I haven’t done book recommendations in awhile and since I was updating my TBR pile, I thought I’d put together some fiction and non fiction suggestions for Summer.
Starting with the fun options- just a few fiction novels that will hopefully entertain:
Judge Stone by Viola Davis and James Patterson I have this queued up as my next Audible book because I love Viola Davis and I love courtroom dramas. This is the story of Judge Mary Stone, living in a small Southern town, running a farm and presiding over a courtroom.
When she gets the most controversial case ever seen in the South, she has to fight for justice and for her beloved town.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. Ok I typically don’t read a lot of Sci Fi so I haven’t been especially interested in this book. I have had no less than three people recommend it to me just last week though and it is coming out in film so this is the perfect time to pick it up. This is about Ryland Grace who wakes up one day next to two dead bodies and realizes he has been sleeping a very long time and he is millions of miles from home. Ryland is an astronaut that is on a mission to save the Earth.
The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali . I just started reading this book and I know I am going to finish it quickly. This is the story of Ellie, a sheltered young girl forced out of her comfortable life when her Father unexpectedly dies. She moves into a modest apartment with her Mother and finally makes her first friend, Homa. The two girls are inseparable until Ellie’s Mother finds a way back to their privileged lifestyle and Ellie says goodbye to her friend. Years later, Ellie is an adult living in America when she hears from her old friend needing help and facing political upheaval and a new reality in 1970’s Iran.
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins. . If you were a fan of the Hunger Games this is one you might want to pick up. It is the prequel to the Hunger Games and tells the story of Haymitch and other characters featured in the books and their origin stories. Haymitch was Katniss’ mentor (played by Woody Harrelson in the movie). I haven’t read the Hunger Games books in so long but I am curious about this one and the film version will be released in Nov 2026.
Mean Moms by Emma Rosenblum. I started reading this a few weeks ago and didn’t finish it in time before it was due at the library and now I am looking forward to getting it back. This is one of those fun stories that is easy to read and perfect for travel. It centers around a small group of wealthy and privileged Moms that meet at their children’s NYC private school. They seem to have it all but once you scratch the surface, you can see a lot of backstabbing, betrayal and drama. This is a fun novel that is easy to read and a perfect distraction.
This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum. This is the story of two podcasters, Benny & Joy, that have a show about surviving extreme situations. As they gain popularity, they also gain wealth and one day Benny arrives to record the podcast at Joy’s home, only to discover broken glass and both Joy & her husband missing. He quickly becomes the prime suspect as his secrets- and Joy’s- are slowly revealed.
And if you are interested in self help or non fiction recommendations, here are a few that I haven’t read yet but definitely have on my list:
Confidence: 8 Steps to Knowing Your Worth by Roxie Nafousi This one is self explanatory but I think everyone can probably use a little help with shifting your mindset into being kinder to yourself, becoming less critical and increasing your self-belief.
Wild Rose: The Story of a Confederate Spy by Ann Blackman This is the story of Rose Greenhow, a widow, socialite and Southern woman that integrated herself into the highest levels of power during the Civil War. She was a Mother of eight renowned for her beauty and love affairs with elites that ultimately began spying for the Confederate Army, providing invaluable information written in code, that led to the defeat of the Union army in several major battles. Eventually she was caught and imprisoned as a spy and found her way out of jail and all the way to Europe to plead the case of the Confederacy to French and English royalty.
If you enjoy this book, there is the story of Mary Bowser that you can also check out. She was a former slave that returned at significant personal risk to the South and became a maid in Richmond, Virginia, working for Elizabeth Van Lew, collecting information from Confederate households and transmitting the details via code to the Union Army. I read a book awhile back about Elizabeth Van Lew and she is an unsung hero of the war and a fascinating spymaster, reporting directly to Ulysses S Grant with invaluable information.
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson. This has been recommended to me a few times and is the story of the 1893 World Fair in Chicago. That fair brought so much wonder and joy and innovation, including electric power, groundbreaking architecture, the Ferris Wheel so much more… It also brought a young Doctor that was patrolling the grounds and luring young women to his “hotel”- a place to torture, dissect and eventually gas his victims. From the reviews that I have read, the author does a fantastic job of really making you feel like you are in Chicago in the 1800’s, contrasting the incredible initiative and determination of the event Directors with the charm and sinister character of a serial killer.
Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland Patrick Radden Keefe. This is the story of a Belfast mother dragged from her home in 1972, with her children clasping at her feet, by masked men, never to be seen or heard from again. Everyone knew it was the I.R.A. responsible for her abduction but at the time, no one was willing to interfere or speak about it. This period of intense conflict is known as “the Troubles” when Ireland was fighting for independence from British rule. Decades later, bones are discovered on a beach and the children instantly know it is their Mother. The story of this woman provides a backdrop to discuss the broader issues of unifying Ireland, brutal violence and tumult of the times and I can’t wait to get to this one. I remember stories of the violence in Ireland when I was young but I’d love to learn more about the issues on both sides and gain a better understanding of the bigger picture. This is a series on Hulu that you can check out once you finish the book.
Killing Thatcher by Rory Carroll. Ok this would be a great second book to read after Say Nothing as it is the true story of how the I.R.A. came incredibly close to murdering Margaret Thatcher and the British cabinet during the Troubles. This is a great book for True Crime fans and I have heard this doesn’t read like a historical novel but rather a fast paced, exciting murder mystery.
Putin’s People by Catherine Belton. If you have ever wondered how Putin was so successful climbing the ranks of the KGB and becoming one of the most powerful people in the world, this book follows his journey. This is an expose on the incredible grift, corruption and greed that transformed Russia into an oligarchy, suppressing the voice of the people and the beginning of covert operations into the US and Europe.
