30 Books to Read Now
30 ideas to help you answer the question of what to read next .... click here to see a list of our most eagerly anticipated books of the season.
Last updated May 6, 2022.
You'll fall in love with all the creatures who live in Sowell Bay. Easy to read yet rich with themes of loss & grief, this charming book offers hope for all those feeling trapped & lonely in their lives. --Maggie
Reese's May Book Club selection.
Book Lovers is Emily Henry's best yet. As a New York transplant from North Carolina who wants to work in publishing, this book spoke to me deeply. Follow Nora Stephens, a by-the-book literary agent who agrees to take a month-long vacation in rural North Carolina with her sister. Book Lovers is a love letter to the romance genre, to North Carolina, and to family. With a sizzling romance that made my heart skip a beat, Book Lovers is one of my favorite romance novels of all-time. --Genni
Join us for an in-person event with contributors to South Writ Large on Wednesday, May 18.
The reintroduction of wolves to the Scottish highlands and the consequences for the surrounding community is the backbone of this gripping and beautifully written novel. But at its heart are the richly-flawed characters, with whom you'll want to go get lost in the snowy woods in spite of the murderer on the loose. --Maggie
Wow what a great ride on the noir train! A seductive and agonizing tale winding through 1970's Mexico City, complete with an amazing soundtrack (there really is a playlist in the back of the book). A very satisfying read, a true page-turner with characters you'll fall for regardless of their morals. --Jamie
Join us for an in-person event with Tori Eldridge on Monday, June 6.
Join us for an in-person event with John Allore on Thursday, May 26.
The matrix of characters from A Visit from the Goon Squad is back! (And while it's not necessary to have read Jennifer Egan's prior Pulitzer prize winning novel, it certainly wouldn't hurt ...) In the Candy House, Egan offers sketches of life in a society hurtling toward inexorability, where increasingly elaborate manifestations of reality are fueled by new technology. It's the near future, it's the past, it's the present, it's the search for the authentic -- it's more of Jennifer Egan's magnificent storytelling. --Elese
Join us for a virtual event with Maggie Shipstead on Thursday, May 24.
What an absolute stunner. If you love a saga -- one that spans decades, locations and world events -- this is the novel for you. I only wished it were longer so I could luxuriate in the story a few chapters more. --Elese
Georgia in the days immediately following the Emancipation Proclamation, Harris’ characters display the best and the worst responses to the new order. Brutal yet hopeful, this one’s a slow burn until you realize you’re so caught up in the story you can’t possibly stop reading. --Jamie
Another twisty & unpredictable thriller from Brown that kept me reading late into the night. It features twin child stars trying to navigate adulthood after fame has receded. Their troubled backstories are revealed slowly, throwing doubts on their reliability as narrators. I found myself completely engrossed in their personal redemptive journeys. Bonus points to the author for creating a believable cult!! --Maggie
Simultaneously heartbreaking & heart-healing, Ashley Ford's memoir recalls The Glass Castle and Educated in its delicate exploration of familial love & trauma. This is one of those books that hurts to read but that you can't put it down, even for a moment. The painful parts make the ending--the author's strength and growth and incredible bravery--feel all the more powerful. Such a moving read. --Talia
