These fun, breezy books perfect for summertime

Summer is upon us, and most of us lean toward lighter selections for steamy days at the pool, or long hours of travel, but there is still room for some quirky or challenging books. Pick a few for this month.

 

“The Next Day” by Melinda French Gates. Her perspective on handling big transitions in life (say a hugely public divorce) and decisions, big and small, that each of us grapples with over a lifetime.

 

“No One Has Seen It All” by Betty Halbreich. If you watched the 2013 documentary “Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf’s,” Halbreich is the personal shopper there. She invented the job and showed up every day well into her 90s! She was a New York City style icon who worked on “Sex and the City” as well as “Gossip Girl.” I listened to the audiobook of this, and it was like listening to my mother (a consummate NYC shopper).

 

“Jane and Dan at the End of the World” by Colleen Oakley. To celebrate their anniversary, Jane and Dan inexplicably choose an over-the-top, of-the-moment culinary venue. Things go awry quickly. Snappy, funny, relatable dialogue and a fast-paced story make this a perfect poolside read.

 

“Murder at Gulls Nest” by Jess Kidd. Delightful murder mystery by one of my favorite British writers. Nora Breen leaves the convent to investigate a disappearance and finds herself in a murder inquiry at her English boarding house. 

 

“Heartwood” by Amity Gaige. A young woman is lost on the Appalachian Trail in Maine. To keep her focus, she writes fragments of letters to her mother on scraps of paper. Meanwhile, the game warden is personally committed to finding her. Well-paced, fleshed-out characters and a good finale.

 

“Broken Country” by Clare Leslie Hall. A popular book club selection, you may have already read this, but did you know it is being made into a movie? Hallmark, anyone? Very divided opinions on this one. Some overwrought romance but overall, Hall is a talented writer.

 

“The Colony” by Annika Norlin. Massive best seller in Sweden. An unusual story about individuals who form an isolated community for various reasons. Surprisingly uplifting at the end.

 

“Hunchback” by Saou Ichikawa. International bestseller and nominated for the 2025 Booker Prize. This is a short but startling book about a young woman with a physical deformity and her interaction with society. She has a shocking occupation, but the book is meant to humanize those with disabilities whom we marginalize physically and psychologically. The author actually has the deformity she depicts.

 

“Bitter Texas Honey” by Ashley Whitaker. A young woman working for a Republican politician and grappling with the paradox of politics and her “Christian” family while coping with her own coming-of-age. Skewers everyone.

 

“All That Life Can Afford” by Emily Everett. Beautiful descriptions of the playgrounds of the moneyed class. A young American girl gets swept up in the fun and fails to navigate the potholes. Another poolside read.

 

You can reach Becky Bechhold at hello@beckysbookclub.com.