The Books I Can't Wait to Read in Summer 2024

2024 has not been a great year for my reading goals so far. In 6 months, I've only read 19 books...and when you compare that to previous years when I almost hit my goal at this point in the year. I haven't really been myself much this year; it's taking me longer to finish books, I find myself getting lost in my phone more than usual, and my depression has been bad which usually helps my reading goal but this time around, I don't feel like doing anything.

It's really hard to not feel like myself, especially when it comes to reading. It feels so disjointed from who I am. 

All of that being said, my passion for books still exists. I'm still excited about books and stories, and adding them to my Goodreads 'To Be Read' list...I just need to actually read them! 

Which brings us to today's post... I did a version of this post in January about the books I'm most excited about being released in 2024 and those still stand. Most of those books now have reviews on the blog which is so exciting! 

When I was browsing the many articles about books being published in the summer, I was shocked at how many great books are being released. Summer is always the best time for publishing, in my opinion, and summer 2024 is going to be no different. My TBR is stacked high and I cannot wait to read all of these books.

Such a Bad Influence by Olivia Muenter

Hazel Davis is drifting: she’s stalled in her career, living in a city she hates, and less successful than her younger sister, @evelyn, a mega-popular lifestyle influencer. Evie came of age online, having gone viral at five years old for a heart-tugging daddy-daughter dance. Ten years older and spotlight-averse, Hazel managed to dodge the family YouTube channel—so although she can barely afford her apartment, at least she made her own way.

Evie is eighteen now, with a multimillion-dollar career and unlimited opportunities, but Hazel is still protective of her little sister and skeptical of the way everyone seems to want a piece of her: Evie’s followers, her YouTuber boyfriend and influencer frenemies, and their opportunistic mother. So when Evie disappears one day—during an unsettling live stream that cuts out midsentence—Hazel is horrified to have her worst instincts proven right.

As theories about Evie’s disappearance tear through the internet, inspiring hashtags, Reddit threads, podcast episodes, and scorn, Hazel throws herself into the darkest parts of her sister’s world to untangle the threads of truth. After all, Hazel knows Evie better than anyone else . . . doesn’t she?

When it was announced that Olivia Muenter was going to be releasing a thriller novel, I was ecstatic. She's been discussing her book writing on Bad on Paper for the past year or so so when the announcement came, I was over the moon. She is one of my favorite people on social media, and one of my favorite writers over on Substack so to have a book written by her? It's perfection. 

The premise sounds right up my alley -- a thriller about an influencer's life with hints of social media? Sign me up! It was published yesterday, June 4th, and I pre-ordered it from Barnes & Noble so hopefully I can start reading it this week. 

A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston

Eileen Merriweather loves to get lost in a good happily-ever-after. The fictional kind, anyway. Because at least imaginary men don’t leave you at the altar. She feels safe in a book. At home. Which might be why she’s so set on going her annual book club retreat this year—she needs good friends, cheap wine, and grand romantic gestures—no matter what.

But when her car unexpectedly breaks down on the way, she finds herself stranded in a quaint town that feels like it’s right out of a novel…

Because it is.

This place can’t be real, and yet… she’s here, in Eloraton, the town of her favorite romance series, where the candy store’s honey taffy is always sweet, the local bar’s burgers are always a little burnt, and rain always comes in the afternoon. It feels like home. It’s perfect—and perfectly frozen, trapped in the late author’s last unfinished story.

Elsy is sure that’s why she must be here: to help bring the town to its storybook ending.

Except there is a character in Eloraton that she can’t place—a grumpy bookstore owner with mint-green eyes, an irritatingly sexy mouth and impeccable taste in novels. And he does not want her finishing this book.

Which is a problem because Elsy is beginning to think the town’s happily-ever-after might just be intertwined with her own.

This is another book I pre-ordered that I simply cannot wait to dive into. I've never read anything by Ashley Poston but I know so many people love her work so I'm happy that A Novel Story will be my first read. 

It's no secret that I love books about books and writers, so the fact that our protagonist in A Novel Love Story finds herself in a fictional town after her car breaks down sounds like the making for a beautiful love story. A Novel Love Story will be released on June 25th.

Once Upon a Time by Elizabeth Beller

A quarter of a century after the plane crash that claimed the lives of John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife Carolyn, and her sister Lauren, the magnitude of this tragedy remains fresh. Yet, Carolyn is still an enigmatic figure, a woman whose short life in the spotlight was besieged with misogyny and cruelty.

Amidst today’s cultural reckoning about the way our media treats women, Elizabeth Beller explores the real person behind the tabloid headlines and media frenzy. When she began dating America’s prince, Carolyn was increasingly thrust into an overwhelming spotlight filled with relentless paparazzi who reacted to her reserve with a campaign of harassment and vilification.

To this day, she is still depicted as a privileged princess—icy, vapid, and drug-addicted. She has even been accused of being responsible for their untimely death, allegedly delaying take-off until she finished her pedicure. But now, she is revealed as never before.

A fiercely independent woman devoted to her adopted city and career, Carolyn relied on her impeccable eye and drive to fly up the ranks at Calvin Klein in the glossy, high-stakes fashion world of the 1990s. When Carolyn met her future husband, John was immediately drawn to her strong-willed personality, effortless charm, and high intelligence. Their relationship would change her life and catapult her to dizzying fame, but it was her vibrant life before their marriage and then hidden afterwards, that is truly fascinating.

Based on in-depth research and exclusive interviews with friends, family members, teachers, roommates, and colleagues, and featuring never-before-seen family photos, this comprehensive biography reveals a multi-faceted woman worthy of our attention regardless of her husband and untimely death.

I grew up in a household that was in love with Princess Diana and Jackie Kennedy. I've documented my love of Princess Diana and the royals on this blog for over a decade and now it feels like the tide is shifting towards being enthralled with the life of the Kennedys...including Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, the wife of JFK Jr. 

I remember when JFK Jr. died and weirdly enough, his death (along with his wife's and her sister's) haunts me. I wonder what kind of butterfly effect was set in place when he died in 1999; I wonder what the world would be like if he was still alive because I think it would be a better place...but that's another story for another day.

His wife, Carolyn, was the epitome of 90s fashion and beauty, and it seems like society is starting to romanticize her. There's been countless think pieces and articles about her lately, so her biography, Once Upon a Time, comes at a really relevant point. It was released on May 21st (so I'm cheating a bit by including this) and I'm waiting for it to arrive at my doorstep. It's lost in the mail so hopefully it gets here soon! 

The Bookshop of Hidden Dreams (Dove Pond #4) 

When an antique tin of love letters is found hidden in her family home, noted historian Tay Dove rushes home to Dove Pond to investigate. Tay is still reeling from a romantic betrayal, so she’s relieved to refocus her energies on her latest project: a biography of her great-great-grandmother Sarafina, a star reporter who began her career in Dove Pond in the late 19th century before abruptly leaving town.

Tay believes the letters could be the key in solving what happened, but they only add to her questions—especially when they reveal a forbidden love affair with William Day, a wild youth who took part in a notorious train robbery. Some answers might be found in eighty-year-old Rose Day’s bookshop, which doubles as a town archive, but Rose is curiously resistant to give Tay access. Just when Tay thinks she’s reached a dead end, she finds an unlikely ally in Rose’s grandson, Luke, a fellow puzzle lover. Together, they set out to uncover what really happened all those years ago…and find the truth behind a love story that could be more precious than gold.

There's a new Dove Pond book coming out this summer and I can hardly wait! This is one of my favorite book series of all time and the fact that this next installment is about a bookshop owner? It takes me back to the first story in the series, The Book Charmer and everything ties back to books about books. 

If you love Gilmore Girls and Practical Magic, you need to read the Dove Pond books now. The Bookshop of Hidden Dreams will be released on August 27th.  

Read my reviews on the other Dove Pond books:

• The Book Charmer
• The Cup of Silver Linings
• The Secret Recipe of Ella Dove

A Novel Summer by Jamie Brenner

Author Shelby Archer found inspiration for her first novel while living on the picturesque shores of Provincetown on Cape Cod. When she comes to the town to celebrate her new bestseller, she is expecting a warm homecoming. But instead she is confronted with the cold shoulders of friends and neighbors who feel exposed and betrayed.

Heartbroken, Shelby tries to move on and focus on her next novel. But then an unexpected call comes: her dear friend who owns the beloved Land's End bookshop needs help for the summer. Shelby reluctantly returns to the Cape to manage the store.

Back at the beach, Shelby sets her focus on the tiny seaside shop, getting lost in the shelves of steamy romance novels and dusty classics and trying to right the wrongs of her past. With every page turned and every customer served, Shelby comes closer to gaining back the trust of those she hurt. But as her manuscript deadline nears, she is again forced to choose between her own success and a second chance at love and belonging.

Another release by another one of my favorite authors; Jamie Brenner always writes the most perfect summer novels that capture the essence of a particular place and profession. This year, instead of jewelry or wine, she's focused on authors, writing and books. Are we sensing a theme with the books I'm excited about? 

A Novel Summer will be released on July 16th and read my review of Brenner's previous novel, Gilt. 

See below for some other books I'm really excited about reading this summer!

xoxo
B