The unofficial start to summer, Memorial Day weekend, is here, and if we’re being honest? The activity we’re most looking forward to is lounging in the sun with a good book in hand. And we here at Katie Couric Media are firm believers that the term “beach read” isn’t limited to one particular genre — if it helps you unwind and you plan on reading it while soaking up some sun, then it’s a beach read in our eyes. So, whether your idea of relaxation involves a lighthearted rom-com, a dark and twisted mystery, or something in between, we’re opening up our bookshelves and TBR lists to dish on what the KCM staff is reading this summer. Among our picks, you’ll find mostly new releases for summer 2025, but we also included any recently released titles that we’ve been saving for an extra-long weekend.
Songs of Summer by Jane L. Rosen
My friend Jane Rosen’s newest novel is about a woman whose search for her birth mother takes her to a wedding on Fire Island. I call it the thinking woman’s beach read — funny, poignant, and full of heart. —Katie Couric
Seeking Shelter by Jeff Hobbs
Jeff Hobbs is one of my favorite authors covering stories and topics of interest today. His latest project takes a look at the challenges of LA’s homeless population by following one single mother of six in Los Angeles struggling to care for her children. Hobbs is an extraordinary writer — a keen and empathetic observer of the challenges homeless families face. He can move past statistics and present a deeply personal story of a mother doing what she can to care for her family. A meticulous and compassionate storyteller, Hobbs sheds light on a problem that demands our attention. — John Molner
Good Energy by Casey Means
I picked up this book months before Casey Means was nominated to serve as Surgeon General. Politics aside, I found a lot of interesting ideas in this book by Means — a Stanford-educated medical doctor who for years has been focusing on “functional medicine,” an alternative approach that emphasizes tactics to maintain health and wellness rather than a medical system geared toward treating illnesses. —John Molner
Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
Katie and I are both fans of Jonathan Haidt, and this book of his is particularly interesting (Katie even interviewed him about it). It’s all about social media, the internet, and how they could be rewiring kids’ brains — and it’s been the topic of frequent conversation ever since it came out last year. —John Molner
James by Percival Everett
The novel re-imagines Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Mark Twain) from the perspective of Jim, an escaped slave. My step-daughter, Carrie, recommended this to me when we were traveling recently. It’s very interesting — I just get slowed down a bit by the phonetic spelling of Jim’s narrative! —John Molner
The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong
Here’s a book I’m anticipating as my life-changing summer read. Following up his debut novel On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, Vuong’s second novel follows a depressed 19-year-old who strikes up an unlikely friendship with an elderly widow. I expect vivid imagery, poetic prose, and an introspective dissection of intimacy. –Diana Valenzuela, Assistant Editor
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
When word gets out that Taylor Jenkins Reid has a new book in the works, everyone rushes to their library app to request it. Knowing the wait would be unbearable, I pulled some strings to get an advance copy (one of the perks of the job) of Atmosphere, out June 3, 2025. Jenkins Reid is known for her rich, rapturous writing — and the vast, velvety expanse of outer space makes a perfect setting for her latest novel. Atmosphere is set in the ’80s and follows some of the first women scientists to join the Shuttle program through the lens of a charmingly awkward astronomer, Joan Goodwin. She navigates new bonds, rampant sexism, and her developing identity. And then, a tragic event challenges her in a way she could never have anticipated — no matter how much training she endured. I’m about a third of the way through and already feel like I’m part of the crew, getting to know this group of eager young astronauts as they get to know each other and learn the ropes of NASA’s Space Shuttle program — minus the stomach-churning training and out-of-this-world expertise, of course. Embarrassingly, I’m also picking up more astronomy than I expected. If you’re craving soapy drama with a side of interstellar education, you won’t be disappointed. —Maggie Parker, Deputy Editor
The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Mottley
Mottley wrote the NYT bestseller Nightcrawling, and her new novel has earned praise from Emma Donoghue, Rufi Thorpe, and others, plus starred reviews from Booklist and Library Journal. It’s about 16-year-old Adela, who’s shipped off to her grandmother’s house in Florida when she gets pregnant. Once in Florida, she meets other young mothers who are defying the odds and fighting for their futures, and it inspires Adela to want more for herself. –Alaina Mancini, Managing Editor
Her Many Faces by Nicci Cloke
This extremely compelling thriller is written in a way you’ve probably never seen before, relying heavily on the second person and told through alternating perspectives. It traces a single (fictional) high-profile murder by unraveling the stories of everyone in the main suspect’s orbit. Think of it like You meets Q-Anon meets any sensational true crime case, and you’ve got a book you won’t forget. –Sara Levine, Managing Editor of Newsletters
We Tell Ourselves Stories by Alissa Wilkinson
The title of this riveting read by a New York Times film critic comes from perhaps the most famous line ever written by the book’s subject, the iconic Joan Didion: “We tell ourselves stories in order to live.” The words are often used as a sort of motivational tool for creatives, but Wilkinson argues they’re largely misunderstood — that the quote is more about our desperate attempts to find order and rationality in times of chaos and unrest. This book examines Didion’s fascination with Hollywood and her ideas about how the movies intertwined with politics, turning government into a performance and celebrities into activists (a particularly timely tale for America today, don’t you think?). –Ryan Buxton, Features Director
Stag Dance: A Novel & Stories by Torrey Peters
Following her debut novel Detransition, Baby, Torrey Peters’ second book is a multistory exploration of transness, identity, gender, and sexuality. But it’s also simply a beautifully written work of fiction, with each character richly drawn despite their brief introductions. I saw a handwritten note at my local bookstore (shout out, Green Apple Books in SF!) that displayed a review I’ve been repeating ever since: “Torrey proves that there are still new stories to tell in 2025.” –Justine Carreon, Affiliate Content Manager
My Friends by Fredrik Backman
Grab the tissues, because #1 New York Times bestselling author Fredrik Backman of A Man Called Ove, Beartown, and others is out with another incredibly moving (and humorous) story about a group of teenagers whose bond is so strong that it changes a stranger’s life a full two decades later. NPR says it’s “The perfect balance of heartwarming and heart-wrenching.” –Alaina Mancini, Managing Editor
The Harder I Fight the More I Love You by Neko Case
The megawatt alt-rocker Neko Case — both a solo singer and one of the founders of the stellar band The New Pornographers — wrote this memoir about her fraught childhood in the Pacific Northwest, dealing with unreliable/absentee parents and battling poverty before striking it big. (Or as “big” as you can be in the indie-music world.) I’m a sucker for a girl/boy-battles-adversity-and-makes-good narrative, and this one promises to be a treat for fans and newbies to Case’s music alike. –Molly Simms, VP of Editorial
Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix
Grady Hendrix never fails to scare my pants off, so I’m ready to stop sleeping for a week once I crack open his newest novel. It’s set in a school for pregnant girls in Florida in the 1970s, where we meet a group of teenagers who’ve been sent to this horrible place where they’re surveilled and controlled every minute of every day. Then, a librarian gives them a book about the occult, and suddenly they’re able to harness its power. But power can be good or bad, and there’s always a price to pay — usually a bloody one. –Sara Levine, Managing Editor of Newsletters
The Last Ferry Out by Andrea Bartz
Bartz is the queen of twisty thrillers, and her latest is no exception. It’s set on a remote island, where Abby’s fiancée, Eszter, died in a tragic accident. When Abby visits the island herself, she discovers that what she thought she knew about Eszter’s death may not be true — it might not have been an accident at all. Abby must discover who killed her love before she’s next.
Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab
The author of the sensational The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is taking a slightly different approach to fantasy with her next novel. Three words: toxic lesbian vampires. It moves between three locations and timelines: Santo Domingo de la Calzada, 1532; London, 1827; and Boston, 2019. The book’s description puts it more enticingly than we ever could: “Three young women, their bodies planted in the same soil, their stories tangling like roots. One grows high, and one grows deep, and one grows wild. And all of them grow teeth.“
The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis
Davis’s latest work of propulsive historical fiction is set in another New York City icon: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It’s 1978, and Charlotte is now the Met’s associate curator in the Egyptian art department after a tragedy impacts her coveted archeological dig in Egypt in 1936. Meanwhile, Annie Jenkins is working for the iconic (and capricious) Vogue editor Diana Vreeland, and is bending over backwards prepping for the Met Gala. As the iconic event draws closer and the pressure builds, Charlotte and Diana’s lives will intersect in ways they could’ve never imagined.
Our Last Resort by Clémence Michallon
From the author of the blockbuster hit The Quiet Tenant comes another heart-pounding thriller, and this one’s perfect for fans of The White Lotus. It’s set at a luxury resort, where an attempted reunion between estranged siblings gets thrown into chaos when one of the guests is found murdered. New York Times bestselling author Mary Kubica says Our Last Resort is “thought-provoking and shocking” and “a perfect summer read.”
Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
In the same way certain movies make you more emotional on planes, I think reading swoonworthy rom-coms hits harder at the beach. In Emily Henry’s latest, two aspiring writers compete with each other for the chance to tell the story of a lifetime — and in the process, realize the line between hatred and love is quite blurry indeed.
With a Vengeance by Riley Sager
Riley Sager’s latest gives Murder on the Orient Express — it’s a locked-room mystery that takes place on (you guessed it) a luxury overnight train traveling from Philadelphia to Chicago in 1942. Anna Matheson invited six people on board to enact retribution on those she believes destroyed her family. But when people start getting killed, her plan is derailed (no pun intended).
Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson
This book, from the author of the NYT bestseller Black Cake, was an absolute sensation when it came out in January and was a Read with Jenna Book Club pick. The Freemans are an affluent Black family in New England — one of the only ones in their area. When Ebby Freeman’s brother is tragically killed in a break-in while trying to protect a cherished family heirloom, their lives are never the same. After a failed, high-profile romance, Ebby flees to France but finds that she can’t outrun her past.
