Books
55 New Books For Your Memorial Day Weekend Reading Plans
If you've been looking for the ultimate list of new books to read over Memorial Day weekend, look no further: I've got 55 must-read books from the first five months of 2019, all of which are guaranteed to keep you entertained on whatever planes, trains, or automobiles will be whisking you away on your first big summer adventure.
2019 has been an undeniably great year for books so far, so there is sure to be something below for every kind of reader and each kind of reading mood. Looking for a dreamy rom-com to bring to the beach? Christina Lauren's latest, The Unhoneymooners, or Casey McQuiston's Red, White & Royal Blue offer the sweetness (and steaminess) you crave. Want to dive into some edge-of-your-seat thrillers? Necessary People by Anna Pitoniak and Two Can Keep A Secret by Karen McManus are right up your dark alley.
Literary fiction, brand new memoirs, essay collections, biographies, and young adult reads both contemporary and fantasy — it's all here, it's all new and it's all waiting to be added to your TBR pile. Consider this your ultimate early summer reading list; There's plenty of sunshine, day trips and lazy afternoons with a book in hand ahead, and you're definitely going to need a great book for all of them:
'With The Fire On High' by Elizabeth Acevedo
In Elizabeth Acevedo's With The Fire On High, teen mom Eboni Santiago is too busy to focus on her culinary arts class and their trip to Spain. But when she embraces her talent for cooking, she unlocks her passion.
'Hollywood's Eve' by Lili Anolik
In Hollywood's Eve, Lili Anolik tracks the scandalous life of author Eve Babitz — from L.A. It Girl to recluse to literary legend.
'King Of Scars' by Leigh Bardugo
Leigh Bardugo's King of Scars returns readers to the Grisha universe for a story about Nikolai Lantsov, the young king who must stop a rising threat to the once-great Grisha Army.
'Split-Level' by Sande Boritz Berger
Split-Level by Sande Boritz Berger is set in the post-Nixon '70s and follows 30-year-old Alex Pearl and her husband Donny as they embark on an open marriage.
'Karamo' by Karamo Brown
Karamo Brown's memoir dives into his complicated childhood, his struggle with drug addiction, and his fight to change the role of Culture Expert on Netflix's Queer Eye.
'The New Me' by Halle Butler
This biting satire of capitalism and millennial life follows 30-year-old Millie, a morose temp who struggles with the expectations of modern life while also trying to mold herself to them.
'Hope & Other Punchlines' by Julie Buxbaum
Julie Buxbaum's Hope & Other Punch Lines follows Abbi Goldstein and Noah Stern, two teens whose childhoods were directly affected by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, as they begin to ask difficult questions about that day.
'All That You Leave Behind' by Erin Lee Carr
Erin Carr explores her relationship with her late father, the writer David Carr, through personal memories, emails, and other conversations, all while reckoning with her grief and a generational history of addiction.
'Queenie' by Candice Carty-Williams
Candice Carty-Williams' Queenie follows a 20-something British-Jamaican woman as she navigates her job in journalism, relationship crises, and mental illness.
'Furious Hours' by Casey Cep
Casey Cep's Furious Hours is a fascinating deep dive into the story of an alleged Alabama serial killer and To Kill a Mockingbird author Harper Lee's obsession with the case.
'Queen Bey' Edited by Veronica Chambers
The Queen Bey anthology, edited by Veronica Chambers, brings together various writers, artists and activists to meditate on Beyoncé's far-reaching influence.
'Trust Exercise' by Susan Choi
When David and Sarah, two students at a performing arts high school, fall in love, their passion does not go unnoticed — or untoyed with — by their charismatic acting teacher, Mr. Kingsley.
'When We Left Cuba' by Chanel Cleeton
In 1960's Florida, Cuban exile Beatriz Perez risks her life — and her heart — when she is caught between the clash of Cuban American politics and the perils of a forbidden affair.
'Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors' by Sonali Dev
This modern Pride & Prejudice retelling follows Dr. Trisha Raje and up-and-coming chef DJ Caine as they are thrown together by Trisha's influential immigrant family.
'My Lovely Wife' by Samantha Downing
Millicent and her husband seem like the perfect married couple, but they're hiding dark secrets in order to keep their relationship alive.
'We Hunt The Flame' by Hafsah Faizal
In Hafsah Faizal's We Hunt The Flame, Zafira embarks on a quest to uncover a lost artifact that can restore magic to her world, not knowing that Nasir has also been sent by the king to retrieve the artifact — and kill Zafira.
'Sabrina & Corina' by Kali Fajardo-Anstine
The stories in Kali Fajardo-Anstine's Sabrina & Corina are set in backdrop of Denver, Colorado, and feature Latinas of indigenous ancestry and explore themes of friendship, mothers and daughters, and homelands.
'Naturally Tan' by Tan France
Queer Eye's fashion expert reveals stories about growing up gay in a traditional Muslim family and as one of the only people of color in Doncaster, England.
'Optic Nerve' by Maria Gainza
Maria Gainza's Optic Nerve is narrated by art critic María, and is told in a series of vignettes that juxtapose stories about the works of famous artists with her own life.
'The Girl He Used To Know' by Tracey Garvis Graves
Annika Rose has never had an easy time in social situations, except with Jonathan. But she hasn't seen him for 10 years — until now.
'Somewhere Only We Know' by Maurene Goo
Maurene Goo's Somewhere Only We Know follows K-Pop star Lucky and tabloid reporter Jack during a whirlwind 24-hours in Hong Kong.
'Maybe You Should Talk To Someone' by Lori Gottlieb
Lori Gottlieb's Maybe You Should Talk to Someone explores the ins and outs of talk therapy from her perspectives as both a therapist and a patient.
'The Care And Feeding Of Ravenously Hungry Girls' by Anissa Gray
Anissa Gray's Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls follows three sisters after the eldest is unexpectedly arrested and the other two are dispatched to take care of their sister's teenage daughters.
'Once More We Saw Stars' by Jayson Greene
Jayson Greene's devastating memoir detail the aftermath of his two-year-old daughter Greta's death in a tragic, unpredictable accident on a New York City street.
'The Bride Test' by Helen Hoang
When Esme Tran is brought from Vietnam to the U.S. by Khai Diep's mother for an arranged marriage, she knows this could be the break her family needs. But she doesn't expect to fall for a man who might never return her affections.
'In The Dark' by Cara Hunter
When a woman and child are found locked in a basement, the inhabitants of the quiet street are in shock. But Detective Inspector Adam Fawley knows no one is as innocent as they seem.
'Meet Cute' by Helena Hunting
On her first day of law school, Kailyn and Dax become fast friends until a betrayal break them apart. Now, eight years later, Dax shows up to her office, asking for help.
'Good Talk' by Mira Jacob
Inspired by conversations she had with her son after the 2016 presidential election, Mira Jacobs shares her own formative talks about race, color, sexuality, love and more.
'Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters' by Balli Kaur Jaswal
Arriving in India for a pilgrimage to the Golden Temple in Amristar to carry out their mother's last rites, three sisters will make unexpected discoveries about themselves, their mother, and their lives.
'Daisy Jones & the Six' by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Taylor Jenkins Reid's Daisy Jones & the Six tells the oral history of the fictional band through their rise and fall from fame in the drug-fueled 1970's music scene.
'Miracle Creek' by Angie Kim
This literary courtroom drama follows a Korean immigrant family and a young, single mother accused of murdering her eight-year-old autistic son.
'I Owe You One' by Sophie Kinsella
Sophie Kinsella's I Owe You One follows Fixie and Sebastian after a life-changing favor leads to a string of IOUs that tie them together.
'The Unhoneymooners' by Christina Lauren
When Olive's sister marries Ethan's brother, the sworn enemies try to avoid each other — until they're the only members of the wedding party to escape from a bout of food poisoning, and the honeymoon suddenly up for grabs.
'The Atlas of Reds and Blues' by Devi S. Laskar
Devi S. Laskar's The Atlas of Blues and Reds takes place after a woman is shot during a prejudice-driven police raid on her house. As she lies bleeding, she struggles to make sense of her past and present.
'Lost Children Archive' by Valeria Luiselli
Valeria Luiselli's Lost Children Archive follows a family-in-crisis on a road trip that is set to the backdrop of the separation of thousands of migrant families at the southern U.S. border.
'Long Live The Tribe of Fatherless Girls' by T Kira Madden
T Kira Madden's memoir is a lush exploration of her coming-of-age during the '90s in Boca Raton, Florida.
'Bowlaway' by Elizabeth McCracken
Elizabeth McCracken's Bowlaway spans a century in the life of small-town New England, and their all-female bowling alley.
'Two Can Keep A Secret' by Karen M. McManus
Karen McManus's Two Can Keep Can A Secret follows Ellery after she moves to her grandmother's picturesque small town in Vermont only to uncover that her family is hiding muderous secrets.
'Red, White & Royal Blue' by Casey McQuiston
When photos of a confrontation between First Son Alex Claremont-Diaz and Prince Henry leak to the tabloids, they stage a fake friendship to maintain American/British relations. But it doesn't stay "fake" for long.
'Don't Date Rosa Santos' by Nina Moreno
Rosa Santos is determined to save her small town from a corporate buy-out, but when she collides with Alex Aquino, the mysterious boy whose family owns the marina, she must break an old family curse.
'There's Something About Sweetie' by Sandhya Menon
Ashish Patel and Sweetie Nair were set up by their parents. But they realize with each date that there's something special between them.
'I Miss You When I Blink' by Mary Laura Philpott
Mary Laura Philpott's I Miss You When I Blink is a memoir in essays that follows Philpott as she remakes her life after realizing that "having it all" wasn't making her happy.
'Necessary People' by Anna Pitoniak
After graduation, Violet moves to New York and lands a job in cable news, where she's finally free from her best friend Stella's shadow. But everything is jeopardized when Stella uses her connections to get hired at the same network.
'Save Me The Plums' by Ruth Reichl
Ruth Reichl, the trailblazing food writer and restaurant critic, chronicles her time as editor in chief of Gourmet in this riveting read.
'The Farm' by Joanne Ramos
In Joanne Ramos's The Farm, women are drawn to a lush getaway in the Hudson Valley. But once there, they can't talk to anyone in the outside world, as they immerse themselves in the process of producing a perfect baby for the Farm's clients.
'Normal People' by Sally Rooney
This coming-of-age story follows Connell and Marianne from high school and beyond, as they grapple with their feeling for each other and the realities of adulthood.
'Dealing In Dreams' by Lilliam Rivera
Lilliam Rivera's Dealing in Dreams follows Nalah, who hopes to change her life by crossing the border to find the mysterious gang, the Ashé Ryders.
'The Trial of Lizzie Borden' by Cara Robertson
Cara Robertson's The Trial of Lizzie Borden explores both the facts and the many scandalous rumors about one of the most high profile murder cases in American history.
'Park Avenue Summer' by Renee Rosen
Renee Rosen's Park Avenue Summer is a fictionalized look at Helen Gurley Brown's first year at Cosmopolitan, all told through the eyes of her young assistant.
'More Than Words' by Jill Santopolo
After her father's death, Nina begins to question everything she thought she knew about love, and begins to see all the men in her life in a new light.
'The Priory Of The Orange Tree' by Samantha Shannon
In Samantha Shannon's The Priory of the Orange Tree, the stories of Queen Sabran the Ninth, lady-in-waiting Ead Duryan, and dragonrider Tané all collide as war looms on the horizon.
'On The Come Up' by Angie Thomas
Angie Thomas's On the Come Up follows teen rapper Bri as she navigates viral musical stardom, complex family legacy, and complicated race relations in her community.
'Women Talking' by Miriam Toews
Miriam Toews's Women Talking is a heartwrenching novel inspired by the brutal true story of the women of a remote Mennonite colony in Bolivia who were systemically and repeatedly drugged and raped by men in their community.
'The Collected Schizophrenias' by Esme Weijun Wang
Esme Weijun Wang's The Collected Schizophrenias is an essay collection about the author's lifelong experience with schizoaffective disorder.
'American Spy' by Lauren Wilkinson
Lauren Wilkinson's American Spy follows intelligence officer Marie Mitchell after she joins a task force aimed at undermining the rebel Thomas Sankara, despite her secret support for the man.
