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Daily Mirror
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Top 10 best new romance books to take on holiday with you this summer
If you're looking for a romance novel to take on holiday with you this summer, look no further There's nothing quite like lounging in the sun on holiday, fresh from a dip in the pool, with a good book in hand. Certain genres naturally lend themselves to this summery setting, and romance is certainly one of them. Whether you're after a simple, feel-good romance or something that tugs at your heartstrings, there's a wealth of options available. To help you out, we've selected 10 of the best romance reads of the year so far, catering to all moods. For more book recommendations, reviews and news, click here to subscribe to our free weekly newsletter, The Bookish Drop, on Substack. 1. Sounds Like Love by Ashley Poston In Sounds Like Love, Ashley Poston's enchanting new romcom, a successful songwriter and a disgruntled musician must collaborate to complete a song that has been plaguing them both. If you're familiar with Ashley Poston's work, you'll be pleased to know that Sounds Like Love has all the charm and small-town appeal of A Novel Love Story, as well as the slow-burn romance of The Seven Year Slip. It's romantic, emotional and incredibly hard to put down! 2. Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid Astrophysics professor Joan Goodwin embarks on astronaut training at Houston's Johnson Space Center in Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid, where she discovers both friendship and love, prompting her to question her place in the universe until a mission changes everything in an instant. Atmosphere is a sweeping love story set against the backdrop of the 1980s space shuttle programme. As with any Taylor Jenkins Reid book, expect to laugh, cry and everything in between. 3. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V. E. Schwab Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil follows three queer women—María in 1530s Spain, Charlotte in 1800s London and Alice in modern-day Boston—each grappling with their own forbidden desires and the lengths they'll go to pursue them. This gorgeously gothic novel explores themes of power, loss, trauma and desire, but at its heart is love in all of its various forms, including love between friends and family, as well as self-love. It's a romantic, lyrical read, perfect for immersing yourself in this summer. 4. A Secret Escape by Sarah Morgan A Secret Escape follows Milly and Nicole, two once inseparable childhood friends who fell out a few years ago and never resumed contact. But after two years without speaking, film star Nicole suddenly begs for holiday home business owner Milly's help. As the two women reconnect, they revisit old memories, uncover secrets and learn to trust each other once again. While this isn't the most romance-heavy book on this list, there is a potential new love for Milly, and with the beautiful lakeside setting and themes of friendship and second chances, it's definitely one to add to your holiday reading list. 5. Couple Goals by Kit Williams When a fresh manager takes the reins of the Tigresses football squad, introducing star player Kira to the mix, team morale dips as current MVP, Maeve, instantly butts heads with Kira. Meanwhile, the new boss' grumpy son is a familiar face for midfielder Adriana. With a blend of rivals-to-lovers and grumpy-meets-sunshine tropes, this makes for a cracking summer read. Even those unacquainted with sports romance will find it hard not to be won over. 6. Behind Frenemy Lines by Zen Cho In the aftermath of a turbulent break up and in search of a clean slate, ambitious solicitor Kriya follows her boss to a new law firm. However, sharing an office with Charles, her long-time work adversary, wasn't quite what she'd envisioned. But when circumstances force them to feign a relationship, the dynamics of their rapport begin to blur. Ideal for fans of The Hating Game by Sally Thorne, this is a brisk workplace romance that tackles some significant issues while also delivering top-notch banter and hilarious supporting characters. You can buy Behind Frenemy Lines here. 7. The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst If you're partial to cosy fantasy with a dash of romance, this is your go-to summer read. Set in the same universe as The Spellshop, The Enchanted Greenhouse follows Terlu, a librarian who was transformed into a wooden statue for breaking the law by using magic, but one day awakens on a nearly-deserted island teeming with hundreds of magical greenhouses. However, when she discovers that the magic sustaining the greenhouses is dwindling, Terlu embarks on a mission to save the island and begin a new life, aided by a sentient rose and a grumpy yet attractive gardener. An isolated island brimming with enchanting sights, melodious flowers and limitless honey cake? Sounds like an idyllic summer getaway. Throw in some intrigue and romance along with a generous serving of cosy vibes, and you've got the ingredients for an ideal summer read! You can buy The Enchanted Greenhouse here. 8. One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune One Golden Summer is the latest captivating romance novel from bestselling author Carley Fortune. Fans of And Every Summer After are in for a delight, as this book centres around Charlie Florek, Sam's elder brother. Alice's life took a turn when she captured a photo of three teenagers in a yellow speedboat one summer. When she revisits Barry's Bay years later with her grandmother, she sees Charlie, who was one of the subjects of the photo, in a completely different light. With summery weather, stunning sunsets and boat trips, it's impossible not to feel the holiday spirit while reading this book - even if you're just at home. You can buy One Golden Summer here. 9. Use the Words You Have by Kimberly Campanello Use the Words You Have isn't your typical romance novel; this literary romance unfolds over a long, hot summer in France as US student K embarks on a romantic relationship with a local man. The story weaves in and out of different time periods as the protagonist reminisces about her childhood, a summer spent in France, and her subsequent reflections years later. It's a beautifully written, evocative read best savoured under the sun. 10. What Would Dolly Do? by Suzan Holder When Becky Mooney, a Scottish tribute singer for Dolly Parton, ends her relationship with her boyfriend (who also happens to be her Kenny Rogers singing partner), she decides to draw inspiration from her idol and attempt to shine solo. This leads to an unexpected meeting with a dashing country music star and a rocky journey to Nashville. This book offers a delightful summer romance, and many readers will identify with Becky's quest to discover her own voice and identity.
NBC News
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC News
18 queer AF beach reads to devour this summer
The summer months are a perfect time to sit back, unwind and enjoy a bit of escapism with a book (or e-reader) in hand. For some, this could entail a trope-filled gay romance, while for others, it could mean tales of lesbian vampires and carnivorous flowers (looking at you, Florida!). In order to serve up beachworthy queer recommendations for book lovers with a variety of tastes and preferences, we asked booksellers and bibliophiles across the country for the titles they'd throw in their beach bags. 'Stop Me if You've Heard This One' ' Stop Me if You've Heard This One ' by Kristen Arnett, about a down-on-her-luck professional clown juggling a messy personal and professional life, was recommended by Christina Pascucci-Ciampa, the founder and owner of All She Wrote Books in Somerville, Massachusetts. 'This book, while at times outlandish and bonkers, was also extremely real and relatable. It's why I fall in love with books like this one. I also fell in love with all of Arnett's quirky characters, and the one-liners are *chef's kiss* — sharp zingers that make you laugh so hard,' she said in an email. When asked how she defines a beach read, Pascucci-Ciampa said it's 'a book that you can get lost in, and if it can, makes you laugh out loud. When you are at the beach, it is all about having a good time, especially if there are books involved.' 'Deep House' ' Deep House: The Gayest Love Story Ever Told ' by Jeremy Atherton Lin, a memoir about young love and gay rights, was recommended by Matty Faries, the assistant manager and book club coordinator at Unabridged Bookstore in Chicago. 'It's an intimate memoir that braids the young author's story of falling in love with the boy of his dreams with the historical record of the fight for marriage equality,' Faries said. 'It'll scratch the itch for anyone who wants a sexy and sweet story of young love, but it has plenty to teach about the culture wars and bureaucratic hurdles that have made living and loving so difficult for LGBTQ and immigrant communities, too.' While Faries notes his top pick is not a typical beach read, he said that 'for a lot of folks a good beach read is any book that is easy to fall into and share with friends, maybe a romance or a fantasy novel that feels like a mini-vacation when you can escape into the pages.' 'Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil' ' Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil' by V.E. Schwab, an epic lesbian vampire tale spanning five centuries, is another top pick from the Unabridged Bookstore team (and a favorite of this article's author). At more than 500 pages, this Sapphic story is a heavy book for a beach read (both literally and figuratively), but it will undoubtedly transport the reader (only figuratively) across Europe, America and time as its three main characters seek to sate their hunger and their hearts (at times simultaneously). This novel, while centered on the undead, may also have readers questioning what makes us human. 'Call Your Boyfriend' ' Call Your Boyfriend ' by Olivia A. Cole and Ashley Woodfolk, a Sapphic romance about two teens seeking revenge on their cool-girl crush, was recommended by Leah Johnson, the owner of Loudmouth Books in Indianapolis. 'It's 'John Tucker Must Die' for a new generation, it's 'Bottoms' in book form. It has all of the makings of a classic teen movie, but infused with an effortlessly diverse, progressive worldview,' she said in an email. 'In a time like now, queer readers — especially young people — need to see themselves reflected in stories that highlight all the complexity of loving and living in a queer body while also getting to experience the shenanigans and hijinx that have long marked the genre for everyone else.' When it comes to a beach reads, Johnson said it must 'be page turning but quick, and bonus points if it fits easier in my suitcase!' 'Hungerstone' ' Hungerstone ' by Kat Dunn, a retelling of the classic lesbian vampire tale 'Carmilla,' is the top recommendation of Alex Spencer, the owner of Common Ground Books in Tallahassee, Florida. She also said it's her bookstore's top seller. 'Lesbian vampires are very in right now, which I don't think anybody is going to complain about,' she said. (This article's author is most definitely not complaining.) When asked about the concept of a 'beach read,' Spencer said she defines it as 'something you would read for enjoyment and to unwind,' but she noted that could mean very different things to different people. 'Some people like beach reads that they don't have to think about very much, like the romantic fiction, the happy ending,' she said. 'Some people just like horror and things that are a little bit darker. I've had some people come in and be like, 'I need a book, but I can't do anything dystopian right now, because it's just too real,' so I would cut dystopian off the list of the beach read, but other than that, pretty much just anything that makes you happy and let's you escape.' 'Eat the Ones You Love' ' Eat the Ones You Love ' by Sarah Maria Griffin is Spencer's second recommendation. The book is centered on a woman who has just lost her job and her fiancé and ends up employed by a flower shop where her co-workers include a beautiful shop manager and a carnivorous, sentient orchid. 'For people that are into the creepier fun reads, that would definitely be a fun one for them this summer,' she said. Spencer added that it was the book''s tagline — 'This is a story about desire, dreams, decay — and working retail at the end of the world' — that initially reeled her in. 'That kind of hits me real hard right now, as somebody who works retail while the world is just like exploding around us,' she said. 'Bed and Breakup' ' Bed and Breakup ' by Susie Dumond, a second-chance romance about two exes reuniting to fix up and sell a bed-and-breakfast, was the first of two recommendations by Jaime Harker, the founder of and bookseller at Violet Valley Books in Water Valley, Mississippi. She explained the story, which is set in Asheville, North Carolina, as 'fun and engaging, with interesting characters.' Harker described a 'beach read' as a 'story that grabs my full attention, without the stress of terrible things happening to characters I like.' 'I like other kinds of novels, too, but a beach read should not, in the end, break my heart,' she added. 'If I Told You, I'd Have To Kiss You' ' If I Told You, I'd Have To Kiss You ' by Mae Marvel, a love story between two international spies unaware of the other's secret profession, is Harker's second pick. Like 'Bed and Breakup,' she described it as a 'fun and engaging' second-chance romance with interesting characters. But this one, she added, is a thriller/fantasy that could be described as a 'Sapphic Mrs. and Mrs. Smith.' 'I read both on vacation (though not at the beach) and I found them funny and interesting,' Harker said of her two recommendations. 'Woodworking' ' Woodworking ' by Emily St. James, about the friendship between a transgender teacher and trans student in South Dakota, is the top beach read recommendation of Melissa Amstutz, the owner of Bishop & Wilde Books in Portland, Oregon. 'Emily St. James is a writer on 'Yellowjackets,' so I was already intrigued by what kind of book she would write. But if you were to compare it to a TV show, it's much more akin to 'Somebody Somewhere' than 'Yellowjackets,'' she said. 'It tells of the friendship between a high school trans girl and her English teacher in small town America and the intersecting lives of trans and queer folk surrounding them. It's heartwarming, compelling, and has fascinating twists.' Amstutz added that a beach read can be 'anything that is compulsively readable, and can be nonfiction, too.' Readers' picks In addition to asking booksellers across the country for their top titles, NBC News also solicited recommendations from queer book lovers on social media and IRL. Here are some their picks:
Los Angeles Times
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
The week's bestselling books, July 6
1. Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Ballantine Books: $30) A story of friendship, love and adversity during the 1980s Space Shuttle program. 2. James by Percival Everett (Doubleday: $28) An action-packed reimagining of 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.' 3. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V. E. Schwab (Tor Books: $30) A vampiric tale follows three women across the centuries. 4. The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong (Penguin Press: $30) An unlikely pair develops a life-altering bond. 5. So Far Gone by Jess Walter (Harper: $30) A reclusive journalist is forced back into the world to rescue his kidnapped grandchildren. 6. The Wedding People by Alison Espach (Henry Holt & Co.: $29) An unexpected wedding guest gets surprise help on her journey to starting anew. 7. My Friends by Fredrik Backman (Atria Books: $30) The bond between a group of teens 25 years earlier has a powerful effect on a budding artist. 8. Nightshade by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown & Co.: $30) A cop relentlessly follows his mission in the seemingly idyllic setting of Catalina Island. 9. Among Friends by Hal Ebbott (Riverhead Books: $28) What begins as a celebration at a New York country house gives way to betrayal, shattering the trust between two close families. 10. Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry (Berkley: $29) Two writers compete for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of an heiress. … 1. The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins (Hay House: $30) How to stop wasting energy on things you can't control. 2. Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson (Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster: $30) A study of the political, economic and cultural barriers to progress in the U.S. and how to work toward a politics of abundance. 3. I Regret Almost Everything by Keith McNally (Gallery Books: $30) The restaurateur relates his gritty childhood and rise in the dining scene. 4. Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green (Crash Course Books: $28) The deeply human story of the fight against the world's deadliest infectious disease. 5. How to Lose Your Mother by Molly Jong-Fast (Viking: $28) The author recalls her famed mother, writer Erica Jong. 6. Not My Type by E. Jean Carroll (St. Martin's Press: $30) The journalist chronicles her legal battles with President Trump. 7. The Book of Alchemy by Suleika Jaouad (Random House: $30) A guide to the art of journaling, with contributions from Jon Batiste, Salman Rushdie, Gloria Steinem and others. 8. The Möbius Book by Catherine Lacey (Farrar, Straus & Giroux: $27) The novelist blends truth and fiction in an exploration of faith and love. 9. Original Sin by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson (Penguin Press: $32) Inside President Biden's doomed decision to run for reelection and the hiding of his serious decline. 10. Is a River Alive? by Robert Macfarlane (W. W. Norton & Co.: $32) The naturalist explores rivers as living beings. … 1. All Fours by Miranda July (Riverhead Books: $19) 2. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (Ecco: $20) 3. Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar (Vintage: $18) 4. One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune (Berkley: $19) 5. Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood (Berkley: $20) 6. Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver (Harper Perennial: $22) 7. The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster: $19) 8. I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman (Transit Books: $17) 9. Sandwich by Catherine Newman (Harper Perennial: $19) 10. Of Monsters and Mainframes by Barbara Truelove (Bindery Books: $19) … 1. The Friday Afternoon Club by Griffin Dunne (Penguin: $21) 2. On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder (Crown: $12) 3. The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron (TarcherPerigee: $20) 4. All About Love by bell hooks (Morrow: $17) 5. The Hundred Years' War on Palestine by Rashid Khalidi (Metropolitan Books: $20) 6. The Art Thief by Michael Finkel (Vintage: $18) 7. The Wide Wide Sea by Hampton Sides (Vintage: $19) 8. The White Album by Joan Didion (Farrar, Straus & Giroux: $18) 9. Sociopath by Patric Gagne (Simon & Schuster: $20) 10. The Wager by David Grann (Vintage: $21)
USA Today
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Julia Whelan is the voice of the summer: Meet the narrator of your favorite bestsellers
She's your favorite author's favorite audiobook narrator. Julia Whelan is the voice of the summer, the smooth-talking vocals behind some of 2025's biggest books – 'Atmosphere' by Taylor Jenkins Reid, 'Great Big Beautiful Life' by Emily Henry and 'Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil' by V.E. Schwab, to name a few. As an audiobook listener will tell you, the narrator can make or break a good listen. So what about Whelan has authors clamoring to get her on their stories? It's more than just her voice and acting skills – Whelan has become the face of an industry known only for voice, a public figure in a social media era where readers have unprecedented access to the creatives that bring their favorite books to life. Whelan's voice on an audiobook can lead to a boom in sales. There's a responsibility that comes with that, and Whelan is determined not to let it go to waste. Whelan is fighting for more pay and better working conditions for audiobook narrators, who do not receive royalties like other actors. The voice behind Taylor Jenkins Reid, Emily Henry books Credited to her English major background, Whelan is a 'generalist' reader – she's done romance, book club fiction, erotica, fantasy, thrillers and historical fiction. She's the voice of Tara Westover's memoir 'Educated,' Kristin Hannah's 'The Women' (for which she won an Audie Award), narrated a few chapters of Taylor Jenkins Reid's "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo' and all of Emily Henry's books. She's at a point in her career she calls 'an embarrassment of riches.' The key to a Whelan narration is close collaboration. Sometimes that's sending voice memos back and forth to get pronunciation right, sometimes that's envisioning actors an author dreams would play their characters. For Laurie Forest's 'The Black Witch,' a series Whelan has been narrating since 2017, she worked with the author to create fictional accents for the fantasy world. Sarah MacLean, a historical romance author whose first contemporary romance, 'These Summer Storms,' comes out July 8, said it was a 'dream' to get Whelan on her novel. 'She's just such an authentic person who cares so much about the adaptation of the book being perfect,' MacLean says. 'She says the audiobook is the first and best adaptation that you're ever going to get as a writer and I think that is so true and it's so powerful. I just trust her implicitly.' A post shared by Sarah MacLean (@sarahmaclean) From child actor to renowned audiobook narrator Whelan got her start as an actor when she was 9, with a notable role on ABC drama 'Once and Again' alongside Sela Ward and Evan Rachel Wood. She left acting in high school to study English in college, assuming she would resume her TV days after she graduated. But with the 2007-2008 writer's strike and recession, Whelan had to look elsewhere. By the time she got in the booth, it was the 2010s boom of YA romance and dystopia, and Whelan's narration of these young protagonists filled an industry age gap. She did the 'typical Hollywood hustle of catch where catch can,' thinking one book a month could give her a steady enough income for her car payment. Then 'Gone Girl' took off. Whelan narrated the calculated, cunning Amy Dunne. She knew from the first 10 pages that it would be huge. Amid the rise in digital reading, platforms like Audible ballooned. Whelan still has people tell her that 'Gone Girl' by Gillian Flynn was the first audiobook they listened to. By then, she was narrating full-time – around 70 books a year – plus writing her first book, 'My Oxford Year.' The quantity was unsustainable and she says she 'almost had a breakdown.' But she was also making a name for herself among both listeners and publishers. When she wrote her second book, 'Thank You For Listening,' she dialed back, but her success didn't. She became known in book communities as an audiobook narrator who intentionally chooses quality books. As audiobook narrators become public figures, Whelan leads fight for change Audiobooks were the perfect happy medium for Whelan, who never liked the public recognition that came with acting. Narrating let her continue acting while maintaining the privacy she craved. Then, about five or six years ago, that changed. Readers started following audiobook narrators like they did their favorite authors or actors. There was a push to be a public figure because her voice helped sell books. When Whelan went on tour for 'My Oxford Year' in 2018, the stops were filled only with a handful of friends and family members. Then the pandemic hit, and Whelan thought it would be the end of audiobooks because people weren't commuting. She was wrong. 'I started getting messages from people saying things like 'You're the only voice I've heard for weeks now,'' Whelan says. 'It was a very intimate experience for a lot of people and a moment of human connection where we were all so isolated.' On her 2022 tour, audiobook fans sold out venues for 'Thank You For Listening.' 'That's when I went, 'OK, we're being exploited,'' Whelan says. Traditional audiobook narrators get paid per finished hour of recording, often a few $100 per hour. Most span from eight to 12 hours. They don't get royalties after, even though others in the publishing industry, like authors and editors, do. Whelan still gets residuals for Lifetime movies she did when she was 12. But she says she's only ever received $2,500 for 'Gone Girl,' popular as it may be a decade later. Meanwhile, as new players like Spotify, Apple and Amazon enter the space, the audiobook industry reached $2.22 billion in 2024, up 13% over the previous year. The fight is especially pressing now that artificial intelligence is encroaching on the industry. In May, Melania Trump announced her memoir would be narrated entirely by AI. 'Synthetic voice is just sitting there waiting to take jobs,' Whelan says. 'So we're going to very quickly find ourselves in a situation where there is not enough work and all the work you've done previously is still out there, still making money for people.' As her platform grew, Whelan realized it was futile to ask big companies 'to do the right thing.' So she started Audiobrary, an audio platform that applies publishing models with royalties to both narrators and authors. And she'll keep talking about it until she sees change on an industry-wide level. 'There comes a point where continuing to just complain about a problem, you are perpetuating a problem if you're not actually fixing it,' Whelan says. 'And this is my attempt to give it a shot and fix it. And jury's out, but I will say that the response I've gotten from listeners and from the industry is just one of massive support.' Clare Mulroy is USA TODAY's Books Reporter, where she covers buzzy releases, chats with authors and dives into the culture of reading. Find her on Instagram, subscribe to our weekly Books newsletter or tell her what you're reading at cmulroy@
Los Angeles Times
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
The week's bestselling books, June 29
1. Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Ballantine Books: $30) A story of friendship, love and adversity during the 1980s Space Shuttle program. 2. The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong (Penguin Press: $30) An unlikely pair develops a life-altering bond. 3. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V. E. Schwab (Tor Books: $30) A vampiric tale follows three women across the centuries. 4. James by Percival Everett (Doubleday: $28) An action-packed reimagining of 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.' 5. Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry (Berkley: $29) Two writers compete for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of an heiress. 6. King of Ashes by S. A. Cosby (Flatiron Books: Pine & Cedar: $29) A man returns to his roots to save his family in this Southern crime epic. 7. My Friends by Fredrik Backman (Atria Books: $30) The bond between a group of teens 25 years earlier has a powerful effect on a budding artist. 8. The River Is Waiting by Wally Lamb (S&S/Marysue Rucci Books: $30) A young father grapples with tragedy and the search for redemption. 9. Nightshade by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown & Co.: $30) The bestselling crime writer returns with a new cop on a mission, this time on Catalina Island. 10. With a Vengeance by Riley Sager (Dutton: $30) A deadly game of survival and revenge plays out on a luxury train heading from Philadelphia to Chicago. … 1. Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson (Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster: $30) A call to renew a politics of plenty and abandon the chosen scarcities that have deformed American life. 2. The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins (Hay House: $30) How to stop wasting energy on things you can't control. 3. Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green (Crash Course Books: $28) The deeply human story of the fight against the world's deadliest infectious disease. 4. Steve Martin Writes the Written Word by Steve Martin (Grand Central Publishing: $30) A collection of greatest hits from the beloved actor and comedian. 5. One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad (Knopf: $28) Reckoning with what it means to live in a West that betrays its fundamental values. 6. Mark Twain by Ron Chernow (Penguin Press: $45) The Pulitzer-winning biographer explores the life of the celebrated American writer. 7. The Creative Act by Rick Rubin (Penguin: $32) The music producer on how to be a creative person. 8. The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer and John Burgoyne (illustrator) (Scribner: $20) The 'Braiding Sweetgrass' author on gratitude, reciprocity and community, and the lessons to take from the natural world. 9. I Regret Almost Everything by Keith McNally (Gallery Books: $30) The restaurateur relates his gritty childhood and rise in the dining scene. 10. It Rhymes With Takei by George Takei, Steven Scott, Justin Eisinger and Harmony Becker (illustrator) (Top Shelf Productions: $30) The actor and activist tells his most personal story of all in a full-color graphic memoir. … 1. All Fours by Miranda July (Riverhead Books: $19) 2. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (Ecco: $20) 3. The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster: $19) 4. Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar (Vintage: $18) 5. I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman (Transit Books: $17) 6. One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune (Berkley: $19) 7. On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong (Penguin: $18) 8. Sandwich by Catherine Newman (Harper Perennial: $19) 9. Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler (Grand Central: $20) 10. The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (Vintage: $18) … 1. On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder (Crown: $12) 2. The Wager by David Grann (Vintage: $21) 3. The Body Keeps the Score by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk (Penguin: $19) 4. The Wide Wide Sea by Hampton Sides (Vintage: $19) 5. The Friday Afternoon Club by Griffin Dunne (Penguin: $21) 6. Sociopath by Patric Gagne (Simon & Schuster: $20) 7. The Light Eaters by Zoë Schlanger (Harper Perennial: $20) 8. The Art Thief by Michael Finkel (Vintage: $18) 9. Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey (Crown: $20) 10. The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron (TarcherPerigee: $20)
