6 Books You Need to Read This Summer
From thrillers to juicy romances, we’ve got you covered.
Whether you plan on spreading out at the beach with friends (you might need a cute bag to hold your stuff, btw) or on living room couch (air conditioning on blast 24/7), no summer afternoon is fully complete without a juicy page-turner to keep you company. Summer is the perfect time to give your brain a well-deserved break from those dense textbooks and instead get lost in a book or two that you actually enjoy.
Lucky for all the voracious bookworms out there, there’s no shortage of buzzy reads coming down the summer 2020 pipeline. So no matter where you choose to spend the warmest days of the year, grab your tallest glass of lemonade and settle in with one of the guaranteed-to-be-talked-about titles below.
1. They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman
A murder mystery that takes place at a Long Island prep school? Sign us up. If you’re a Gossip Girl fan who enjoys the feeling of heart palpitations and/or hand sweating, you’re not going to want to put this debut book––written by Cosmopolitan’s first Op-Ed editor––down. Side note: We’re obsessed with this YA book’s clever cover art.
2. Tweet Cute by Emma Lord
If you’re guessing this rom-com book involves social media––and a viral Twitter war––you’d be correct. Jack and Pepper may hate each other on the timeline (the massive Twitter account Pepper runs stole Jack’s grandmother’s legendary grilled cheese recipe), but in an anonymous chat app, they’re falling for each other. Bring on all the “awws.”
3. The State of Us by Shaun David Hutchinson
2020 is a big year for U.S. politics and it’s a big year for Dean Arnault too. Dean’s mother is running for president, which isn’t exactly surprising given her political history. What is surprising though, is when Dean starts feeling a spark between him and Dre, his mother’s opponent’s son. Forget Romeo and Juliet ––the hottest new love story featuring star-crossed lovers is all about Romeo and Julian (*winks*).
4. Head Over Heels by Hannah Orenstein
As a dating and relationships editor, author Hannah Orenstein is known for writing about modern romance. This time, Orenstein’s rom-com takes place within the high stakes world of competitive gymnastics. After a massive performance failure ends her athletic career, Avery Abrams returns to her Massachusetts hometown where sparks start flying with the new coach. Add in a shocking gymnastics scandal and a friendship betrayal, and we’re here for the drama.
5. Girl Crushed by Katie Heaney
The only way to get over an old crush is to get a new one, right? At least, that’s what Quinn Ryan is trying to do after her girlfriend and best friend, Jamie Rudawski, dumps her. Then Ruby Ocampo, cool girl and lead singer of the band Sweets, enters the picture. But the more time Quinn spends with Ruby, the more she thinks about Jamie. If you’ve ever had a crush (read: everyone), you’ll feel this one hard.
6. With the Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo
Emoni Santiago is an Afro-Latinx high school senior and a talented cook in the kitchen. She also happens to be a single mother. Emoni dreams of one day being a chef after she graduates, but given her responsibilities and role on a mom, it can sometimes feel like an impossibility. Yes, this book is a love story, but maybe not the kind you’d quite expect.
What books are you most excited to read this summer? After you’re done loading up your book bag , share your thoughts with us on social media!
By: Taylor Trudon
