newish biography of Marten Luther King Jr, which is also an interesting look into the history of the civil rights movement!
I recently loved The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers, and What You are Looking for is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama is warm and fuzzy. Two books I am waiting for from the library, and looking forward to immensely, are The Book of Why : The New Science of Cause and Effect by Judea Pearl, and The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride.

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt is a beautiful, easy summer read. One of the characters in it is an octopus, I feel like that alone is a great sales pitch 🐙

I read a lot! I am currently reading Curtis Sittenfeld’s short story collection which is fabulous, but for summer reading suggest her books Eligible or Romantic Comedy. I just finished Outlawed by Anna North, which I also highly recommend. Looking forward to seeing other suggestions!

I recently finished Annie Bot and have consistently described it to people as “disturbing, but worth it”. I’m in the middle of The Mote in God’s Eye, one of my husbands favorite sci-fi books. For the Summer, I plan to ready Love on the Brain.

I am currently reading Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky and somehow he has made a book with a primary focus on a spider society not horrifying but he did it. It’s long read or maybe I’m just a slow reader these days but well worth it. Also just finished island of the sea women by Lisa C, which was heartbreakingly beautiful. It’s a historical fiction based on the Matriarch Society of Jeju Island.

In the (very long, with lots of gaps in between!) process of reading Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations by Mira Jacob. It’s a graphic novel format, which I usually don’t read, but just love for this one. The book is described on her website as: “A bold, wry, and intimate graphic memoir about American identity, interracial families, and the realities that divide us” – very fitting for current times, and all times. PS. Love the new 5 Things email, Emily! And especially love this community collected book list.

I just finished Iona Iversons Rules for Commuting and it was a perfect summer read without being overly fluffy. I echo another commenter’s recommendation of Demon Copperhead. It is definitely not a light read, but the writing is incredible and the story has stuck with me long after finishing it.

Really looking forward to when I have time to sit down and dig into The Women by Kristin Hannah, especially as a US history teacher. I’ve been on a historical fiction kick recently. Also our school librarian just gave me Ruta Sepetys’ I Must Betray You to read this summer, which looks interesting as well.