Spotlight BOOKS 15 of the most anticipated books you should read this summer Clare Mulroy USA Today Jun 22, 2026 Jun 22, 2026 Updated Sep 27, 2026 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save This summer’s forecast is in: clear skies and good books from here on out.kAmpD J@F A24< E9@D6 EC2G6= 328D[ 5@?’E 7@C86E 2 42AE:G2E:?8 ?6H C625 H:E9 J@FC DF?D4C66? 2?5 D?24<D] w6C6 2C6 E96 `d 3@@<D H6’C6 >@DE 6I4:E65 7@C E9:D DF>>6C] k^Am 15 books we think you should read this summer. Covers courtesy of Penguin Rando k9amkDEC@?8m‘(9:DE=6C’ k^DEC@?8mk6>mqJ p?? !2E496EEk^6>mk^9amkAms2A9?6[ db[ 92D 2 492?46 CF?\:? H:E9 96C 7@C>6C DE6A72E96C[ H9@ H2D :? 96C =:76 @?=J 7@C 2 3C:67[ :>A24E7F= J62C H96? D96 H2D h] $96 92D?’E D66? 9:> D:?46 2 72E67F= 6G6?E E92E 492?865 3@E9 E96:C =:G6D[ 2?5 D96 92D ?@ A=2?D E@ =6E 9:> 8@ 282:?] k6>m~FE ?@Hk^6>mk^Am People are also reading… Franklin County administrator to step down Social Security COLA 2027: How much could your benefits increase? Trump to begin sending $500 ACA refund checks. Here's where they're going Diamond Avenue community pushes for solutions to decades-long problems Boones Mill obtains grant for new park project 1 killed, 4 injured in crash involving Abingdon school bus after football game Rocky Mount asks residents to voluntarily conserve water Judge Michael Urbanski to retire after long tenure on the federal bench Sale of Hotel Roanoke Conference Center finalized as Virginia Tech prepares to sell whole building Federal grant to fund Route 122 improvement study at Smith Mountain Lake David Hoffmann: A better chorus for the communities we serve Diamond Avenue community pushes for solutions to decades-long problems Tri-Area Community Health announces new behavioral health director Is our admiration for the Amish overlooking real harm? | The Ethical Life podcast What is the regulatory future of Mountain Valley’s Boost project in Elliston? k9amkDEC@?8m‘!F4<’ k^DEC@?8mk6>mqJ $2>2?E92 p==6? k^6>mk^9amkAmx? E9:D “p |:5DF>>6C }:89E’D sC62>”\:?DA:C65 ?@G6=[ 2 ?@?3:?2CJ C62=:EJ 52E:?8 %' D9@H AC@5F46C 3C:?8D E96:C E2=6?E 7@C @C496DEC2E:?8 A=@E EH:DED :?E@ E96:C A6CD@?2= =:76] k6>m~FE ?@Hk^6>mk^Amk9amkDEC@?8m‘$F3=:>2E:@?’ k^DEC@?8mk6>mqJ xD236= y] z:>k^6>mk^9amkAmx? E96 G6:? @7 “$6G6C2?46[” E9:D E9C:==6C :>28:?6D 2 H@C=5 H96C6 :>>:8C2E:@? 4C62E6D 5FA=:42E6 3@5:6D[ 42==65 “:?DE2?46D[” H96C6 @?6 4@AJ =:G6D :? 2 ?6H 4@F?ECJ 2?5 @?6 :D C6>2:?D :? E96 @=5] %9@F89 >2?J @AE E@ DE2J :? E@F49 H:E9 E96:C @E96C D6=7[ D@>6[ =:<6 $@J@F?8 #@D6[ H2?E E@ >@G6 @?] qFE 96C Q:?DE2?46Q 92D A=2?D E@ DE62= 96C 3@5J 2?5 =:76] k6>m~FE ?@Hk^6>mk^Am k9amkDEC@?8m‘{2?5’ k^DEC@?8mk6>mqJ |288:6 ~’u2CC6== k^6>mk^9amkAm%9:D 9:DE@C:42= ?@G6= 7C@> E96 2FE9@C @7 “w2>?6E” 7@==@HD 2 >2? 2?5 9:D D@? 2D E96J 2EE6>AE E@ >2A E96 6?E:C6EJ @7 xC6=2?5 :? `ged[ ;FDE 27E6C E96 vC62E wF?86C] qFE 27E6C 2? F?D6EE=:?8 6?4@F?E6C[ %@>áD’ =:76 — 2?5 H@C< — H:== ?6G6C 36 E96 D2>6] k6>m~FE ?@Hk^6>mk^Amk9amkDEC@?8m‘%96 ~A6? tC2’ k^DEC@?8mk6>mqJ t5H2C5 $49>:E k^6>mk^9amkAmx7 J@F =@G65 “r92==6?86CD” @C “w62E65 #:G2=CJ[” 4964< @FE E9:D 563FE BF66C DA@CED C@>2?46 ?@G6=] x? “%96 ~A6? tC2[” E6??:D A=2J6C pFDE:? w2C5J :D E96 7:CDE @A6?=J 82J >2? E@ 4@>A6E6 :? 2 vC2?5 $=2>] p?5 2D :7 >2?28:?8 E96 DA@E=:89E H2D?’E 6?@F89[ pFDE:? EC:AD 2?5 72==D C:89E :? 7C@?E @7 s:68@ rCFK[ 9:D 7=:CEJ C:G2=] k6>m~FE ?@Hk^6>mk^Am k9amkDEC@?8m‘!@@= w@FD6’ k^DEC@?8mk6>mqJ |2CJ w]z] r9@:k^6>mk^9amkAm“!@@= w@FD6” :D 2 DE@CJ @7 >@E96CD 2?5 52F89E6CD[ DA64:7:42==J 2 w@==JH@@5 DE2C ?2>65 |@@? 2?5 96C 52F89E6C[ $E6G:6[ H9@ 42?’E H2:E E@ 86E @FE @7 96C D925@H] %96 A2:C :D 7@C465 E@ =:G6 :? E96:C A@@= 9@FD6 H9:=6 C6?E:?8 @FE E96:C 9@FD6[ 2?5 E96 E6?D:@? @?=J :?4C62D6D H96? |@@?’D =@G6C 2?5 %' 9FD32?5 5:6D 2?5 96C %' D@? W$E6G:6’D 4CFD9X 2CC:G6D 7@C E96 7F?6C2=] k6>m~FE ?@Hk^6>mk^Amk9amkDEC@?8m‘%96 *29@@ q@JD’ k^DEC@?8mk6>mqJ r2C=@D q2CC28á? k^6>mk^9am kAmp }6H *@C< %:>6D C6A@CE6C :?G6DE:82E6D C@>2?46 D42>>6CD :? }:86C:2 :? “%96 *29@@ q@JD]” q2CC28á? @C:8:?2==J D6E @FE E@ 7:?5 E96 >2? H9@ D42>>65 9:D >@E96C[ 3FE ?@H :?E6CC@82E6D 7@FC @7 E96D6 J@F?8 >6?[ :==F>:?2E:?8 E96:C E24E:4D[ 64@?@>:4 92C5D9:AD 2?5 >@C2= 5:=6>>2D] k6>m~FE ?@Hk^6>mk^Am k9amkDEC@?8m‘%96 |:DD65 r@??64E:@?’ k^DEC@?8mk6>mqJ %:2 (:==:2>Dk^6>mk^9amkAmp 42DE:?8 286?E 42? 7:?5 2 A6C764E 7:E 7@C 6G6CJ C@=6 6I46AE 7@C 96C C@>2?E:4 A2CE?6C] qFE 27E6C 2 >:DD65 4@??64E:@? @? 2 7=:89E E@ !2C:D[ D96’== 6>32C< @? 2? F?6IA64E65 ;@FC?6J E@ 7:?5 96C 2EEC24E:G6 D62E>2E6] k6>m~FE ?@Hk^6>mk^Am k9amkDEC@?8m‘xE r@F=5 w2G6 q66? w6C’ k^DEC@?8mk6>mqJ {:D2 y6H6== k^6>mk^9amkAmp:?’E ?@ EH:DE =:<6 2 {:D2 y6H6== EH:DE] x? “xE r@F=5 w2G6 q66? w6C[” 2 H@>2? 7:?5D 2 5@8 36=@?8:?8 E@ 2 >:DD:?8 E66?286C] qFE FA@? C6EFC?:?8 E96 5@8[ D96 C62=:K6D E96 255C6DD :D 7@C 2 9@FD6 E92E A=2J65 2 52C< C@=6 :? 96C A2DE]k^Am k9amkDEC@?8m‘%96 $92>A@@ t7764E’ k^DEC@?8mk6>mqJ y6??J y24<D@? k^6>mk^9amkAmp ?6H4@>6C 2CC:G6D :? 2 4@2DE2= |2DD249FD6EED E@H? 2?5 72==D :?E@ 2? 6DE23=:D965 8C@FA @7 =@42=D] p 3F55:?8 C@>2?46[ 2? F?6IA64E65 AC68?2?4J 2?5 6IA@D65 D64C6ED D92<6 FA E96 D>2==\E@H? DE2EFD BF@] k6>myF?6 b_k^6>mk^Am k9amkDEC@?8m‘rC2D9 x?E@ |6’ k^DEC@?8mk6>mqJ #@3:??6 {66 k^6>mk^9amkAmr64:=:2 — 2 H:76[ >@E96C 2?5 2CE:DE — 8C2AA=6D H:E9 96C :56?E:EJ :? 8=:EKJ[ E@I:4 {@D p?86=6D] qFE H96? D96 92D 2 492?46 C6F?:@? H:E9 E96 >@56= D96 7:CDE >6E a_ J62CD 28@[ E96:C ?6H 2?5 :?E6?D6 6?E2?8=6>6?E >:89E 7:?2==J 8:G6 96C D@>6 4=2C:EJ] k6>myF=J fk^6>mk^Am k9amkDEC@?8m‘u2>@FD |6?’ k^DEC@?8mk6>mqJ yF=:6 qF?E:? k^6>mk^9amkAmp J@F?8 H@>2? 7=66D 96C D>2== |:49:82? E@H? E@ 7@==@H E96 72>@FD HC:E6C :? }6H *@C< D96 36=:6G6D >:89E 36 96C 72E96C] %96C6[ D96’D DH6AE :?E@ 2? 2==\4@?DF>:?8 C6=2E:@?D9:A E92E 4@>6D H:E9 2 5:KKJ:?8 D@4:2= D46?6 2>@?8 HC:E6CD 2?5 2 A@E6?E:2= 42C66C @7 96C @H? — 2E 2 4@DE] k6>myF=J `ck^6>mk^Am k9amkDEC@?8m‘r@@= |249:?6’ k^DEC@?8mk6>mqJ r@=D@? (9:E69625 k^6>mk^9amkAm%96 E9:C5 2?5 7:?2= 3@@< @7 (9:E69625’D w2C=6> %C:=@8J 7@==@HD 7FC?:EFC6 D2=6D>2? #2J r2C?6J 2?5 9:D A2CE?6C :? 4C:>6[ !6AA6C[ 6?E2?8=65 H:E9 4C:>:?2= >2DE6C>:?5D 2?5 D496>:?8 E@ D2G6 =@G65 @?6D :? E96 DEC66ED @7 `hg_D }6H *@C<] k6>myF=J a`k^6>mk^Am k9amkDEC@?8m‘&?56C E96 u2==D’ k^DEC@?8mk6>mqJ #:492C5 #FDD@ k^6>mk^9amkAm%96 7C@?E>2? @7 2 72>@FD 32?5 C6EFC?D E@ $E@?6 |@F?E2:?[ E96 9@>6E@H? 96 =67E `g J62CD 28@ H:E9@FE =@@<:?8 324<[ 2?5 :D 72465 H:E9 2 7@C>6C =@G6C[ 2? @=5 7C:6?5 2?5 2 EC2865J E92E’== FA6?5 2== E96:C =:G6D] k6>mpF8] ``k^6>mk^Am k9amkDEC@?8mVq:8 {:EE=6 %CFE9DV k^DEC@?8mk6>mqJ {:2?6 |@C:2CEJk^6>mk^9amkAm{62C? H92E E96 H@>6? @7 “q:8 {:EE=6 {:6D” 2C6 FA E@ `_ J62CD 5@H? E96 =:?6 :? E9:D D6BF6=] “q:8 {:EE=6 %CFE9D” 7@==@HD E96 ?@H 9:89 D49@@=\286 49:=5C6? @7 |256=:?6[ r6=6DE6[ y2?6[ #6?2E2 2?5 q@??:6 27E6C E96 AC:?4:A2= C646:G6D 2 D6G6C65 7:?86C :? E96 >2:=] k6>mpF8] adk^6>mk^Am Books These sweet books can bring a little kindness into your life Chris Hewitt The Minnesota Star Tribune 0 comments Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Looking for a book for America 250? Here’s what historians are reading Looking for a book about the United States this summer? Historians and authors have some recommendations for history-minded books every Americ… Are books dead? 9 fun ways to fight ‘the end of reading’ If a reading apocalypse is truly on the horizon, here are nine ways you can fight the “end of reading” right at home.
Books These sweet books can bring a little kindness into your life Chris Hewitt The Minnesota Star Tribune
Looking for a book for America 250? Here’s what historians are reading Looking for a book about the United States this summer? Historians and authors have some recommendations for history-minded books every Americ…
Are books dead? 9 fun ways to fight ‘the end of reading’ If a reading apocalypse is truly on the horizon, here are nine ways you can fight the “end of reading” right at home.