If Oddball Families Make You Smile
The People We Hate at the Wedding, by Grant Ginder ($15, amazon.com).
An estranged family flies en masse to London for a wedding complete with fancy hotels and trendy restaurants. What could possibly go wrong?
If You’re Bummed That Stephen King Doesn’t Have a New Book Out
House of Spies, by Daniel Silva ($17, amazon.com).
Thriller lovers will be riveted by this novel about an international chase to capture the world's most wanted terrorist following a violent attack in London's West End.
If You’re All for a Literary Masterpiece You Can Read in One Sitting
Walks With Men, by Ann Beattie ($7, amazon.com, out June 8).
This transfixing 112-page novella by the acclaimed prose stylist explores a troubled May-December romance.
If You Want a Good Cry (Two Boxes of Tissues, Minimum)
The Bright Hour: A Memoir of Living and Dying, by Nina Riggs ($14, amazon.com).
This memoir, published posthumously, sets out to answer the question: How do you make your life meaningful when you know your time is limited?
If You’re Looking to Learn Something
Wine. All the Time.: The Casual Guide to Confident Drinking, by Marissa A. Ross ($14, amazon.com).
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.
If You’re Happy With a Smart, Grown-Up Romance
Beautiful Maria of My Soul, by Oscar Hijuelos ($10, amazon.com, out June 1).
Twenty years after The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love, the noted author revisits his head-turning heroine, Maria, now in her 60s.
If You Like a Bit of Good Old-Fashioned Schadenfreude
This Is Where We Live, by Janelle Brown ($24, amazon.com, out June 15).
In this withering satire, disaster strikes a devil-may-care couple, putting their marriage in jeopardy.
If You Wore Out Your Copy of Like Water for Chocolate
The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, by Aimee Bender ($7, amazon.com, out June 1).
Fans of magic realism should dig into this tale of a young girl whose mother’s despair is a key ingredient in her desserts.
If You Just Want a Good Laugh While on the Plane
How Did You Get This Number, by Sloane Crosley ($6, amazon.com, out June 15).
In this hilarious collection of essays, Crosley comments drolly on her adventures traveling around the world.
Real Simple Editors Share Their All-Time Vacation Favorites
($8, amazon.com).
“A story about comic-book makers that stands up to the classics.”
Editors’ Pick: No Angel, by Penny Vincenzi
($9, amazon.com).
“First book in a spellbinding saga about London book publishers. OK, maybe that doesn’t sound spellbinding, but it is.”
Editors’ Pick: Out Stealing Horses, by Per Petterson
($10, barnesandnoble.com).
“The father-son relationship in this novel is full of surprises.”
Editors’ Pick: Villages, by John Updike
($14, barnesandnoble.com).
“Intriguing commentary on sexuality in 1970s suburbia.”
Editors’ Pick: Loving Frank, by Nancy Horan
($9, amazon.com).
“A searing fictional exploration of architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s extramarital affair.”
Editors’ Pick: Born to Run, by Christopher McDougall
($10, barnesandnoble.com).
“An eye-opening true account of a relatively unknown tribe of superathletes.”
Editors’ Pick: The World Is Flat, by Thomas L. Friedman
($13, barnesandnoble.com).
“How globalization affects our jobs—and even the way we shop.”
Editors’ Pick: What Was She Thinking?, by Zoë Heller
($7, amazon.com).
“This portrait of a twisted relationship amounts to a master class in human emotion.”
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