What to read next: Emily Henry’s latest, luminous literary thrillers, “a perfect summer read,” and more
![Julie Satow's "When Women Ran Fifth Avenue," Tania James' "Loot," Eli Cranor's "Broiler," and more.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/d1ysvut1l4lkly.cloudfront.net/B0D8LKCCS4/6/image-0-0.jpg)
The Independence Day holiday is upon us, and there’s nothing like reading by fire(works) light (ok, that’s not a thing, but still). If you need a recommendation, the Amazon Books Editors are happy to oblige, with an assortment of suggestions to satisfy readers of all stripes. Bon appétit.
If you’ve got a long weekend ahead, spend it with my personal favorite of our Best Books of 2024 So Far, All the Colors of the Dark. Author Chris Whitaker was just in town and some of the Amazon Editors got to meet him. Hearing how he created this incredible tale and characters (over four years!) was a thrill and made me want to read the book again. At the heart, this is a story of friends and love. There’s a young pirate who is also an artist with an obsession, and a beekeeper, who becomes focused on justice after the kidnapping that changes both their lives, forever. The characters and dialogue are genuine, as was my emotional response to the story, which ranged from heartache to triumph to joyful laughter. The chapters went by as fast as a bag of cookies I keep dipping into for “just one more” (okay, this may have happened simultaneously…). The long and short of it? I love this book, and I hope you do too. —Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor
Glitz and glamour. Power and pleasure. Striving and success. If you’re looking for a juicy nonfiction beach read for the 4th of July weekend, let us recommend this Best History of 2024 So Far pick. Journalist Julie Satow’s last book was about NYC’s iconic Plaza Hotel, and her second is broader in scope: the evolution of the department store. But this story is about so much more than ladies shopping and lunching. It’s about the stores’ stature as one of the few spaces where women could exist, and be catered to, in a world that was too quick to write us off. And the possibility for boundary-breaking was thrilling too—take Dorothy Shaver, who rose the ranks at Lord & Taylor, becoming the first woman to earn the equivalent of a $1 million salary. Satow’s breezy narrative also examines privilege, class, and race: who had access to a plum role at a department store, who had the leisure time and extra money to shop there. This fascinating history is packed with style, panache, and drama, a perfect summer read. —Lindsay Powers, Amazon Editor
Just published in paperback, this National Book Award Longlisted novel, Loot, is a hoot. With the kicky quirk of Wes Anderson and the care of Abraham Verghese, James’ novel follows a young boy, Abbas, who strives to change his station in life through his creative talent, personal verve, and luck. Set against the eighteenth-century colonial exploits of England and France in India, James chisels out a story of how vying political forces move from the backdrop of Abbas’ life to the fore. Along the way, our hero dances with romance, adventure, kings, and drunken mentors that both propel him forward and—at times—stymie his plans. While the novel takes place more than 300 years ago, the dynamics of home and identity, power and mobility, are as present today as they are for Abbas, making this novel sparkle with familiarity and intrigue. —Al Woodworth, Amazon Editor
I can't think of a more perfect combination than a long weekend and an Emily Henry book. In her latest sparkling romance, Funny Story, Daphne and Miles become unfortunate, unexpected roommates after their partners abruptly leave them…for each other. When they receive an invite to their exes’ wedding, pretending to date seems like a deserved dose of revenge. This book has all the trademarks we expect from Henry—charm, wit, beautiful scenery, the list goes on and on. But it’s also a departure from her previous books. Daphne and Miles don’t have a shared history, and it’s a delight watching their journey as they discover each other for the first time. There are poignant insights about the challenges of overcoming our baggage—difficult childhoods, losing ourselves in relationships—that make their love story feel genuine and nuanced. I love Daphne’s combination of shyness and snark, Miles’ openness, and the endearingly quirky cast of supporting characters. This book is a feast for the senses (and the heart), and I didn’t want it to end. —Abby Abell, Amazon Editor
When it comes to “what to read next” this week, I am truly torn between two books that appear on the surface to have little in common. But both are in some way about the American Dream (and what more appropriate week to take that theme?). The God of the Woods is a hypnotically calm literary thriller about two missing siblings, set on the Van Laar estate, nestled in the Pennsylvania countryside, and it’s about class and privilege, as is The Broiler, albeit quite a ways further down the social totem pole. The Broiler is not set in an idyllic rural estate, but rather an Arkansas chicken processing plant, where a Mexican immigrant sees his American Dream crumbling and lashes out in anger, with devastating consequences. The good news is both are the perfect hooky, immersive, tell-your-friends reads to help you make the most of the long weekend. —Vannessa Cronin, Amazon Editor
For those of you who didn’t think, “You had me at mermaid,” neither did I! But I’m so glad I read The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock or I would have missed Imogen Hermes Gowar’s delicious debut. A Georgian romp reminiscent of Sarah Waters’s wonderfully bawdy Victorian-era novels, it follows the unlikely courtship of a celebrated courtesan and a decidedly undazzling merchant. The latter has come into a windfall, owing to the sale of a deceased merbaby (just go with it—the writing is that good), but it turns out that their union isn’t just reliant on the size of his…wallet. The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock is a treat of a read with clever, immersive dialog and enough twists and turns to make you wish the word count was even more generous (it's 496 pages). But it also slyly scrutinizes class, gender, and racial divides—adding a layer of depth to a novel that is a perfect long weekend read. —Erin Kodicek, Amazon Editor
With House of the Dragon season 2 well underway, what better time to dive into the history of George R. R. Martin’s world of Westeros? Fans of the show, as well as Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, will find this beautifully illustrated volume the perfect addition to their bookshelves. Often reading like a historical text in its own right, this book doesn’t just dive deep into the Seven Kingdoms and the House of the Dragon, but delivers stunningly colourful, often full-spread images to go along with the text. If it’s not on your bookshelf, it’s probably because you’ve left it on the coffee table to peruse again later. And as more episodes of season 2 release, you’ll want this history of Westeros in your back pocket—if not for the sake of knowing all there is to know about this world of fantasy, then at least for the satisfaction of being able to one-up your friends in conversations about it. —Ben Grange, Amazon Editor
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