Summer Reads

I read a lot more nonfiction during the summer. There’s just something about sitting outside while reading about something new that makes summer more enjoyable and relaxing for me. I have noticed lately that I keep gravitating toward memoirs and biographies when I think about what I might want to read this summer. As I look at my bookshelves, I see so many memoirs and biographies of celebrities sitting on my library wishlist in my Kindle library. On my bookshelves, so I think that this summer is going to be all about celebrity stories.

This summer, I’ll read biographies of actors, authors, politicians, chefs, and more. The last one I read was about two authors, so I think the next one should be about someone who shines in a different spotlight.

I’ve decided that I’ll start with Savor, about Fatima Ali, a rising star in the culinary world who died of cancer before her 30th birthday. She began creating this book during the last months of her life. After Fatima died, her co-writer teamed up with her mother to finish the story. It weaves Fatima’s memories, stories, and her mother’s telling of their family history. I’m only about halfway through, but learning about her family’s life in Pakistan has been fascinating, and I cannot wait to finish reading the rest of her story.

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Upcoming Releases

I don’t know about you, but I love reading all of those articles out there about the best upcoming books. So, I’m taking some inspiration from those articles and giving you a list of and links to 8 books coming out this spring that I am really excited about.

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Slow Noodles, by Chantha Nguon–coming February 20th
A haunting and beautiful memoir from a Cambodian refugee who lost her country and her family during Pol Pot’s genocide in the 1970s but who finds hope by reclaiming the recipes she tasted in her mother’s kitchen.

Listen for the Lie, by Amy Tintera–Coming March 5th
Lucy’s best friend was murdered years ago, and Lucy coped with her grief by leaving town. Now, a true crime podcaster is digging into her friend’s case, and she is going to have to finally deal with what happened all those years ago.

The Swan’s Nest, by Laura McNeal–coming March 12th
A tender and engrossing historical novel about the unlikely love affair between two great 19th-century poets, Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett.

Jaded, by Ela Lee–coming March 19th
A young lawyer wakes up the morning after a work gala with no memory of how she got home the previous night and must figure out what, exactly, happened—and how much she’s willing to put up with to make her way to the top of the corporate ladder.

Off the Air, by Christina Estes–coming March 26th
A debut novel about the drama in journalism. When a talk show host dies suspiciously, a local journalist realizes that she conducted his last interview and feels compelled to help solve the mystery of his death.

The Sleepwalkers, by Scarlett Thomas–coming April 9th
A surprising and suspenseful modern gothic story following a couple running from secretive pasts and very present dangers while honeymooning on a Greek island.

Days of Wonder, by Caroline Leavitt–coming April 23rd
A tantalizing, courageous story about mothers and daughters, guilt and innocence, and the lengths we go for love.

Granite Harbor, by Peter Nichols–coming April 30th
A small town in Maine finds its detectives trying to stop a serial killer who is targeting the town’s teenagers.

Not only am I excited about these upcoming reads, but I have been lucky enough that the publishers and NetGalley have given me an advanced copy of each of them, which means that there will be a full review post of each of these books coming during their release weeks! So take a look at the links and their full descriptions, and let me know which ones you are looking forward to reading.