Summer reading round-up
Reviews of upcoming releases, plus what's on my TBR
Poolside reading is one of my favorite summer activities, and spring break in Mexico was a strong, unofficial kickoff to the season.
My book selections tend to be seasonal: horror and thrillers for fall, holiday stories or romances at the end of the year, the classics or modern literature for the stretch between the New Year and spring, then summer-based stories, tales of travel and adventure, or read-in-one-afternoon suspense novels for the warmer months.
The books I read over the past two weeks fall squarely into that last bucket.
Here’s what I read and my reviews, as well as the books on my summer TBR. (A big thank-you to NetGalley and the respective book publishers for ARCs).
What I read
Major Gift by Tiffany Ezuma (May 19) • ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Summary: Major Gift is a smart romance featuring Ndidi, a recent widow who wants to give away most of the money her late husband earned after creating and selling a popular app. Geoffrey, a journalist, is assigned a story about the foundation she created and shadows her for a week as she gets it off the ground. The chemistry between the two of them is almost immediate and undeniable, but Ndidi remains guarded as she clings to a secret she doesn’t want Geoffrey to discover.
What I liked: The novel’s first-person narration, from Ndidi’s POV, allows us to get close to her thoughts and emotions quickly. Though she’s inherited billions, she’s relatable and down to earth: “In a world where wealth-hoarding is not only possible but encouraged, I want to do the opposite. I want to give it all away,” she reveals in the first chapter. But we later learn other factors are at play in her decision to unload the money — a lack of confidence, guilt, disenfranchisement with the challenge of being a woman in the “tech bro” world, and fear of letting people see her true self — that many readers will likely also relate to.
I also enjoyed the plot and its sweet love story. Fans of romance won’t be disappointed; the chemistry between Ndidi and Geoffrey is palpable, and watching Geoffrey help Ndidi slowly come out of her shell had me hoping they’d end up together.
What didn’t work for me: Many of the supporting characters felt formulaic and two-dimensional. There’s the sassy, direct sister; trusty, righthand chief of staff; condescending older male in the workplace; and an employee introduced to us as homosexual though his sexual preference has no bearing on the story — it feels like a checked box.
I also struggled with the abrupt ending. I don’t want to give it away, but I’ll say it felt like either a cop-out, or as though the author reached her word limit and needed to quickly wrap it up.
TL;DR: It’s a sweet romance with likable characters, but I was left wanting more.
Preorder or add to your TBR on Bookshop.org.
The Break-Up Retreat by Camilla Sten (June 9) • ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Summary: Isobel, a struggling journalist, goes undercover in an attempt to save her career and her family name, which she believes was ruined after her father was exposed for lying in his award-winning investigative articles. She travels to an exclusive psychological wellness retreat where women spend their life savings or take out massive loans to recover from broken hearts and consistently bad partner choices. Her plan: expose the clinic, where some clients seemingly vanish.
What I liked: It was a page turner with a few twists, which I always love. The novel also had a colorful cast of supporting characters, though I wish I got to know some of them better.
What didn’t work for me: The story moves quickly — too quickly. As a result, we don’t get a clear sense of place or see any character development. The unique premise is what initially piqued my interest. I enjoy stories about retreats because we become isolated with the characters and enmeshed in their surroundings. But we don’t learn much about the retreat — what the facility looks like, what comprises treatment beyond the first day schedule, why many women drain their finances to go there (mentioned several times) — so there’s no real connection. We can’t “see” it.
The novel also lacks solid character development. The final chapter, which takes place six months after the novel’s events, created more questions for me than answers. We learn about some changes in Isobel’s life but get no insight into what spurred her decisions.
Finally, I struggled to find Isobel likable. She’s stuck in the past, has a victim mentality, and lacks self-awareness, often saying or doing things she quickly regrets. I struggled to empathize with her.
TL;DR: It’s a fun, fast plot-driven read, but you’ll be disappointed if you’re seeking a strong, in-depth psychological thriller or solid character development.
Preorder or add to your TBR on Bookshop.org.
Helpless by Jessica Knoll (July 7) • ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Summary: This psychological thriller centers on a former college couple, Faye and Henry. They’ve since gone their separate ways but are brought back together on campus after their former professor passes away. Faye can’t deny her feelings for Henry remain and agrees to a drink at the hotel with him. After waking up in a remote mountain cabin with Henry as her captor, Faye realizes what she thought she knew for years isn’t the truth after all.
What I liked: First and foremost, this novel has a WILD twist at the end that left me questioning everything, going back to reread parts, and combing Goodreads and Reddit for related conversations. I’ll leave it at that to avoid inadvertent spoilers.
I also loved the main character. Knoll excels at creating unreliable, complicated female MCs with an edge. They are tough to like, but I usually do because she does an amazing job of giving us a full picture of the MC: their past, experiences, struggles, motivators — information we need to be able to empathize with, and maybe even root for, them. Faye is shallow and ruthlessly ambitious, but she’s also clever, funny, and a fighter. I was invested in her escape and well-being — until the end. That’s all I say.
What didn’t work for me: In some parts, there’s too much plot. The novel contains a few interesting twists throughout, but each reveals a lot of information that becomes confusing to keep straight.
I will also call out that this is an erotic psychological thriller with explicit, graphic scenes featuring domination. They didn’t bother me, but some reviewers of this book were put off or found them triggering.
TL;DR: I’ve been a huge fan of Knoll’s work since her wildly popular debut novel, Luckiest Girl Alive, and this one didn’t disappoint. Be warned this isn’t a book you can read quickly; you need to spend time with the characters and pay attention to the many plot points to avoid getting lost.
Preorder or add to your TBR on Bookshop.org.
The Parisian Heist by Jo Piazza (July 14) • ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Summary: The Parisian Heist is a dual timeline story featuring women with parallel and connected lives. The story is told from the perspectives of Emma, a struggling American artist in Paris in the 1990s who’s drawn into the world of art dealing to the wealthy, and Claire, an employee and friend of Jo van Gogh in the late nineteenth/early twentieth century. Jo has inherited her brother-in-law Vincent’s hundreds of paintings and is determined to prove their genius and sell them. These women’s lives intersect when Emma agrees to execute a heist inside the Musée d’Orsay.
What I liked: The book contains adventure, romance, crime, betrayal, history, class struggles, family drama, and female friendship — and weaves it together brilliantly.
It’s clear Piazza did an incredible amount of research in writing this novel. Her detailed descriptions of Paris and Amsterdam as well as the artwork mentioned make us feel as though we are strolling the streets of these cities or gazing at a piece of art alongside the characters. Vincent van Gogh and his brother Theo come to life for us through their letters. She provides an in-depth look at the “dark” art market in a way that engages and intrigues the reader. The heist is nuanced and clever, and the characters complex.
As always, Piazza’s story is full of strong women who refuse to accept the limitations of their circumstances and who recognize the exponential power of women coming together to achieve a common goal. It’s a powerful reminder of the invisible — but impactful — work done by women throughout time.
Lastly, the story is full of twists, leaving readers surprised and impressed with the cunning minds of several characters.
What didn’t work for me: Nothing. (Seriously!)
TL;DR: This may be Jo Piazza’s best novel yet, and I’ll be shocked if it’s not one of the summer’s most popular releases.
Preorder or add to your TBR on Bookshop.org.
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On my summer TBR
American Fantasy by Emma Straub — Straub is one of my favorite authors, and I read everything she writes. Her latest, released on April 7, follows a recently divorced woman who goes on a cruise headlined by her favorite nineties boy band and rediscovers herself. Like many lately, I’m full of nineties nostalgia and can’t wait to read this one.
These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean — This received a lot of positive buzz last year, but I didn’t get a chance to read it. It’s about Alice, the estranged daughter of a recently deceased billionaire. She returns home to her family’s private island for his funeral only to learn her father set up a week-long inheritance game for the family. The story has been described as reminiscent of “Succession,” so I have high hopes.
The Amalfi Curse by Sarah Penner — Also released last summer, this novel is about Haven, a nautical archaeologist who’s investigating mysterious shipwrecks off the Amalfi Coast and secretly on a quest to locate the priceless gemstones her late father saw on his last dive. Soon after her arrival, the town begins to experience strange events. As Haven searches for the treasure, she discovers the story of a woman who used magic to save her lover and village and wonders if this magic is behind recent events. She sets out to unravel the curse before the region is permanently destroyed.
Teetering by Karen Mehiel (June 2) — Mehiel’s debut novel is about a woman named Allegra with a “good-on-paper” life: the comforts of the upper class, a loving husband of thirty-five years, and the family they built. As Allegra plans a lavish celebration for her husband’s eightieth birthday, a long-held secret threatens to destroy the life they’ve created. The publisher’s description notes it’s “a raw and moving portrait of a woman torn between living an authentic life and the pressure of perfection.” My novel-in-(slow)-progress circles around a similar question, and I’m looking forward to seeing how Mehiel approaches it.
Girl of Lore by Melanie Dale (April 21) — I love fantasy novels when they’re done well, and I have no doubt this one will be (Melanie’s essays on Coffee + Crumbs are always fantastic.) Her novel centers on Mina, who lives in a town rich with stories of dark magic and creatures. Mina enjoys the stories and sketches them, but is convinced they’ve been devised to drive tourism — until a classmate goes missing and a body drained of blood is discovered, and Mina finds herself at the center of it all.
Set the Bone by Jillian Stacia (May 1) — I’ve been excitedly awaiting publication day for this poetry collection since it was announced. Jillian’s poetry is beautiful and brutal and doesn’t hold back; instead, cutting quickly to the core of the truth and often leaving me with tears or goosebumps (or both). This collection challenges the systems and beliefs that keep women compliant and quiet, and I’m looking forward to feeling inspired and emboldened by her words.
What have you read and loved lately? What’s on your summer TBR? Share in the comments.
So many great reads here and so many to add to my to-be read list!
American Fantasy is also on my list! Really looking forward to this one. :)