It’s officially Summer. My life is starting to settle into a new normal, and I’m feeling pretty good.
This post might even be on time for a change.
While others are excited about Summer blockbusters or trips to the beach, I have a different view of what my months of warmth will look like. They include long puppy walks, trips to the park and the pool, and lots of reading.
As luck would have it, four of my favorite authors either have new books out or are releasing new books. And, I went on a bit of a buying spree a few months ago. So I’ve got a stack of new books awaiting me.
Here’s what I’ll be reading this Summer. As always, some of these are re-reads. Some are new, and some are old. Some have been on my list before, but I didn’t get to them so I’m trying again. Some are for horror fans, some for writers, and some for witches. Whoever you are, I hope you find something in here to spark your interest.
Never Flinch by Stephen King
Anyone who follows me on Instagram should know this was coming. Hell, anyone who knows me should know this was coming.
But come on. A book about Holly and Detective Izzy solving cryptic murders and protecting an egotistical feminist icon? Yes, please.
The Bewitching by Sylvia Moreno-Garcia
The latest Moreno-Garcia book is always one of my Summer highlights. And, I mean, anything about witches is going to catch my attention.
I’m vain.
This book is about secrets and witchcraft that reach from Mexico to Massachusetts. And I love Mexican witchcraft almost as much as I love Salem witchcraft. And after reading Silver Nitrate, I know Moreno-Garcia will more than do the magic justice.
It comes out on July 15th. I am counting the days.
Dead Husband’s Cookbook by Danielle Valentine
Coming out in August, Valentine’s latest book is about a celebrity chef who might or might not have killed her husband and indulged in cannibalism. But having read all of her other works, I’m assuming it’s going to be much deeper than that.
I cannot wait to find out.
The House of Quiet by Kiersten White
This one comes out on September 9th. Which is technically still Summer, even though I’ll have already decked out my house in pumpkins by this time. And honestly, it seems like the best sort of book for this liminal time between Summer and Fall.
It’s about a woman who infiltrates a house that claims to be for children undergoing ‘the procedure’. But it turns out to be a place for people with strange powers. Honestly, it sounds like a cross between X-Men and Witchcraft for Wayward Girls and I am here for it.
Mexican Gothic by Sylvia Moreno-Garcia
I’ve been meaning to re-read this one since I originally listened to it as an audiobook. There’s nothing wrong with that, it’s just a different experience. And I’m already more than halfway through. I love this book and I’ve talked about it at length. Suffice to say that if you’ve never read a book by this author, start here. You’ll never look back.
Apostate’s Guide to Witchcraft by Moss Matthey
I’m already about halfway through this one as well. But it’s helping me work through some lingering damage from my childhood in a high-control religion. If you’ve suffered something similar, even if you’re not a witch, consider giving this one a read.
Sisters in Hate by Seyward Darby
I’ve been meaning to read this for ages. But I couldn’t find a copy anywhere. So I went ahead and bought one. It’s about white women and the poisonous work we’ve done for white nationalism. I don’t expect it to be a comfortable read.
The Witching Year by Diana Helmuth
Another re-read. But this time I have my own copy, so I can go to town with the highlighter. If witchcraft has been calling to you, read this book.
City Witchery by Lisa Marie Basile
Again, I have read this one before. But there’s so much good content in here that it certainly bears a re-read.
While you might associate witchcraft with something best practiced in forests or by the sea, not all of us live in those environments. Some of us can’t (A house in the woods? In this economy?) Some of us don’t want to. And if you’re in either of those camps, this book will help you feel more spiritual while walking your city streets.
Long Quiet Highway by Natalie Goldberg
I can’t get enough of Goldberg’s writing. Whenever I’m feeling uninspired, I turn to her. And a memoir about America, when I’m feeling this level of concern for our country’s future, is exactly what I need. Don’t worry, there will be a review of this one as soon as I finish it.
Let the Whole Thundering World Come Home by Natalie Goldberg
One of the many things I love about Goldberg’s writing is that each book tells the story of a different chapter of her life. This one is about her and her partner suffering from life-threatening cancer. With the health issues the Darling Husband has been facing, this one’s likely to leave me in tears.
The Magical Writing Grimoire by Lisa Marie Basile
Are we sensing a theme yet? I want to dive deeper into my writing, cutting to the bone and writing about things that truly, deeply matter to me. I did that in Quiet Apocalypse, which is about a haunted apartment building but is also about my deep-seated fear of dying alone. To this date, that is my favorite book I’ve written. I want to reach that height again.
Lucy Undying by Kiersten White
I am rereading this, and I am doing it soon. But it was such a fantastic story. It was the lesbian retelling of Dracula that we all need right now.
Writing on Empty by Natalie Goldberg
As I mentioned, each one of Goldberg’s books is about a chapter in her life. This one is about how she felt isolated during the Covid pandemic, and how it seemed to deprive her of her writing. Which is, let me assure you, its own special kind of hell. I need to know how my mentor dealt with that.
Velvet Was The Night by Sylvia Moreno-Garcia
Why am I re-reading this one? Because I found it at Dollar General of all places and had to rescue a copy. I also straight-up bullied a friend of mine until she bought one as well.
Also, the story is just great. A woman so bored with her life that she steals silly things from her neighbors accidentally finds herself involved in a massive political espionage plot. How is that not the perfect Summer read?
Broke Millennial by Erin Lowry
Finally, Broke Millennial is a book I feel like I need to read. As a writer, I’m probably never going to be overburdened with cash. So I need to manage what little of it I have responsibly if I want to keep eating, having a roof over my head, and occasionally indulging in a glass of damn good wine. And while I have read this one before, it was years ago. I need a refresher.
If you can believe it, that’s not everything on my massive TBR pile. But they’re all the books I think I’ll reasonably have time to read before September 22nd.
So now it’s your turn. What’s on your Summer reading list? Let us know in the comments. And if you want to follow along with my reading journey, you can do so on Goodreads.
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