6 Books to Add to Your Summer Reading List (BEA)

Did you think I had moved past BookExpo America? I hope not because, although I've gushed about the Audies, shared my love of totes, and told you about new books in food and cooking, I still have more books to talk about.

Today is all about my summer reading list. Later this week, I'll share a few fall books I'm excited about. Even though I received some 2017(!) galleys, I think I'll wait before discussing those books.

Beach Reading

• Invincible Summer by Alice Adams: Four college friends face the new century with college degrees and all the hopes and dreams of the life to come. After the optimism of their twenties has been tempered by the realities of their thirties, the friends reunite in an effort to capture the heady days of their more naive youth. Set in Europe. "Okay, here's one. If you could know the answer to any question, what would it be?" (Little, Brown / June) • Here's to Us by Elin Hilderbrand: One dead celebrity chef + three widows + one small Nantucket cottage = one weekend of drama. Can the ex-wives guard their secrets and remain civil long enough to honor and mourn the man they all once loved? Classic Hilderbrand. "Deacon Thorpe is thirteen years old and still more a boy that a man when his father, Jack, tells Deacon they're taking a day trip out of the city, just the two of them." (Little, Brown / June)

Suspense and Mystery

• The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware: This psychological thriller is set on a small cruise ship headed for the North Sea. Lo Blacklock, on board to write about the trip for a magazine, is enjoying the cushy assignment until one night she sees a woman being tossed overboard. But in the morning, no one is missing. What really happened? "In my dream, the girl was drifting far, far below the crashing waves and the cries of the gulls in the cold, sunless depths of the North Sea." (Gallery / July) • Behind Closed Doors by B. A. Paris: Jack and Grace have it all: plenty of money, good looks, and a solid place at high society's table. Their mutual devotion is something to be envied and admired . . . or is it? How come Grace is never seen out on her own? Why doesn't she ever say yes to lunch with the girls? Gripping suspense. "The champagne bottle knocks against the marble kitchen counter, making me jump." (St. Martin's Press / August)

Memoir: Country and Town

• Raising Wild by Michael P. Branch: Life in the Nevada Great Basin Desert is not for everyone: poisonous animals and harsh weather are only two of the challenges. In this collection of essays, however, Branch lets us see the natural beauty of his home and how an intimate connection with the environment can strengthen ourselves, our families, and our friendships. Thoughtful reading. "It is true that on the day Eryn and I decided to have a kid we had been drinking quite a lot of gin." (Roost Books / August) • I'm Your Biggest Fan by Kate Coyne: On her journey from a young reporter for Page Six all the way up to executive editor of People magazine, Coyne has interviewed many of the major stars and celebrities. Not all of those encounters were pleasant, and some were down-right awkward, but few people have seen the rich and famous at their most authentic moments. Respectful, funny, and revealing. "Let's cut to the chase: Tom Cruise is insanely charismatic, so much so that you do feel as though you could maybe, kind of, possibly, convert to Scientology for him." (Hachette / June)