Letter 97: Book Girl Summer, Vol. 3

When we recommend great books

May 31, 2023

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Happy summer!

In the spirit of summer vacation, Molly and Emily are switching up our weekly letter and bringing you a special list of recommended books. We’ve done this for the past two years, which you can read here and here.

I (Emily) love summer. The heat is oppressive, but oh, the freedom! Of course, summer goes hand-in-hand with summer reading, or at least it does for these two former English teachers. There’s something magical about packing a paperback in your ludicrously capacious bag as you head to the pool to laze about on a summer afternoon.

Let’s have fun, shall we? There’s no need for us to force ourselves to finally read that novel that’s been collecting dust for a decade. No! This is the time for romances, for murder mysteries, for FUN. Fun for you! And, of course, there’s no need to feel self-conscious about such a choice.

One programming note before I leave you: we’re taking a little break this summer from publishing new letters, but our full archive is always available if you’d like to take a peek.

Happy reading!

xo, Molly + Emily

Molly

Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano

A gorgeous generational drama featuring the reality of sisterhood and true love.

I always know a good book when I find a way to weave the book into conversations no matter where I find myself (grocery store, waiting for my coffee, sitting next to the soccer pitch, etc.). If you are a longtime reader, you know I love generational, family stories and this one doesn’t disappoint. The raw honesty of the sisters’ hidden truths and how they connect to one another so deeply, and yet break each others’ hearts, is so well written that you’ll swear you’re seeing into Napolitano’s (or those of us with sisters’) own life.

We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman

A book that has a way to make the reader laugh and cry within minutes of the other.

I don’t think I’m giving anything away with this one, but I sobbed and sobbed when I finished this book. It’s just so perfect and hard and real; an ode of a beautiful fictional (and to a real life) friendship. Newman has a way of writing about everyday things in a way that makes her reader feel less alone. She writes like she’s sitting next to you, cross-legged with a glass or wine in hand, trying to make sense of how beauty and fear can be so intertwined. I’ve loved Newman’s writing for many years now; she has a way of seeing her reader through difficult parts of life because she make them feel less heavy. She’s a balm to the soul.

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

The perfect summer read for English teachers (and anyone else who likes well written love stories).

Good ole Emily Henry is the perfect summer read; she has a solid place in Book Girl Summers. Every time I read one of Henry’s books, I go deep into her Instagram to find out more BTS because I love her characters so much (like they are real people—ha!). Book Lovers is an excellent nod to the classic protagonist hiding from herself all while bumping into a mystery love interest with whom she has more in common with than she originally thought. Henry’s style of writing makes you want to read s l o w l y so you don’t finish the goodness too quickly. I’ve just bought Henry’s newest in hardback (which I never do!) so stay tuned to see if that one is as good as Book Lovers!

Mika in Real Life by Emiko Jean

A thoughtfully layered story about family, connections, and sometimes-difficult love.

Jean creates a heart-wrenching story about mothers and daughters and the hardships that come with being honest about ourselves when things aren’t always neat and tidy. Jean writes a gorgeous story about her protagonist, Mika, coming to terms with her choices all while trying to accept herself, her mother, and the reality of their tumultuous relationship. Themes of intergenerational tension, adoption, race, and identity are centered throughout the story and Jean is never too heavy handed; it feels as though the reader is uncovering truths right along with her sweet protagonist. It’s a gorgeous love story in so many ways.

Emily

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

An exhilarating novel about friendship, growing up, and video games.

If you read ONE book this year, please let it be this one. This book absolutely broke my heart. It’s a masterpiece.

The novel follows friends Sam and Sadie from childhood into adulthood as video game creators. On the surface, it’s about their friendship and how it changes throughout their lives. Sam and Sadie are better together than they are apart—they bring out the best and the worst in each other. But really, Tomorrow is a beautiful testament to friendship, to childhood, to the creative process, to life, to love. There is so much beauty and tragedy here, much like our own lives. It’s given me so much to ponder, and I imagine I’ll be rereading it many times throughout my life.

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Clever historical fiction with a trailblazing protagonist.

Loved. Amazing. It feels fresh and new and completely original. Elizabeth Zott is a chemist in the 1960s, which doesn’t translate well among her male peers. She’s adamant that she doesn’t want to get married as it will only set her back in her career, and yet, Elizabeth finds herself in love and with child. In order to make a living while incorporating her love of chemistry, she stars in a public access cooking show which takes off and gives her national notoriety. (Molly addition: This was on my top list, too!)

Lessons in Chemistry is feminist, clever, and emotionally riveting. And Garmus evokes Tolstoy with Six-Thirty's (the dog's) POV. YES, I SAID IT AND I STAND BY IT.

Ghosts by Dolly Alderton

A fun romance novel with depth that’s perfect for the beach or lounging poolside.

What a fun and sweet story (I listened to it on audio). Nina Dean is a successful thirtysomething living in London, and while she thinks she’s successful (she’s comfortable), it seems like everyone else in her life thinks differently. If only Nina had a boyfriend! After a particularly lame conversation with a friend-turned-frenemy, Nina ventures back into the world of dating apps where she meets the incredibly desirable Max. Once Max ghosts her, though, Nina begins to come to terms with the fact that she’s been ignoring the more difficult parts of her life, including the fact that her dad is suffering from Alzheimer’s. I found Ghosts to be smart and human with a thoughtful premise of how the people in our lives shape us into who we are and never truly leave.

Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri

A moving memoir for youths and adults alike.

I adore memoirs written for teens, and Everything Sad is Untrue is an especially good one. Nayeri weaves together his life story of moving in haste from Iran to Oklahoma and does so in a way that alludes to the beautiful complexity of storytelling in his fatherland. His story is one of myth—young Daniel from Iran is connected to the kings of his nation’s past, and his story has the weight of legend.

From the publisher: “Like Scheherazade [the wife and storyteller of King Shahryar in One Thousand and One Nights] in a hostile classroom, author Daniel Nayeri weaves a tale of Khosrou trying to save his own life: to stake his claim to the truth. And it is (a true story).”

“I love the solitude of reading. I love the deep dive into someone else’s story, the delicious ache of a last page.”
— Naomi Shihab Nye

Our Five Favorites (for reading!)

Favorite bookstores: Molly’s is Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee, and Emily’s is Powell’s in Portland, Oregon
Favorite travel reading light in lavender
Favorite way to encourage reading: start a little neighborhood library or contribute to an existing one in your neighborhood
Favorite bookmark
Favorite book meme: bookmark alignment chart. Molly is chaotic good; Emily is (mostly) chaotic evil 🤣

With gratitude,

Molly & Emily

P.S. What are your book recommendations? We want to know!