Skimm Reads Summer Reading List

Red, white, and reads. Summertime and books go together like SPF and the beach. These reads are perfect for a Summer Friday, weekend getaway, or relaxing night in with rosé.

For when you want to go a little deeper this summer...

Get a new perspective and read "Patsy" by Nicole Dennis-Benn. In it, a character named, yep, Patsy, comes to NYC from Jamaica and leaves her daughter behind. This novel beautifully depicts the struggle of an undocumented immigrant in the US and a mother-daughter relationship that gets more complicated with distance.

For your friend who's counting down the days until "Bachelor in Paradise" comes back...

Remember taxidermy Kendall? "Mostly Dead Things" by Kristen Arnett is a hilarious read ft. taxidermy. Stick with us. When a young woman is forced to step up and run her family's taxidermy business after her dad's tragic death, things get weird. And eccentric. Warning: might laugh out loud.

For the friend who starts a group thread about the BBQ…

Be wary of group think. Because in "Bunny" it gets very dark, very fast. This one, by Mona Awad, is about an MFA clique gone wrong. Think: “Heathers,” with alllll the good cultish vibes.

For when you're trying to solve the mystery of your uneven sunburn...

Keep the detective work going with "Searching for Sylvie Lee" by Jean Kwok. It centers on a 26-year-old woman's mission to find her missing sister. In the process, she finds a lot of family secrets.

For when you think about sending a postcard from vaca…

You could read a letter instead. Ocean Vuong’s debut novel, “On Earth We Were Briefly Gorgeous,” is a fictional love letter from a 20-something son to his illiterate mother, touching on everything from their family history in Vietnam to the challenges faced by working-class immigrant families. Critics loved it and the title doesn't lie (hint: it's gorgeous).

For your friend who loves “Law & Order”...

Angie Kim’s “Miracle Creek” is the summer courtroom drama you’ve been waiting for. Set in rural Virginia, a trial unfolds after a couple engage in an experimental medical treatment gone wrong. One day, their pressurized oxygen chamber that’s supposed to cure things like autism and infertility, explodes – and so too, does their lives.

For when you want a book to match your Aperol Spritz...

Enter Lauren Mechling’s “How Could She.” In it: girl goes through horrible break-up; girl watches her best friends land dream jobs, husbands, and seemingly perfect lives. It’s an inside look at female friendships—and betrayals—career and dating pressures, and hardest of all—making it in NYC.

For when your friend won't stop talking while you're trying to read...

Multitasking is hard. But not for Taffy Brodesser-Akner. The NYT journalist behind a lot of viral articles wrote her first novel, "Fleishman Is in Trouble." It follows a Manhattan couple's divorce and the husband's subsequent dating app-swiping. But when his ex drops the kids off and doesn't come back, choosing a profile picture becomes the least of his problems.

For when you want the ultimate beach read...

Enter Madeleine Henry’s, “Breathe In, Cash Out.” It’s “The Devil Wears Prada,” meets Wall Street. All about what happens to a straight-A Ivy League grad who dreams of launching her own yoga practice. The hold up? She has to quit her very high-stress banking job. Get ready for the ohmmmms.

For your friend who can’t resist a good love triangle…

Say hi to the Kleins in Marcy Dermansky's "Very Nice." There’s Rachel—an MFA student, and Becca, Rachel’s mom in Connecticut. Now say hi to Zahid, Rachel’s creative writing professor. We’ll let you guess what goes down in this one…

For when you have a wedding every weekend...

Get a read to go with it. "Strangers and Cousins" by Leah Hager Cohen is about a wedding with a drama as everyone's plus one. Think: family secrets, newcomers in town, a mansion sale gone wrong, and more.

For when you can't stop looking at your phone at the beach...

Turn it off and turn back the clock...to the 1950s. "Mrs. Everything" by Jennifer Weiner is about two sisters growing up in Detroit in the 1950s. Because this is a Weiner book you know there will be a shakeup and because it's the 50s you know there will be a look at women’s liberation in America.

PS: These are editorially selected, but if you purchase, theSkimm may get something in return. Thanks.