Welcome to the Get Cozy Book Nook Summer Reading Preview! Throughout the week, you’ll find a look at some of the books coming out this summer that I’m interested in reading. **I have not read these books, unless otherwise indicated.** These are simply upcoming books that I’m drawn to and think you might like. Publication dates are accurate as of this writing.
Monday’s focus was on mysteries and thrillers. Yesterday covered beach reads. Today we tackle literary fiction. I have a pretty loose definition of literary fiction, so you may not agree that all of these fit in that category. Still, they’re all highly anticipated books, by many critics and by me!
The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner
Pub Date: May 26th
A group in the English village of Chawton gets together to fight a developer wanting to raze Jane Austen’s final home shortly after the 2nd World War. I’m a Janeite, so this book grabbed my attention. It has also appeared on many other summer reading lists.
Recipe for Persuasion: A Novel by Sonali Dev
Pub date: May 26th
Another Jane Austen offshoot (yay!), this one is a twist on Persuasion featuring a struggling chef and the man who once ghosted her who is now a soccer star. They are paired together on a reality cooking show and the audience becomes obsessed with their chemistry. The push-pull of their story is sure to engage Austen fans (like this one!)
The Vanishing Half by Britt Bennet
Pub Date: June 2
The story of the divergent lives of twin sisters over from the 1950s to the 1990s. This one deals with family relationships and racial issues. It has been well-recommended on many lists.
The Daughters Of Erietown by Connie Schultz
Pub Date: June 9
This story focuses on a couple in 1957 that finds themselves pregnant, changing all their plans for college and a different life. A knock at the door threatens their new forming family. The book shows the evolution of women’s lives over the second half of the 20th century. I predict it will be the sleeper hit of the summer.
Last Train To Key West by Chanel Cleeton
Pub date: June 16
It’s 1935 and three women’s lives are forever changed by an approaching hurricane. Separate from other Cleeton novels, this still has a storyline the focuses on Cuban-American issues. I listened to the first on audio, read the second. Looking forward to this stand alone.
The Lost and Found Bookshop by Susan Wiggs
Pub Date: July 7
A woman inherits a bookshop from her mother after she’s suffered a personal tragedy and must take over care of her cantankerous, medically failing father. Her grandfather owns the building and won’t sell, so she’s forced into a journey that will take her from sorrow to unexpected discoveries and truths.
Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell
Pub Date: July 14th
The story of a fictional British 60s psychedelic era band reminiscent of Daisy Jones and the Six, but completely different. Expect all the hedonism of the 60s rock-and-roll scene. Should be fun.
The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis
Pub Date: July 21st
A great tale for book lovers follows a three generations of a family: one that lived in the New York Public Library in 1913, daughter Laura’s rebellion against women’s roles, and granddaughter Sadie Donavan in 1993 who gets a position as a curator for the NYPL. Add in the theft of rare manuscripts, and the story ramps to new levels. High on my TBR.
This Tender Land by William Kent Kruger
Pub date: Sept 3rd
Four kids escape a school in 1932 and embark on a Huckleberry Finn-esque adventure down the Mississippi River. I studied Huck Finn in depth in grad school, so I’m interested to see if there are any parallels. Another one that’s making all the summer reading lists.
This group of book provides an interesting mix to choose from. I’m not sure where I’ll start. Tomorrow is the last day of our preview, which focuses on upcoming Christian fiction. We’ll finish off the week Friday with a bonus post on some of the backlist books on my TBR, along with my First Picks from the summer preview.
So what did I leave off today’s list? Are you looking forward to any of these picks? Let me know in the comments.
Happy reading!
–Amy
