No doubt about it: Weekends were made for reading time, and we’re already craving an adventure for the long holiday. Looking to pack your overnight bag with some hot new releases? From the next big “it” YA novel to dramatic prose that will keep adrenaline running high during summer escapes, here is your go-to reading list for Memorial Day weekend and beyond.
1. Arboria Park by Kate Tyler Wall ($17): Big cities have their charm, but we all know that drama runs deepest in small American towns — just take a tiny look at Arboria Park. Stacy Halloran has lived her entire life in the 1950s-era neighborhood, and just as she is about to make her grand escape (both physical and emotional), a new highway project threatens it all. Will Stacy choose to pave the way for the future or risk it all to save her history?
2. The Half-Life of Remorse by Grant Jarrett ($17): Two up-to-no-good migrants cross each other’s paths without realizing they met many years before — and the road ahead isn’t any more simple. A captivating puzzle of running away from the past, seeking forgiveness, and learning from mistakes, The Half-Life of Remorse will make you feel way better about any guilt your own soul is harboring.
3. Lucky Boy by Shanthi Sekaran ($27): Undocumented immigrant Solimar “Soli” Castro-Valdez finds more than a new life when she illegally crosses the Mexican border: She ends up heartbroken, alone, and pregnant. When Soli is abruptly detained, her son Ignacio is placed with a baby-deprived Berkeley resident who soon deeply adores the child as her own — but nothing lasts forever. A heartbreaking and moving tale of two mothers who would do anything for their son, Lucky Boy will rattle the core of every reader and prove motherly love knows no borders.
4. It’s Always the Husband by Michele Campbell ($27): When a wife is killed, who does society blame first? The man she’s closest to. But this tale enters far darker waters… ones filled with the complex love/hate friendships between three wildly diverse women and the destructive secrets they share. An absorbing, unputdownable drama that will have you skipping all your holiday plans for the sake of one more chapter, It’s Always the Husband will tear apart your imagination, shred through your heart, and leave you stunned.
5. The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck ($27): For the reader who is always on the prowl for the latest historical fiction release, this post-WWII story centers on three women haunted by a failed conspiracy to assassinate Adolph Hitler and the grand crumbling Bavarian castle that connects them. An emotional powerhouse of plot, love, and the art of surviving the suffocating ashes of war, The Women in the Castle will grab the heart of every history-loving bookworm.
6. In This Moment by Karma Brown ($17): Happy mother Meg Pepper is doing a routine school pickup one day — but when she waves a teenage boy to cross the street, her life is changed irreversibly. Haunted by her guilt over the horrific car accident that follows, Meg helps the boy’s family during his rehab process and finds herself mysteriously drawn to his father. An emotionally riveting mélange of secrets, forbidden desires, and affairs of the heart, Brown’s new novel will forever make you a devout fan of her storytelling.
7. Alex & Eliza by Melissa de la Cruz ($18): Are you a serial YA consumer? Then you need to indulge in Alex and Eliza ASAP — a make-your-heart-melt telling of the love that unfolds between Alexander Hamilton and Elizabeth Schuyler during the American Revolution. Hint: They meet at a ball and change the course of American history. There’s no chance you’ll escape this read with anything less than butterflies, as New York Times bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz works her magic once again.
8. Goodnight from London by Jennifer Robson ($16): An ambitious young reporter moves to London to report on World War II and start her life anew. The problem? The relentless Blitz destroys everything but her life — though that’s when the real adventure and romance starts. Inspired by the real-life events of the author’s grandmother, this decadent story of Britain’s history and staying fiercely true to the heart will leave every Memorial Day reader mesmerized.
9. Last Seen by J.L. Doucette ($17): Police consultant and psychologist Dr. Pepper Hunt is no stranger to pain. She just fled her successful private practice for a new start in Wyoming, and even there the haunting memories of her husband’s murder linger closely behind. When a new patient mysteriously disappears in a blizzard, Pepper joins forces with a local detective to discover the horrifying truth… one that could threaten to destroy her new start before it begins.
10. Paper Boats by Dee Lestari ($15): A free-spirited girl who dreams of bringing stories to life on paper and a sweet blooming artist who is afraid to abandon stability pursues his craft: What do they have in common? They share a deep and unwavering love for one another, but neither has the courage to admit it. A brilliantly beautiful tale about the power of love, originally published in Indonesia, these pages will inspire you to abandon all fears and embrace the life (and person) your heart wants.
