Hi book pals,
So many new faces here after my crowdsourced “100 Best Books of the 21st Century” project, and I think you’ll like this one, too. The monthly book report is a recap of everything I read and loved the prior month, new releases on my radar, and a heaping helping of book adaptation headlines.
This is all filtered through my lens as a reader—lots of romance, literary fiction, a few wimpier thrillers a year (I’m a scardey cat!), and although I abhor the term, some women’s fiction that doesn’t neatly fit the aforementioned buckets—so expect a curated view that’s certainly not inclusive of every new release or adaptation. But if you had decent overlap with the crowdsourced list, I think we’ll get along just fine. If you’re curious, I’d read 53 books on the list and added another 14 to my TBR (including one I already checked off and reviewed below!).
The exciting news in my reading life this month is that I think my 2-ish month reading rut is finally over, and it feels great to be reading again. Let’s get into it!
Books I loved in July:
I HOPE YOU FIND THIS WELL by Natalie Sue (Bookshop | Amazon)
Who is this for? Anyone stuck in a dead-end job and/or fans of Elinor Oliphant is Completely Fine
I was never sure what was going to happen next in this whip-smart workplace comedy about a disgruntled office worker who gets caught adding snarky PS’s to her emails in white font (honestly, genius). An IT mix-up with her punishment grants her access to her coworkers’ emails, landing her with more private information about—and empathy for—her officemates than she bargained for. Both the humor and subject matter are darker than expected, so check triggers. But if you like a sarcastic, depressed narrator, Jolene is your girl!
NO ONE TELLS YOU THIS by Glynnis MacNichol (Bookshop | Amazon)
Who is this for? The childless cat ladies of JD Vance’s nightmares
I bought this memoir about the year the author turns 40 when it came out in 2018. Back then, I read a few chapters and put it aside. Maybe I was too far from 40? Maybe I had different ideas about what my life would look like when I got there? But I’ve been seeing a lot of buzz for her recently-released follow up memoir (I’m Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself), and I thought I’d give this another whirl. I’m so glad I did. The memoir covers dating mishaps, female friendship, and travel, but also heavier topics like dealing with aging parents. If you want for narratives about single, childless women in their 40’s who love their life, this is for you. I highly recommend it on audio.
NEVER LET ME GO by Kazuo Ishiguro (Bookshop | Amazon)
Who is this for? Maybe… anyone? A rare four-quadrant book
This is one of the three-fer books that showed up on our crowdsourced list of the “100 Best Books of the 21st Century”, the main New York Times list, and the crowdsourced NYT list. I was chatting about it in the comments of a recent newsletter and immediately got a series of texts from
I can only describe as feral. “You must read. It’s fast too. I don’t want to say anything about it but read it and call/text after.” I was intrigued. I agree on knowing as little as possible going in, but top line: it’s an eerily believable sci-fi novel about three friends who were together at an English boarding school and reconnect later in life. I’m not sure I totally loved it, but it had a completely addictive quality and I could not stop turning the pages. I finished it in a matter of days (a recent rarity).HUSBANDS AND LOVERS by BEATRIZ WILLIAMS (Bookshop | Amazon)
Who is this for? Historical romance fans who want 20th century books outside WWII
I’m finding myself getting pickier and pickier when it comes to romances. I’ve read so many that I sometimes get a feeling of “Ugh, I’ve read this before” even if I haven’t. That’s why I was drawn to this multi-timeline romance. One timeline follows an affair in 1950’s Cairo, a second: a college-aged girl who takes a summer job nannying for a wealthy family, and the third: a second-chance romance between the now-grown nanny and her employer’s son (her: a single mom; him: an a-list singer). I was dying to see how these three timelines came together, and they did so in a surprising and much heavier than expected way (again, check triggers). Even though I’m not usually a historical fiction fan, I wound up really enjoying this. And mission accomplished: it felt completely different than any of my recent romance reads.
New Release Radar:
August is usually a quieter month for new releases as we gear up for the big fall books (New Sally Rooney! Blue Sisters! Releases from Matt Haig, Laura Dave, and Liane Moriarty! A new Richard Osman series!), but here are a few that caught my eye and one I can’t stop raving about.
Aug 6: THE PAIRING by Casey McQuiston (Bookshop | Amazon): It’s here! Finally! This second chance romance about queer sluts gallivanting around Europe on a food and wine tour is perfect for all your end of summer vacation needs. Also, genius marketing.
Aug 6: FIVE-STAR STRANGER by Kat Tang (Bookshop | Amazon): A debut narrated by a top-rated professional on a rent-a-stranger app where users can hire a pretend friend for any occasion. A nosy new client threatens his long-term gig as a fake father to a young girl.
Aug 6: ZERO STARS, DO NOT RECOMMEND by M.J. Wassmer (Bookshop | Amazon): The White Lotus meets Kevin Wilson…say no more! OK, just a little more: a man is trapped at an island resort when the sun explodes.
Aug 13: MEN HAVE CALLED HER CRAZY by Anna Marie Tendler (Bookshop | Amazon): A memoir centering on Tendler’s two-week stay at a psychiatric hospital in 2021 and flashing back to key moments in her life.
Aug 20: BY ANY OTHER NAME by Jodi Picoult (Bookshop | Amazon): A dual-timeline novel following a sixteenth-century Englishwoman who actually wrote Shakespeare’s plays and, in the present, contemporary female playwright. Color me intrigued!
Aug 20: HEAVY HITTER by Katie Cotungo (Bookshop | Amazon): A ripped from the headlines romance about an international pop star and an MLB player (v. Taylor/Travis coded). I really enjoyed the author’s last book, so might give this a shot.
Aug 20: WE LOVE THE NIGHTLIFE by Rachel Koller Croft (Bookshop | Amazon): A centuries-old toxic friendship between two female vampires set in London’s disco era. *Adds to cart.*
Book to Big Screen News:
Here’s the latest book adaptation news on my radar. Publicists, producers, bookish insiders: if you have tips for next month, my inbox is open (beccafreemanbooks@gmail.com).
It Ends With Us movie mania is upon us! The film hits theaters August 9.
To promote the film, there was a surprise screening at the author Colleen Hoover’s Book Bonanza festival, there’s a Lily Bloom pop-up experience at Westfield Century City, and Blake Lively (the film’s star) and @halfbakedharvest are possibly having a hot chocolate cookie cook-off.
The release of a movie tie-in cover featuring Lively’s likeness skyrocketed the book to #2 on the New York Times’ Paperback Trade Fiction bestseller list.
I think it’s time to tell you I saw an early screening of the film and really enjoyed it! TBH, I think it’s even better than the book. Curious: do you want a longer newsletter on the movie timed to the release next week?
My most happy dance adaptation news this month: Amazon ordered an Every Summer After series. In case you’re really in the weeds with me, this is *not* the Carley Fortune book Prince Harry and Meghan Markle acquired rights to, that’s Meet Me at the Lake.
Filming started for Netflix’s adaptation of The Thursday Murder Club and the cast is stacked! Hellen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan?!
Tell Me Lies is back for a second season on Hulu on September 4. This one goes past the show’s source material, the 2018 book by Carola Lovering.
The Fourth Wing adaptation found its showrunner: Breaking Bad alum Moira Walley-Beckett.
It’s official: every Emily Henry novel is in the adaptation process. She announced this month that her latest, Funny Story, is being turned into a movie and she wrote the script.
There’s a trailer for Netflix’s adaptation of The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand. Again, stacked cast! It stars Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Dakota Fanning, and Meghann Fahy.
Small book-world: It’s kind of hilarious to me that Kidman plays Dakota Fanning’s mom here and is slated to play her sister Elle’s mother in the upcoming adaptation of Margo’s Got Money Troubles.
Sony picked up rights to Liz Moore’s two latest books, The God of the Woods and Long Bright River. The latter is being adapted as a mini-series for Peacock.
And that’s this month’s book report. Until next time.
Becca
PS: The podcast I co-host, Bad on Paper, has a monthly book club. August’s pick is One-Star Romance by Laura Hankin, an enemies-to-lovers romance about two people who keep getting thrown together by their respective best friends’ life milestones. It also has a strong b-plot about how friendships evolve over time (especially when friends aren’t hitting said life milestones at the same pace). It’s one of my favorite books of the year. We’ll discuss the book in the Aug 28 episode. I’d love you to read along with us.
I'm going to an author talk at Book Club Bar for We Love the Nightlife + have been SO excited for it! Also, The Pairing. Anything Casey McQuiston does, I'm in.
I'm so glad you read Never Let Me Go, even if you didn't love it. I STILL can't stop thinking about it!!!