The summer is always full of hot new releases to enjoy in the hot summer sun. This summer, there are some particularly buzzy reads already out and on their way to bookshelves everywhere. We are stoked to get our hands on them and find out what all the fuss is about! Check out this list of the buzziest new releases for summer 2016. Some will make you laugh, other will make you cry, and all will be great additions to your “To Be Read” list!
The Buzziest Summer Reads of 2016
The Children
Ann Leary
Release Date: May 24, 2016
Summer is the perfect time to read witty and captivating women’s fiction like The Children. The story is centered around a quirky and wealthy family from New England, and it’s narrated by the reclusive and (strangely) internet-famous Charlotte Maynard. Charlotte and her sister have lived in the Connecticut Lakeside house for their whole life, but their younger stepbrothers now own the estate. Spin, one of the stepbrothers, is about to get married and brings his fiancé to stay with them over the summer. As the wedding slowly approaches, hidden resentments emerge that may pit the family members against each other.
Buy on AmazonBuy Nook BookBuy iBookModern Lovers
Emma Straub
Release Date: May 31, 2016
Fans of The Vacationers will love Emma Straub’s newest release! It follows three close friends who met in college and are now living in gentrified Brooklyn with their families. All of them are in their 50’s, and they are struggling to come to terms with growing older and what that means for their life and their ambitions. Modern Lovers is a great read for both young adults who are trying to find their way in the world and older adults who want to reminisce about their college days.
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Yaa Gyasi
Release Date: June 7, 2016
In her debut novel, Yaa Gyasi paints an exquisite picture of how generations of people are impacted by decisions and events of the past. The story follows Effia and Esi, two half-sisters from Ghana whose lives divert on extremely different paths. Throughout the story, Gyasi takes you through the generations of descendants who follow the two sisters and shows how their lives are impacted by the things that go on around them.
Buy on AmazonBuy Nook BookBuy iBookRich and Pretty
Rumaan Alam
Release Date: June 7, 2016
Let’s be honest: we’ve all struggled to navigate the adult world at some point in our lives. Rich and Pretty focuses on the challenges of adult life and how the power of friendship can help us get through these rough patches. The two main characters, Sarah and Lauren, have been best friends for almost their entire life. Now that they are in their thirties, they are having trouble maintaining the strong bond that they once had. This highly relatable story explores what it’s like when our paths diverge from the people who were once close to us, and how the power of a strong friendship can carry you through the difficult parts of life.
Buy on AmazonBuy Nook BookBuy iBookThe Girls
Emma Cline
Release Date: June 14, 2016
Set in the 1960’s, The Girls follows young Evie as she becomes entranced and pulled into a cult that is reminiscent of the Manson Family. Evie first sees these girls in a park, and she is enamored by their reckless abandon and seemingly carefree spirits. She is taken to their ranch and is slowly drawn into the strange, hippie-like life of the cult. The longer she’s away from her normal life, the closer she gets to committing unthinkable acts of violence. This novel is mesmerizing, and it’s a must read for 2016.
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Vinegar Girl
Anne Tyler
Release Date: June 21, 2016
We’ve mentioned Vinegar Girl before in our Librarian’s Picks post, but it’s worth talking about again. Starting in October 2015, well-known authors started writing modern adaptations of some of Shakespeare’s most notable works for the Hogarth Shakespeare project. Vinegar Girl is the third book of the project that’s been released, and it puts a new spin on The Taming of the Shrew.
Buy on AmazonBuy Nook BookBuy iBookTruly Madly Guilty
Liane Moriarty
Release Date: July 26, 2016
Hailed by Entertainment Weekly as the “Best Beach Bet” for Summer 2016, Truly Madly Guilty explores what happens when things go wrong in the lives of three normal, happy families. Before they go to their neighbor’s barbecue, Sam and Clementine lead a happy and exciting life. They have great jobs, two children, and a healthy marriage. Things go haywire after Clementine’s best friend, Erika, convinces them to go to Tiffany and Vid’s upcoming barbecue. What seemed like a normal weekend event turned into something that changed their lives forever.
Buy on AmazonBuy Nook BookBuy iBookThe Regulars
Georgia Clark
Release Date: August 2, 2016
If you’re recently graduated twenty-something who is trying to make it in the working world, you might want to pick up The Regulars. The story follows three best friends as they move to New York and attempt to survive their tumultuous quarter-life crises. They consider themselves average-looking, “regular” girls until they come across a magical medicine that makes them absolutely gorgeous. If they want the medicine to become pretty, however, they may have to sacrifice something else in their life.
Buy on AmazonBuy Nook BookBuy iBookThe Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo
Amy Schumer
Release Date: August 16, 2016
Amy Schumer has been making us laugh out loud since she started her show Inside Amy Schumer, and soon you’ll be able to experience her comedic prowess in book form. Her new memoir tells many of the stories that shaped her into the confident and hilarious woman she is today. Reading these personal and heartfelt essays will make you feel like you’re grabbing a drink with your best friend.
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