Summer is here and we at Word After Word Books are ready to read! Every day we get to talk to so many different kinds of readers that we’ve concluded there is no such thing as the quintessential beach read. Any book you bring to the beach is a beach read! If you’re not quite sure what you’re in the mood for this summer, we’ve got plenty of recommendations.
If you like to chew on some good fiction we suggest James by Percival Everett, a retelling of Huckleberry Finn from Jim’s perspective, or Real Americans by Rachel Khong, a multigeneration family drama that interrogates American identity and the inevitability of the future. The Women by Kristin Hannah, a historical fiction novel about one woman in the Army Nurse Corps during the Vietnam war, has been our most popular book club pick of the year so far, and for good reason! The Hannah fans on staff think it’s her best book since The Nightingale. If your book club has already read The Women, the next big pick of the summer is Same As It Ever Was by Claire Lombardo, a novel following a woman as she grapples with entering the next phase of her life when her youngest leaves the nest.
For all our romance readers, there is truly a boon of options this summer. As diehard Emily Henry fans, we will always recommend any of her books. Her latest novel, Funny Story, follows two people who are total opposites brought together by the only thing they have in common: their exes — who are dating each other. With her signature infusion of witty banter and swoony moments, Henry creates an undeniable chemistry between her characters. There has been much debate at the store over whether this is her best novel yet (the majority says yes). If you’ve already devoured every Emily Henry book, we also love Ashley Poston, who has a new book out this summer as well. A Novel Love Story follows a literature professor who finds herself caught up in a work of fiction (literally) when her car breaks down in the town from her favorite romance series, and she just might have her very own meet cute. For those who want a lighter read that isn’t a romance, staff favorite author Claire Pooley is back with another wonderful novel about a senior center and daycare colliding in How to Age Disgracefully. Pooley is the queen of a fun, warm-and-fuzzy read, perfect for fans of Fredrik Backman and Richard Osman.
It might be summer, but it’s never too early for a good mystery or thriller to give you goosebumps! For Agatha Christie fans, How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin is one of our most cherished cozy mysteries of the year so far. Told in alternating perspectives, we follow Frances Adams in 1965 trying to prevent her foretold murder, and her great-niece Annie in the present day trying to solve the murder. For those who prefer a good edge-of-your-seat thriller, check out First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston about a seemingly innocent Southern girl who is actually a con artist posing as the girlfriend of her latest target, but then her past catches up with her.
If you like learning from your beach read, we’ve got plenty of nonfiction picks this year. Erik Larson’s latest book The Demon of Unrest looks at the 5 months between Lincoln’s election and inauguration as the country fractured into the beginnings of the Civil War. Only Larson could make such a short period of time feel so large and engaging. If you’re already looking forward to next winter, pick up The Darkest White by Eric Blehm, a staff favorite that is part adventure biography of the first pro snowboarder Craig Kelly, and part sports history tracing the rise of snowboarding in the 1960s and ’70s. For the poets and nature lovers, You Are Here is a must-read collection of nature poetry gathered by Ada Limón as part of her signature project as our current U.S. poet laureate. In her introduction, Limón posits that “poetry and nature have a way of reminding us that we are not alone” and invites her readers into the ecosystem of poetry she has gathered to create community and remind us that nature is not a place to visit — it is who we are.
For our youngest readers, we have two new releases from local authors that we’re loving: Forest and Wild Sierra Nevada. The former, from author-illustrator Christie Matheson, is a rhythmic introduction to the magic of forests that is also wonderful for families who enjoy the outdoors. Wild Sierra Nevada: A Family Nature Guide, by local author Joanna Howe and illustrated by Reno-based artist Alex Bailey, is a gorgeously illustrated natural history book and guide for the whole family to learn about the flora and fauna in the Sierra.
~ Content provided by the team at Word After Word Books and Rock Cellar Records in Truckee, your local indie bookshop and vinyl record store.
What’s Happening at Word After Word Books and Rock Cellar Records?
Summer Reading Program: June 1 through Sept. 31
Book Bingo is Back: Great fun for kids and adults. Pick up your bingo card in the store and get reading.
Todd Borg Book Signing Event: Saturday, Aug. 3, Todd Borg, author of the Owen McKenna mystery series set in Tahoe, will be at Word
After Word Books to sign the newest installment in the series, Tahoe Rescue, from 4 to 6 p.m.
Located in the Historic Truckee Mercantile Building at 10052 Donner Pass Rd.
wordafterwordbooks.com and rockcellarrecords.com
