Arts & Entertainment
The 10 Best Books To Read In June
From Elizabeth Gilbert's edgy new novel to a female soldier's compelling memoir, these are the books everyone's going to be talking about.
Summer doesn't officially begin for a few more weeks, but that doesn't mean you have to wait around for a hot beach read! We've got some highly recommended books ready for you to enjoy right now.
This month's reading list — a mix of picks from Patch staffers and Amazon editors — has something for everyone. There are thrillers, memoirs, mysteries, romances and everything in between. If you like to read, we've got a book (or 10) you're bound to love. Enjoy!
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#1 "Thin Air: A Jessica Shaw Thriller" by Lisa Gray
Jessica Shaw investigates missing people for a living, but she never expected to find out she was one herself. When she receives a photo of a 3-year-old girl kidnapped from Los Angeles 25 years ago, she realizes she is that little girl. Jessica learns her biological mother was killed the night she was abducted, and she's determined to find out the rest of the story. She heads to L.A.'s dark underbelly in search of answers, where she crosses paths with veteran LAPD detective Jason Pryce. Jessica quickly realizes that Pryce knows more than he'll let on about her mother's death. To find out the truth about her own disappearance as a child, Jessica has to dig deep into the past and the secrets buried there.
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#2 "The Overdue Life of Amy Byler" by Kelly Harms
Amy Byler is an overworked, underappreciated single mom in need of a break. When her ex-husband offers to take care of their kids for the summer, she accepts and trades rural Pennsylvania for New York City. In the Big Apple, Amy Byler discovers a new side of herself. With some encouragement from her friends, she even goes on a few blind dates. She really hits it off with one man in particular, but when the summer ends, Amy has an impossible choice to make: Will she stay in this exciting new chapter of her life or return to one she left behind? Before she can choose, a crisis brings Amy's two worlds together, and she's threatened with a future where she could lose both sides of herself.
#3 "Anthony Bourdain Remembered" by CNN
When Anthony Bourdain passed away in June 2018, it was a loss felt around the world. This book — filled with quotes, memories and photos — is a tribute to the incredible chef, author and travel documentarian. It includes comments from chefs, journalists, filmmakers, musicians, and writers inspired by Bourdain, including Barack Obama, Eric Ripert, Jill Filipovic, Ken Burns, Questlove, and José Andrés.
#4 "Sunset Beach: A Novel" by Mary Kay Andrews
Drue Campbell is out of a job and down on her luck. When her mother dies, her estranged father, a personal injury attorney, shows up at the funeral after a 20-year absence. Drue is horrified to learn her dad has remarried to Wendy, her eighth grade rival, who is now his office manager. The two offer Drue a job, and with no other prospects on the table, she accepts. The new gig is made a little better by the news of her inheritance: A charming but weathered beach bunglalow in need of repairs. But working for her father and Wendy isn't easy, and when a suspicious death at a resort near Drue's bungalow exposes possible corruption at her father’s firm, she finds herself drawn into an uncomfortable investigation. Every aspect of Drue's life seems to be in turmoil, and only one thing is for sure: There's a storm brewing at Sunset Beach.
#5 "City of Girls: A Novel" by Elizabeth Gilbert
In 1940, nineteen-year-old Vivian Morris is kicked out of Vassar College. Her wealthy parents send her to Manhattan to live with her aunt, who owns an edgy midtown theater. Vivian meets and mingles with a colorful cast of characters. She makes a personal mistake that results in professional scandal, and her new world is turned upside down. Ultimately, it leads Vivian to the love her life. Now 89 years old and ready to tell her story, Vivian looks back at her youth with pleasure and regret (but mostly pleasure). "At some point in a woman's life, she just gets tired of being ashamed all the time," she muses. "After that, she is free to become whoever she truly is."
#6 "Magic for Liars: A Novel" by Sarah Gailey
This fantasy novel tells the story of two sisters with very different lives. Ivy Gamble was born without magic, but her estranged sister Tabitha has a true gift for it. When a murder takes place at The Osthorne Academy of Young Mages, the school where Tabitha teachers, Ivy is reluctantly pulled in to investigate. She soon finds herself in a new world of power and secrets, and it's up to her to find the murderer and reclaim Tabitha — all without losing herself.
#7 "Darkness to Light: A Memoir" by Lamar Odom with Chris Palmer
You probably know Lamar Odom as a two-time NBA champion or perhaps as Khloé Kardashian's ex-husband. His life has been filled with incredible highs and rock-bottom lows — many of which have played out in the public eye. But in this profoundly honest memoir, Odom tells all about the man behind the headlines. He reflects on his battles with fame, addiction and life as a public figure. He shares what he's learned from his mistakes, both personal and professional, while looking forward to a brighter, better future.
#8 "Recursion: A Novel" by Blake Crouch
New York City cop Barry Sutton is investigating the devastating phenomenon dubbed by the media as False Memory Syndrome. It's a mysterious affliction that drives victims mad by giving them full and vivid memories of a life they never lived. As Barry searches for answers, he encounters an opponent much more terrifying than any disease — a force that attacks our minds and the very fabric of our pasts. In this compelling page-turner, Barry teams up with Helena Smith, a neuroscientist, in a race against the clock to defeat the phenomenon threatening life as we know it.
#9 "Formation: A Woman's Memoir of Stepping Out of Line" by Ryan Leigh Dostie
After growing up in a sheltered Christian community in New England, Ryan Dostie finds herself on the font lines of a war halfway around the world. Hired as a linguist, she holds her own in the testosterone-filled army world. Then the unthinkable happens: She's raped by a fellow soldier. Faced with PTSD and commanders who don't trust her story, Dostie finds herself fighting to be heard. This memoir details her powerful quest in a world where the odds are stacked against her.
#10 "Mrs. Everything: A Novel" by Jennifer Weiner
Jo and Bethie Kaufman grew up 1950s Detroit, when the world seemed full of promise. Jo was a tomboy on a mission to make the world more fair, and Bethie was a sweet, feminine young woman with hopes for a traditional life. But as these sisters grow up, their lives look much different than they once dreamed: Jo becomes a proper young mother in Connecticut, while Bethie becomes the adventure-loving wild child who dives headlong into counterculture. Neither woman is truly happy, but is it too late to change? This daring novel tells the story of two sisters still struggling to find their place in the world.
Looking for even more great books? Check out last month's reading list!
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