The sun is high, and the temperatures are rising, and it’s hard to navigate my brain away from thoughts of my toes in the sand, warmth enveloping my skin, and most importantly, a new book in hand.
Growing up, one of my favorite seasonal escapes was between the pages of a new book. Every year, the final bell would ring, and children would rush out to take their last school bus trip home, backpacks crammed with water bottles, yearbooks, and summer reading lists. These lists provided by the school's educators were filled with titles focused on the upcoming curriculum. My favorite reading list? My local library's summer reading challenge.
Focused on opening young minds to a variety of genres rather than syllabus-specific titles, the local library would encourage children and young adults to search through the shelves to find classics, recent titles, and dive into series, all while tracking their progress on a printed worksheet. In hindsight, these challenges promoted a sense of discovery and open-mindedness while reminding parents and children of the importance of visiting and supporting their community library, and overall the importance of reading.
As I enter the sunny months of my 30s, I feel that childlike excitement about flipping open a new paperback, skipping screentime and spending quiet moments within a story. Inspired by friends in social book clubs, the existing titles on my bookshelf that I haven’t yet cracked open, and “Book-Tok,” video content from digital influencers - recommending my next “must-read” beach thriller or thought-provoking novel - I built my list.
Full of trending covers and books I’ve put on the back burner, this summer I upped the energy to hit my yearly goal of more than 20 books within 12 months, flirting with the fact that once I’ve completed them, I can update my Goodreads profile to track and share each page-turner with friends. Mimicking the process of a library reading challenge, and leaning into the nostalgic feeling I have been craving.
My summer started strong with buzz-worthy covers: “Yesteryear,” “The Compound,” and “The Correspondent.” Each unique and captivating in its own style, I was truly reminded of the feeling of self-accomplishment and simple pleasure I had felt years ago.
“Yesteryear” by Caro Claire Burke, a psychological thriller and what I’ve seen labeled as “social satire,” brings you into the world of Natalie Heller Mills, a traditional American woman, mother, and social media influencer, who suddenly wakes up in 1855 in a rustic and harsh farmhouse, with a family she doesn’t recognize. As she learns and struggles with her new reality, she has flashbacks to her college years, her more modern life, and the empire she had once built. This mind-bending and dark tale provides levity at times while Natalie learns how to influence her digital followers. I was left thinking about the humans I follow online and with a pretty vague question - is any of it real?
“The Compound” by Aisling Rawle came next, and was completed within one night, my quickest read yet. The story takes place on a reality show in the desert, strikingly similar to the staging of America’s most bingeable TV reality hit, Love Island USA, though characters in this book are challenged in groups and individually to make their living situations more comfortable. A dystopian-style fiction story of alliances, disturbing trials, and unsettling drama is what I claim to be a true “beach read.”
I found myself flying through “The Correspondent,” by Virginia Evans, a book I read alongside my mother with hopes to connect over a crisp glass of wine on our upcoming Cape Cod trip. What I recently learned is an epistolary - a story told through a series of written correspondence; this book pulls you in immediately as you read the letters between Sybil Van Antwerp and her loved ones, neighbors, and folks with whom she has very little connection. Although feeling slightly invasive, each new letter provides insight into how Sybil perceives the world and her relationships. It’s thought-provoking, empathic, and reminded me just how different each one of us is.
So what’s next on my list?
As I continue toward my personal goal, I am excited to dive into “A House with Good Bones” by T. Kingfisher, “The Only Good Indians” by Stephen Graham Jones, and “The Cold Vanished: Seeking the Missing in North America’s Wildlands” by Jon Billman.
I encourage you to check out your local library for adult reading groups, start your own goal, or grab hold of a children's summer reading challenge and take your own mental vacation.
Caroline Aurigemma is a Hudson Valley creative who recently joined the Communications team at local nonprofit Scenic Hudson. Caroline has worked in marketing and social media, and previously led marketing efforts at a podcast and entertainment company in the true crime space. She's an avid reader and podcast listener who enjoys discovering new trails, spending time with family and friends, and her furry four-legged companion.
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