Summer Reads

By Michelle Pierce

When you pack your beach bag this summer, a good book is as essential as sunblock and a towel. What makes a great beach read is up to you, but Michelle Pierce of Lido Village Books has a recommendation for everyone. From the season’s most buzz-worthy new releases to spine-chilling thrillers and nonfiction tales of true crime, her list spans genres and subject matter to help readers of all stripes get lost in the pages of a good book. lidovillagebooks.com | IG: @lvbabookstore

by Emily Henry Emily Henry is back at it again with the enemies-tolovers trope, and she does it so well. The writing is funny and sarcastic, witty and hot — I couldn’t put it down! Literary agent Nora is not a person everyone loves; in fact, most people hate her. She is brutal and cutthroat, but she gets her job done, and she gets it done well. When her path continues to collide with an editor named Charlie Lastra, there’s raw energy and great banter that will put a permanent smile on your face and have your heart doing flip flops for more, more, more! (Hardback $27, Paperback $17)

by Ruth Ware Ruth Ware never fails to deliver a thrilling, suspenseful book that grabs hold of you on page one and keeps you guessing until the end. Spinning a dark tale in the confines of Oxford University, she uses Hannah to tell the story of her roommate April from "before" and "after" a chilling, life-changing event. (Available July 12, Hardback $28.99)

by Geraldine Brooks Pulitzer Prize-winning author Geraldine Brooks brings a new sweeping historical fiction to life in "Horse.” Set in 1850, 1954, and 2019, she weaves together art history and the story of the greatest racehorse in American history. The result is an emotional and beautiful narrative about humans and animals, men and women, and black and white. (Available June 14, Hardback $28)

by Ottessa Moshfegh Otessa Moshfegh is at it again with a dark and challenging summer read. This book isn't for the faint of heart and even comes with some content warnings: cannibalism, incest, and rape, to name a few. But if you love dark, fairytale-esque stories with a crisis of faith, where the book revolves around characters over plot, then you will enjoy this addictive, disgusting, and filthy pick — everything you could want from a Moshfegh novel. (Available June 21, Hardback $27)

by Jennifer Weiner Jennifer Weiner is synonymous with summer beach reads, and she doesn't fall short with “The Summer Place.” Set in Cape Cod, the story is told from revolving points of view as Ruby prepares to get married at her grandmother's beach house. Jumping back and forth from the characters’ past to the present, you learn all the secrets everyone withholds from each other (including those that they want to "share," but only after the wedding). It’s a big-hearted read that draws on the power of home and how surprising love can be. (Hardback $28.99)

by Taylor Jenkins Reid It's Taylor Jenkins Reid! What's not to love about this book? Returning to her themes of fame and the costs that surround such notoriety, this time she takes a journey into the sports world. It’s a timely commentary that comes at a time when our young elite athletes have experienced the real-world of fame over the last few Olympic games. In this new novel, Carrie is a tennis star six years in retirement, but at 37 she wants back in the game. The world thinks she is washed up, but is she? Does she have what it takes to compete with women much younger and in their athletic prime? This is a page-turning story about the cost of greatness and what it takes to make a comeback. (Available Aug. 30, Hardback $28)

by Lisa Taddeo After gathering so much acclaim for her nonfiction “Three Women,” then moving to fiction with “Animal,” Lisa Taddeo is now back with a short story collection. There is no end in sight for this unpredictable author, and I am excited to see what genre she tackles next! In Lisa, I see the rawness and truth of Joan Didion with the vulgarity and angst of Charles Bukowski (but for women). “Ghost Lover” continues this feeling with nine unpredictable stories of the modern woman's everyday life, tackling friendships, lust, self-image, desire and more from every stage she moves through. (Available June 14, Hardback, $27)

by Jean Hanff Korelitz “The Latecomer” is a summer read for those who love family drama sagas and languid literary writing structures. An emotional exploration that gives you every single family member's perspective, it takes you back to the New York society in the early days of IVF. Three siblings are born, a fourth embryo is saved, and a family of strangers is created. With beautiful storylines and plot twists, this book deliberately touches on societal topics we are still working through today: generational trauma, grief, guilt, privilege, race, and family dynamics, to name a few. (Hardback $28)

by Patrick Radden Keefe After bringing us hypnotically engaging journalism with “Empire of Pain” and “Say Nothing,” Patrick Radden Keefe delivers another meticulously reported series of short articles about his "abiding preoccupations.” Who doesn't love books about crime and corruption, secrets and lies, and that tenuous line between illicit and licit worlds? “Rogues” is a nonfiction book that takes several of his most celebrated articles from The New Yorker and compiles them all in a single edition. Do you wonder if a whistleblower is a hero or a fabulist? Or what it’s like to travel Vietnam with Anthony Bourdain? Or how to forge vintage wine? Keefe is an intriguing writer and will have you engrossed with every story. (Available June 28, Hardback $30)

by Gabrielle Zevin A literary agent back in November told me to keep an eye out for this book, saying it will be the must-read of the summer. With all the tenderness, sweetness, and emotional depth of her New York Times bestselling “The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry,” Gabrielle Zevin brings us another story of friendship and love, but this time through the world of gaming. Spanning three decades and the evolution of video games as art form, “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow” is a modern-day love story for those who grew up in the ’90s. You don't have to be a gamer to love or appreciate this book — you just have to be human. (Available July 5, Hardback $28)

Michael Callas Untitled, 2021 Spray Paint and Stencil on Canvas 80 x 80 in.

Available at JoAnne Artman Gallery, Laguna Beach, 949.510.5481 Make an appointment to view the Summer Lovin’ exhibition at JoAnne Artman Gallery at 346 N. Coast Hwy. in Laguna, running through August 15, 2022, and featuring works from Michael Callas, Greg Miller, Anja Van Herle, Anna Kincaide, and Mary Finlayson. joanneartmangallery.com