One Plus One’ by Jojo Moyes - July 1
One Plus One by Jojo Moyes
Penguin
One Plus One is the sort of zany love story that is perfect for the middle of summer. A single mother has a son who is being bullied and a math whiz daughter who has the chance to compete in a major contest that the family can’t afford. Enter the nerdy millionaire whose house the mom is employed to clean. He decides to help the daughter get to the competition, and the rest is romantic comedy history.
The City’ by Dean Koontz - July 1
The City by Dean Koontz
Bantam
The City is a novel that jumps back and forth through time and is told by a talented musician. He relates that events that happened in his city starting in 1967, when he was ten. Good and evil and events “terrible and wonderful” all take place in this city, with a host of characters for readers to enjoy.
The Great Glass Sea’ by Josh Weil - July 2
The Great Glass Sea
Grove/Atlantic
Josh Weil’s second novel is a science fiction story with a focus on two brothers in a dysfunctional family. The premise of The Great Glass Sea is that the Russian government has put mirrors in space that reflect sunlight back to earth at night, creating perpetual daylight for a sub-Arctic community in Russia that contains huge greenhouses. The science fiction part of the story explores how this perpetual sunlight affects people. The domestic part of the story explores the relationship between two brothers.
‘The Girls from Corona Del Mar’ by Rufi Thorpe - July 8
Girls from Corona Del Mar
Random House
The Girls from Corona Del Mar is a literary debut about friendship between women and how childhood relationships evolve over time. The story is not primarily about youth or coming of age. It is told from adulthood and is primarily about the life of one of the girls, as told by her best friend. Advance praise has made this a book to watch.
‘The Hundred Year House’ by Rebecca Makkai - July 10
The Hundred Year House by Rebecca Makkai
Viking
The Hundred Year House is Makkai’s second novel, although she is well known for her short stories, which have been featured in The Best American Short Stories for several years. The Hundred Year House is about an old money family and their estate, which used to be an arts colony.
‘Last Stories and Other Stories’ by William T. Vollman - July 10
Last Stories and Other Stories by William T. Vollman
Viking
Vollman’s first published fiction book in 10 years is a collection of “ghost stories.” Adult campfire reading? These stories are about love, death and sex, and explore the ways in which memories and relationships haunt people, using supernatural stories to draw out this theme. I always like how short story collections allow for quick gratification – I can read a story and be done or pick up the next story immediately. This might be a good choice for those looking for some literary summer reading.
‘The Book of Life’ by Deborah Harkness - July 15
The Book of Life
Penguin
Deborah Harkness made it big with her debut novel, A Discovery of Witches, which came out in 2011. Discovery of Witches was the first book in a supernatural suspense and romance trilogy. Book of Life brings that trilogy to a conclusion. If you have not read the first two books, start there. If you have, this is the book you’ve been waiting for.
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