I’ve been a slow reader lately, but I’m pretty excited about the ARCs I received to read this summer, so I thought I’d share them with you! I’ve been trying to exhibit self control when it comes to requesting ARCs so, thankfully, I only have six to read. I’m hoping to crank them out this month before my literary agency internship starts in July and reading becomes my actual job!
Number One Chinese Restaurant by Lillian Li
June 19, 2018 from Henry Holt & Co
I generally adore everything Henry Holt publishes, and Number One Chinese Restaurant sounds like it will not disappoint. It takes place at the Beijing Duck Restaurant in Rockville, Maryland and follows a family of waiters and kitchen staff after “disaster strikes” at the restaurant. I love multi-generational, multi-voiced stories, so I’m looking forward to this ensemble story, the debut novel from author Lillian Li.
A Terrible Country by Keith Gessen
July 10, 2018 from Penguin Viking
A Terrible Country is Gessen’s first novel in ten years, and it’s been praised by George Saunders and Elif Batuman, which I’ll admit swayed me into requesting it. Russia has been popping up everywhere in literature lately, and this novel is no exception: it follows Andrei Kaplan, whose older brother Dima convinces him to leave New York and go to Moscow to take care of his elderly grandmother.
The Family Tabor by Cherise Wolas
July 17, 2018 from Flatiron Books
Wolas is the author of The Resurrection of Joan Ashby, which I haven’t read but heard great things about. Her sophomore effort is about the Tabor family: Harry, Roma, and their three children, as the patriarch, Harry, is about to be named “Man of the Decade,” but is suddenly haunted by a secret from his past that will change everything. My favorite kind of book explores a unique family dynamic, and The Family Tabor sounds like exactly that.
The Bucket List by Georgia Clark
August 7, 2018 from Atria Books
I love the idea of bucket lists (and I’ve even tried to make a few of my own through the years), and this novel by Georgia Clark, author of The Regulars sounds like such a cute read! It follows twenty-five year-old Lacey Whitman, a small-town girl juggling two careers in New York, who learns she has a high risk for developing breast cancer. Before a possible double mastectomy, Lacey wants to fulfill what she calls her “boob bucket list.” Despite the cancer background story, The Bucket List seems silly and fun, perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella and the like.
A River of Stars by Vanessa Hua
August 14, 2018 from Ballantine Books
A River of Stars has been generating steady buzz since it made a few book lists back in January, and I’ve had my eye on it for a while. Once I saw that Celeste Ng praised it (and Emma Cline too), I knew I needed to request it! It’s a road-trip story about immigration and motherhood, following two expectant mothers from a secret maternity home in Los Angeles: Scarlet, fresh from China, where she got pregnant with her married boss’s child, and Daisy, an unwed American teenager. Scarlet hijacks a van and flees to San Francisco’s Chinatown with Daisy as her unexpected passenger, each with their own competing motives. Asian women have been slaying the lit game lately, so I’m excited to dive into this one by Vanessa Hua!
Ohio by Stephen Markley
August 21. 2018 from Simon and Schuster
Ohio is another majorly-buzzed-about debut, so much so that I was shocked to receive it. I don’t know too much about it, just that it’s about four former high school classmates, now in their 30’s, who return to their hometown one night, each on their own mission. It’s been called “a murder mystery and a social critique,” which in itself sounds entirely intriguing. Though I don’t read many dark books, I’m curious about Ohio, which is already getting an overwhelming amount of rave reviews!
What books are you looking forward to this summer? Are you excited about any of these? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
xx,
Hannah
