20 Great Books You Won’t Be Able to Put Down

The People We Hate at the Wedding, by Grant Ginder

An estranged family flies en masse to London for a wedding complete with fancy hotels and trendy restaurants. What could possibly go wrong?

To buy: $12; amazon.com.

The Last Time I Lied, by Riley Sager

Four girls share a cabin at Camp Nightingale, but only one returns home. Emma, now a successful artist in New York, is haunted by the disappearance of her friends and returns to the summer camp as a painting instructor to piece together what really happened that night.

To buy: $16; amazon.com.

Walks With Men, by Ann Beattie

This transfixing 112-page novella by the acclaimed prose stylist explores a troubled May-December romance.

To buy: $8; amazon.com.

The Bright Hour: A Memoir of Living and Dying, by Nina Riggs

This memoir, published posthumously, sets out to answer the question: How do you make your life meaningful when you know your time is limited?

To buy: $9; amazon.com.

Wine. All the Time.: The Casual Guide to Confident Drinking, by Marissa A. Ross

In this hilarious and unpretentious guide, comedian-turned-wine critic Marissa Ross walks readers through the basics to picking out a great bottle of wine at any budget.

To buy: $9; amazon.com. 

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, by Gail Honeyman 

Eleanor, an awkward woman living a perfectly average life begins an unorthodox friendship with the IT guy in her office, who teaches her about love and how to live a life that's more than just fine.

To buy: $10; amazon.com.

Made for Love, by Alissa Nutting

A woman moves into a trailer park full of senior citizens with her father in order to escape from her obsessive tech-mogul husband.

To buy: $14; amazon.com. 

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, by Aimee Bender

Fans of magic realism should dig into this tale of a young girl whose mother’s despair is a key ingredient in her desserts.

To buy: $11; amazon.com.

How Did You Get This Number, by Sloane Crosley

In this hilarious collection of essays, Crosley comments drolly on her adventures traveling around the world.

To buy: $13; amazon.com.

If You See Me Don’t Say Hi, by Neel Patel

This collection of short stories told from the perspective of different first-generation Indian Americans aims to unravel stereotypes by introducing surprising, yet relatable characters in each piece.

To buy: $16; amazon.com.

Alone Time, by Stephanie Rosenbloom

​​Four cities, four seasons, and countless tables for one. In this memoir, Stephanie Rosenbloom explores the joys of solo adventuring.

To buy: $19; amazon.com.

Lincoln in the Bardo, by George Saunders

George Saunders weaves a riveting narrative of both truth and fantasy, constructing the imagined life—and afterlife—of President Abraham Lincoln’s deceased son, Willie.

To buy: $11; amazon.com.

Swearing Is Good For You, by Emma Byrne

A damn good read, packed with scientific proof that sometimes it's OK to drop a few f-bombs. 

To buy: $15; amazon.com. 

The Finnish Way, By Katja Pantzar

Learn to do as the Finns do in this charming, approachable book about sisu and the benefits of movement, being in nature, and healthy eating.

To buy: $11; amazon.com. 

Pantsdrunk (Kalsarikanni), by Miska Rantanen

The Finnish term “kalsarikanni,” translated as “pantsdrunk,” means exactly what it sounds: drinking at home, alone, in your underwear. This adorably illustrated guide will help you relax and de-stress. 

To buy: $13; amazon.com.

The Real Lolita: The Kidnapping of Sally Horner and the Novel That Scandalized the World, by Sarah Weinman

This in-depth exploration of the 1948 abduction of 11-year-old Sally Horner makes the case that Horner was the real-life subject of Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita.

To buy: $28; amazon.com.

Available September 11.

Vox, by Christina Dalcher

Set in future America where women can only speak 100 words a day, Vox tells the story of Dr. Jean McClellan and her struggle to make herself—and all female voices—heard.

To buy: $19; amazon.com.

Available August 15.

The Shortest Way Home, by Miriam Parker

When Hannah finds herself with everything she’s ever wanted (at least she thinks so?), she can’t resist giving it all up for a dream she never knew she had.

To buy: $26; amazon.com. 

What You Don’t Know About About Charlie Outlaw, by Leah Stewart

A quirky tale of two Hollywood stars who break up only to find themselves needing each other more than ever—especially after one of them is kidnapped on a desert island.

To buy: $11; amazon.com.

When Life Gives You Lululemons, by Lauren Weisberger

Emily Charlton is back, and this time she’s facing something even scarier than Miranda Priestly: suburbia.

To buy: $17; amazon.com.