We’re counting down to Summer Reading Guide Day on May 16! I’m excited to share this year’s selections with you all but today is all about helping you figure out what to read while you’re waiting for this summer’s new releases.
To that end, we’re turning to promising backlist titles by favorite Summer Reading Guide authors. “Backlist” means “not newly published,” as opposed to the “frontlist” titles that fill new release tables. Because backlist books have been out for awhile—typically at least a year—they’re often available in paperback and have much shorter wait times at the library. Always a plus!
Our Summer Reading Guides have featured hundreds of authors over the years so this list could have gone in many different directions. I hope you enjoy this incarnation of it, which features everything from mystery and science fiction to literary fiction and even some nonfiction. And because the time is always right for a good book, these backlist picks don’t expire when the Guide drops on May 16. I hope they serve you well all summer long.
20 backlist reads from your favorite Summer Reading Guide authors
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The Expats
I read this one in a day because I couldn't wait to find out what happens next. Kate Moore, a working mother, chooses to quit her high-powered job in order to accompany her husband to Luxembourg for his new job. Because she has time to kill, she begins to analyze her current life, and the lives of the handful of people she knows in Luxembourg, through the lens of her old profession. She's shocked by what she finds. More info →
The Pearl that Broke Its Shell
In this highly discussable novel, Hashimi tells the stories of two women who are separated by centuries but share nearly identical circumstances. In 2007 Kabul, Rahima takes part in an ancient custom that allows her to leave the house dressed as a boy, affording her the opportunity to go to school and care for her sisters as a firstborn son would. Without the support of their father, this is the best option for Rahima and her family. Little does she know, her great-aunt Shekiba lived in much the same way. I was stunned by Hashimi's storytelling, and moved by the resilience of her characters. More info →
The Husband’s Secret
The lives of three Australian women intersect in unexpected ways in this story packed full of secrets. Moriarty addressed dark topics here, but her tone remains light and witty, and she manages to weave in interesting notes—the Berlin wall, the myth of Pandora, the Snow White fairy tale. I loved this on audio as narrated by Caroline Lee; her Australian accent was delightful. More info →
The Distant Hours
This Gothic mystery is slow to build but those who persevere will be rewarded. The setting is a crumbling old castle, which contributes to the story's creepy (but not quite scary) feel. The plot flips back and forth between World War II and the 1990s, but not in the way you'd expect. Book editor Edie is drawn into a mystery surrounding her favorite novel, introducing her to the Sisters Blythe who inherited Milderhurst Castle in Kent. Their father wrote the famous children’s storybook The True History of the Mud Man seventy years prior. That story was pure fiction, the girls were told. But was it really? More info →
Silver Sparrow
Set in 1980s Atlanta, this has one of the best opening lines: "My father, James Witherspoon, is a bigamist." Jones writes about the link between two African-American half sisters, one legitimate and one secret, only one of whom knows the other exists. That is, until the secret of their father's second marriage starts to force its way into the open. Rather than writing back-and-forth between two perspectives, the reader encounters almost all of one sister's point of view in the first half, followed by the other's. The result is an absorbing coming-of-age narrative wrapped in a complicated family novel. (This was the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club November 2020 selection.) More info →
The Mistress of Spices
Divakaruni's first novel tells the story of Tilo, a young Indian girl trained in the magical powers of spices and their blends. She disguises herself in a run-down spice shop in Oakland, California, where she uses her powers to improve the lives of the immigrant Indians who come to her for spices, but her longing to find a love of her own tempts her to leave her magical post in search of her own fate. More info →
Young Jane Young
Aviva Grossman, smart, young, and beautiful, lands a prize internship working in a Florida congressman's office. When she has an affair with her boss—and then blogs about it, he emerges unscathed, and she takes the fall. Life as she knew it is over, so she changes her name and moves to Maine. But when she decides to run for public office herself, those long-buried secrets become today's news again. I loved this one because it's simultaneously fun to read and really thought-provoking. (This was the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club October 2017 selection.) More info →
Practical Magic
This story of sisterly love, magic, and second chances was first published in 1995. Sisters Gillian and Sally have always been outsiders in their Massachusetts town. After all, it’s a fact that everything that goes wrong there is due to the Owens women—and their aunts don’t help matters by leaning into the rumors that they’re witches. Gillian and Sally both try their own versions of escape but their bond inevitably brings them back home. More info →
On the Come Up
I listened to this audiobook on a road trip down to Memphis, and it made the miles fly by. I was engrossed in the story of 15-year-old Brianna, who is confident in her dreams—and has a chance of making them come true—but first has to navigate a whole slew of pitfalls, both the ones forced upon her and the ones of her own making. Bri is an aspiring rapper, and rap battles feature prominently in the plot. For that reason, I'm so glad I listened to this instead of reading it on the page. Bahni Turpin's narration is exceptional. More info →
The Remains of the Day
If you’re craving a road trip through the English countryside or enjoy stories of upstairs-downstairs dynamics, this Booker Prize winner is for you. Stevens, longtime butler of an English country estate, takes a much-needed vacation to drive through the country and visit friends. Over the course of his trip, he reflects on his past, exposing his quiet and unseen role in history. It’s also fantastic on audiobook, as narrated by Nicholas Guy Smith. More info →
Here for It: Or How to Save Your Soul in America
If you love heartfelt, thoughtful memoirs that also make you laugh, then you must try this collection of essays by pop-culture critic R. Eric Thomas. Eric shares stories from childhood to adulthood, detailing his coming-of-age with bracing candor and hilarious honesty. He writes about discovering his identity as a gay man, feeling like an outsider, and finding his voice, all while injecting hilarious pop culture references, bits of wisdom, and his signature wit. While he relays plenty of difficult experiences, his tone is persistently hopeful. I highly recommend the audiobook version, narrated by the author, for full humorous effect. (I thoroughly enjoyed talking with Eric in What Should I Read Next #392: Insightful and entertaining memoirs after the release of his second memoir Congratulations, The Best Is Over!.) More info →
You Should See Me in a Crown
In this happy, poignant YA novel, Black closeted queer orchestra geek Liz Lighty stays out of the spotlight in her small Indiana town, embracing her wallflower status. She has a plan to escape the Midwest and become a doctor, and it all starts with attending her elite dream college. When her financial aid package falls short, Liz is devastated—until she remembers that her school offers a large scholarship for the prom king and queen each year. Reluctant to subject herself to extra attention but eager to win the prize money, Liz enters the competition for prom queen. The smart and funny new girl in school makes events leading up to prom more bearable, but Mack is also vying for the prom queen title. As Liz develops feelings for her, everything gets complicated. Johnson’s triumphant debut tackles serious issues while also delivering a sweet romance. More info →
Gods of Jade and Shadow
This jazz-age fairy tale is inspired by Mexican folklore. Casiopea Tun spends her days cleaning her wealthy grandfather's home, but she dreams of escaping to start a new life. One day, she opens a strange wooden box in her grandfather's room, unleashing the spirit of the Mayan god of death. He makes her an offer: help him take the throne from his brother who betrayed him and earn the life of your dreams. Casiopea can't resist the allure of adventure, even if failure would surely lead to death. She sets out on a journey that takes her far away from home and into the Mayan underworld. More info →
The Survivors
Harper returns to the themes that worked so well in The Dry: a man returns to his tiny hometown to find that neither the community nor his family have forgotten or forgiven his involvement in a past tragedy—and that's before a fresh crime brings painful memories raging back. Much of the story is set in seaside caves that the local teens enjoy exploring—but flood when the tide comes in. A deliciously creepy (and sometimes claustrophobic) tale of buried secrets, family tensions, and life after tragedy. More info →
To Be Taught, If Fortunate
Our team is packed with passionate Becky Chambers fans, thanks to the impeccable world-building, memorable characters, and feel-good vibe. In this novella, astronaut Ariadne and her fellow crewmates have a different way of doing things. They subtly transform themselves so they can study other planets and send their findings back to Earth. Each place they visit is an experience all its own and they’re not all welcoming. Still, the crew carries on with their mission, focused on their relationships with each other and what they might learn. More info →
Love at First
With winning characters, a multigenerational found family, and a fun Chicago setting, this romance will make a whole lot of readers happy. Will and Nora live two floors apart from each other, where late night balcony chats bring them closer together—and their clashing plans for the building spark a surprising rivalry. I expected an absorbing plot and engaging characters from this Romeo and Juliet-inspired second-chance love story; I did not expect it to get me right in the feels. (Open door.) More info →
While We Were Dating
Heart, humor, and a key moment at an In-N-Out Burger make this Hollywood romance a fun escape. Ben (Theo’s brother from The Wedding Date) and Anna meet in a conference room, of all places. He’s presenting his marketing agency’s next big ad campaign; she’s the talent appearing in the ads. The connection is instant: he’s starstruck, and she’s smitten. As they get to know each other better during filming, they develop a real connection, and people can’t help but notice how good they look together. So when Anna’s trusted manager encourages her to embark on a fake romance because the publicity will help her land a coveted role in the Vigilantes movie, she says yes—and when they start playing the part of committed boyfriend and girlfriend for the public eye, things get complicated. (Open door.) More info →
Kook: What Surfing Taught Me About Love, Life, and Catching the Perfect Wave
Peter Heller is known for writing fiction but this is his memoir about learning to surf as a forty-something. After taking a few lessons with a buddy, he realizes the only way to really learn is to dedicate serious time to the sport. He and his girlfriend buy a VW bus, press pause on their regular lives, and head to Mexico for a few months in their quest to move from kooks ("beginner surfer," with a derisive spin) to accomplished surfer. I have zero intention of ever surfing myself, but that's fine: this book holds appeal for Heller fiction fans, lovers of nature writing, and those interested in a serious but not humorless exploration of a self-described midlife crisis. More info →
Doomsday Book
The first book of the Oxford Time Travel series opens on Kivrin, an Oxford University student and the first woman to travel back to the Middle Ages. Her instructors are part of a group of historians who use time travel for the sole purpose of historical preservation and study. Unfortunately, when Kivrin arrives in the past, she contracts a virus that leaves her delirious for weeks, relying on a medieval family to nurse her back to health. At the same time, her advisor is struck down by a virus, making the whole situation ever more precarious. Within this time travel story is a page-turning mystery, witty humor, and a deeply human story about how we care for others over the course of history. More info →
My Own Country: A Doctor’s Story
While Verghese is known for his fiction, his first book was this memoir about his time working at a rural hospital in eastern Tennessee when they treated their first AIDS patient. He specialized in infectious diseases and became their de facto local AIDS expert as more patients were diagnosed. He and his coworkers focus not only on the patients’ physical needs but their emotional needs and those moments of tenderness and connection make a difference for them all. Verghese is a gifted and gripping storyteller, writing with empathy, compassion, and understanding. More info →
What are your favorite backlist books from past Summer Reading Guides? Please tell us in the comments section!
P.S. 20 backlist favorites from ten years of the Summer Reading Guide and 15 Backlist Summer Reading Guide favorites that are even better on audio.
5 comments
I always love these lists for some new-to-me reads. Coincidently, I just picked up The Expats at the library after reading a newer book by Chris Pavone (Two Nights in Lisbon.) It will definitely be my next read!!
I loved Two Nights in Lisbon, Lynn. I did the audiobook and it was fantastic. Just added The ExPats back on my audio TBR. So grateful for the Libby app.
I’d add American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld, Flight Behaviour by Barbara Kingsolver, Celine by Peter Heller, Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger, Breathing Lessons by Anne Tyler, Abide With Me by Elizabeth Strout, and so many others!
So glad to see Young Jane Young here! I really liked it a lot and feel like it doesn’t get anywhere near about love. Plus Remains of the Day — always a fave!!
I’ve read several books by Kazuo Ishiguro, and Remains of the Day remains (see what I did there 😆) my favorite.
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