The Books Our Editors Can’t Stop Talking About This Summer

Margo and Caroline, Skimm Reads editors, here. We’ve been taking advantage of the ample reading time this summer has had to offer (thank you, vacation days), so we’re here to share the enriching reads we can’t stop yapping about. If you’re having trouble figuring out what to read, look no further. Psst…if you’re looking for an extra-breezy book to bring on vacation, we have a list for that, too.

Welcome Home, Caroline Kline by Courtney Preiss

“This debut was put on my radar by two of my best friends — one went to grad school with the author and the other picked this up on a bookstore crawl we went on together. I read it as a palate cleanser post-heavy read. It follows spunky Caroline Kline, who leaves her NYC life behind and heads back to her New Jersey hometown to take care of her ailing father — which, per his request, means subbing for him on his local softball team. A combination of Jewish humor, heartwarming family dynamics, and Bruce Springsteen, this is the ultimate summer read.” —Margo Ghertner

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Sula by Toni Morrison

“Somehow my English degree failed to include any Toni Morrison, so I decided to right that cosmic wrong with her 1973 novel Sula. Broadly, this follows two friends, Sula and Nel, across decades in a Black neighborhood in a small town in Ohio. There’s a reason why Morrison is one of the greats. I ended up reading this in a single sitting, earmarking and underlining passages with reckless abandon. I also love that this is a classic and a paragon of expert prose, but it still feels accessible and thoroughly enjoyable — not dense whatsoever. No matter your literary tastes, this is required reading.” —Caroline Goldstein

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The Genius of Judy by Rachelle Bergstein

“This new release unpacks Judy Blume’s path to success. As a Margaret Simon superfan, I was immediately hooked. If you don’t typically go for nonfiction or history-based books, don’t turn this down. Bergstein’s narrative writing style moves like fiction, even as she weaves in important moments in women’s history and reflects on how Blume’s work positively impacted how children are represented in media.” —Margo Ghertner

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Seven Days in June by Tia Williams

“I’m a newly-minted romance reader, but I struggle to find romance novels that maintain literary integrity and deliver on a delicious love story. Seven Days in June definitely hits that sweet spot. Our two star-crossed lovers are Eva, a cult-famous romantasy writer and single mom to a tween, and Shane, the 'bad boy' of the literary world. The two had a kinetic romance as teenagers, followed by a stormy falling-out and a years-long silence. When the two reunite, sparks fly again. I love Williams’ rich character development, eagle-eyed observations about the literary world, and the humor and detail with which she writes. And the chemistry between our heroes is off the charts. Sheva forever.” —Caroline Goldstein

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Private Equity by Carrie Sun

“Everyone has been telling me to read this book since it came out in February, and I finally got around to it last month. Read this memoir if you’ve ever been an assistant or find any sort of Devil Wears Prada-esque tale fascinating. In it, Sun writes about her experience as an assistant to a hedge fund’s billionaire founder. She covers power dynamics, work/life balance, burnout, and so much more. This one is a juicy inside look at a highfalutin workplace.” —Margo Ghertner

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Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

“Circe is one of my all-time favorite books, so I thought it was time to circ[l]e back to Miller’s first book, Song of Achilles. This is a retelling of the myth of Achilles, the Trojan War hero, from the perspective of Patroclus. In the original story Patroclus is presented as Achilles’ companion and closest friend, but here Miller adopts the critical opinion that Patroclus and Achilles were lovers. In Miller’s luminous, tender prose, this is truly a love story for the ages. This’ll make a softie out of you, if you aren’t already.” —Caroline Goldstein

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