10 New Books That Make Great End of Summer Reads
The end of summer is nearly in sight, bringing with it the end to carefree days kicking back and reading. Before the temperatures cool down, get out and enjoy the final days of sunshine and bliss, with these ten great end of summer reads.
The Nine by Jeanne McWilliams Blasberg
When Hannah Webber found out she was pregnant, her fears of never having a child quickly vanished. Giving birth to her son, Sam, she vowed to do everything in her power to make sure he was raised well. Years later, when Sam is 14, he gets accepted into a prestigious New England boarding school and his mother can’t be more excited. But for Sam, it’s an escape from her overbearing nature and not long after he starts school, he comes across evidence of sexual misconduct at the school and makes a decision that will put him and his mother at odds with one another. The Nine is the perfect book for your next weekend off.
A Prayer for Travelers by Ruchika Tomar
Cale Lambert was used to her quiet life in her small town near the California-Nevada border. Raised by her grandfather, her entire world is turned upside down when his health starts to fail and she has to provide for herself. Picking up a job as a waitress, she reconnects with Penny, an old friend from school, who teaches her how to survive on her own and opens her eyes to the wonders that exist outside of their hometown. But everything changes when Penny goes missing and Cale must trek across the desert to find her friend and rescue her. This debut women’s fiction novel takes a complex look at the lives of women and the sacrifices they make.
You’ve Been Volunteered by Laurie Gelman
Working mother Jen Dixon is the kind of woman other moms look up to. On the outside, it seems like Jen has it all together but when she’s roped into room-parenting for her son’s third-grade class, it becomes the catalyst that throws her world into chaos. Suddenly Jen is juggling her obligations at the school, her daughters who are now navigating the world as adults and her aging parents who are in need of her help. Without the support of her husband who has buried himself in his work, she’ll have no choice but to try and tackle the obstacles in front of her all by herself. For mothers and working women who have, at times, felt stretched a little too thin, this novel will be your new favorite read.
The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
The Nickel Academy is known for abusing its students so when young black man Elwood Curtis makes an innocent mistake during the early 60s in the Jim Crow South, he knows his future is sealed at the horrific school. Once beginning at the juvenile reformatory, he’s surprised to learn that all the rumors about the school are true and he desperately clings on to the inspirational words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to keep his spirits up. But then he gets involved with fellow student Turner and together, the two make a significant decision that changes their lives and history forever. This New York Times bestseller is a great read for fans of historical fiction.
The Last List of Miss Judith Kratt by Andrea Bobotis
As Judith Kratt got older, she resumed the responsibilities of the keeper of her family’s prized possessions and their dangerous secrets. Keeping the family’s murderous past at bay, she’s shocked to learn that her estranged sister is coming back to their small town to reveal the wrongdoings of the Kratt family. Knowing the fallout this could bring, she prepares herself to do whatever possible to make sure her family’s secrets stay safe. Andrea Bobotis’s The Last List of Miss Judith Kratt tells the story of a small town and the ways secrets can not only disrupt a family but an entire community.
The Last Post by Renée Carlino
When Laya Marston’s husband dies in a tragic accident, her entire life is thrown into chaos and she’s left to mourn the man she never imagined living life without. To cope with the loss, Laya begins writing posts on her late husband’s Facebook wall, attracting the attention of Micah Evans who wants to prove to Laya that her life is worth living despite her pain. Together, the two struggle to find a new sense of happiness with each other and in their separate lives. If you’re looking for a tear-jerker to end summer with, you’ll adore The Last Post.
We Came Here to Forget by Andrea Dunlop
Katie Cleary has spent her entire life devoted to making her Olympic skiing dreams comes true. But everything she’s worked for is suddenly ruined when a family secret is exposed and her lifelong dreams are put on hold. Eager to escape her shattered world, she picks up and moves to Buenos Aires, determined to build herself a new life and identity. With a new name and a fresh start, she begins to make friends and even a love connection in her new home. But it isn’t long until she realizes that no matter how hard you try, dark secrets will always follow you. If you’re missing Hulu’s The Act, pick up this highly anticipated summer novel.
The Gifted School by Bruce Holsinger
Four families in Crystal, Colorado have grown up together, forming lifelong bonds and creating a true sense of community. But everything changes when an exclusive new school opens in the area, creating an incredible amount of tension within these four families. As they pit their children against one another for coveted openings in the school’s classrooms and begin to expose each other’s darkest secrets, it becomes obvious that their friendships will never be the same again. The Gifted School is the perfect end-of-summer read for anyone who craves a little literary drama in their lives.
The Completionist by Siobhan Adcock
Set in an ominous near future where climate change has led to world war, limited resources and a global fertility crisis, The Completionist is perfect for fans of dystopian fiction like The Handmaid’s Tale. A young veteran returns home to find one sister miraculously pregnant, but the other one who has been trained as a “nurse completionist” tasked with assisting pregnant women, has mysteriously disappeared. A dangerous search for her in a dark underground network ensues, unveiling dark family secrets in this unsettling but necessary page-turner.
The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware
When Rowan Caine stumbled across the ideal live-in nanny job, she did what she needed to in order to secure it—even if it meant stretching the truth a little. But things turn out to be much darker than she had expected and soon, her perfect dream job begins to reveal its nightmarish flaws. Before she knows it, one of the children has been murdered and she is now in prison, awaiting trial. While she admits to her lawyer that she wasn’t the perfect nanny, she knows one thing is certain: she didn’t kill the child. With a killer on the loose, it’ll be up to Rowan to prove her innocence and solve the upsetting murder. The Turn of the Key is the perfect book for fans of Agatha Christie.
Pick One Of These Summer Reads For The Holiday Weekend Ahead
The Labor Day weekend is just a few weeks ahead, so why not pick up one or two of these perfect end of summer reads and chill with your favorite beverage one last time? Want more choices? Check out these past recommendations from Ms Career Girl.
