Summer is often associated with more free time, taking vacations and enjoying the warmer weather as people go on vacations and life slows down bookstores become the next hottest thing besides the temperature.
This summer, wherever people looked, it seemed there was a book in someone’s hands. Whether you were taking a MCTS bus, waiting in a doctor’s office or enjoying a sunny day on Bradford Beach, someone was captivated by a book, often shown by cracks in the book’s spine.
While everyone has a different book genre they lean towards, it was clear that these five books were flying off the shelves.
“Atmosphere” by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Taylor Jenkins Reid (TJR) is back after almost three years since her last book, “Carrie Soto is Back.”
“Atmosphere” details the story of Joan Goodwin, one of the first female astronauts at NASA. Located at Houston’s Johnson Space Center, she grapples with complicated family dynamics, undertones of misogyny and the ability to pursue the one career she has yearned for since she first remembered looking at the stars.
Contrary to her previous books, the main character is not a major celebrity in terms of professional sports, music or acting. The detailed scientific research that went into writing this book does not go unnoticed, and you may find yourself attempting to identify more constellations when the final page comes to a close.
“Sandwich” by Catherine Newman
Although released in 2024, Newman’s most recent novel took off this summer. Found in many “What is the staff reading this summer?” section at bookstores, Newman creates a nostalgic story about a mother grappling with her children growing into adults.
Set during a yearly week-long family vacation to Cape Cod, Rachel, “Rocky,” experiences all of the emotions that come with menopause. She struggles to communicate with her husband, Nick, despite loving him more than anything.
She watches her family dynamics shift, as her two adult children —Willa and Jamie— slowly become more independent. Rocky worries they may be outgrowing the small cottage they have rented for 20 years as old secrets finally come to the surface.
It is easy to fall in love with this family due to their raw emotions, and Newman is continuing the story of Rocky’s family with “Wreck”, set to be released at the end of October 2025.
“One Golden Summer” by Carley Fortune
Three summers ago, Fortune released her first novel, Every Summer After, gaining significant popularity due to the love story between Persephone Fraser and Sam Florek set in Barry’s Bay, Ontario.
Since then, her readers have ached for more of the Florek brothers, and “One Golden Summer” tells the story of Alice Everly and Charlie Florek.
Alice spent one summer in Barry’s Bay during her teen years, sparking her love for photography due to a photo she took of three teens on a yellow boat.
Now, entering her mid-30s, Alice finds herself struggling to find her love for photography again. After her Nan takes a nasty fall—leaving her injured—spending a summer on Barry’s Bay may be exactly what she needs, especially when she runs into the boy on the yellow boat from all those years ago.
“One Golden Summer” fills readers with grief, nostalgia, pain and love, which is everything a summer book can ask for.
“Sunrise on the Reaping” by Suzanne Collins
Collins is back with a new “Hunger Games” book, telling the story of a fan favorite—Haymitch Abernathy.
Haymitch is first introduced in the series as the District 12 mentor for Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. Although he is the sole victor from District 12, he struggles with a severe alcohol addiction, causing readers to question his upbringing.
“Sunrise on the Reaping” tells the story of the 50th annual Hunger Games, but with twice as many tributes. Haymitch desperately wants to be with the girl he loves, but once he hears his name called, he knows nothing will ever be the same.
As Haymitch begins the games, he knows he must fight but secretly wonders at what cost it will come in the end and how it will change his life forever.
“Great Big Beautiful Life” by Emily Henry
Henry has dominated the romance genre for the past five years, but her novels go slightly beyond the typical romance stereotypes. With “Great Big Beautiful Life,” Henry dips into the area of women’s literature more than ever, and it creates a compelling story sure to bring tears to your eyes.
Henry details the story of Alice Scott, a writer competing against the Pulitzer Prize-winning Hayden Anderson to write the biography of Margaret Ives, the former tabloid princess who disappeared many years ago, and no one has heard from her since.
Alice and Hayden have a one-month trial period to prove they are worthy of writing Margaret’s biography, but they cannot discuss the information Margaret gives either of them. When stories fail to line up as Alice listens to Margaret, Hayden keeps finding Alice on the small island they are staying on. Tensions rise between the two—good and bad.
The further Alice engulfs herself in Margaret’s story, she learns much more about Margaret’s family dynamics than the media ever shared, causing Alice to analyze—and maybe even fix—some of her own family dynamics.
Henry’s writing is easy to fall in love with, but “Great Big Beautiful Life” is a timeless story like nothing she has written before.
This story was written by MaryKate Stepchuk. She can be reached at [email protected].
